Martin Barre "Benefit" LPC

efk · Feb 13, 2013

I guess there's no way to ultimately determine the answer to this question, but was Barre's "Benefit" LPC actually a Norlin? Or was it genuinely, as he has always termed it, a non-Gibson 'fake?'

The only photo I can find of it - or what I think is it - is this:

http://www.tullpress.com/images/mart70.jpg

Looks like a stripped top. And sure looks like a Gibson. So then I wonder - did he call it a "fake" because when the top was stripped, it was expected to be perhaps mahogany and instead it turned out to be maple?

Been wondering this, because for the life of me, I can't imagine where he would have found a fake LP in 1969-1970 *with a set neck.*

He really dips into some spectacular tone on that album. Just thinking about it today.

garywright · Feb 13, 2013

I love that album too ...my guess would be that he was referring to fake as in it having the stripped top, switched knobs and different pickguard...kinda like a burst but more not. ...it wasn't long at all 'till he acquired his '59 burst ...think I read '71 somewhere.

frazettafan · Feb 13, 2013

I was playing 'Benefit' yesterday and thinking how much I like the sound he gets on that album with the 'Fake" Les Paul. It's on the cover but really tiny.

That's it in the photo you show - thats from the "Aqualung" sheet music book, I used to have that (and it was complete crap!!).

I think he said that guitar was a cheap "Avon" or "Shaftesbury" copy and someone managed to rout-out the body and glue a Gibson neck in. He then bought it thinking it was a Gibson.

The fool!

Ad_02Std · Feb 14, 2013

It looks like a Gibson to me. Sounds great. Bizarrely although he had his burst by the Isle Of Wight appearance in 1970 he still favoured his "fake" Custom for much of the set. I love the sound of that guitar. I think it's the best tone he ever had.

Ad_02Std · Feb 14, 2013

Always wondered if it was a routed '54/'55 Custom. On the Isle Of Wight footage the top looks mahogany. In that photo above it looks maple, but I think it's just overexposed.

Ad_02Std · Feb 14, 2013

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BJoLD6eG-4

It really doesn't look maple here. Perhaps the routing job, once revealed convinced him, maybe wrongly, that it was a fake.

Ad_02Std · Feb 14, 2013

If that body was a fake then the shape was absolutely spot on. Much better than any modern Chinese fake, and better than many Norlin era Gibsons.

garywright · Feb 14, 2013

frazettafan said:
I think he said that guitar was a cheap "Avon" or "Shaftesbury" copy and someone managed to rout-out the body and glue a Gibson neck in. He then bought it thinking it was a Gibson.

The fool!

I got a dollar says you can't find that qoute

garywright · Feb 14, 2013

here's another vid with the Benefit cover guitar.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TY06aeOmVYE

Cody · Feb 14, 2013

The top three inlays look the same size, which indicates '60 or older.

efk · Feb 14, 2013

Well in better light it definitely does look like a mahogany top, or at the least stained. I guess the photo I posted is very definitely overexposed, or suffering from too much reflected light.

So if this is indeed the Benefit lpc, I'm even more impressed. To my ear, he NEVER topped the tone he achieved on that album or the IOW performances with that guitar. Just awesome. When he comes in part way through My God - what a sound!

frazettafan · Feb 14, 2013

garywright said:
I got a dollar says you can't find that qoute

You should have bet more, Gary. :biggrin:

This has been discussed before and I'd really like to know what that guitar actually was all about too. I know it made a friend of mine go out and buy a cheap "Avon" LP Custom and strip the top. Didn't sound the same tho' for some reason? Could have been the (Woolworths) 'Audition' amps fault perhaps?

Barre really doesn't seem to know what that guitar was and I've read a few interviews where it's mentioned. He's kind of vague about it.

I think it might have been his best sound too.

ted149 · Feb 15, 2013

The guitar body in the vids is proper Gibson thickness...ie about the same as a Shaftesbury stuck on top of an Avon.

frazettafan · Feb 15, 2013

:lol :rofl :applaude

frazettafan · Feb 15, 2013

Funny the penchant for the strip-top look at that exact same time though, Barre, Bolan and Ronson....

Progrocker111 · Feb 16, 2013

Dont forget that his tone in these early days until 1976 was very influenced from his use of Hiwatts.

Tom Little · Feb 16, 2013

Wonder what became of that guitar ? A couple of other quick observations: In the video of Teacher, Martin's guitar strap appears to be attached to a button seemingly mounted on the back of the guitar, presumably where the toggle switch cover would be. Secondly, that is a rare sight of Ian Anderson playing a LP. I don't recall Gold Tops from that time period having black pick up surrounds....but I've been mistaken before...... Comments?

garywright · Feb 16, 2013

i'm kinda thinkin that the goldtop is a modded deluxe with large humbucks/rings added

frazettafan · Feb 17, 2013

Progrocker111 said:
Dont forget that his tone in these early days until 1976 was very influenced from his use of Hiwatts.

I know he used 'em but the times I saw Tull (pre-'76) he played Hiwatts but sounded like he was using a Marshall - very distorted and gnarly. He used a pedal but I'm not sure what it was - back then I assumed it was a fuzzbox. I always think of Townshends tone back then as being typical of Hiwatts - cleaner with incredible power and depth. Barre seemed a lot fuzzier but still great.

Uncle Gary · Feb 17, 2013

Whatever he was playing, Martin remains one of my favorite guitarists.

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