Skip to main content
A Portland company that makes musician Ryan Adams' signature guitar amplifier has announced it will suspend its relationship with Adams in the wake of sexual misconduct allegations against the singer-songwriter.
Beginning in 2016, Benson Amps, which is based in Southeast Portland, began making amps for Adams after owner Chris Benson met the musician at a trade show. Eventually, Benson helped develop Adams' first signature amp, the Sorcerer. According to an article in a 2018 edition of local music magazine Vortex, the name is "a reference to Adams' obsession with The Lord of the Rings."
On Wednesday, in an article in The New York Times, Adams was accused of emotional abuse and sexually inappropriate behavior by seven women, including his ex-wife, singer-actress Mandy Moore. On Wednesday, the FBI announced it would be opening an investigation into claims Adams sent explicit messages to an underage musician. They allegedly first texted when she was 13 years old.
Adams has denied wrongdoing on social media.
In a statement posted to Instagram today, Benson said he was "saddened and surprised" by the allegations, and that the company would "no longer move forward with the development of the Ryan Adams signature model."
Benson declined WW's request for further comment.
Benson Amps also provides amps for other musicians, including the Decemberists and David Bazan. In January, Adams released a new single, "Fuck the Rain," featuring John Mayer, which Benson remarked on Twitter might be the first Adams studio recording to feature their amps.
