Bender in a custom - would you do it?

I've been gasing for a B-Bender Tele for a while now...well, ever since hearing about them. Unfortunately, spending that kind of money is tough to justify considering I mostly play around my basement for my own pleasure...and my wife's displeasure.:mrgreen:

My only Tele that I have anymore is my custom built Canadian Breed. It's a beautiful BSB finish, birdseye V-neck, with a Budz pup's and saddles and a Glendale bridge. Since this is the only one I use, and I am expecting to start doin' some gigging again soon, I've been toying with putting a bender in it. Now, going the Glaser style route with something like a McVay or a BW would have minimal impact on the body, and is tempting, but there is a significant price tag, and a significant waiting list. A new option has presented itself - a guy who lives not too far from me has started building his own benders - they are PW style, so they require the obvious rout on the back. He has no waiting list to speak of, and his price is very tempting - I could have the guitar out and back within a week.

On one hand, I look at this guitar as a beautiful piece of craftsmanship - it didn't set me back much more than a thousand dollars, but even that is a significant chunk. On the other hand, it is an instrument and a tool. As you can see, I'm having a pretty easy job talking myself into either choice. Second opinions would be appreciated;)

If you don't like it, I bet Bill could make you a new body and you could sell your bender equipped body.

i would get the bender for sure!! you should get in touch with forrest lee jr. and check his prices. his work is top notch!!!

LOL - Forrest and I are writing songs together - I'm in touch with him quite a bit.:wink: I plan to have Forrest just do a build for me with benders in it. For this one, it's more a Canadian guitar with a Canadian bender thing, and it's next door to me.

This look solid:

http://i816.photobucket.com/albums/zz84/brent-gk/IMG-20120301-00041.jpg

I say go for it.

I would say no. Because if that Tele is your only and #1 I would leave it be and do another up. You could borrow the neck off the custom for a while maybe. But if you change that #1 in way that one [you only really] could consider not reversible and it doesn't come out as well as what you got already.. No place to step back to...

I would only put a bender in a guitar I absolutely love to play.

I once had a Glaser bender put in a 62 reissue Tele that I didn't play very often. I had never bonded with it, and played my G&Ls most of the time at gigs. Well, I was excited to get the Tele back with the bender and spent quite a bit of time trying to like that guitar....I liked the bender, just not the guitar so much. So.....I eventually sold it, then sent my favorite Asat to Dave Evans for a Pull String, and I've never been happier.

So, I would say, put the bender in that thing!! The only reason I would not put the bender in a favorite guitar would be if I was only planning on using the bender on occasional songs.

I would only put a bender in a guitar I absolutely love to play.

I once had a Glaser bender put in a 62 reissue Tele that I didn't play very often. I had never bonded with it, and played my G&Ls most of the time at gigs. Well, I was excited to get the Tele back with the bender and spent quite a bit of time trying to like that guitar....I liked the bender, just not the guitar so much. So.....I eventually sold it, then sent my favorite Asat to Dave Evans for a Pull String, and I've never been happier.

So, I would say, put the bender in that thing!! The only reason I would not put the bender in a favorite guitar would be if I was only planning on using the bender on occasional songs songs.

Never looked at it that way. Good thinkin!

Never looked at it that way. Good thinkin!


I agree, but I have a dozen Teles and love to play more than 1/2 of them.

If I had one only I loved to play [regardless of if I had many] I would sure think it through before putting under the knife in a way that will change it permanently.

I guess I just keep remembering threads/posts here where guys went without #1 for a inordinate amount of time, particularly with a bender install... I feel like a party poopper. ;)

Nonsense, Rob - every party needs a voice of reason.:wink:

I would only put a bender in a guitar I absolutely love to play.

I once had a Glaser bender put in a 62 reissue Tele that I didn't play very often. I had never bonded with it, and played my G&Ls most of the time at gigs. Well, I was excited to get the Tele back with the bender and spent quite a bit of time trying to like that guitar....I liked the bender, just not the guitar so much. So.....I eventually sold it, then sent my favorite Asat to Dave Evans for a Pull String, and I've never been happier.

So, I would say, put the bender in that thing!! The only reason I would not put the bender in a favorite guitar would be if I was only planning on using the bender on occasional songs.

+1, I have a B&W bender in my least favorite guitar and I don't play it much.

I would add, not a built in bender, I did a HipShot because I was afraid I would suk at wielding a bender. [Maybe a strap pull may have been easier for my brain to get behind]. Which turned out to be the case, and I was not willing to put in the time. My brain thought bend, and I did a slur. So I was getting 200 cent bends. ;)

I was able to put the 1999 MIA Tele back stock and later sold it. I think the novelty of it got the best of me, a component of the infection that is the TDPRI for the weak minded, me. ;)

Yes...I must admit, this site has a serious jedi hold on my brain...single malt scotch almost keeps it at bay.:mrgreen:

Well, decvision is made - I love playing this guitar, and I can't see a bender decreasing that anytime soon.

Well, decvision is made - I love playing this guitar, and I can't see a bender decreasing that anytime soon.


Not sure I get that, you mean you do not want to part with it anytime soon for the install ?

Meaning I'm gonn get the install done...can't see me ever being unhappy with this guitar anyway.:cool:

Meaning I'm gonn get the install done...can't see me ever being unhappy with this guitar anyway.:cool:

If it's close and turn around time isn't too long, you won't be sorry.

Keep us updated.

The bender is installed - Jeff is putting a treble bleed in at the same time, and I'll be picking it up on Thursday.:wink:

Have you ever played a B Bender before?

That would be a no.:mrgreen:

If it's close and turn around time isn't too long, you won't be sorry.

I'm sure that you won't be sorry to have the addition of a bender to a favorite guitar. But, thoroughly research every bender that you're considering.

A short turn around doesn't necessarily meanthe best bender make by being the fastest. I have had a bunch of different Benders. I have have about another month or so to get my Mcvay bender back, but all of them that I have tried are FLAWLES

I have no worries in Jeff's bender - he has been working on it for a few years. The short turn-around is due to the fact that he doesn't have a line-up...and that's due to the fact that he's only starting to market them now that he's satisfied with the quality of his product. In any case, I'll know tomorrow morning;)

It's a little late, but as one who mainly plays b-benders and has since the 70's I'd have at least played one first before having one installed...or go with a Higgins or Hipshot first before routing your guitar.

Also, I'd be a little leery of someone with no waiting list and a cheap price with no established reputation. It might be a great bender or (as a student of mine found out by going that route) a total disaster.

Is the yellow guitar with the bender shown in the picture above an example of the bender in question? If so, you might compare pictures to a Parsons-White, Evans or Bores. The parts in that pic look to be in the lightweight side; I see no way of adjusting spring tension (on an Evans there's a simple screw adjustment; on a PW or ores you can move the spring screw...but that one is fixed in place). It also looks like it would have to be a VERY short throw based on the geometry. And where is the stop adjustment? Also, in the "rest" position does the lower arm hit the body as shown with no cushion of any kind? If so my guess is it'd be quite noisy. What kind of bearings are used?

There is good reason quality PW/Evans style and Glaser style benders are not cheap, with lower prices usually due to the installer charging less because he enjoys doing them (as evidenced by guys like Brian Friend and Forrest, who don't use cheap parts).

But taking a custom-built, one-off quality instrument and having an unknown-quality piece of machinery installed I would consider unwise, especially if you have no basis for comparison, having never played any of the top-quality units.

I sure hope it works out for you. If it doesn't I would suggest contacting Evans, Parsons or another actual manufacturer to ask if the existing installation can be retrofitted with one of their units.

Best of luck.

That's what I was trying to say but way better.

LOL - Forrest and I are writing songs together - I'm in touch with him quite a bit.:wink: I plan to have Forrest just do a build for me with benders in it. For this one, it's more a Canadian guitar with a Canadian bender thing, and it's next door to me.

This look solid:

http://i816.photobucket.com/albums/zz84/brent-gk/IMG-20120301-00041.jpg
Ya know, I kinda like the looks of that route.
Clean and simple.

I picked up the guitar yesteday.

Congratulations! Hope she keeps serving you well.

I picked up the guitar yesteday.

So, three weeks later, what's the verdict?

P.

He probably can't put the thing down long enough to log on here!