Despite its humble price tag, the guitar – which was created in collaboration with popular YouTuber and gear guru Max Carlisle – features 24 stainless steel frets, a roasted flame maple neck and a Floyd Rose tremolo
(Image credit: Harley Benton)
We’re used to seeing Harley Benton come out with irresistibly cheap electric guitars, but this is something we don’t see everyday: a new signature guitar crafted by the champion of cheap gear.
Said signature six-string is the Guitar Max Fusion – a well-spec’d shred machine designed in collaboration with, and bestowed upon, popular YouTuber and gear guru Max Carlisle, aka Guitar Max.
According to the brand, the guitar itself aims to cater to players of all genres and styles, but a quick glance at the beast will immediately give you an idea of the players who will be particularly taken by the Gloss Emerald Green-finished beauty.
Image 1 of 2
(Image credit: Harley Benton)
(Image credit: Harley Benton)
Without overcomplicating things, the Guitar Max Fusion looks to be a speed machine through and through, geared towards those who are fans of fast solos and partial to a few of the extra hardware accompaniments that come with such six-strings.
Indeed, the 24 Blacksmith stainless steel frets, Floyd Rose 1000 tremolo system and locking nut will no doubt tickle the interest of such players, as will the 12” radius roasted flame maple fingerboard and Modern-C-profile neck of the same wood.
Other specs that contribute to the heavy, virtuoso-inspired vibe include the HS configuration, comprising a Tesla Plasma-X1 bridge humbucker and a Tesla Plasma-RS2 single-coil in the neck. It’s a versatile combo, one that’s said to be capable of Strat-y neck rhythm tones and “screaming leads."
At its core, the Guitar Max Fusion features a nyatoh body with one-ply wooden binding and an ultra-flame maple veneer that flashes the alluring Gloss Green Emerald colorway.
Get The Pick Newsletter
All the latest guitar news, interviews, lessons, reviews, deals and more, direct to your inbox!
The 25.5” scale shredder also comes equipped with Jinho J03 locking tuners, a 42mm-wide nut and a streamlined-yet-versatile control layout that features a three-way selector switch, master volume and tone controls, and a mini-toggle switch for coil tapping.
As is the case with just about every Harley Benton guitar, the Guitar Max Fusion offers a humble price tag that belies its impressive spec sheet. At $444, it looks to be a serious player in the more affordable electric guitar market.
Image 1 of 5
(Image credit: Harley Benton)
(Image credit: Harley Benton)
(Image credit: Harley Benton)
(Image credit: Harley Benton)
(Image credit: Harley Benton)
“My goal with this guitar was to create an incredible instrument accessible to everyone,” Guitar Max said in a demo video accompanying the guitar's announcement. “We finally got to this end result and I really couldn’t be happier with this.”
Matt is a Senior Staff Writer, writing for Guitar World, Guitarist and Total Guitar. He has a Masters in the guitar, a degree in history, and has spent the last 16 years playing everything from blues and jazz to indie and pop. When he’s not combining his passion for writing and music during his day job, Matt records for a number of UK-based bands and songwriters as a session musician.
