Harley Benton looks to tempt Slash fans with new $315 Tribute Series single-cut

In today’s edition of ‘Harley Benton has released an affordable take on a popular electric guitar’, the champion of cheap gear has unveiled a new Tribute Series model that looks to be inspired by some of Slash’s go-to pieces.

Available in Paradise Amber Flame and Autumn Flame Burst – as well as in a left-hand configuration – the SC-550SL most likely looks to harness the aesthetics of both Slash’s Appetite For Destruction era Kris Derrig copy and November Burst Gibson Les Paul Standard, and it does a pretty good job of doing so.

The Autumn Flame Burst, with its black sunburst colorway and black open-coil humbuckers, is almost a dead-ringer for the axe Slash wielded while he toured with Velvet Revolver, while the subtly named Paradise Amber Flame version is a slightly darker take on the Derrig clone but with flipped zebra pickups.

In terms of specs, the SC-550SL features a chambered mahogany body with an arched, flamed maple top, as well as a pau ferro fretboard-topped set mahogany neck. Ergonomically, it flashes a 12” radius ‘board, 22 stainless steel frets and a ‘60s-inspired neck profile, as well as a 24.72” scale – awfully close to Gibson’s own 24.75” scale.

Elsewhere, the guitar comes equipped with a graphite nut and Gotoh Kluson tuners, and calls upon a DLX Tune-O-Matic-style bridge and stop bar tailpiece. Other notable specs include trapezoid inlays, which further add to the Gibson-y vibe.

Tones come by way of a pair of Tesla Opus-1 Alnico-5 humbuckers, which are at the mercy of the typical Les Paul control layout: two volume knobs, two tone knobs and a three-way toggle switch.

As is the case with most Harley Benton guitars, it looks to be a promising bet, especially at $315. To put that into perspective, some of Slash’s own signature guitars command five-figure sums.

It’s not the first time Harley Benton has attempted to sway six-string fans with its affordable takes on popular and well-known guitars. Before Christmas, it unveiled an ash-bodied single-cut inspired by Keith Richards’ Fender “Micawber” Telecaster.

To find out more, head over to Harley Benton.