George Benson's Guitar early 70's

**callouscallus** · 01-23-2014, 12:30 PM

Does anyone know what guitar or guitars George played specifically on the Beyond the Blue Horizon LP?

Obviously earlier than his sig model ibanez. Im guessing it might be the Guild I've seen from this period with floating pickup. The sound on this album still sounds like a floating pickup to me, does it to you guys?

**Bebop Tom** · 01-23-2014, 03:28 PM

Probably his Guild Artist Award.

**2bornot2bop** · 01-23-2014, 04:54 PM

Benson played an Ibanez model 2470, a Gibson Johnny Smith knockoff from the early 70's, on several of those albums...if you search the threads there's a photo of it there posted a few years back.

**callouscallus** · 01-23-2014, 05:21 PM

Looks like he had a D'Angelico around that time as well, this would have been a year after Beyond the Blue Horizon, but his album from that year, White Rabbit is a very similar sound

**Blues Fuse** · 01-23-2014, 05:52 PM

The Guild Artist Award is pictured on the album cover. Back in 2010 Benson did an interview in "Vintage Guitar" and he said that a lot of the recordings for CTI were done on a Guild X-500. He mentioned that "Bad Benson" and a couple of others (not named) were done on a D'A New Yorker that he bought for $1,000. The Johnny Smith Gibson was initially used for recording during the "Breezin" sessions. Benson started his discussions with Ibanez about a signature model during the weekend that the "Weekend in L.A." gigs were being recorded.

**Loobs** · 01-23-2014, 06:13 PM

I love his tone and playing on The Cooker. Soul-jazz at its best!

**Bebop Tom** · 01-23-2014, 06:35 PM

Originally Posted by Blues Fuse

The Guild Artist Award is pictured on the album cover. Back in 2010 Benson did an interview in "Vintage Guitar" and he said that a lot of the recordings for CTI were done on a Guild X-500. He mentioned that "Bad Benson" and a couple of others (not named) were done on a D'A New Yorker that he bought for $1,000. The Johnny Smith Gibson was initially used for recording during the "Breezin" sessions. Benson started his discussions with Ibanez about a signature model during the weekend that the "Weekend in L.A." gigs were being recorded.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/teakwood/8954270611/

**jads57** · 01-24-2014, 12:23 PM

George sounds great playing any guitar! That said the tone on the Breezin record w/ the Johnny Smith is the one that speaks to me. But remember it's the magician not the wand that counts most of all.

**floatingpickup** · 01-26-2014, 10:37 AM

I saw George in a club in Toronto in the mid-seventies. He was playing straight ahead jazz on his D'Angelico New Yorker with a small group. It was one of the most memorable performances I ever saw. George was a really nice, approachable guy too. I talked to him after the gig and he showed me the guitar. I played a chord or two on it.
Keith

**gianluca** · 01-26-2014, 04:47 PM

Originally Posted by floatingpickup

I saw George in a club in Toronto in the mid-seventies. He was playing straight ahead jazz on his D'Angelico New Yorker with a small group. It was one of the most memorable performances I ever saw. George was a really nice, approachable guy too. I talked to him after the gig and he showed me the guitar. I played a chord or two on it.
Keith

always wondered: does he use a low action, very low, normal or high?

**floatingpickup** · 01-27-2014, 09:26 PM

Originally Posted by gianluca

always wondered: does he use a low action, very low, normal or high?

Sorry Gianluca, I can't remember. I only had his guitar in my hands for a couple of minutes and it was nearly 40 years ago. I am guessing it was a low action though, because I probably would have noticed if it was not set up the way I like. Maybe someone else on the forum knows the answer to this.
Keith

**3625** · 01-27-2014, 10:17 PM

Originally Posted by callouscallus

Looks like he had a D'Angelico around that time as well, this would have been a year after Beyond the Blue Horizon, but his album from that year, White Rabbit is a very similar sound

Ha! that was great! And Jo Jones on the drums! I dug hearing George in a context that was a bit more cool and subdued (given that he's more of a 'hot' player). Too often I see George playing straight ahead where the band is a bit too manic for my taste - I know that brings a level of excitement for the audience, but IMO it can cheapen the music a bit (I also feel that way about lots of the Norman Granz projects like JATP). His playing here clearly shows a Wes/Grant Green vibe.

**callouscallus** · 01-27-2014, 11:29 PM

I know, I absolutely loved that clip as well. So cool on so many levels

**xuoham** · 01-28-2014, 03:23 AM

Very nice video, thank you !

**Philco** · 03-15-2016, 03:05 AM

Actually....I've never seen a picture of GB playing a Guild X500. I've seen that album where he is holding it whilst walking........but I haven't seen a shot of him playing one.

Has anyone? Just curious.

**Archie** · 03-15-2016, 05:41 AM

now you guys know why I love X500's ;-)

In fact I have a 73 :-))

**MarkRhodes** · 03-15-2016, 09:17 AM

Love the clip with Jimmy Slyde and Jo Jones. I love it groovin' like that.

**HeyNow** · 03-15-2016, 11:40 AM

Very cool clip - just watched it 3x. Never heard/seen tap dancing in a jazz trio! Even George seems bewildered.

Looks like George has a Johnny Smith floater on that DA. Sound terrific.

**Blues Fuse** · 03-15-2016, 01:39 PM

Originally Posted by Philco

Actually....I've never seen a picture of GB playing a Guild X500. I've seen that album where he is holding it whilst walking........but I haven't seen a shot of him playing one.

Has anyone? Just curious.

The guitar on the cover of "The Other Side Of Abbey Road," is a Guild X-175. There was a picture of GB in "Guitar Player" playing what looks like an X-500 with Franz pickups.

**Bebop Tom** · 03-15-2016, 02:02 PM

Originally Posted by Philco

Actually....I've never seen a picture of GB playing a Guild X500. I've seen that album where he is holding it whilst walking........but I haven't seen a shot of him playing one.

Has anyone? Just curious.

Bestsellers From Redferns 1960s | Getty Images

**Blues Fuse** · 03-15-2016, 02:21 PM

Originally Posted by Bebop Tom

Bestsellers From Redferns 1960s | Getty Images

That's the picture I saw in "Guitar Player."

**Philco** · 03-15-2016, 04:50 PM

Originally Posted by Bebop Tom

Bestsellers From Redferns 1960s | Getty Images

Well there it is! Thank you.

Yeah that pickup looks different than a normal Guild.

In all my YouTube viewing I've never seen a clip of GB playing a Guild......strange.

**Philco** · 03-15-2016, 04:58 PM

Originally Posted by HeyNow

Very cool clip - just watched it 3x. Never heard/seen tap dancing in a jazz trio! Even George seems bewildered.

Looks like George has a Johnny Smith floater on that DA. Sound terrific.

I've been working on that clip for a couple of years now and have transcribed most of it.....not written down though.

GB has an intimate knowledge of the Melodic Minor scale even if he doesn't call it that. All those fast runs are MM a semitone above the the relevant dominant.

There is one lick that he plays effortlessly at 37 secs in the above version which is a little 11 V and it's not hard to figure out but freakishly difficult to play and maintain his groove.

Revealingly....it's much easier to play if you adopt his right hand tech. Then those kind of things become possible.

Actually Dirk (from this site) sent out a link to the head of this tune recently so it's here somewhere.

Here it is http://www.jazzguitar.be/blog/george...lyde/#comments

**Blues Fuse** · 03-15-2016, 05:29 PM

I have never seen GB with a Guild in a YT video, either. I have seen pictures of him with a Guild Artist Award, the picture with the link above of an X-500, and the album cover with the X-175. I bought a new X-175 back in 1976 which I still have. The cover of "The Other Side of Abbey Road" definitely influenced my decision. At the time there was also a used Guild Artist Award at another store for sale at $999, but that was a little too much for a college student's budget.