I don’t know what it is about me, but it’s almost like I am on some sort of epic quest to find bargains. It isn’t just with musical equipment, but with everything in my life. Good deals just smack me in the face constantly, even when I’m not really looking for them. Don’t get me wrong – I’m not complaining. Actually, it’s pretty awesome to be the guy that people look to when they want something on a budget.
However, finding a good deal on a guitar is more complicated than getting a good deal on, say, groceries, though. You can eat pretty much anything and stay alive. Guitars, on the other hand, require a good, solid product – something that you can point at and say, “This thing kicks ass”, just like I did when I recently came across Greg Bennett Guitars.
A routine trip to the record store brings me to find something special…
Recently, I found a great shop just around the corner called Bernie’s Guitar Shop, run by this old man who’s name, to no surprise, is Bernie. This old dude immediately pointed me to their guitar selection and music setup, which had the normal amp, headphones, and pedals, and told me which guitars I should try out. Keep in mind, nothing in this store had a price tag. Now, this always scares me, since I’ve had one too many trips to the gas station “quick mart” to find myself buying a 3 dollar candy bar. So, while I was a bit suspicious, I still gave the shop a shot.
I was looking around to find my first guitar to try, and noticed that most of the brands were not the “American” brands that I was familiar with. Most were made by Samick, which I had heard of in the past as a Korean guitar manufacturer. I had never really done any research into the company; instead I just passed them off as one of those “cheap foreign companies”. I am very, very sorry that I didn’t give them any credit.
Greg Bennett Guitars – Malibu Electric Series
So, I finally found a guitar to try out. It is by the designer Greg Bennett, and the model was called the Malibu. The owner had these guitars on a rack, with each different Malibu all nicely lined up. I picked the first one I saw, which was reminiscent of a traditional Fender Stratocaster.
I chose this one simply because I wanted to find something that I could play, and compare it to what I’ve already played before, and there really isn’t a better choice for a control in a guitar review experiment than a Fender Stratocaster.
Blown Away!
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I plugged it in. So I just set the pickups to neck position(this model had a 5-way switch, like a Strat), and started playing some familiar bluesy licks through the little amp they had set up, with no pedals turned on. If you can imagine a picture in your head, think of some dude sitting on a stool, playing a lick for about 7 seconds, and then stopping, and staring at the guitar like it was possessed. That was me.
You might think that I’m being dramatic, but that’s really what happened. I was absolutely blown away. The sound was so ridiculously clean and smooth, that I almost wasn’t sure how to react. Remember: No price tags. I immediately thought, “Oh man, I must have picked up the high-end model.” I continued playing for a while in the same position, enjoying the rich, bluesy tone. This guitar was absolutely made for blues, and it’s almost hard to describe exactly why. It just sounded perfect.
Sure, I changed the pickup switch a few times, added some distortion, and did everything I could to diversify my sound. It sounded great in whatever I did, but I will say, it didn’t quite excel in the more distorted, metal-head tones. It still sounded decent, but I knew I could find better in that category. So, while this guitar isn’t the absolute best for all styles, it is doable, and does great in at least blues and old rock ‘n roll.
So, I took the guitar up to the counter, and asked Mr. Bernie what the price was. He started out with something like, “Well, we tune up everything in our shop. We tinker with the guitars, add new strings, tune them and various other touch-ups…” and I immediately thought he was leading up to some big sales pitch. Then he simply said, “…so that’ll be about $280 bucks.” I squinted and had to ask him if he was serious. He explained to me that Samick, who employs Greg Bennett to design for them, has very cheap production costs, and they have a system that enables them to make a very nice guitar for much less than many other brands like Fender, ESP, or Gibson. I was appalled…in a good way.
If I had been looking into buying a guitar that day, I would have bought it at that shop, right there, right then. In fact, I fully expect to go back and purchase one as soon as I can. I fully recommend that you check out Greg Bennett Guitars for yourself, particularly the Malibu series. You will be amazed, and might even pull a similar gawking move just like I did.
Scotty Smith
Guitarist Rock ©2008-2010
I discovered Samick Greg Bennett guitars about 10 years ago when I was searching for classical guitar that suited my needs. I hunted for many months and tried everything from low-end Ibanez to high-end Taylor. None of them really did it for me. And then I found the Greg Bennett Samick, and it literally put everything else to shame. It was, at the time, the top of the line that Samick was selling, and it was still well under $500. I bought it and considered it a huge bargain, which it was. To this day it’s the finest classical guitar I’ve ever played, and it has unique features that are absent on all others — from the cutaway to the medium-width neck to the medium-depth body … everything about this guitar breaks the standard mold and then goes on to exceed the standard. Everyone who hears or sees this guitar comments on how beautiful it sounds and how nice it looks, and when they ask who made it I tell them, “It’s a Greg Bennett guitar, built by Samick in Indonesia, which makes some of the greatest guitars in the world and yet nobody knows who they are.”
My one complaint is I keep busting the tuning key on the high-E. It just cracks. I have no idea why.
Anyway I’ve decided I’m going to buy a Malibu instead of the Strat I was considering. Thanks for the review.
Samick has made most electric guitars these days. In the past, they have enlisted Indonesian plant that they’ve owned for quite some time. Now, they have a huge China plant. Gibson often has sent Epiphone orders to Samick (Indonesia) for many years. Even Fender has given in to Samick and its PRC facility. An owner of a guitar shop told me that Fender now invokes Samick and that PRC facility–proudly with the Fender name logo–instead of the Squier name logo used for their PRC guitars in the past: He was somewhat concerned. Such guitars look quite fine, though, and often they prove noticeable for featuring differing pickup types and other higher-end features.
I own a Washburn Maverick and a “western-style” Abilene LP knockoff from the Indonesian plant. (Abilene is a discontinued Samick line.) The Maverick has Grovers and Tune-o-matic. The Abilene has the familiar PRC tuners and saddle-bridge: It’s a future “project guitar.” Fit and finish for each is quite beautiful. The Abilene and Maverick do seem to share the same pickups–better than average, generally, than those found on lower-end colleague electrics. Both guitars stay in tune quite well.
Dean and other such makers use Samick often, too. See “Indonesia” somewhere on a guitar?: it’s a Samick! More used guitars, featuring merely the Samick name and logo, pop up in GC, small independent-minded music stores, and pawn shops now, too. I saw one even with Floyd Rose installed. (Why the “coy” disguises with other makers’ names and logos, anyway!)
Samick is known also for its long-time Silvertone brand budget electrics (they still make those, too). I’ve been interested in GB Samick guitars for quite some time. I noted a used one (a humbucker “double-cut” LP-type) in GC–I was quite impressed–but so unfortunately short of dollars! Thanks for everyone’s attention here to the Malibu–I know now to consider that as a quite good Strat knockoff! I’ll purchase one someday, soon! (I was interested merely in pricier GB humbucker models before. No one here retails new GB (or, even Silvertone)–I must order and get it shipped. It’s a quality Samick, though–I “know without seeing!”)
Samick: They now fabricate most new electric guitars, an increasing number of quality new acoustic guitars, and they now own Steinway Piano (that’s mighty financial heft)!: What’s next? World domination?!
(Thanks to the thread initiator and to everyone who contributed here: You prove so enlgihtening about the Malibu! Guitarists and other musicians who focus endlessly upon others’ gear will carp–continually and all-too predictably–most never have owned (or even picked up) a Samick product, though! (The ’70s or 80s may have been the last time they picked up an import guitar. Lower-end and mid-level guitars, amps, and, certainly clever guitar-oriented tech have changed so much for the better since then–not to mention guitar fabrication!) I think that we know something now, all too well, though!: It’s really up to players to buckle-down and steadily improve–not to lose focus–questioning their instruments’ heritage! It’s time now for me to pick up, tune up, and practice on a Samick!)
All the positive reviews are dead on the money abt this guitar.
Just came from Tower Grove Music here at Gravois Bluffs (MO) where I played a Malibu for the very first time. Been a musician, guitar player mainly, for over 45 years and bought a brand new 1963 Fender Strat for $360 back in the day, including the famous Fender red satin lined, rectangular case and clear “Bodyguard.”
Man! Even tho I still have a Strat in my studio (not the orig ’63 darn it!) I played this Malibu guitar for almost 2 and a half hours and didn’t want to put it down! Afterwards, as I walked out to my car I realized my fingers didn’t feel any different than when I first picked it up. What a guitar!
I played about every style of music there is from blues to rock to country to even a little jazz. Like I told the fella’ at Tower, this guitar did everything I asked it to do and did it effortlessly! I played through a Roland 40 which in and of itself, is a pretty good amplifier but this guitar really performed.
Soon as I can, I’m adding this one to my collection of great guitars!
I have played lead guitar over 50 years now,venues where you play for real,using Fender, or Gibson 99.9% of the time.A guitar needs to tune up,stay in tune and play in tune and have a big sound.I just purchased a Samick Greg Bennett Malibu from a local pawn shop with case for $175.00. Why? I`ll tell you why! Because it had all the qualities needed plus,it looked good and I needed a lefty model!! This guitar feels right and feels solid. Plays and stays in tune with a big sound just the way I like.I would play it on any stage and sing it`s praises,too!!!
J.R.” LEFTY ” HAYES
This guitar is everything that hendrix had in his first strat minus the hefty price and a wah peddle !! SEE hendrix would of been better if he would of had the option to buy a gregg bennett malibu 1. He would of started playing 2 years sooner for the affordability of this guitar. besides this guitar has a solid alder body, good grover tuners, seymore dunkin pick-ups, solid straight necks and the rock and blues sound. what more can u ask for in a guitar at this price. i own 4 of gregg bennetts guitars and have met the man personally. this guy has worked for some of the biggest brand name guitar companies in the business. in addition i watched the guy play for two hours at a guitar store and this dude can rock, pick, blues, and just down right jam. his rolling capo is the best thing since the hamburger was invented. if u see one of these guitars-pick it up and play it—dont snub ur nose up in the air and bust ur piggy bank on some expensive guitar. learn to play on a samick!! hope to see u soon at verondas music in kankakee, godspeed to all!!!!
I think the same way about the guitar, I pick my malibu guitar on very cheap bargain for about 55 buck from my friend a year ago. Yeah it bit out of tune and the fret need refreting, but the sound and the playability on the neck strung my mind !!! Maybe it just Me, I think anybody should give it a try and see if it’s worth it ( I know, I endorse the malibu series over squier guitar or even more priced my fender stratocaster series).
I been playing guitar for about 15 years now, Mostly I play some blues and Rock over my Marshall amp,
I have Gibson ES355, fender stratocaster 69, and squier bullet series on my studio. And I think I play the malibu more often then any of my guitar (I beat the guitar the hell out, and have change the tremolo arm 5 times, change the midle pick-up with lace-sensor blue). the malibu just have the feel and warm of it own. I try to find a review on the net, and find almost zero review on it. And when I see this review, I just can help it to give two thumbs up!!!!!
YOUR riight I just play one at a pawn shop today and this one was like brand new not a scratch grover tuners and all I offered them 50 dollars and they said yes and gave me a gig bag it does play very well I came home and looked up on the computer to see what deal i got