The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #1

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    I haven't looked at the prices yet, just thought someone here might be interested, some unique ones in there...


    Just a moment...

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    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #2

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    Bargain hunters: Move on now.


    Sales open Oct 16. Any bets on whether his Jimmy D'Aquisto will top 100K? Or whether that will be the most expensive Gibson Johnny Smith ever sold?

    I hope they go to a good home, but somehow I think they'll go to a collector and that will be the end of the playing career of those guitars.
    Didn't he have a similar sell-off a couple of decades ago?

    Pretty cool guitars for anyone's living room anyway.

  4. #3

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    Yes the selling off as George is getting way up there in age. He is over 80 and those guitars will bring a lot money. I sure would not mind if he would just ship me his D'aquisto to play and have for nothing. He really does not need the money, and I would play it and take good care of it. I don't want any of those Ibanez guitars for sure.

  5. #4

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    The green gb5 it s my favorite (and the D’a obviously)

  6. #5

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    A real tortoise shell pg in 1980? Wasn't that a no-no already? Since like the early 70's?

  7. #6

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    I hate thinking about Mr. Benson getting old. A tremendous era coming to an end. I will be holding my GB10 tightly in gratitude the day he passes, which hopefully is still many years away.

  8. #7

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    I suspect that when we pass 80 (assuming we are all so lucky), downsizing will be the path forward for all of us who own too many guitars. Of course, that begs the question, can one have too many guitars?

    George Benson and Kenny Burrell have both lived way past the life expectancy of a Black man in America. We are all enriched by their mighty contribution to the art that we on this forum love. I hope that George says goodbye to the guitars that he is now disposing of with fond memories rather than with any regrets.

  9. #8

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    Well said Marco.

  10. #9

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    Last night during big band rehearsal break, I was chatting with the 2nd alto player. We were talking about vaccinations, which led to him telling me he is 88yo. I was floored.

  11. #10

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    GB deserves credit for bringing the jazz guitar “sound” into the mainstream of music.

    But it’s amazing how many non musicians that I know think of him as a singer who “also plays guitar.”

  12. #11

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    I am surprised about the Gibson Johnny Smith, with which he recorded Breezin', being on the block.

    That instrument was on display at the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix, at least as of a few years ago. I assumed he donated it, but perhaps he just loaned it.

    I hope they will continue to display at least one of his storied guitars.

  13. #12

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    Quote Originally Posted by Stringswinger
    I suspect that when we pass 80 (assuming we are all so lucky), downsizing will be the path forward for all of us who own too many guitars. Of course, that begs the question, can one have too many guitars?

    George Benson and Kenny Burrell have both lived way past the life expectancy of a Black man in America. We are all enriched by their mighty contribution to the art that we on this forum love. I hope that George says goodbye to the guitars that he is now disposing of with fond memories rather than with any regrets.
    The average life expectancy from birth for a white male in the US is 76 years, vs 72 for a black male. But, it is a statistical fact that the older you live, the more you outlive the average. (Most average lifespan numbers are colored by early mortality. If you don't die young, which is not uncommon among some groups, you tend to live a long time.) At the age of 81 George can expect to live another 7-9 years--perhaps one year less than the average white male his age.

    https://www.prb.org/wp-content/uploa...rchAging28.pdf

  14. #13

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    Quote Originally Posted by deacon Mark
    Yes the selling off as George is getting way up there in age. He is over 80 and those guitars will bring a lot money. I sure would not mind if he would just ship me his D'aquisto to play and have for nothing. He really does not need the money, and I would play it and take good care of it. I don't want any of those Ibanez guitars for sure.
    I’m wondering if he decided to sell them because the archtop market is softening steadily and they’re no longer appreciating assets. Being over 80 seems irrelevant to me, since I’ll be there in less than 2 years.

    I never count other people’s money, so I don’t know or care if he needs more. But I’m asking myself why he would decide now to sell guitars that were an integral part of his life and success, if the money is irrelevant to him. He’ll certainly have to pay a fair amount of income tax on the proceeds. He has a wife and 7 kids IIRC, so these guitars would pass to them on his death. Why pay income tax on them now and then leave the rest of the proceeds in his estate to be taxed again? Estate tax thresholds are going back down next year, unless Congress extends the current higher exclusion.

    I’m surprised at your Ibanez comment, Mark, and I hope you were kidding. Benson has probably been the most important person of all to show the world how good the high end Ibanez guitars are (especially his signature models). They’re not D’As for sure, but they’re wonderful instruments, especially for gigging pros. I’ve had about half a dozen, including my default gigging archtop (bought new in 1997) and my only flattop (bought new about 10 years ago).

    Personally, I’d love to have any of his guitars. I just wouldn’t pay more for an instrument because it was owned by a name, especially since they “only” have 6 strings. If I had the $, I’d be after Tony Mottola’s 7 string Gibson

  15. #14

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    Quote Originally Posted by nevershouldhavesoldit
    I’m wondering if he decided to sell them because the archtop market is softening steadily and they’re no longer appreciating assets. Being over 80 seems irrelevant to me, since I’ll be there in less than 2 years.

    I never count other people’s money, so I don’t know or care if he needs more. But I’m asking myself why he would decide now to sell guitars that were an integral part of his life and success, if the money is irrelevant to him. He’ll certainly have to pay a fair amount of income tax on the proceeds. He has a wife and 7 kids IIRC, so these guitars would pass to them on his death. Why pay income tax on them now and then leave the rest of the proceeds in his estate to be taxed again? Estate tax thresholds are going back down next year, unless Congress extends the current higher exclusion.

    I’m surprised at your Ibanez comment, Mark, and I hope you were kidding. Benson has probably been the most important person of all to show the world how good the high end Ibanez guitars are (especially his signature models). They’re not D’As for sure, but they’re wonderful instruments, especially for gigging pros. I’ve had about half a dozen, including my default gigging archtop (bought new in 1997) and my only flattop (bought new about 10 years ago).


    Personally, I’d love to have any of his guitars. I just wouldn’t pay more for an instrument because it was owned by a name, especially since they “only” have 6 strings. If I had the $, I’d be after Tony Mottola’s 7 string Gibson
    Not kidding at all I have no real desire for any Ibanez guitars at all. They are good and the high-end guitars they make are great, but nothing I would want to have .

  16. #15

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    Quote Originally Posted by nevershouldhavesoldit
    He has a wife and 7 kids IIRC, so these guitars would pass to them on his death.
    If that's true, it would be cool to leave one to each kid as a keepsake for such a remarkable career.

  17. #16

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    I bought a GB20 in 1980 and it was a great guitar. Basically a Japan made JS. I would buy another if they brought back that model.
    The GB10 is too small for me. I like 17’s.

    George Benson is the reason I play guitar. I heard his album White Rabbit in 1972 and his tone floored me. Next pay day I bought a guitar.

  18. #17

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    Quote Originally Posted by vinnyv1k
    George Benson is the reason I play guitar. I heard his album White Rabbit in 1972 and his tone floored me. Next pay day I bought a guitar.
    I’d been playing for 17 years and was already in graduate school when White Rabbit came out. But I had the same epiphany you did when I first heard him. For me, his ability to make great technical skill sound musical rather than mechanical hit me even more than his tone. Even in the beginning of his career, he was a stellar player, which I appreciate now more than ever when I listen to his early recordings (which I still do often).

  19. #18

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    Quote Originally Posted by nevershouldhavesoldit
    I’d been playing for 17 years and was already in graduate school when White Rabbit came out. But I had the same epiphany you did when I first heard him. For me, his ability to make great technical skill sound musical rather than mechanical hit me even more than his tone. Even in the beginning of his career, he was a stellar player, which I appreciate now more than ever when I listen to his early recordings (which I still do often).
    Amen Brother !

  20. #19

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    Quote Originally Posted by Woody Sound
    GB deserves credit for bringing the jazz guitar “sound” into the mainstream of music.

    But it’s amazing how many non musicians that I know think of him as a singer who “also plays guitar.”

    I suspect the majority of his fans were attracted primarily by his vocals on hit tunes such as The Greatest Love of All, This Masquerade, Moody’s Mood, Nature Boy, etc., and are why his significant popularity has been sustained over so many years. Yes, he is an outstanding guitarist, but without his vocal skills his career would probably have paralleled his other jazz guitar contemporaries such as Pat Martino, Kenny Burrell, Grant Green, etc.

  21. #20

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    Quote Originally Posted by AKA
    I suspect the majority of his fans were attracted primarily by his vocals on hit tunes such as The Greatest Love of All, This Masquerade, Moody’s Mood, Nature Boy, etc., and are why his significant popularity has been sustained over so many years. Yes, he is an outstanding guitarist, but without his vocal skills his career would probably have paralleled his other jazz guitar contemporaries such as Pat Martino, Kenny Burrell, Grant Green, etc.
    Just give me the night, on Broadway!

  22. #21

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    Quote Originally Posted by vinnyv1k
    I bought a GB20 in 1980 and it was a great guitar. Basically a Japan made JS. I would buy another if they brought back that model.
    The GB10 is too small for me. I like 17’s.

    George Benson is the reason I play guitar. I heard his album White Rabbit in 1972 and his tone floored me. Next pay day I bought a guitar.
    Those CTI albums he made were great.I got Beyond the Blue Horizon in 1972 and was an instant fan.Shortly after that there was a transcription of the solo of So What off that album in Downbeat Magazine.I must have spent 3 months learning that solo and totally opened up a whole new world for me.

  23. #22

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    His solos and playing on First Light are still my favorite GB recording although he was not singing or well known at the time. Does anyone know what guitar he played on that? Love the sound of his guitar, I was in my early days of playing when that came out and it was a lifetime lesson in taste and technique. (Van Gelders recording was stellar) One of Georges guitars however without George is just a guitar. I got to strumm Johnny Smiths Gibson JS once....it didnt rub off and I dont sound anything like our JD.

  24. #23

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    George Benson was a game changer for me at 16 years old. I heard his version of “Song For My Father “ And it hit me right between the ears,Lol!
    He was the first Jazz guitarist that was from the traditional line that really inspired me. From there on it was a succession of great players. But Pat Martino turned me to the Dark Side! Lol!

  25. #24

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    Quote Originally Posted by Rickco
    His solos and playing on First Light are still my favorite GB recording although he was not singing or well known at the time. Does anyone know what guitar he played on that? Love the sound of his guitar, I was in my early days of playing when that came out and it was a lifetime lesson in taste and technique. (Van Gelders recording was stellar) One of Georges guitars however without George is just a guitar. I got to strumm Johnny Smiths Gibson JS once....it didnt rub off and I dont sound anything like our JD.
    It's a great album for sure. All of Benson's work with Hubbard from that period was excellent.

    Curiously enough, I've never been able to identify Eric Gale's playing on that album. He's credited in several discographies along with Benson as one of the two guitarists on the album. And it's included in Gale's discographies as an "appearance". But he's not mentioned in any review of it that I can find. I haven't listened to it in a long time, but I always wondered about this and I don't remember any solos that suggested Gale to me. So I assume that Benson played all of the solos and featured riffs, and Gale's contributions were all background. I think we'd be able to tell Eric Gale from George Benson by style.

  26. #25

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    I absolutely dig Benson’s take on Take Five, a CTI recording from 1974. The entire album has great songs on it but he tears up that guitar on take 5!