Newbie Making a B Bender

Hi everyone!! :grin:

I'm new to the forum (although been lurking for a few months) and thought i'd share a project i'm undertaking with my Dad.

we're making a b bender for a telecaster i picked up for cheap, Just thought i'd show what i've done so far and ask some advice.


So far We've:

-made all of the mechanism
-Routed out and made it fit (its a bit crude i know, but so was Clarence Whites first)

but i'm looking for advice on,

-how to set it up.

i'm concerned that the strap arm won't move enough to raise a B to a C#. From my understanding i should be able to move the rod to different points on either piece of metal on the inside, to give the string more movement in pitch and keep the same amount of moment on the strap arm?

I'm thinking how how much the "finger" on a steel guitar changer has to move to pull a string (i'm a steel player too btw), i can't tell right know if it will be enough...

Also how much tension should there be from the long tension spring? with a spring and the tension of the string... is that usually enough to stop the B going out of tune while standing up with a strap??? also any special kind of spring?

Any help would be appreciated, especially on the spring. I've looked though loads of the builds on here and seen a few different ways of making these over the months.

I know it may look a bit of a Clarence White clone... but its just the only £50 telecaster i could find... :razz:

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll97/chrisofyellow/P1020910.jpg

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll97/chrisofyellow/P1020959.jpg

I know the routing is a bit crude... i think we needed a bigger routing bit lol
http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll97/chrisofyellow/P1020962.jpg

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll97/chrisofyellow/P1020964.jpg

next stage is to cut the strap arm down and fit a peg
find something for the string to go on
and sort out a tuning system for it.

Thanks,

Chris Hillman

www.cjhillman.com

Looks like you need to take smaller bites with your router,and create a template.

yeah. it looks pretty rough on the photo, we just kinda went for it. it took a few hours to do all that. its a hand held router and the bit was tiny.... everything clears it on the inside and nobody will see it (he says after posting a photo of it haha)

I kind of like it.. sort of Flintstones meets Jetsons.

does it bend in tune?

Haven't got that far yet lol. will finish it off soon. need some more bits

I don't know how well it will work. I won't comment on how it looks.
But, Congrats on having the balls to go for it.

I don't know how well it will work. I won't comment on how it looks.
But, Congrats on having the balls to go for it.

thanks dude, always wanted one.... i probably should have waited a while longer before posting pics to see if it does work lol. im sure it will after some tweeking. built a lap steel the other month with some "home brew" palm pedals... that works quite well.

Looks like you've got the right idea...who cares how it looks (it really doesn't look bad) as long as works! Let us know how it turns out.

Personally, I like the tension to be quite stiff, as to not bend notes when I don't want to (accidental bends)....some like it feather light.

Chris Hillman, huh?

Cool!!
It's about playing, not beauty contests!!

I wasn't giving you a hard time about the looks of your guitar, but I did want to point out about your router technique. Taking those bigger bites like you did has a high potential for tear out and ruining the guitar body. Plus there is a bit of safety issue hogging out large portions of wood like that. Don't want you to loose a finger, I saw some of your videos, and your a good picker.

Thanks dude! i appreciate it. Its ok i didnt take anything to heart and thanks for checking out my videos.

hopefully get some more done around Friday. I think i'll cut the arm down and fit a strap peg next. not much time for anything else. I might look for a move heavy duty spring. i dont really want any unwanted bends.

I was guessing with the tension of the string as well, it might not need a really heavy spring but i duno?

Never played a b bender before so its tricky making something you dont know what it should feel like. I've noticed the newer ones that you buy tend to have a snappy pull on them... but the Clarence/Marty Stuart one has a longer bend... just from watching the youtube vids and reading a bit. so i'm hoping to get it a to have a longer slightly smoother pull on it.

I commend you for your efforts.
What are you using as a hub on the front side?

Just bought a volume knob for a telecaster.... the idea is that i can use the screw/allen key on the knob to anchor it to the shaft... then attach a bit to put the string onto.

I had a pedal steel made buy ZumSteel that had little "prongs" to hook the ball end over... so thats idea i was going with.

124049
you could always try this approach...

I know i haven't really updated this in a while... well its finished now! and it works a treat! Really pleased with it :eek:

It tunes up fine (theres a tuning screw that you cant see) and bends really smoothly

Only improvement would be more tension on the spring as i cant let the guitar go without it bending a tiny bit... so only a bit more tension really needed.

here are some pictures:

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll97/chrisofyellow/P1030067.jpg

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll97/chrisofyellow/P1030069.jpg

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll97/chrisofyellow/P1030073.jpg

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll97/chrisofyellow/P1030078.jpg

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll97/chrisofyellow/P1030082.jpg

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll97/chrisofyellow/P1030085.jpg

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll97/chrisofyellow/P1030088.jpg

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll97/chrisofyellow/P1030094.jpg

Just need a clean now. :lol:

well how does it work?

This is a quick video i made playing the solo to Linda Ronstadt-Willin'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRmlQJQhlts&feature=youtu.be

Just needs a heavy spring or a couple of rungs cutting off.

what are you using for a stop/tuner?

This is the stop... its a bit crude, but we might replace it using an allen key screw in the near future.

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll97/chrisofyellow/014.jpg

Instead of a heavier spring make yourself 2-3 more attachment points that will stretch the spring further. Then you can try different ones and see what feels best.

It would have been a good idea to look at some more designs first, but that's water under the bridge. Dave Evans installs an adjustable spring tension device on all Pull Strings - you might take a look at that to see what I mean about the attachment point, since with his you can move it a fairly long ways (which is great - loosen it to play sitting down, tighten it to play standing up.).

I've seen a lot of rough jobs that have worked well - for a while. But sooner or later you will likely run into friction issues (for now use dry teflon lube on every single moving part - it will make a huge difference), a bent arm and other problems. Think of this as a "prototype", look up a LOT of information and pics of other designs, and then figure out what you need to do to make a refined version of yours. One thing will be a MUCH heavier bellcrank/strap lever - that one will torque on you pretty soon.

Good effort though, and nice job figuring out how to play it!

Thanks Silverface, that sounds like a good idea. the only reason i was thinking a slightly heavier spring is because of the distance already has to stretch + looking at the Parsons one the spring looks thicker than mine.

Im concerned if i cut this or stretch this spring to much more after a month or two it might give up on me on a gig.

It is a prototype i guess... but i'll stick with it if it carry on working. The teflon lube sounds a good idea as it does need something. The bellcrank might torque... but its pretty heavy stuff... i got the metal for free of someone who make water treatment tanks... its 3mm thick steel and we had trouble getting through it with a pillar drill and angle grinder. It wasnt flexible at all.

I think your right about the lubrication though as the nuts and washers i dont think will stand up to this.... seeing how much ive used it in 2 day lol

If i was doing it again from the design ive seen, i wouldn't do it anything like this... i only joined the site half way through the build to ask for some help and advice, which i should have done from the start... some of the other homemades i couldnt figure out how they were done + it seems like you guys have better hardware stores than the UK by a mile... it was so hard getting parts here. im surprised they sold screws in the end

o thats was i was going to ask. the "hub" for the string. on mine i copied another one i'd seen using the volume knob method... but the string angle coming out is really sharp. its lasted so far, but i've had loads of problems with this and my pedal steel (admittedly going from G# to A) but this does seem to work... i didnt expect it to make a day.

Can anyone reassure me that it will be ok or any tips to modify this idea a bit.... i was thinking of countersinking the ball end so the winding of the string would take some of the strain a bit.

.... i was thinking of countersinking the ball end so the winding of the string would take some of the strain a bit.

^^^^^^^^^:smile: YUP. Looks good ,I admire Your D.I.Y. spirit and ability.