More About Just Jazz Guitar Founder, Ed Benson

Cindy Benedetto provides some additional perspective on Just Jazz Guitar and founder Ed Benson.

Above photo: Ed Benson, Bob Benedetto and Howard Paul

Cindy Benedetto: Bob and I first met Ed Benson and his wife Phyllis when they visited our home/shop in Clearwater in the late 1980s. We immediately clicked and after we moved to East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania in 1990, stayed in touch. In 1992 Bob started writing (by hand!) the text for “Making an Archtop Guitar”. Ed asked who was doing the layout and we hadn’t figured that out yet!! Being retired from a longtime career with Macy’s, (and always one who liked to stay busy) he volunteered to lay out the book for publication, including of course, adding in the many photos we had professionally taken as well as numberous illustrations. We laughed when Ed said it was the first time he had ever done this…. but the book was laid out beautifully, published in Sept. 1994, and a huge success. It is still in print (by Centerstream Publications/Hal Leonard) after 32 years!

In 1992, Bob began offering archtop guitar making classes (the first to do so). Ed attended a class in 1993 and asked if he could video it. We certainly agreed so he painstakingly videoed the class over several days and then went home and edited it. He was very dedicated and patient! I sent him numerous (!!!!) revisions to make and he made them all graciously. (The subsequent video was called “Archtop Guitar Design and Construction” and was (and still is, in DVD form) exclusively sold by Stewart MacDonald Guitar Shop Supply.

Around that time, I was thinking of doing a newsletter called “Just Jazz Guitar”. I never even started it when Ed asked about it. I told him I just didn’t have time to do it. He was wondering why I would want to do it… saying “who would buy a magazine on “just” jazz guitar?” We laughed and said we think it would be a big hit as there is a need. Well, he decided to do it himself, calling it a Journal and it was hugely successful. I could never ever have done what Ed accomplished. He did all the layouts himself, transcribed and worked closely with Bill Bay (of Mel Bay Publications) for copyrights to publish music.  There was nothing like it… JUST jazz guitar!!

Years later we moved to Savannah, Georgia and started Benedetto Guitars, Inc. with business partner Howard Paul.   That same year Ed started visiting Savannah where he eventually relocated. Our friendship continued as did our passion for all things jazz guitar. 

Ed was still publishing Just Jazz Guitar magazine (until 2016) and regularly traveled north to attend guitar shows and concerts.  Most notably the Classic American Guitar Show on Long Island where Bob and I started our Benedetto Players in Concert series. Ed filmed them all!

We stay in touch and are grateful for his friendship, loyalty, and devotion. Ed is and will always be a treasure to us.

Check out the Howard Paul and Ed Benson March 2026 conversation.

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