B-Bender Buzz

Hey just got a b-bender from a fella, and noticed the b string is bending, there is a whole drilled in the bridge of a standard american tele, so i'm thinking the buzz is coming from where the string touches the edge of the hole or the saddle.

Any advice?

Hey just got a b-bender from a fella, and noticed the b string is bending



Uh...that's what they're supposed to do !

The B string shouldn't touch the edge of the hole at all.Drilling out the hole is something you should do anyway,and it may solve the buzz problem.

Buzzing I meant.

Ok, so how do I fix it?

Either drill the hole larger so string clears without touching or wrap electric tape around the string just before the hole, then slide it into the hole.

Raybob

Providing that is where the buzzing is coming from..... You didn't give us a lot of information. Have someone touch these points and the string while you pluck the string and make it buzz - start from the back - bender hub, string at the back side of the bridge hole, then the saddle. If the buzzing stops at any point, most likely that is the point that is creating the buzz. If none of that works and it occurs only on an open string, it may be a neck relief, saddle height, or a low nut slot unrelated to the bender....

I've seen this problem twice before. One was that the top of the bender tower needed lubrication - (yeah I know this is where they also squeek) and the other was a worn saddle that had been cut into from extensive use.

More help than this requires that you provide more information......

It is either coming from the back of the saddle or bridge.

Could I just use a thin piece of plastic tubing between the two and run the string through that?

As Raybob suggested, try the tubing. Shrink tubing works great for this. If it works you can continue to use it or open the hole in the back of the bridge plate. If the tubing doesn't work, try replacing the saddle. Note that the saddle on this guitar is cut through the back for the string to pass through. Sometimes finding one can be a problem, but you can always cut the back section out of an American offset replacement saddle if necessary. There was a guy on Ebay that sold these B Bender saddles in graphite, but I don't see any listed now.

where would you buy that type of tubing?

I also just noticed the string moves easily on the saddle it self sliding back and forth.

Any Radio Shack would have the tubing.

string moves easily on the saddle

The string should move freely, back and forth on the saddle. It has to for as the bender is activated, the string is stretched.

I highly doubt buzzing is occurring by the string touching the edge if the hole in the bridgeplate. B Benders all suffer from the common problem of insufficient downforce on the saddle by the string since the angle of the string as it goes over the saddle is much shallower than all the others. Consequently you could notice buzzing (the sitar effect) and sliding of the string from side to side. You have raise the saddle height to minimize this and or get a notched saddle. (saddle with a groove in it). If it's not coming from the string the other place to check is the tension spring

The best tubing for this is Teflon tubing. You can get it at a bike shop. Just ask for the brake cable liner. Get a foot, which will last you 100 years. You may need to bore out the hole a bit, but maybe not. Same stuff as Hipshot uses.

I also just noticed the string moves easily on the saddle it self sliding back and forth.

I had this problem with a Hipshot that I added. Basically, the hole wasn't low enough that was drilled in the bridge plate. If you look at the Hipshot bridges you can buy, they screws are offset so the string holes can be really low.

The buzzing is the loose saddle (or was in my case). You can tell by putting your finger on the saddle and feeling the vibration. I "fixed" it by shimming the neck and raising the saddles. This puts more downward pressure on the saddle...

thanks so much, i'll try that out

I think there was a groove worn in the saddle, i think that, and the contact on the bridge were both issues, i filed the bridge out a little more so i think that is solve (though she is getting close to the intonation screw if i go further).

What tool do you need to cut the hole in the back of the saddle.

Bunky,is there any chance you could post pics of your bridge and surrounding area so we can see what we're talking about?

for that tubing you can also use a piece of the red tube that comes with a can of WD-40 or other type aerosol cans which is used for directing the spray into a tight place. The WD-40 one is best though (IMHO) as it's already got some of the lubricant inside of it.........JH in Va.