Should I trade my American Special Telecaster for a Fender Nashvile B-Bender help!

Hey guys,

Thanks in advance..

I have a dilemma I just bought my American special telecaster a month ago and have 15 days to return it if I choose from American Musical..

I really now at this point am dissapointed that I did not think of getting the B-Bender in the first place but was trying to save money.. What is your guys opinion.
1. I do not have the cash on hand to have a 600.00 B bender installed on the special
2. the cost difference will be 550.00 but it is f:?: financed which I need
3. Sound wise will what will be the difference by going from an alder body to a poplar body..

4, The Biggie what would you guys do remember I do not have the cash and will not for quite some time to lay out just 600+ to install a B-bender..

Thanks so much I know I'ma noob haha

You could try a Hipshot. Less $ for a real bender(check out Will Ray) and it requires no routing or drilling into your guitar. If you don't care for it, no great misfortune. I think those American Special's are very nice!

If it were me, I'd return the financed guitar, as I detest paying interest, buy an SX Tele copy from Rondo for $109 and put a Hipshot on that bad boy! You'd still be under $300, so you can have a little wiggle room if you wanted to replace tuners, add an electrosocket... as you can tell I'm a cheap-a$$.

Good stuff for less $

http://www.rondomusic.com/product4835.html

I also have one of these. Cool top-loader!

http://rondomusic.com/gravitywfta.html

Keep the Tele you have and get a Hipshot Bender. Check eBay, don't be in a rush, and you may get one for cheap.

Hiphots are great!
I have also owned a couple of Parsons/Green equipped Teles.
The guitars/bender mechanisms worked brilliantly, too.
If money isn't a problem, and B bending is integral to your style,
it's convenient to have it "built in".
The bender guitars DO seem to be heavier than normal.

I have a nashville b bender tele and its a great guitar. The american specials are good guitars. I like the sound of the pups in the nashville b benders better than the american specials. That said, I have to comment that there is nothing wrong with the american special, its a great guitar. Benders aren't necessary though, there are many licks you can do without one. I say No, try and pay off the american special sooner than later, and don't feel like you just need a bender guitar to cop some great steel guitar licks on.

I'll chime in on this one. I am a HUGE fan of Hipshot B/G benders; have them on 7 teles now. They are easily installed, especially on a top-loader or vintage style bridge "tele". The double bound one from Rondo would need some modification to make it work, but it CAN be done. The second one shown above (burl top) would require NO modification at all to use a Hipshot bender as it has a "vintage" style bridge and saddles. The problem with the first one is the saddle/bridge arrangement. The adjustment screws (intonation screws) for the saddles would be totally in the way of the string travel for the 'bent" strings. I suppose one could transplant an American Standard bridge plate onto the douible bound furrian and use that. The Amer. Stnd. saddles have offset intonation screws. All that would need to be done then would be either make a "notch" or drill a hole for string travel in the "lip" of the bridge for the "bent" string and dremel a "channel out in the saddle for the string. Check out some closeup pics of the American Standard P/G tele bridge.

I've done both types of installments but I have found that "teles" with the vintage 3 barrels are MUCH, MUCH easier to slap a Hipshot bender on. The job can be done in 30 minutes; takes longer to re-string than to install the Hipshot.

Have fun and let us see the results.......

Hey Guys:

Just wanted to thank everyone for their input. I know there is no perfect answer
For me I just do not want the hipshot thing on a guitar looking like some device from the SAW movies hahah realize I'm just joking. I looked at everyone's suggestions and I packed up the American Special and ordered the Nasville B -Bender. In the future I am going to grab a Tradition tele copy with the treamking on. I have seen the Rondo guitars I just cannot grasp how they are making them so cheap... I know that I picked up a Great Tradition strat with a Tremking on ebay for less than 300.00 and I love it... Very twangy HSS config. One of the things that did push me toward the Nashville was the middle Strat pickup it opens up more tones which is something Im always after... And finally the real reason is I got a great refund coming back from Uncle Sam so.. :)

Any way thank you all for giving me your suggestions...It is greatly appreciated.

Hey guys,

Thanks in advance..

I have a dilemma I just bought my American special telecaster a month ago and have 15 days to return it if I choose from American Musical..

I really now at this point am dissapointed that I did not think of getting the B-Bender in the first place but was trying to save money.. What is your guys opinion.
1. I do not have the cash on hand to have a 600.00 B bender installed on the special
2. the cost difference will be 550.00 but it is f:?: financed which I need
3. Sound wise will what will be the difference by going from an alder body to a poplar body..

4, The Biggie what would you guys do remember I do not have the cash and will not for quite some time to lay out just 600+ to install a B-bender..

Thanks so much I know I'ma noob haha

Well you guys were right after researching and after countless painfull hours of taking the Red Pill on B G Benders etc... I should have kept the American Special and picked up a Hipshot. That would have been what a total investmnet of a bit over 1000.00 for an American Tele with B bender capabilities... So I packed up the Special its already on its way back now I am totally torn I put in my order for the Nashville then I cancelled it do to someone that brought to my attention something that really is bugging me..
The Nashvile B-Bender Fender has that middle Texas sepecial pickup which gives you that strat tone possiblility but with the 5 way switch I sacrifice something I never though of... The Bridge and Neck pickup combo? Well Blank me... So I would have to buy the Nashville then take it into my small town guitar tech that takes forever to do anything. And have him do some wiring and probably some type of switch, another pot whatever he would think of doing.. So Now I have really screwed myself I have no Tele I have searched the Internet for B-Benders and come up with several scenarios.
1. Buy a custom tele with a B-bender approx cost 2800+
2. Just watch ebay like a hawk and try to snipe any B-bender that happens to be of appeal I checked last night and the picking is slim..
3. Searched the Internet for any B-benders for sale and found like a couple that were MIM's no offense I just do not want a MIM I found one MIM B-bender for 900.00 hmmm just dont know..
4. To Hell with the B-bender get a Tradition Tele with the Tremking on it have 11 tonal variations and just get over the B-bender issue that would save me 125.00 off of the American Special and add the Tremking specs are better than the Fender Special.. anyway guys I think that my noobness and my desire surely had good intent but strayed me away from sanity..
Now I am lost...

Keep the Tele you have and get a Hipshot Bender. Check eBay, don't be in a rush, and you may get one for cheap.

You were right man! check out my post of temporary insanity.. Now I have no tele I feel naked and this sucks... all because of good intent arggggg. you guys know there is nothing wrong with the hipshot after looking at it more it makes the most sense for me.. I surely have no brand loyalty on a Tele type guitar so that is one thing I am completly open on... Sadly I had to look at Suhr's website and see the Rootbeer T blank me 2895.00 just for the Tele awesome looking but I do not buy guitars because they are aswesome looking.. I just ran into it.. The Tradition Jerry Reid pro with the Tremking makes more sense for me Specs are awesome only 729.00 ash body, graphtech hut locking tuners 3 pickups 11 total variations Tremking.. NO B -Bender and with the Tremking I have never seen anyone put on a hipshot... see how lost I am..

You'll work it out man! I suggest the heck out of the Rondo guitars because I've had such good luck with them. You also might want to check out G&L. Their Trubute series Tele's are made overseas, but they use USA parts. You can find sweet deals on them if you spend some time searching. Good Luck!

The only tele I have ever had is a Nashville Tele B bender. I love it. It has the middle pup ( TX Special) and the 5 way pup selector. It sounds great and plays great. I will say this though, it is heavy. I play mostly my Gibby LP Standard and the Tele is just as heavy. They are both heavier than my SG. I'm used to laying heavy guitars so that didn't bother me but if you aren't used to a heavy guitar you may not like it.

Maybe it's best you returned the American Special Tele and canceled the B-bender. Now you can take your time and try out both the hip shot and the Nashville if there's any way possible. It's all about personal choice. I tried both and decided on the Nashville, but as you have seen, there are many hip shot devotees out there.

i have a extra toggle between my volume and tone which allows me to get the bridge and neck like the standard on my Nashville Tele.Guy i bought it from insdtalled it.