[1] Learning the craft from his brother-in-law, Carl Becker Sr., Paul Toenniges worked in William Lewis & Son in Chicago, and later under Rudolf Wurlitzer, finally opening his first studio in Los Angeles.

[2][4] Notable musicians who bought Benning instruments include Paul Coletti, Sid Weiss, Victor Gaskin (used while recording Duke Ellington's 70th Birthday Concert) and Arnold Jacobs,[5] while Hans Benning restored and maintained several of Jascha Heifetz's instruments during the latter part of his life.

[8] One of their students, Tito Quiroz, founded a music school in Ensenada named the Benning Academia de Musica.

After graduating from DeKalb High School in 1925, he moved to Chicago to work with Lewis & Son while living with Carl Becker, a prominent luthier.

In 1946, he moved to LA together with his wife, and started working at the Wurlitzer Violin Collection, making instruments at home during his own time.