Ibanez George Benson Signature Guitars

Pick up a GB10 and the first thing you notice is the scale of it. The 16" body is compact for an archtop, so it sits comfortably against your body whether you're seated at a club date or standing through a long set. This is the model George Benson has played since 1977, and the whole series follows that blueprint.

Two floating Super 58 humbuckers give the voice you'd expect from a working jazz hollow-body, and the ebony fingerboard supports fluid, accurate lines up the neck. Gold hardware makes the look unmistakable on stage. The GB10EM Emerald, GB10SE and LGB30 each offer their own take on the formula, so gigging players and collectors can choose by finish and spec.

Prices run from about $800 to $1,600, so there is a way into Benson's signature design at several levels. Antique Amber and Brown Sunburst examples turn up in the current stock, and LV Guitars keeps this series for players who want a serious jazz archtop.