Benz crafts superb classical concert guitars, and in my opinion sells his instruments for far less than they are worth. I first played a Benz Tschannen at GSP in San Francisco and was blown away by the volume. Benz has shifted to making double-tops exclusively now, incorporating new design features such as adjustable truss rods, soundports, and elevated fingerboards. And they are loud! Still, very well balanced. He's been a joy to work with, very accomodating on my choice of woods and designs, and I'm eagerly awaiting delivery of my custom guitar. I'll update when I receive it but based on the other Benz Tschannen concert guitars I've played, I'll be keeping his review at 5 stars. For $6,200, it's a great deal when you consider other top quality double-tops from luthiers like Redgate and Dammann go for $10-$15k. Don't expect his guitars to stay this cheap for long....
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UPDATE: I received my guitar in late 2010 after a ~9month build time. Kudos to Benz for taking the time to drive out to San Francisco and hand-deliver my new guitar, and spending time with me setting it up and fine tuning to my playing. You can feel the passion for his craft just radiating from this guy!
I'm obsessed! I've been playing it for 2 years now and it's starting to open up a little more. Regardless, it was fantastic on day 1. Benz has crafted a stunning instrument with amazing volume and tone. The range of timbre I can achieve with this guitar is fantastic, from muted to sharp in a just a minimal RH shift. The volume is incredible. Lots more I could say about his work, but I'll leave it at that. As promised, I'm leaving his review at 5 stars for both the incredible artistry and workmanship he delivered, and for the attention to details and service he provided in making sure my new guitar was truly 'MY' guitar. Awesome! read more