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I just saw one of these and was rather surprised by the weight of it. I did not get an exact weight but it seemed much heavier than the guitars I currently own. (archtops and flattops)
Danielle
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12-17-2015 07:31 AM
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I'v never got on with them for that reason and I actually find them uncomfortable but extremely well made guitars. I can totally get why people are really into them. I'm sure I'll come round one day.
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Just how much do they weigh?
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Congrats Groyniad. I have one just like yours and I also like it a lot. As you say, build like a tank, super playable, nice thick, big archtop tone, nice comfortable neck, smallish body. Really, there's nothing to dislike about a GB10. Funny, for the finish I had the feeling that it is not as nice as a nice Gibson or Heritage nitro finish. At least from close by; from a distance it looks better to me ... but never mind, these are awesome guitars! Enjoy it for a long time to come!
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Congratulations!
The one question I have is: Which distance do you keep your pickguard from the high E string?
Originally Posted by FrankLearns
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jazz-175
the top string and the pick guard were set up just fine out of the box. i do notice that the pick guard is a tad higher - so closer to the plane made by the strings - than on the L5 - and this, if anything, makes benson picking slightly more comfortable.
you can adjust the height of the pick guard with one of the three screws in the pick guard - this is for the bridge pickup - the one most of us don't use (ever).
the one question i have is - what type of pickup do i have in this 2015 GB10? i know this is one for the experts - and it may be a long shot hoping for an answer.
what i have in mind is stuff our own jzucker has said about the GB10 pickups since around 2006 and onwards. he tells us - very authoritatively as always - that the newer GB10 pickups are 'hotter' than the classic ones - and others have complained about their being 'unpotted' - so noisy if touched.
i have found them to be minimally noisy when touched and not particularly 'hot'. which makes me think they may no longer have the modified pickups in them. apparently - again this from jz - mr benson changes out the newer ones for the older less hot ones that have a warmer tone....
in general the pickup on the guitar seems to be one of its many strong points.... but if anyone has had any great joy swapping out one of the newer ones for an alternative i'd be happy to hear about it.
thanks!
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They only list the pickups as a GB Special for either neck or bridge, and have AlNico magnets...likely an A5 since they are wound fairly hot. Ibanez does not list their specs on pre-2004 GB10's.
I have '79 and '97 GB10 as well as a '90 GB12, and yes, the '79 sounds a bit smoother in attack than its newer brothers. All of them are very quiet, but the newer pickups are a bit more microphonic, especially if you inadvertently hit it with your pick as you play. I wish there was a way to lower the neck p'up...but that's the problem with JS style neck pickups. I wouldn't be too concerned with replacing the GB's pickups unless you find them objectionable. Then you can always seek out JS style p'ups from Kent Armstrong, Benedetto, or Seymour Duncan. All are nice, but slightly different (wound between 7.9 -9.5 kohms, AlNico 5).
Enjoy your new GB!!
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Not sure what corner GB uses but strange you should mention it. I just broke out a new one and was struck by how sharp it is. I had worn the old one down to an even rounder shape than a FM. Originally Posted by Jabberwocky
I really had to wear the new one down with some sand paper. Took about 2 swipes a side and it was FM shape. For the way I play it seems I need a slightly rounded tip. Too sharp and I lose accuracy and speed.
Wish I'd never sold my GB10. Bad mistake. That one you have looks like a beauty Groyniad. A keeper for sure.
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Been there. Here's a lovely '79:
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Beautiful color on that one!
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Personally, I do not believe that the floating pickups eliminate feedback on this guitar. Originally Posted by Woody Sound
I agree with you that it has more to do with the thick multi-lam (Spruce/Mahog/Spruce) top of the GB10. Take a look through the F-holes and you'll see how thick the top is. Not much vibration going on in that neighborhood. As for feedback resistance, the same old rules apply. Don't face the speaker at higher volumes. George sometimes covers his F-holes with clear tape, depending on the venue or guitar to further reduce the possibility of feedback.
Play your GB10 in good health!
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Groyniad , you summed that up very well
I had one got rid of it. 90/91 silly me ........................................... what year is yours? I have JP20 but also like 24.75"
crafty setup on the tailpiece lets you alter tension, very clever and overlooked, also does interesting things to the tone that will definitely surprise one, forgetting about changing pickups etc, see what those 2 discreet adjusters do.
Want one again now!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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There is a floating block on the underside of the top under the bridge which probably helps reduce feedback. All this talkin' about 'em made me get mine out of the case. May take it to the gig tomorrow, although I've been playing my Tele so much that I feel a little awkward on the short scale of the neck.
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what are they like to play sitting down ?
big enough ?
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I think so pingu. A tad on the smallish side, but still comfortable
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Glad you jumped in, Groyniad! I bet you never let it go, no matter what other guitars come into your life. Always a breath of fresh air to find something (Anything!) that does its job well, consistently and with little to no distraction or special needs.
Just a great guitar. Now, if they would just make a 17" version, I'd be completely satisfied
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Groyniad, I tried replying to your PM about recording video, but was informed that your Inbox has reached its quota. I include my message here because it's too long to do again, and is not of a personal nature - and might be of interest to others.
Recording: I record the video and the audio separately. I use a Rode NT4 stereo mic, which records onto a Fostex FR2 LE recorder. Then I import the sound file into my computer, and use a sound file editing programme - there are many to choose from. Mine is the simplest good-quality one I could find: Wavelab Essential 6, which is no longer available new, but there's nothing special about it. The free Audacity is just as good, I believe.
So, I edit the file by chopping the unwanted bits off before and after the performance. Then I boost the volume if needs be, and add a touch reverb. It sounds ten times better than the soundfile on the video.
Then I open up the video editor. I use Vegas Studio Lite, which I got about seven years ago and have never upgraded. I'm sure there must be better ones on the market now. I download the video from the camera into it, and import the newly-edited soundfile. The next part is what you are worried about, but it's very easy.
I drag the video into the editing window, and drag the new soundfile to just below it. Both the video and the sound file show the sound wave for each. It's just a case of zooming in a bit, and lining them up. Only takes five seconds or so. Then I zoom out. Both the video and the new sound file have their own volume sliders, so it's just a case of reducing the video volume to zero. Takes one second. Job done.
I add a title window, and a "credits" window at the end. I often make the video black and white - I just like it. Then I click "Make Movie", and go and play guitar for ten minutes or so as it does its thing. Then upload it to YouTube.
That sounds a long process, but it isn't once you've done it a few times. Other people might have quicker, better, cheaper ways. It's just what I'm used to doing, so I'm stuck with it. There was an initially outlay for the mic and Fostex, but I've had them for seven or eight years or so, and they've long since paid for themselves. The mic and Fostex are good enough for home recordings I've done for ukulele books for Mel Bay. They've published a dozen or so of my books, each one with a CD, all done in my living room.
I hope that wasn't too long winded!
Rob
PS I hope you can appreciate why I didn't want to write all that out again!
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I find the shape of the body pulls it slightly to the right compared to my other guitars when sitting down. It's odd at first, but I have had this instrument since 1986 so I get used to it very quickly. Originally Posted by pingu
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So, thanks for bringing up these guitars and inspiring me! I took the GB10 to the gig tonight, playing it through my AI Clarus 2r and Raezer's Edge 12". What fun and lots of compliments on my playing. As long as your tone is good, people think you played good too. It's an easy guitar to get a nice amplified tone with, even through an amp that tends to be a little unforgiving. The GB10 is really comfortable to play standing with a strap; I wear it a bit like Joe Pass wore his ES-175 with the neck angled up pretty sharply. It's a bit heavy compared to my carvetop and my semi-hollow Tele but not too bad.
After the thread on scale length and tone I am coming to realize that I prefer the 24 3/4" scale in terms of tone, but I prefer the 25 1/2" scale for the slightly roomier neck. D'oh! But tonight I did not feel as cramped as I often do on short scale necks and that might be because I have gravitated towards different grips- more Bickertish- than I used to use.
These really are nice guitars and worth a look-see for anyone looking for a gigging jazz axe.
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Some will claim that the tone is in your fingers...
But the guitar can of course be very inspiring and bring your good playing to a higher level
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What a coincidence. This week I took a couple of solos in my big band. I had a great tone and volume happening, no fb, everything was aligned perfectly. But frankly I just could not get my improv lines going. Even dropped a few clams. After rehearsal a trombone player came up to me and told me how impressed he was that night. And he had heard me play much better before. Originally Posted by Cunamara
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Originally Posted by pingu
yes they're big enough - though you do have to lift a supporting leg a touch
amazingly you could say that the L5 is more comfortable to play sitting down - i would never play it standing up
comfortable playing position is very high up the list of what is really good about this guitar
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Originally Posted by Philco
i love the tip - now that i'm using a picking angle that generates a very dark tone this pick works much better for me than the FM
thanks for bringing it up Jabber - do you have yours yet?
i really can't make benson picking work AT ALL with the other corners.
but they're very good picks - Phil - what other picks are like these ibanez benson picks? (in one of the first posts i read on this forum you described yourself as a pick-whore i think - and it made me feel instantly at home. (you can read that anyway you like i suppose)
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Groyniad, not yet. It's in the post mixed in together with all the X'massy stuff. I should be getting them soon! It was an ordeal ordering them. Only two shops in the whole of Japan had them. One had only 50. The other one had to order them from Hoshino Gakki as I wanted 100. They're only picks, for crying out loud; you'd think I was ordering hen's teeth. JPY8200 + JPY700 postage. I'm cheap.
Last edited by Jabberwocky; 12-22-2015 at 09:51 AM.
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i found it hard to find them too - but i enjoyed them a lot to start with, then gave up with them, and now thanks to you, i'm back with them and loving them even more.
i'd just like to say that my purchase of a gb10 was an all jazz guitar.be affair. i found SO many good guitarists singing its praises on here that i decided it was time to get one (i have only one other guitar in all the world).
many people helped - some have made an appearance on this thread - thanks to you all!
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