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Jumbo Model
Influenced by the curvy lines of classic Gibson
and Guild guitars; many
makers have found this larger bodied but tight waisted style to be ideal
for finger-style guitar players. The tight curves and narrow waist support
a lighter sound-board very well to help give good definition in lower
tunings combined with good depth from the overall size and plenty of
sustain. My version of this vintage and modern icon is not as large as
many and features a Manzer wedge body - I felt there was no point
making a guitar that was uncomfortably large to play and I'm very happy
with the tonal balance of the size I have developed. Now onto my third
redesign this is my longest lived model with the first ones still used
regularly by Richard Durrant and Nick Pynn and Jumbo #100 put to
great use more recently by Mike Dawes (that's my 100th guitar not my
100th Jumbo!). This model's curvy shape works particularly well with
my trademark 'Benjamin Scoop' cutaway and is also available as a
Baritone model; as used by Newton Faulkner, Ryan Keen and Ray
Davies.
Mike Dawes and a (floating!) Benjamin Jumbo; #100!
My favourite wood combinations for this guitar are:
Cocobolo or Indian rosewood with either Alpine or Sitka spruce
Cocobolo rosewood gives a deep, sustaining tone
with a smoother,
bouncier quality than many dense woods and loads of rich colourful
reverberant overtones. This is balanced out well by Alpine spruce for a
clear but full tone, great for gentler players, or by Sitka spruce for more
textured tone that will punch out a big sound when pushed. Substitute
Indian rosewood for slightly less OTT overtones. Mike Dawes' album
'What Just Happened' was mainly recorded on his Cocobolo/Alpine
Benjamin Jumbo with just one track on a cedar/Indian rosewood
Benjamin.
Mahogany and Sitka spruce
Mahogany's colourful, immediate tone combines
superbly with Sitka to
give a rich textured mid-range that growls when pushed and this
combination is one of my favourites for almost any Benjamin model.
Used for a Jumbo these woods produce a very vibrant, eager guitar;
ideal for explosive modern finger-style and percussion styles and one
that amplifies very successfully.
Newton Faulkner and a Benjamin Baritone Jumbo on stage.
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Ray Davies with his Benjamin Baritone Jumbo.
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