69 B-Bender? Hah!

Saw this on EBay (http://cgi.ebay.com/ORIGINAL-1969-PARSONS-WHITE-B-BENDER-GUITAR-0089_W0QQitemZ220457375026QQcmdZViewItemQQptZGuita r?hash=item3354489532&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14) Seller claims it's a 1969 Tele with a Parsons-White B-Bender.

For all I know, yeah, it might be a '69, but I thought at that time the few bound Teles were double-bound. The guy might've easily decided to paint his neck, but that seems like an 80s choice, not a 60s choice, but oh well.

It's the bender. Early PW benders were affixed to the bodies. That's on the metal plate. That's the newer design. I don't recall if that's 80s or 90s, but it isn't from 1969.

It's 1990's and you're right.
What is the deal with the Masonic decal?
Would that make this a Hiramcaster?

What is the deal with the Masonic decal?
Would that make this a Hiramcaster?

Funny, no I think it's a Critter-caster from the Hiram Custom Shop....

This is a P/W that has a metal cover plate. The metal plate simply covers the bender, the bender is not attached to the plate. Today these covers are clear plexiglass so as not to add additional weight to the guitar. Many of the earlier P/W's had metal cover plates.

Saw this on EBay (http://cgi.ebay.com/ORIGINAL-1969-PARSONS-WHITE-B-BENDER-GUITAR-0089_W0QQitemZ220457375026QQcmdZViewItemQQptZGuita r?hash=item3354489532&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14) Seller claims it's a 1969 Tele with a Parsons-White B-Bender.

For all I know, yeah, it might be a '69, but I thought at that time the few bound Teles were double-bound. The guy might've easily decided to paint his neck, but that seems like an 80s choice, not a 60s choice, but oh well....

It's not a 69 Fender Tele. The ad says, "I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT MODEL GUITAR THIS WAS BUILT INTO. I WAS TOLD THE WOOD WAS SUPPLIED BY LEO FENDER AND THIS COULD BE TRUE AS THE WOOD LOOKS LIKE OLD FENDER AND SOUNDS LIKE IT TOO."

It is an ORIGINAL early production Parsons White. It is NOT built onto the back of that metal plate (ie like a modern Parsons Greene...aka Fender B Bender ). Is is built into the body and the early ones had metal as opposed to plexi-glass covers that come standard today. The installation was probably done in the mid 70's so the guitar body is at least that old. Gene Parsons I'm sure can give you an accurate date since he serialized those installations.

My #0011 "Pull-String" was installed in '73 or '74, I'm pretty sure...

I have the receipt somewhere but it's not handy

Parsons-White benders didn't exist in 1969. I have 0025 in a 1966 Tele and it's dated 1977.

go online: http://stringbender.com/
Write Gene a letter and ask him. He remembers every guitar he has ever made and is an extremely refined gentleman.

go online: http://stringbender.com/
Write Gene a letter and ask him. He remembers every guitar he has ever made and is an extremely refined gentleman.

That's not been my experience (not that he was impolite, but he didn't provide any info)

FWIW, I dug out the original receipt.

#11 was installed in April, 1975