George Benson’s vintage Polytone Taurus IV amp is up for auction on eBay
The rare model boasts a unique opposing-speaker “V” shape cabinet
George Benson has long been associated with Polytone guitar amps – he used one to record his classic album, Breezin’ – and now a Polytone Taurus IV, which Benson played onstage, is up for auction on eBay.
The vintage, and rather unusually-shaped, Taurus IV features a unique opposing-speaker “V” shape cabinet and comes with its original road case, still sporting its “George’s Polytone” label and several flight tags.
100% of the net proceeds from the auction will go to the recovery fund of Neale Huston, longtime master craftsperson at LM Cases.
Huston and his wife Missy were involved in a motorcycle accident in June of this year and sustained severe injuries that have resulted in massive medical bills. They currently are requiring funds to assist them in their medical expenses, as well as to update their home to handicap accessible levels and to purchase a modified van for transportation.
The charity auction is being held with Benson’s permission, and the amp has been authenticated by his former guitar technician, George “Blade” Kennedy, as well as Benson’s manager, Stephanie Gonzalez.
“It is our sincere pleasure to gift you an authentic Polytone amp owned and used on tour with Mr. George Benson,” Gonzalez wrote in a statement accompanying the auction.
“May our humble offering help support the Huston family as they recover from their unfortunate accident.”
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For more information or to bid on the amp, which is currently listed for $1,000, head to eBay.
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Rich is the co-author of the best-selling Nöthin' But a Good Time: The Uncensored History of the '80s Hard Rock Explosion. He is also a recording and performing musician, and a former editor of Guitar World magazine and executive editor of Guitar Aficionado magazine. He has authored several additional books, among them Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck, the companion to the documentary of the same name.
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