1977 Ibanez George Benson Signature Model GB10 Sunburst, First-Year w/ Flight Case

Up for sale, a 1977 Ibanez GB10 George Benson signature in excellent condition and in perfect working order, complete with the original aluminum flight case. A first-year model with an extremely low serial, this GB10 was produced at the Fujigen factory in Japan, boasting all of the model's earliest hallmarks including a 21 fret ebony fingerboard, Sure Grip knobs, and Pat. Pending VelveTune tuning machines. The GB10 is Ibanez’s longest running model, boasting a fully hollow body with a compact 14 1/2" lower bout width.Tonewoods include a spruce top, maple back and sides, a three-piece maple neck, and a bound ebony fretboard. Acoustically, this Ibanez has a woody natural warmth and a midrange-forward, authoritative cut faithfully captured by the stock pair of GB Special floating mini-humbuckers. Designed in conjunction with George Benson, these floating pickups are full and round-sounding, specifically tailored to mitigate feedback while delivering sweet, clear treble articulation. This GB10 weighs 7lbs 5oz, professionally setup here at Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar with 11-50 flatwound strings, low action, and accurate intonation.Neck Specs:-Wood: Three-piece maple-Shape: Slender C, full shoulders, measuring .815” 1st fret, .880” 9th fret-Fretboard: Bound ebony, 21 frets-Frets: Original, low-wide, leveled and crowned, virtually no wear-Scale Length: 24 3/4”-Nut: 1 11/16”, bone and brass-Tuners: Ibanez VelveTune (predating VelveTune branding, marked “Pat. Pend”)Body Specs:-Pickups: Floating mini-humbuckers-Hardware: Original GB10 tailpiece with ebony inserts (later tortoise would become standard), ebony bridge and base-Plastics: All original, including pre-1979 “large font” Sure Grip knobs and bound tortoise pickguard-Serialization: Oval label, hand-serialized and signed by George BensonThe Brown Sunburst finish is framed by multi-ply binding which has been extensively stabilized and exhibits notable checking. A new heel cap has also been fabricated, and beyond the binding, cosmetic wear is limited to just a handful of faint scratches on the body as a whole. The neck profile retains its smooth matching gloss.An ostensibly original flight case with form-fit green plush interior is included; the case smells slightly of smoke, and there is minor shedding of the case lining.