Benavente 2K Singlecut Custom

Got two '06's. Holly top with Snakewood board & Eucalyptus top with Ebony board. Recessed stop with nickle Tone Pro's parts. Both had SD JB/Jazz combo. Split coil wiring with wood -ebony- knobs. Jumbo frets with body and bboard binding.

Both are fine quality guitars and sound as such. Robust range with Vivid harmonics. Plenty of sonic options with the splits

Strings ride plenty low and everything was aligned nicely. Snakewood is ultrahard and smooth like glass. Top carve is nice and moderate, symetrical wood matching. Very nice!

I've owned and played them for months now. Not a single complaint

Spoke with the owner via e-mail to 'gush' about fine quality, replied promtly.

I picked these guitars up for a 'song' but in retrospect I would have paid more. The quality and sound of the guitars surpasses anything you'll find in an off-the-rack production line guitar. Place one side by side with a USA or Custom Shop Gibson Les Paul, if you're looking for quality instead of "image", you'll end up with the Benavente. I was considering calling to order one directly...probably with a Floyd if he'll do it.

2002 2K gold hardware, virtual PAF's, nice flame cap, tonepros bridge, typical set up. Nice hardware but read on.....

Actually had 2 sent to me by mistake. Second one was a lower end unit with Dimarzio P-90's. Non flame top, other feature same.

Got both of these from Electric City Music, a distributor off EBAY. Nice people but need to pay attention to what they ship out and the condition of such. $1450.00 and they were taking a loss.

Sound was muddy, with no oommph. No warmth. Thin and shrill. Chambered body provided weird resonances. Replaced pickup with a DiMArzio Airzone which helped punch it up. But still sounded bad.....!

Second guitar w/P90's was NOISY and shrill. Again no low end or warmth. Hard to belive the other reviews with what I had after 2 guitars.

I'm a headbanger who also like to play blues ala Gary Moore. Neither of these will work. They were both dull and lifeless, although with good sustain.

Here is the scary part about both of the guitars. The first guitar had numerous finish flaws. Dust under the clearcoat, laquer checking/orangepeel. Woodfill clearly used. A knot on the ebony fretboard that was already beginning to split. A KNOT!!! Action was high, tone control on both was loose as was the pick up selector. Great neck heel design and nice woods. This the scary part; the first guitar would not play in tune up the neck. Intonation was fine but I could stay in tune. I've playing for over 20 years and I've only had this happen on really cheap or broken guitars. As I held an open clean chord, I let my arm sit on the guitar and whoa!!!! The pitch changed!! I then removed my arm and the pitch returned! The set neck is flexing! I then tried to flex the neck with only my left hand and holy shit! It would bend up and back and I could even twist it!! strings were moving all over the place. Either the truss rod is broken or not installed correctly, or Gary needs to add some graphite rods to stiffen it up, ala Carvin.

The second guitar did not have the same problem as far as the flexi-neck. But it was still not what I would have like to see in a $2000+ guitar. Frets were cracking the laquer along the fretboard on both guitars and were not even. This one had the fretboard separating from the neck from the nut to the first fret! DAMN!! Finish was much better, but it still felt cheap, like a plywood Hondo or something.Nice headstock and inlays. Again, I can't believe I'm writing about the same guitar as the other folks here

NO WAY would I EVER use these anywhere. I'm sorry Gary, but stick to basses. Overall neck design felt nice but I think they are too thin with not enough support or rigidity. Both of these necks were already showing damage. Gary sell your neck joint design!!

I spoke with Gary Benavente himself before I bought the retail $2800 guitar. He told me it was a beauty, one of his better ones. he was a little pissed it was on Ebay. Very nice guy who I felt was coming from the same place as I was. We talked up a storm, so I felt pretty confident about the guitar. What a disappointment, twice! Needless to say, both have been sent back to the store with a suggestion to send them both back to Gary. Unacceptable!

I've been playing for over 20 years. I've owned, built, rebuilt, well over 100 guitars. I currently have 15. Jackson's, Les Pauls, vintage Ibanez, fenders, steinbergers, and just about anything you could name, I've had it. Just bought a used Schecter C1 classic, which blows these away. The only thing that was good about these 2 guitars was the woods and the hardware as well as the neck heel design. I will never again consider one of these products. I'm sorry Gary, maybe they were damaged at the store or something, but I don't think so.

Whatever you do, try it in person. Quality REALLY seems to vary.

Tho longer I play...the more I appreciate a guitar as an "instrument". I have managed to buy/trade myself into some fine guitars recently. this Benevente 2K is an "instrument". Its simple, direct, stout. 2 humbuckers(Dimarzio PAF's I think), NOT split coil (remember humbuckers as humbuckers?). 1 volume and 1 tone control..1 3-way selector (Chris got the location right-in I add..yeehaa!!)...zip..pure & simple.

Woods....killer carved maple cap. Let me tell you what "I" think a killer top is...its one with character. Its one with some wildness in it, its one with gentle, sublte character AND some "Whoa!" in it. I will pass over alot of PRS 10's caps in favor Chris's selection...right on chris !! Elegant, classy, and has a true wild side thats not in your face...like a woman who knows who she is and I assure you she isnt simple. The rest is pure LP....mahogany body/neck. As this is an earlt 2K I know in taking to Chris he's "added magic to his newer guitar necks. All I know is I love this one...a fine handful of sublte V...smoooothed over just right. I was a cabinetmaker in a former life...Chris has an expetionally keen eye for woods that goes beyond "cookie cutter perfect".

This guitar is NOT heavy...nor is it light...just right...play all night.

sperzel locking tuners....thank you, thank you, thank you.. Chris.

Tone pros stoptail. Chris does a very cool routing INTO the maple cap to fit the saddle bridge...another reason I say Chris thinks for himself. While I am not a luthier I would say that this added feature requires skill and surely places the tonal characterisitcs of the guitar smack dab in the middle of the maple cap and mahogany body underneath it. More on this below.

Neck....just fine thank you. This guitar has the cooooolest neck heel you ever saw. and its not cool for the sake of cool...its a damn fine piece of luthiers engineering. this neck/heel/joint isnt going anywhere..yet it disapears in your hands. Headstock is worthy of noting...ITS DIFFERENT without looking weird or odd...very, very classy/understated and the tuners are where they should be. Headstock offset ala Gibson tilt (no joint,this neck is solid). Headstock Inlay and matching finish veneer over headstock is MY IDEA of cool,class and yet understated. the big "B" logo is one of the finest headstock logos around. Anyone would look great playing this guitar..from Armani to latex if thats your thing.

fit, finish...superb....I am not guitar anal but as a man who spend many,many years working woods...I know good joinery (to European standards), good finish and good design overall....this man has a knack for putting things together..that is for certain. (Lord, designing that neck heel must have driven him crazy)

fretboard...ebony (thank you Chris)....NO INLAYS/MARKERS !!!(thank you again chris) no neck binding...fine by me altho low humidity can make fret edgeing dressing a necessity at times on unbound ebony boards...not a problem for me because THIS IS AN INSTRUMENT TO BE PLAYED !!!!

I give this guitar a 9 here.....I dont want a 10 here...too complex for me. I want something I can play and forget. Everytone wants a 10..nobody marries one, a 9 is fine by me thank you.

Lets start by saying I traded a VERY expensive, dead mint absolutely gorgeous (like 10's wood everyhwere) German Angelfield thinline tele for this pre-owned serial #19 Benevente 2K...far as I am concerned I got the Les Paul of my dreams and I am keeping this one. Its handled "Les Paul" GAS for me. That Angelfield was worth over $3k...I dont regret this trade at all.

Finding my "dream" LP has been anything but easy for me..sure they are out there..EVERYWHERE. tons of them... I wanted one that I felt whoever made it poured his guts and soul into making it. Chris is a guitarist, a good one I am told. Now I know why this 2K gets played everyday since the day I got it and my other guitars mostly hang.

This guitars has guts, soul, great clarity all over the neck, growl and a sweet, sweet feminine side that thru a good amp has that those magic acoustic/tonal qualities I grew up listening to from my guitar heroes. Thru a clean channel this guitar sings..thru allsrots of dirty this guitar sings. I am mostly blown away by the "natural" sustain of this thing and how I can coax my emotions thru this guitar without trying..it just happens. I am a bluesrockplayer who ends up in jazz territories by mistake. I love harmonics, I finger pick alot, I use hand dampening alot, I live for those subtle noises you can get from a guitar that should NOT come out of one. I REALLY appreciate the beauty of a single note..the perfect bend..and especially those "where did that come from?"..expressions that some of us want so badly. This guitar has thus far delivered more of these moments to me than any other guitar I've had. Enough said. I dont consider myself a player worth talking about but I do want my time playing guitar to be spent playing and not worrying if my guitar is in my way. I want EMOTION and the Benevente delivers.

This guitar has soul....

Simple, stout, light enough, heavy enough, elegant, wayy cool, just different enough yet I would imagine any LP diehard would gladly be caught playing one. For the price...hell..I can get a Benevente and a Divided by 13 FTR37 amp.YEEHAA !!! A bargain is what a Benevente is.

Its serial #13...an early one..it works..it stays in tune.. it even looks great with pick marks..its been played alot.... Other than that I cant give comment on long term robustness. I will give it a 10 because I never handled a solid body guitar I thought better built.

I've had numerous conversations with chris about my #19 2K. Guy didnt have to talk to me (its was a used guitar right?) both he and Brian at "the Low end" are very , very fine fellows, gentlemen..not a trace of arrogance or hype...2 players. Very cool amigos, knowledgeable...swellguys. I hear chris's production is backed up...months....THAT says alot for a luthiers skill in instument making...I say.

Chris I think is one of those rare guys who popped out of the chute able to just make things "right", carve his own path while understanding that a wonderful instrument is a blend of time-honored designs passed down by the masters..YET..Chris definitely did it his way and nailed it....I am totally impressed by this guitar, its making me a better player and I have a huge shiteating grin on my face writing this review.

I beleive a guitar is very hard to review actually. They are sooooo..subjective. I've run arund looking for a LP type guitar..played alot of them...ALOT of Gibsons...alot of everything...some very, very fine instruments. This Benevente fell into my hands. Its been a gift. This guitar leaves me lacking nothing (not even slit coils altho I will"play" with pickups shortly).

I can highly suggest you checkout a Benevente..stop by his site...seek out a dealer or call Chris or Brian...the man has some serious mojo flowing from his hands. His prices are a steal and this luthier deserves some serious recognition.

This is a killer guitar at a fraction of the price of a PRS!
I am the owner of www.MusicGearGuys.com music store in Colorado.
We have been working with Chris Benavente for several months now.
Personally I am very critical when it comes to guitars.
Our first guitar to come in was a 2K singlecut guitar.
I flipped out when I opened the case.
At first glance I thought "what a steal"
It looked as good if not better then a Privite Stock PRS.
It had a Mohagany back, "20" flame maple top, red rosewood fingerboard, Fantastic pickups and more.
Chris Benavente chambered out the body so that it produced a huge tone at 1/2 the weight of a Les Paul.
The neck was very thin and fast, although I prefer a fatter neck.
The tone was amazing.
Since then we have become the dealer for the Rockies in Colorado.
I couldnt be happier with Chris's service or quality.
We would highley recommend a Benavente over a new Gibson or PRS.
Keep up the good work Chris.
Please feel free to call us at (303) 942-1330

The sound quality is superb.
I would give it a 10 if the pickups were able to split coils.

2002 Model with 3 Dimarzio P-90's Rosewood fretboard.This Guitar is one of the most beautiful guitars i've ever seen, bookmatched quilt maple top with a purple burst finish(matching quilt maple overlay on headstock)and some really nice select mahogany neck and body,Grover mini tuners with Ebony wood bottons....all gold hardware.
Has a three way togle like a PRS McCarty to switch between the neck and bridge, the middle pickup is selected by pulling on the volume knob. The has a tunamatic bridge with the strings being routed through the body in back

This perticular guitar would be useful from jazz to heavy metal, the P-90's cut through great and being able to have all three on at the same time yields some interesting tones.The neck has the wide thin profile with no inlays except on the side of the fretboard giving a very clean apearance

The finish and electronics are top notch, fully shielded electronics cavity for quiet operation(very quiet for P-90's as they are single coils)The action is super low with no buzzes, the flat radious helps and the guitar is contoured for comfort.
Set neck/flush design

stands up to giging awsome ...no problems yet, just had to make the groove on the bridge for the low "e" a little deeper since i strum hard.

Haven't needed it but the dealer here in town is top notch
www.thelowend.net for links and pics of some killer high-end guitars and bases

I've been playing for 16 years and own lots of guitars(PRS,Gibson,Fender), this is definately on-par with the $4000 Prs guitars i've played.
Go check one out, you'll be suprised
These will be the next PRS of the future

well, let me get started. this guitar makes me happy, something hard to do. it is a les paul styled guitar, like a prs single cut but much cleaner. my version has a custom paint job, with tritone paint, i find a new color in it every day. the guy who chris got to paint it has painted harley tanks for ever, so it totally smokes. the graphics are piles of bones and shit, very beautiful, i have not showed this to one person who hasnt shit themselves in awe. i have a mohagany body with a cherry top, and an ebony fretboard. i had chris put emg 81's in it to match to output of my other guitars, which i dont really use anymore. that is what is cool about this guitar, the options are up to you, there is no production limitations, this guitar was made for me, how i wanted it. the only problem is is that it is too nice for me to play. i am scared to punish it like i do my other guitars, although i know it would hold up much better. i have never seen or played a better guitar, i shit you not. this absolutely puts you top of line prs, lp, and strat to shame. call me and i will let you hear it. 573-5833

this is a very clean and articulate, the chambered body totally resonates. it has a ton of balls, a massive sound. the would is soo warm, this guitar sounds totally real and classy. this is not a hint of shit to this piece. this is a relic. anyone who tries, or sees, this guitar will be able to turn it away. it has you standard to pickups with the toggle. the tones you can get for the volume/tone is endless, i have 3 amps i run at once and usually dont screw with their channels, i just mess with my guitar.

it just gets better here. the action is better than the best custom american esp i have played. unreal, it makes playing a cinch. everything about this piece is beyond perfection, if i could show it to you to back it up i would. www.thelowend.net has some cool pics of his previous work, but he just keeps getting better and better. by the way, my guitar, with the paint job and all the custom shit, still cost less than a standard prs, quite a fucking statement. this thing will run circles around anything, hands down.

this guitar is a rock, i swear it is a piece of inpenitrable machinery. it is more solid than my les paul custom, a 20 year old indestructable beast! i have no doubts about the strength of this guitar, and i know no one else that does. the walls of this guitar exceed that of roman constintinoble, you arent gettn in!

keeps getting better, chris is a solo artist, it is like talking and getting your friend to make you a guitar. he seems to go more on trust than policy, something that more than works for me. it makes me feel like i cant get screwed. chris loves his art and so do i. chris can add me to his list of lifers! i have a damn standard 5 year warranty, and i know that he would fix for me beyond that. chris is great guy, give him a call and shoot the shit with him, his free time lessens everyday.

i havent been able to put her down. i love this guitar. i love this piece of art. the worse part is that i know i could sell it for a lot more than he sold it to me for! that is insane! but i will never sell this. i have to keep it in it's case because i, as well as other cant quite staring at it. it is that good. i am not overstating anything here. this guitar wont get stolen, i dont let it out of my sight. i was weary at first, because i was trusting alot in the taste and style of chris, but once i got the guitar, the trust i put in benavente paid off because it was wayyyy beyond my imagination.