George Benson picks

ScotGormley

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Mar 9, 2011, 5:37:28 AM3/9/11

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Another one of my obsessive equipment questions, sorry :-)

I remember reading interviews with George Benson and his guitar tech
where they talked about George's insistence on using Fender extra
heavy picks. They mentioned that the extra heavies come in two gauges,
and that George only used the lighter version of the extra heavies
(pardon the oxymoron: "light extra heavies"). The tech said that one
of the first things he learned was the correct picks to buy for
George.

Any one else remember reading this interview? Can you point me to the
source of the interview?

Thank you,
Scot

Loki's Dad

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Mar 9, 2011, 11:36:47 AM3/9/11

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I do not have a written source but I am pretty sure george uses
medium picks not extra heavy. I caught a lesson from Mark Whitfield
years ago and He had switched to mediums on georges suggestion. If you
listen to george closely you can hear the thwap sound of the lighter
pick.

invisaman75

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Mar 9, 2011, 11:44:45 AM3/9/11

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I read this story and recall GB preferring Fender extra heavies. I also remember the extra heavies with the small print are heavier that the ones with large print.

Loki's Dad

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Mar 9, 2011, 2:03:26 PM3/9/11

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On Mar 9, 11:44 am, invisaman75 <invisama...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I read this story and recall GB preferring Fender extra heavies. I also remember the extra heavies with the small print are heavier that the ones with large print.

Tuck andress agrees he uses a medium

http://www.tuckandpatti.com/pick-finger_tech.html#1.2.10

Blues Fuse

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Mar 9, 2011, 6:38:51 PM3/9/11

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Both "Guitar Player" and "Vintage Guitar" magazines had interviews
with George Benson in 2010. In "Vintage Guitar" Benson talked quite a
bit about the guitars he's used over the years. It also included a
section with his guitar tech and I just checked the interview and this
is what he said about Benson's picks: "George's pick is a slightly
refined version of a Fender Medium. A traditional Fender Medium has
kind of a round bevel on the pointy end. The picks Ibanez makes for
him have more of a sharp point."

sheetsofsound

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Mar 9, 2011, 9:34:52 PM3/9/11

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that's what I remember. Medium picks and the medium picks have more
treble and bite.

Dan Adler

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Mar 9, 2011, 10:51:33 PM3/9/11

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Definitely medium. Rodney said that was the one thing on which he had
to break rank with George - he chose big hard picks versus the medium
teardrop.

-Dan
http://danadler.com

ScotGormley

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Mar 10, 2011, 3:46:21 AM3/10/11

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> -Danhttp://danadler.com- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

I decided to give Fender mediums a try again after seeing Sheryl
Bailey play with them, and they do get that Benson sound if you use
the Benson picking style. At first, I thought they had way too much
"give", but I've learned to grip the pick in such a way that only the
very tip protrudes for string contact. I've played with picks 1.5 mm
and heavier since I was about 19, so this is a big change.

skip

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Mar 10, 2011, 7:11:27 AM3/10/11

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There is a difference between the Ibanez med picks and a typical
Fender Med pick. Besides the increased pointed tip , the Ibanez is .
080 thick whereas the Fender is typically .075 .
This yields a slightly different tone response.
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