Harley Benton puts an affordable, 21st century spin on a punk favorite with new MR series guitars

Harley Benton has unveiled a new line of electric guitars, the MR Series.

Why 'MR'? Well, these four new models all pay tribute to the long-defunct Mosrite brand. Popular for their unique looks and super-thin necks, Mosrite models were used by guitarists of many genres, but are perhaps most well-known for their association with punk trailblazer Johnny Ramone.

Ramone used a '65 Mosrite Ventures II model on every one of the Ramones' albums, and for virtually all of the band's thousands of shows through the decades. 

Aiming to both channel that vintage spirit and give guitarists 21st century features, Harley Benton is offering four MR Series models – the MR Classic, MR Classic Baritone, MR Modern and MR Modern Baritone.

We'll take a closer look at all four below.

MR Classic 

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The MR Classic model features a basswood body and a 'C'-shaped Canadian maple neck that sports a 12” radius roasted Jatoba fretboard with 22 frets and a classic 25.5” scale length.

Sounds on the guitar come by way of a pair of Artec P-90 Alnico-5 pickups, which are controlled by individual volume and tone knobs, plus a three-way pickup switch.

Hardware-wise, the MR Classic boasts a fixed bridge, a graphite nut, a double-action truss rod and Wilkinson tuners. All hardware is finished in chrome.

The MR Classic comes in Metallic Blue, Candy Apple Red, Pearl White, 3-Tone Sunburst and Black finishes, and is available now for $231. A left-handed version of the guitar is also available, in only the 3-Tone Sunburst finish, for $231.

MR Classic Baritone 

The MR Classic Baritone is virtually identical to the MR Classic, but, of course, boasts a longer, 27” scale length and .013-.062 electric guitar strings, as opposed to the standard model's .010-.046 set.

The guitar is available now – in both left- and right-handed versions and in a 3-Tone Sunburst finish – for $231.

MR Modern

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The MR Modern, meanwhile, features an alder body and a 'C'-shaped Canadian maple neck sporting a 25.5" Macassar ebony fretboard with a 12” radius and 22 stainless steel frets.

It's driven by two Artec AHC-90 Soapbar Alnico-5 humbuckers, which are said to be slightly more powerful and punchy than the Classic's P-90s. These are controlled by a single volume knob, a push/pull tone control with coil-tapping capabilities and a three-way pickup switch.

Rather than the Classic's fixed bridge, the MR Modern sports a Wilkinson VS-50 II tremolo, and Wilkinson locking tuners, as opposed to the Classic's Wilkinson standards. There's also a double action truss rod and a Graph Tech TUSQ nut, with the hardware again finished in chrome.

Like its Classic sibling, however, the MR Modern comes in Metallic Blue, Candy Apple Red, Pearl White, 3-Tone Sunburst and Black finishes, with a left-handed version available exclusively in 3-Tone Sunburst. All MR Moderns are available now for $324.

MR Modern Baritone 

Like the MR Classic Baritone, the MR Modern Baritone is identical to its standard sibling bar the string set and 27” scale length. It's available now – in both left- and right-handed versions and in a 3-Tone Sunburst finish – for $324.

For more info on the MR Series models, visit Harley Benton.