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Post by johneppstein on Jul 20, 2018 12:22:46 GMT -6
My lead guitarist has been after me to add a B-bender or B&G bender to one of our Telecasters. It needs to be one that mounts without carving on the guitar. There are several types available at various price points. Do any of you have experience with any of these devices and, if so, can you comment on which ones you've used and what your experience may have been? I'm looking on moving on this within the next month, give or take. Thanks, guys!
(I've posted a parallel thread at The Purple Place, but I imagine that responses here might be some what different and perhaps more knowledgeable, especially given the somewhat southern orientation.)
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Post by svart on Jul 20, 2018 12:26:40 GMT -6
I had no idea such a thing existed.. What exactly is it used for that something like a full trem or bigsby can't do?
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Post by Ward on Jul 20, 2018 12:31:25 GMT -6
I have a Hipshot™ Face mount B-Bender that doesn't deface the guitar very much . . . a couple of screw holes, so it will modify it.
But I really couldn't get into it. I have the Charlie McVey G-bender installed in another Tele and it works brilliantly.
I wish I could get into the Hipshot B-bender like Will Ray, even bought his video . . . but just too outside for me.
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Post by EmRR on Jul 20, 2018 14:56:48 GMT -6
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Post by tasteliketape on Jul 20, 2018 16:43:48 GMT -6
Seth lee jones guitars +1 (918) 841-9263 Tulsa okla
This guy plays bender’s And is also one HELL of a luither.
If you call I’m sure he would be glad to talk to you about all the options.he is also on Facebook
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Post by johneppstein on Jul 20, 2018 16:50:28 GMT -6
I had no idea such a thing existed.. What exactly is it used for that something like a full trem or bigsby can't do? Faking pedal steel licks. You can't do that with a standard vibrato bar. A B bender bends the string to a precise half or full step up, just like a pedal on a steel. A B-G bender can do the same thing on either or both of two strings. The original was the White-Parsons bender (invented by Clarence White and Gene Parsons), which required routing to the back of the guitar for installation. It's all over Clarence White's playing with The Byrds.
There are several different types - the original used a lever system attached to the neckwards strap pin so that pulling down on the guitar body raised the pitch a predetertmined amount. There are now versions of this that do not require permanant modification of the body.A B-G bender has a second mechanism that attaches to a clip on the player's belt so that moving the neck of the guitar away from the body changes pitch on the G string. There's another type "palm pedal") made by Hipshot that raises thae B by pushing on a lever with your hip down at the butt end of the instrument. There's a third type that works like a single string Bigsby with a set screw for the pitch stop. This type has the advantage of being able to mount one for as many individual strings as one wants but has the disadvantage of making right hand technique somewhat difficult. It's also possible to mount one of more palm pedal style benders on a hipshot mechanism, as well as a drop-D lever. All of these except for the original White-Parsons do not reqire significant modification and are removeable, but most (except the "palm pedal") have the drawback of not fitting in a standard case.
My questions regard ease of use, precision, durability, cost, lead time on orders, and any "unexpected requiremenmts", such as only working with certain gauge string sets.
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Post by johneppstein on Jul 20, 2018 16:57:14 GMT -6
Seth lee jones guitars +1 (918) 841-9263 Tulsa okla This guy plays bender’s And is also one HELL of a luither. If you call I’m sure he would be glad to talk to you about all the options.he is also on Facebook Judging by the pictures on Google he appears to favor palm pedal type benders? |
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Post by johneppstein on Jul 20, 2018 17:30:55 GMT -6
Does anyone know anything about this one?
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Post by drbill on Jul 20, 2018 18:08:00 GMT -6
I don't know anything about the logistics of mounting them, but I sure like the way they sound. Loved em since when they were popular in LA during the late 70's , early 80's.
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Post by matt on Jul 20, 2018 18:58:25 GMT -6
In the rock world, Jimmy Page used one with Zeppelin in the latter part of the '70s on a Tele. His was a Parsons-White, I think, and the body needs to be routed out big-time to accommodate the hardware, which has a lever arm in a slot that goes all the way to the front strap button. Actuation occurs by "pulling" on the strap- you have to be standing to use it. Sounds great though. I'd only do it on a cheaper instrument, and certainly not on anything collectible.
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Post by nobtwiddler on Jul 21, 2018 6:22:13 GMT -6
I just had this one made for me... Very cool & different instrument, called the Dobrato. Has a sound all it's own. Basically a Dobro, with a custom modified Bigsby that has a "B" bender installed. This Bigsby arm works as normal when used as a vibrato, but when you pull the arm up it is a "B" bender. Can be locked and set for 1/2, 1, 1+1/2 steps. Very, very cool... Although takes a bit of getting used to to work it correctly! Still learning. |
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Post by Quint on Jul 21, 2018 7:31:16 GMT -6
I just had this one made for me... Very cool & different instrument, called the Dobrato. Has a sound all it's own. Basically a made Dobro, with a custom modified Bigsby that has a "B" bender installed. This Bigsby arm works as normal when used as a vibrato, but when you pull the arm up it is a "B" bender. Can be locked and set for 1/2, 1, 1+1/2 steps. Very, very cool... Although takes a bit of getting used to to work it correctly! Still learning. That's very cool. |
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Post by jeremygillespie on Jul 21, 2018 22:50:09 GMT -6
John, have you considered just buying a body and having it modded for the routed original style bender? That way you can still always put your neck on the original guitar and not worry about screwing it up?
I get it may be a pain to switch the pickups out, etc, but may work out better in the long run.
That outside the body model looks super clunky to me...
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Post by johneppstein on Jul 21, 2018 23:14:35 GMT -6
John, have you considered just buying a body and having it modded for the routed original style bender? That way you can still always put your neck on the original guitar and not worry about screwing it up? I get it may be a pain to switch the pickups out, etc, but may work out better in the long run. That outside the body model looks super clunky to me... It's beyond my current budget.
The b-g bender that mounts on the back doesn't look any clunkier to me than the original version of the White-Parsons, which actually added an extra section of wood to the body of the Telecaster. And it uses the same pull scheme as the built-in ones.
The Hipshot ones are really cheap but those really look clunky to me. As do the palm-pedal based designs.
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Post by jimwilliams on Jul 22, 2018 11:09:45 GMT -6
I had Clarence White's proto-type #7 in the shop last week. It's a 70's Telecaster thinline sunburst with the extra tele body stuck on the back. It's a rather clunky system, way harder to deal with than the routed versions that I've also had in the shop. That extra thick Tele body is a PITA.
It's owned by Dwight Yoakum. I put in one of my original 1980's "Pete Anderson" fet preamps with a push-pull bypass switch. It should be in a museum (several had expressed interest) but it's now out on tour with Dwight. Go see/hear it if you can.
I believe Warmoth offers a B bender routed body.
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Post by johneppstein on Jul 22, 2018 13:34:01 GMT -6
I've opted to get the b-g bender that attaches to the back of the guitar and works more or less like a Parsons-White. About $450, including a couple of trick bridge pieces that combine a roller bridge with a hollow adjusdtment screw that allows the string to pass back to the bender without having to file down the bridge plate.
Mounting is simple - it attaches to two of the neck plate screws.
It should be here in a couple weeks, I'll report on it after we have a chance to try it out.
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ericn
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Post by ericn on Jul 22, 2018 16:34:55 GMT -6
In the rock world, Jimmy Page used one with Zeppelin in the latter part of the '70s on a Tele. His was a Parsons-White, I think, and the body needs to be routed out big-time to accommodate the hardware, which has a lever arm in a slot that goes all the way to the front strap button. Actuation occurs by "pulling" on the strap- you have to be standing to use it. Sounds great though. I'd only do it on a cheaper instrument, and certainly not on anything collectible. Yeah page used a Parsons White, had a couple of Telecasters he used during the Ronnie Lane benifit concerts. |
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Post by Ward on Jul 22, 2018 19:21:40 GMT -6
I've opted to get the b-g bender that attaches to the back of the guitar and works more or less like a Parsons-White. About $450, including a couple of trick bridge pieces that combine a roller bridge with a hollow adjusdtment screw that allows the string to pass back to the bender without having to file down the bridge plate. Mounting is simple - it attaches to two of the neck plate screws.
It should be here in a couple weeks, I'll report on it after we have a chance to try it out.
Post a link(s) to your final decision please? I mean, pictures, manufacturer info . . . or is he just on eBait? |
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Post by johneppstein on Jul 22, 2018 19:28:59 GMT -6
I've opted to get the b-g bender that attaches to the back of the guitar and works more or less like a Parsons-White. About $450, including a couple of trick bridge pieces that combine a roller bridge with a hollow adjusdtment screw that allows the string to pass back to the bender without having to file down the bridge plate. Mounting is simple - it attaches to two of the neck plate screws.
It should be here in a couple weeks, I'll report on it after we have a chance to try it out.
Post a linke to your final decision please? Sure.
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Post by Quint on Jul 22, 2018 22:28:04 GMT -6
Kind of an unorthodox example of a B bender. But also a super cool example of a B bender. B bender solo around the 3;30 minute mark.
I also absolutely endorse the Tea Party in general.
Here’s a song for you… Coming Home - Remastered by The Tea Party
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Post by iamasound on Jul 23, 2018 3:48:08 GMT -6
I just had this one made for me... Very cool & different instrument, called the Dobrato. Has a sound all it's own. Basically a Dobro, with a custom modified Bigsby that has a "B" bender installed. This Bigsby arm works as normal when used as a vibrato, but when you pull the arm up it is a "B" bender. Can be locked and set for 1/2, 1, 1+1/2 steps. Very, very cool... Although takes a bit of getting used to to work it correctly! Still learning. Downright Steampunk...looking super badass and I bet it sounds that way too. |
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