George Benson setup

[LJP]

Did George Benson play heavy strings and low action? Medium fender pick?

[Cunamara]

His signature string set by Thomastik-Infeld is .012-.053, also offered as .014-.056 (I think it's .056). Do you consider that heavy? Some here think .012 is a light gauge string.

I don't think have ever heard anything about his string action being high, medium or low. Looking at videos of GB, I'd say his action is not overly low.

His picking style is a religion for many jazz guitarists. There's a huge thread here about "Benson picking" which probably would contain all the information you want and then some. I think he generally used a medium pick, I have heard Dunlops rather than Fenders.

Benson Picking technique on Gibson L5 Wesmo

[GuyBoden]

His lower action is easier to setup with heavier gauge strings than lighter gauge strings, contrary to many people's ideas.

Due to lighter gauge string oscillating more than heavier gauge strings.

[grahambop]

Benson talks about some of these things in this interview which I kept from the ‘Guitar’ magazine in 1974. He mentions having a high action. Of course he may have changed his setup since then.

[deacon Mark]

George plays great but I never found him to be very informative in interviews and not the best verbal communicator. I would be suspect that he played with high action although he does use heavier strings. Many talk about "Benson Pickin' " and his set up but personally I think George is simply one of the most gifted and talented musicians ever. He has the George Benson sound and touch because that is exactly who he is George Benson, throw out the mold and don't try and duplicate it. I don't think he could explain it or give the status details; he just did it!

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

His lower action is easier to setup with heavier gauge strings than lighter gauge strings, contrary to many people's ideas.

Due to lighter gauge string oscillating more than heavier gauge strings.

It's not any easier to set up. As you allude, heavy strings oscillate over a narrower envelope of motion than lighter strings - so you can set the action lower and play just as hard without fret buzz. But the lower you set the action, the more critical it is to have the frets perfectly curved, leveled, crowned, and polished. Even the slightest high or low spot on a fret under a single string will be noticeable (choking, buzz, loss of sustain, etc). Higher action covers a multitude of setup sins.

[SOLR]

Actually , the best person here to ask is Jimmy Blue Note send him a PM ,

IIRC He used to setup GB 's GB10s .....

S

[Cunamara]

Indeed, JBN is a fountain of knowledge about guitars and jazz guitarists. Hopefully he'll spot this thread and weigh in.

I always enjoy the George Benson threads because they remind me to get my GB10 out and play it. I've had my '81 since it was two years old and it still has the best neck I've ever played. A bit heavy but very well balanced to play standing (not so well seated). A snappy fast responsive guitar like a snare drum, compared to my ES-175 with is more like a tom- takes a few milliseconds for the sound to bloom. As Deacon Mark said, George has the GB sound and touch because he's George Benson. And we're not. Even with my GB10 I don't sound like George. I attended a master class with Mark Whitfield last month; he talked about his time playing with Jack McDuff and at one gig George sat on for a tune on Mark's guitar. Mark had been unhappy with his sound at the time; when George played, he proceeded to sound wonderful. Afterwards Mark hurried over to the amp to see what adjustments George had made to sound so good... and George hadn't made any changes. McDuff looked at Mark and said knowingly "it's in the hands."

In interviews George always strikes me as a man who knows exactly who he is and what his position in music is, but is gracious and generous when he could easily be egotistical. He's not the best explainer of what he does as he learned so much of it by ear and on the bandstand, getting things off records, etc. Thousands and thousands of hours attending the best jazz music school in the world: on the bandstand with master players. A music school that has all but closed its doors...

As a funny aside, Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead has said he ended up with one of George's prototypes. When he was working with Ibanez's Jeff Hasselberger on the BW signature model(s), Bobby was shown the prototypes for the GB10. He was very taken with them and finagled getting one... well, what he said was "I told them I was taking this one, they could call the cops, but it was coming with me. Sorry, George."

[gianluca]

Benson talks about some of these things in this interview which I kept from the ‘Guitar’ magazine in 1974. He mentions having a high action. Of course he may have changed his setup since then.

thank you very much for sharing this, very helpful.
I’m very interested in GB guitar setup.
Now,
what could be considered “high action” and “heavy strings” on his “decent” L5 in 1974 when nor thomastik and ibanez endorsement were made?

[Woody Sound]

His signature string set by Thomastik-Infeld is .012-.053, also offered as .014-.056 (I think it's .056). Do you consider that heavy? Some here think .012 is a light gauge string.

I always thought it was strange that his TI sets come in both rounds and flats. Does he use both, depending on the guitar? Or is it just a TI strategy to hit a larger market?

[gitman]

I always thought ti was strange that his TI sets come in both rounds and flats. Does he use both, depending on the guitar? Or is it just a TI strategy to hit a larger market?

This.

[skiboyny]

Well I have no personal experience with George Bensons set up but I do have a couple of thoughts. The article was written in 1974 so possible things changed thru the years. I do remember Peter Farrell,(long time Benson student and teacher) commenting that the action should be very low.
I can say that whenever I have seen Benson playing acoustically on his guitars there is plenty of string slap. Even though he is heavy right handed, his left hand is very low touch. To watch him live he looks to be playing very slow and relaxed although his lines are anything but. Also plays with his pads not his finger tips. He is beyond fast and it's hard to believe that he can move around that way with high action. His name model guitars made by Ibanez are arguably the best playing necks capable of extremely low action of any guitar I have played or owned. That capability is one of the guitars strongest features if not the strongest feature. If I had to guess, I'd say they action is very playable on his guitars. Then again he's George Benson so anything it possible.
As far as strings go, his affiliation with Thomistik is relatively new. I think it's safe to say that "most" of his recordings were not made with Thomistiks. The gauges in his sets are Thomistiks gauging not different from their normally produced recipe. I have never caught a glimpse of the blue (or red) wrapping on any pix I've ever seen. It may be out there but I haven't seen it. The Ibanez guitars are shipped with Daddarios.