FS: Benson 300 amp - as played by Howard Roberts

[Peter Grey]

For Sale – Benson 300 amp. Howards Roberts made these famous. This amp
is great for jazz and pretty rare. Completely gone through – new tubes,
caps, biased, cleaned and tuned up. 50 watts, brand new Weber CA15
paper dome speaker. Tolex is ugly but amp works beautifully.
Everything works but the “fuzz”. I also have a photocopied manual and
schematic. For more info on these amps check out:
http://www.utstat.toronto.edu/mikevans/hroberts.html $550 plus shipping
OBO . I’m located in San Francisco. Contact Peter at
pg...@earthlink.net or 415-566-7600

[Pat Smith]

I have one too. My fuzz works, you aren't missing a thing. the clean
sound is great

[Peter Grey]

Which sound module do you have? Mine is #3. Have you ever switched modules?
Was the difference significant?

Peter

[Pat Smith]

I have #6...just the one...what the heck does it do? Lets get together
and find out I'm in Santa Clara

[Loyal McAvoy]

I think there were 7 modules in all, I remember I played primarily with a
"2", it had a good jazz sound. Each one was very distinctive. The designer
of the amp was Ron Benson who is (or was) the General Manager of G.I.T. He
built them in association with Pat Hicks who is also affiliated (I think)
with G.I.T.

Loyal

"Pat Smith" <pj...@pacbell.net> wrote in message
news:3BE07EF5...@pacbell.net...

[Peter Grey]

I got an e-mail from Ken Berg who had corresponded with Ron Benson and forwarded
to me an e-mail he'd gotten Ron. Mr. Benson gave the specs for the modules
number 1 through 3. He didn't mention how 4 through 7 were set up, but modules
1 and 2 are supposed to be for "jazz" and module 3 is for "rock" although mine
sounds great for jazz. Pat and I got together and his module sounds "bassier"
but not hugely so.

I've fallen in love with the Benson again and don't think I'll sell it at this
point...

Peter "Mr. Fickle" Grey

[nb...@icloud.com]

On Monday, October 29, 2001 11:12:03 AM UTC-7, Peter Grey wrote:
> For Sale - Benson 300 amp. Howards Roberts made these famous. This amp
> is great for jazz and pretty rare. Completely gone through - new tubes,

> caps, biased, cleaned and tuned up. 50 watts, brand new Weber CA15
> paper dome speaker. Tolex is ugly but amp works beautifully.
> Everything works but the "fuzz". I also have a photocopied manual and
> schematic. For more info on these amps check out:
> http://www.utstat.toronto.edu/mikevans/hroberts.html $550 plus shipping
> OBO . I'm located in San Francisco. Contact Peter at
> pg...@earthlink.net or 415-566-7600

Dear Mr. Grey,
Filmmaker musician Vincent Gallo here.
I and looking for a Bensen amplifier to purchase.
Can you help?
Kind regards,
Vincent Gallo
vincentgallo(at)vincentgallo(dot)com

[thomas]

That post was from 2001. Pete died some time ago.

[Docbop]

There is a Benson amp page on Facebook and people do post when they see ones for sale.

Ron Benson was the nicest guy and remember when I went to GIT he was the one who gave me my entry tests and playing audition. He had a couple Benson amps in his office.

[Mr. Maj6th]

On Sun, 7 Dec 2014 15:14:22 -0800 (PST), Docbop <doc...@gmail.com>
wrote:

>There is a Benson amp page on Facebook and people do post when they see ones for sale.
>
>Ron Benson was the nicest guy and remember when I went to GIT he was the one who gave me my entry tests and playing audition. He had a couple Benson amps in his office.

I had a 15" Benson. Ron would do the mods and repair for me. He was
a nice guy. That amp sounded like the old standels, but damn it was
heavey. If you remember the amp had a series of modules that pluged
into the back, each had a different sound. I believe there were nine
of them. I only had two, they did the job for me. I always thaought
that was a great idea.

Maj6th

[an...@d55.k12.id.us]

On Tuesday, October 30, 2001 at 1:27:07 PM UTC-6, Pat Smith wrote:
> I have one too. My fuzz works, you aren't missing a thing. the clean
> sound is great
>
> Peter Grey wrote:
> >

> > For Sale - Benson 300 amp. Howards Roberts made these famous. This amp
> > is great for jazz and pretty rare. Completely gone through - new tubes,

> > caps, biased, cleaned and tuned up. 50 watts, brand new Weber CA15
> > paper dome speaker. Tolex is ugly but amp works beautifully.
> > Everything works but the "fuzz". I also have a photocopied manual and
> > schematic. For more info on these amps check out:
> > http://www.utstat.toronto.edu/mikevans/hroberts.html $550 plus shipping
> > OBO . I'm located in San Francisco. Contact Peter at
> > pg...@earthlink.net or 415-566-7600

Does anybody know what tubes these amps use?

[Lord Valve]

EL-34/6CA7 for the output stage. One 12AX7 for the PI/drive.
The two channels used 12AX7s right at the inputs...but the
bulk of the circuitry otherwise was solid-state.

Lord Valve, ThD
Expert (fuck you)

[jam...@bellsouth.net]

I have a Benson 300H and am in search of sound modules and schematics for them.

[Tim McNamara]

Well, since Peter posted his note nearly 19 years ago, I'm not sure
he'll be able to be helpful. But you never know.

It's interesting that the link is still active and has some great
information about Howard Roberts. And some amp schematics:

http://www.utstat.toronto.edu/mikevans/hroberts/guitars/300HPWR.jpg

http://www.utstat.utoronto.ca/mikevans/hroberts/guitars/300H400H.jpg


There may be someone doing someting with Benson amps:

https://www.bensonamps.com/#thelist

but no idea if they are at all related to the old ones from decades
past. Might just be another guy named Benson who makes amps...