Best Harley Benton Electric Violins and Violas 2026
Premium Harley Benton electric violins and violas - legendary tone and craftsmanship
Last updated: January 14, 2026 • Next update: January 21, 2026
GENRES & STYLES:
For Contemporary
For Rock
For Pop
For Jazz Fusion
For Recording Studio
For Live Performance
#1
⭐
4.5/5
(16 reviews)
Sound:
8/10
Build:
9/10
Value:
8/10
Harley Benton HBV 800GNB Acoustic-Electric
Live Performance
Pop
Contemporary
Key Feature:
• Effects processing capabilities
✓ PROS
- • Consistent electronic output
- • Silent practice with headphones
✗ CONS
- • Different bowing response
- • Requires amplification system
Harley Benton HBV 800GNB Acoustic-ElectricAcoustic-Electric Violin 4/4An acoustic violin with a built-in passive piezo...
⭐
4.5/5
(16 reviews)
Sound:
8/10
Build:
9/10
Value:
8/10
Art. 532482
$186
#2
⭐
4.5/5
(32 reviews)
Sound:
8/10
Build:
9/10
Value:
8/10
Harley Benton HBV 990GBY 4/4 Electric Violin
Rock
Jazz Fusion
Live Performance
Key Feature:
• No feedback when amplified
✓ PROS
- • Silent practice with headphones
- • Consistent electronic output
✗ CONS
- • Requires amplification system
- • Electronic dependency
Harley Benton HBV 990GBY 4/4 Electric ViolinElectric Violin with Active Pickup SystemSize: 4/4Body made of birchPlastic...
⭐
4.5/5
(32 reviews)
Sound:
8/10
Build:
9/10
Value:
8/10
Art. 417284
$186
#3
⭐
4.9/5
(52 reviews)
Sound:
7/10
Build:
8/10
Value:
8/10
Harley Benton HBV 870LH/WH Electric Violin
Pop
Live Performance
Rock
Key Feature:
• Effects processing capabilities
✓ PROS
- • Silent practice with headphones
- • Modern genre versatility
✗ CONS
- • Different bowing response
- • Lacks acoustic resonance
Harley Benton HBV 870LH/WH Electric ViolinElectric ViolinLefthand / left-handed modelSize: 4/4Body made of...
⭐
4.9/5
(52 reviews)
Sound:
7/10
Build:
8/10
Value:
8/10
Art. 539202
$186
#4
⭐
4.8/5
(34 reviews)
Sound:
8/10
Build:
7/10
Value:
7/10
Harley Benton HBV 800SKL Acoustic-Electric
Rock
Recording Studio
Pop
Key Feature:
• Silent practice with headphones
✓ PROS
- • Silent practice with headphones
- • Consistent electronic output
✗ CONS
- • Not suitable for classical orchestra
- • Different bowing response
Harley Benton HBV 800SKL Acoustic-ElectricAcoustic-Electric Violin 4/4An acoustic violin with a built-in passive piezo...
⭐
4.8/5
(34 reviews)
Sound:
8/10
Build:
7/10
Value:
7/10
Art. 532487
$175
#5
⭐
4.8/5
(8 reviews)
Sound:
7/10
Build:
7/10
Value:
7/10
Harley Benton HBV 990WH Electric Violin
Jazz Fusion
Rock
Recording Studio
Key Feature:
• No feedback when amplified
✓ PROS
- • Consistent electronic output
- • Modern genre versatility
✗ CONS
- • Not suitable for classical orchestra
- • Lacks acoustic resonance
Harley Benton HBV 990WH Electric ViolinElectric Violin with Active Pickup SystemSize: 4/4Active pickup systemHeadphone...
⭐
4.8/5
(8 reviews)
Sound:
7/10
Build:
7/10
Value:
7/10
Art. 351784
$175
#6
⭐
4.4/5
(35 reviews)
Sound:
9/10
Build:
8/10
Value:
9/10
Harley Benton HBV 990AM Electric Violin
Contemporary
Live Performance
Jazz Fusion
Key Feature:
• No feedback when amplified
✓ PROS
- • Modern genre versatility
- • Effects processing capabilities
✗ CONS
- • Lacks acoustic resonance
- • Not suitable for classical orchestra
Harley Benton HBV 990AM Electric ViolinElectric ViolinSize: 4/4Active pickup systemHeadphone outputJack outputBody:...
⭐
4.4/5
(35 reviews)
Sound:
9/10
Build:
8/10
Value:
9/10
Art. 351786
$175
#7
⭐
4.9/5
(9 reviews)
Sound:
7/10
Build:
8/10
Value:
9/10
Harley Benton HBV 870WH 4/4 Electric Violin
Recording Studio
Jazz Fusion
Contemporary
Key Feature:
• No feedback when amplified
✓ PROS
- • Silent practice with headphones
- • Modern genre versatility
✗ CONS
- • Requires amplification system
- • Different bowing response
Harley Benton HBV 870WH 4/4 Electric ViolinElectric ViolinSize: 4/4Body: PaulowniaFingerboardpegs and chinrest:...
⭐
4.9/5
(9 reviews)
Sound:
7/10
Build:
8/10
Value:
9/10
Art. 456461
$164
#8
⭐
4.8/5
(56 reviews)
Sound:
9/10
Build:
9/10
Value:
7/10
Harley Benton HBV 990BEM 4/4 Electric Violin
Contemporary
Rock
Live Performance
Key Feature:
• Effects processing capabilities
✓ PROS
- • No feedback when amplified
- • Effects processing capabilities
✗ CONS
- • Not suitable for classical orchestra
- • Different bowing response
Harley Benton HBV 990BEM 4/4 Electric ViolinElectric Violin with Active Pickup SystemSize: 4/4Maple body and...
⭐
4.8/5
(56 reviews)
Sound:
9/10
Build:
9/10
Value:
7/10
Art. 325869
$186
#9
⭐
4.5/5
(44 reviews)
Sound:
8/10
Build:
9/10
Value:
9/10
Harley Benton HBV 990AMB 4/4 Electric Violin
Contemporary
Live Performance
Rock
Key Feature:
• No feedback when amplified
✓ PROS
- • Consistent electronic output
- • Silent practice with headphones
✗ CONS
- • Requires amplification system
- • Not suitable for classical orchestra
Harley Benton HBV 990AMB 4/4 Electric ViolinElectric ViolinSize: 4/4Active pickup systemHeadphone outputJack...
⭐
4.5/5
(44 reviews)
Sound:
8/10
Build:
9/10
Value:
9/10
Art. 417280
$186
#10
⭐
4.8/5
(25 reviews)
Sound:
9/10
Build:
8/10
Value:
8/10
Harley Benton HBV 990BK Electric Violin
Live Performance
Recording Studio
Rock
Key Feature:
• Silent practice with headphones
✓ PROS
- • Silent practice with headphones
- • Consistent electronic output
✗ CONS
- • Not suitable for classical orchestra
- • Requires amplification system
Harley Benton HBV 990BK Electric ViolinElectric Violin with Active Pickup SystemSize: 4/4Active pickup systemHeadphone...
⭐
4.8/5
(25 reviews)
Sound:
9/10
Build:
8/10
Value:
8/10
Art. 351782
$175
#11
⭐
4.9/5
(50 reviews)
Sound:
7/10
Build:
8/10
Value:
8/10
Harley Benton HBV 870BK 4/4 Electric Violin
Recording Studio
Rock
Jazz Fusion
Key Feature:
• Modern genre versatility
✓ PROS
- • Silent practice with headphones
- • Consistent electronic output
✗ CONS
- • Different bowing response
- • Not suitable for classical orchestra
Harley Benton HBV 870BK 4/4 Electric ViolinElectric ViolinSize: 4/4Body: PaulowniaEbony pegsfingerboard and...
⭐
4.9/5
(50 reviews)
Sound:
7/10
Build:
8/10
Value:
8/10
Art. 225650
$164
#12
⭐
4.9/5
(29 reviews)
Sound:
9/10
Build:
9/10
Value:
9/10
Harley Benton HBV 800RDM Acoustic-Electric
Recording Studio
Jazz Fusion
Pop
Key Feature:
• Modern genre versatility
✓ PROS
- • Effects processing capabilities
- • Consistent electronic output
✗ CONS
- • Not suitable for classical orchestra
- • Requires amplification system
Harley Benton HBV 800RDM Acoustic-ElectricElectric ViolinSize: 4/4Acoustic violin with a built-in passive piezo pickup...
⭐
4.9/5
(29 reviews)
Sound:
9/10
Build:
9/10
Value:
9/10
Art. 533268
$164
#13
⭐
4.6/5
(3 reviews)
Sound:
9/10
Build:
7/10
Value:
9/10
Harley Benton HBV 800SNB Acoustic-Electric
Rock
Contemporary
Recording Studio
Key Feature:
• Consistent electronic output
✓ PROS
- • Silent practice with headphones
- • Effects processing capabilities
✗ CONS
- • Lacks acoustic resonance
- • Different bowing response
Harley Benton HBV 800SNB Acoustic-ElectricAcoustic-Electric Violin 4/4An acoustic violin with a built-in passive piezo...
⭐
4.6/5
(3 reviews)
Sound:
9/10
Build:
7/10
Value:
9/10
Art. 532483
$186
#14
⭐
4.8/5
(17 reviews)
Sound:
7/10
Build:
7/10
Value:
7/10
Harley Benton HBV CC Electric Violin 4/4 BM
Recording Studio
Pop
Rock
Key Feature:
• Effects processing capabilities
✓ PROS
- • Silent practice with headphones
- • Consistent electronic output
✗ CONS
- • Different bowing response
- • Not suitable for classical orchestra
Harley Benton HBV CC Electric Violin 4/4 BMElectric ViolinSize: 4/4Bodyneck and fingerboard made of carbon...
⭐
4.8/5
(17 reviews)
Sound:
7/10
Build:
7/10
Value:
7/10
Art. 568354
$153
#15
⭐
4.8/5
(27 reviews)
Sound:
7/10
Build:
7/10
Value:
7/10
Harley Benton HBV 870LH/BK Electric Violin
Pop
Contemporary
Rock
Key Feature:
• Silent practice with headphones
✓ PROS
- • Effects processing capabilities
- • No feedback when amplified
✗ CONS
- • Lacks acoustic resonance
- • Requires amplification system
Harley Benton HBV 870LH/BK Electric ViolinElectric ViolinLefthand / left-handed modelSize: 4/4Body made of...
⭐
4.8/5
(27 reviews)
Sound:
7/10
Build:
7/10
Value:
7/10
Art. 539201
$186
How to Choose the Best Electric Violins and Violas
Budget Planning
- • Under $200: Entry-level
- • $200-$500: Intermediate
- • $500-$1000: Advanced
- • $1000+: Professional
Quality Check
- • Sound clarity & tone
- • Build materials & finish
- • Hardware durability
- • Overall craftsmanship
Key Features
- • Your musical style
- • Skill level match
- • Intended use case
- • Brand reputation
Frequently Asked Questions
Key factors include build quality, sound characteristics, playability, brand reputation, warranty coverage, and value for money. Consider your musical style, skill level, and intended use to find the best match.
Budget depends on your needs and experience level. Beginners can find quality options for $200-500, intermediate players should consider $500-1500 range, while professionals often invest $1500+ for premium features.
Higher-priced electric violins and violas typically offer better materials, craftsmanship, and performance. They're worth it if you're serious about music, perform regularly, or need professional-grade features.
Top brands combine quality, innovation, and reliability. We evaluate brands based on build quality, sound performance, durability, and customer satisfaction to recommend the best options for different budgets.
Both have advantages. Online offers better prices and selection, while stores allow hands-on testing. We recommend researching online first, then testing in stores if possible. Many online retailers offer excellent return policies.
