feeling free to mess with things, and maybe
being dumb enough to not just do the crossing
circuits (laughs).
[WM] In your mini documentary you mention
that you really got into tube amps because
of plugging into a Fender Bassman 50 after
Benson Amps Mini-Documentary
spending a bunch of time playing solid-state
[WM] You’ve managed to nail both the amps. To me, tube amps are the blissful blend
American and British circuits, how did you get of precision and compression, two seemingly
there? dichotomous things. Can you describe in your
own words what the essence of tube amps
[Chris] It took a ton of tweaking initially, and
Chris Benson
sound and feel like to you.
even after the product was released, I refined
it over time. Basically if we can find a way to [Chris]
[WM] Chris, always a pleasure, thanks for make it better we do, regardless of where we articulation are part of what makes vacuum
joining us! are in the production cycle. It’s kind of been tubes unique, because they can do both of
refined over the years but we’re not that far those things better than a transistor circuit can.
[Chris Benson] Thank you. from where we started with it. They really are kind of magical devices that just
[WM] You are the founder and namesake of [WM] When you think of an amp builder Benson Amps, an endeavor that many people there’s a certain range of things you think of in [WM] You spent time as an amp tech working
would choose not to make. What inspired you terms of ‘chops’. Describe the things you’ve for Verellen Amplifiers. What was it like going
to get into the boutique amp business? developed as a builder and designer that are from the heavy end of the pond to a lighter amp
your trademark ‘chops’? with more clarity?
really like amps and it just grew from that [Chris] I don’t think my strength lies in [Chris]
initial like. I never actually dreamed of having engineering or even knowledge of components. harmonics. There is a lot of transferable
an amp company when I started getting into I think my strength is my ability to actually be knowledge and taste between really heavy
guitar amps, I was just happy working for other creative with a circuit. I don’t have much of amplifiers and amplifiers that are cleaner. A
people. I had an entrepreneur that kind of an engineering credential, I’m not a rocket lot of it is the same stuff, a lot of the same
pushed me into it because he really liked the scientist, but I think my biggest strength is principals are at work. So, working for them just
I
would
say
compression
and
kind of sound good, they sound musical.
[Chris] I got into it very simply because I
In
my
opinion,
harmonics
are
designs that I sent him.
Monarch Reverb
[WM] When did you officially start making
amps under the Benson name?
[Chris] In May of 2012.
[WM] The first amp you released was the
Monarch, which is pretty phenomenal. Was
that circuit the impetus for wanting to jump into
the business?
[Chris] Yeah, I’d say once I hit upon the
Monarch circuit I decided that I had something
that was worth sharing. That’s what led to the
formation of the company, offering the Monarch
to people.
October 2018
WorshipMusician.com
83