George Benson's Personal Ibanez GB-20...

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Author Message   Bcalla Username: Bcalla Registered: 01-2002 Posted on Saturday, April 23, 2005 - 9:33 am:    I guess I'm a natural skeptic. How would something like this be authenticated? GB-20 Prototype Bob   Johns Username: Johns Registered: 02-2001 Posted on Saturday, April 23, 2005 - 10:33 am:    Bob: I'm skeptical (which I believe is a healthy attitude for any auction) and think that more is needed to prove this is GB's personal guitar than just a picture of him playing one that looks like it. I can find lots of pictures of GB holding blonde GB10s, but it doesn't mean that the one I own was ever owned by the man, himself. The fact that it has no serial number is cool, but not proof of it being a prototype. Nor is the signature on the lable inside. All GB series have labels with signatures printed on them. The sellers other auctions seem to be tied to a retail music store in Arizona. How is this connected to GB? How did this person get GB's guitar and permission to sell it? Lots of questions come to mind and need to be answered before I'd be confident about the story being told. Regardless of it's celebrity claims, the guitar is worth a lot more than the current $1025.00.   Bigmike Username: Bigmike Registered: 10-2002 Posted on Saturday, April 23, 2005 - 1:01 pm:    Same guy had another guitar, a Gibson L-5 up a bit ago, the story was a friend knew a guy that was down on his luck. Evidently GB has a big heart and his friend brought the down onn his luck guy and the guitar to see GB and as an act of compasion GB bought the guy's guitar (a different L-5 than the one currently listed). I'll look up the old ad and update you all with it's text. Interesting. I remember a while back a well established music store in L.A. selling a bunch of Joni Mitchell's stuff - including a bevy of GB10s, which were all setup with different tunings - which she used in the late 70's touring her SHADOWS AND LIGHT material with Pat Metheny, Lyle Mays, Jaco Pastorious and Michael Brecker... (quite a gig, one show from Santa Barbara is available on DVD).   Bigmike Username: Bigmike Registered: 10-2002 Posted on Saturday, April 23, 2005 - 1:05 pm:    Here's the text for the other L-5, this one has a FLOATING PICKUP versus the one that's up now with traditional body mounted humbucker's. GB's in street clothes in all these photos - it tends to lend some credence to the fact that he's selling these guitars (in other words they're not pics ripped off some website or tour program). (ad text) Here is what George has to say about this guitar: "In the middle of the night, one of my guitar friends used to call me and tell me about people who needed to sell their guitars. They would often bring them to my house and I would make a deal to buy them on sight in order to help them out. This is a great example of the quality of instrument that would capture my interest."   Captainibanez Username: Captainibanez Registered: 01-2004 Posted on Friday, April 29, 2005 - 9:34 am:    Guy's I will do some serious checking on this.. to me it B.S. I will check with George for his opinion, cause to me its still in his personal collection Captain Ibanez   Captainibanez Username: Captainibanez Registered: 01-2004 Posted on Friday, April 29, 2005 - 9:35 am:    P.S. to be truthfull, any prototype normally has some sought of i.d. on the back of the headstock..neckplate etc...but we shall see Captain Ibanez   Captainibanez Username: Captainibanez Registered: 01-2004 Posted on Saturday, April 30, 2005 - 1:25 am:    I done some checking and heres what I came up with. This is from a close personal friend of George. The only guitars that George has given away to people are these. GB10NT: Prince GB10BS: Larry Carlton GB10NT: Norman Brown GB5 : Frank Gambale GB100: Ivor Gilhooley Ivor is going to contact George on monday and ask the question for me about this suspect GB20 What I find strange about the guitar in question is that even prototypes have id markers on them, I know that for a fact, after seeing the Lee Ritenour protoype#2 that Rex Goh had at the time when I got it restored for him. Is there anybody out there in ICW land that can go to the store that is selling it and do some Snooping ! I will give you the answer from the call to GB next week Captain Ibanez   Captainibanez Username: Captainibanez Registered: 01-2004 Posted on Sunday, May 01, 2005 - 12:36 am:    Hey gang, Just got off the phone with Ivor and yes these guitars are the real deal. George is selling off a few of his guitars and the prototype is the guitar used on the Absolute Benson album. So loosen up those wallets and buy a piece of history Captain Ibanez   Johns Username: Johns Registered: 02-2001 Posted on Sunday, May 01, 2005 - 9:10 am:    Great news Captain. Once again, thanks for going the extra mile to sort out the facts!   Ibanezfreak1960 Username: Ibanezfreak1960 Registered: 03-2004 Posted on Sunday, May 01, 2005 - 1:53 pm:    I guess sometimes protoypes have no markings hence my ST prototype.   Joeyangel Username: Joeyangel Registered: 10-2002 Posted on Thursday, May 05, 2005 - 3:55 pm:    It's a tough one, but from my experience on Ebay, I have seen two or three "Proto-type" Benson models for sale. I would think that a true proto-type would not have name plates on the guitar. Without documentation I would pass.   Captainibanez Username: Captainibanez Registered: 01-2004 Posted on Friday, May 06, 2005 - 9:04 am:    Joey, If you want paperwork..then ask me...you got it Captain Ibanez ps, ya O'l Cappy does not even know nor even had a conversation with the guy's in Arizona, but I have the right info from GB , but this is something I can concur on as far as this guitar being a prototype, with out any questions asked! Captain Ibanez   Joeyangel Username: Joeyangel Registered: 10-2002 Posted on Friday, May 06, 2005 - 6:43 pm:    Sorry, Cap, no offense intended. I did not see your thread a few squares up. If George is selling his stuff, then there you go! joey   Captainibanez Username: Captainibanez Registered: 01-2004 Posted on Monday, May 09, 2005 - 6:47 am:    No probs Joey, all up GB is clearing a bit of his gear...stay tuned for more pieces of Ibanez history ! Captain Ibanez   Robertbbw Username: Robertbbw Registered: 05-2005 Posted on Monday, May 23, 2005 - 10:26 am:    Cap, I bought the GB-20 Prototype on Ebay. I was a little nervious whether it was real. I feel better now . I'm a huge GB fan. Thanks for the info. Bob   Bigmike Username: Bigmike Registered: 10-2002 Posted on Monday, May 23, 2005 - 1:25 pm:    Robertbbw, That's way cool... I too am a huge fan of GB and am very impressed... Let us know what you think of the guitar when you get it. On a similiar note many years ago I posted here about two artist owned guitars a guy was selling... he was in the business and a player and knew both GB and Joe Pass well enough he had two personally signed guitars given to him by the artists (one from each). The GB was I think a GB100, sunburst and AMAZING woods. It had been autographed ON THE BACK and that autograph was covered with some kind of plastic (nicely done). The seller had multiple pics of GB and him backstage and GB holding the guitar... what a nice piece. The Joe Pass model same deal, except supposedly this one Joe had had modified... you all know the pickup placement on the Joe Pass: well supposedly Joe had someone add a floating mini humbucker to the end of the neck (ala GB or Johnny Smith style). As with the GB the timber selection on this instrument was the nicest I'd ever seen... lovely quilted maple and a really pretty sunburst... I spent ages searching here for the thread where we talked about it but never found it - I KNOW I am not the only one here on this board who remembers those guitars... The GB didn't sell the first time it was listed... I don't remember what happened to the Joe Pass model.   Captainibanez Username: Captainibanez Registered: 01-2004 Posted on Tuesday, May 24, 2005 - 6:41 am:    Robertbbw, well done mate congrats on a piece of history. Captain Ibanez   Robertbbw Username: Robertbbw Registered: 05-2005 Posted on Tuesday, May 31, 2005 - 5:17 pm:    Cap, I received the Prototype on Saturday- It came in with some broken strings and the bridge was loose but I put some new strings on it and it sounds AWESOME!. What a great jazz guitar. It was kind of dirty so I cleaned it up and it is beautiful. The gold has some small tarnishing in spots but very minimal for the age of the guitar. All in all, a great sounding and playing guitar. I thought I was going to put it on a stand a just look at it but I can't stop playing it. The tone is phenominal. I haven't received the hand-written letter from GB that details the history of the guitar and a signed picture with the guitar as he was in California doing American Idol last week. The seller said he would send it when George got back. Your call the GB people helped releive me that this was the real thing , so thanks so much. Bob   Bladejoe Username: Bladejoe Registered: 06-2005 Posted on Thursday, June 09, 2005 - 7:13 pm:    Hey I need help from all of you Ibanez Guitar Fanatics. I have a 1979 CN100 and I cannot find for the life of me find any of these on the internet. I found a 1978 CN100 and it was selling for 500EURO. Does anyone know how much a '79 hard body 2 pick ups syrupy maple CN100 is valued at? I had it listed to sell for $300 american, and I got over 20 responses in 30 minutes, so I figured it must have mroe value then I previously thought. Email me at Bladejoe@aol.com, Thanks!   Robertbbw Username: Robertbbw Registered: 05-2005 Posted on Monday, June 20, 2005 - 12:22 am:    Cap, could you help me out.The guy I bought the GB guitar on Ebay is not sending me the documentation. I thought you told another poster that you could get documentation. If you can , I would REALLY appreciate it. I think my guitar is real but I've sent this guy 4 emails since I bought it and no response. Thanks, Bob   Captainibanez Username: Captainibanez Registered: 01-2004 Posted on Monday, June 20, 2005 - 10:27 pm:    Bob, chill mate it is the real deal. When I said documentation was available, I would see if I could get something in writing from George. Leave it with me and I will see what I can do, but he's pretty busy at present, so it may take time. Captain Ibanez   Robertbbw Username: Robertbbw Registered: 05-2005 Posted on Wednesday, June 29, 2005 - 2:59 pm:    I will chill... Thanks, BOb   Robertbbw Username: Robertbbw Registered: 05-2005 Posted on Tuesday, September 13, 2005 - 11:04 pm:    Hey Captain, any news yet- I've tried to contact the seller to no avail. I'm chillin' but I may need som ehelp. Anything you could do would be greatly appreciated. thanks, bob

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