B-Bender: 2 or 3 pickup model?

The Bestron · May 30th, 2008, 04:19 AM

Hiya!

This is my first post

I recently purchased a '97 Fender B-Bender Tele, the one with the traditional bridge+neck pickup arrangement but I've seen plenty of pics on the net of the 3 pickup model (is that newer???) and I'm considering routing the body to accomodate the 3 pickup layout.

Never tried a tele bridge pickup with a middle single coil á lá Strat - does it sound similar to a strat or more quacky? My CS Nocaster set has a yellow wire, does that mean it is reverse wound, as in the case of the middle strat pups? I guess that would mean that on a 5-way you'd have only one hum cancelling and "quacky position" and another out of phase and tinny sound...

The 3 pickup model looks the part but I'm considering the tele+strat+strat against the tele+strat+tele pup option, since I'm drying to try a strat single coil on the neck of a tele (like the JD Tele model).

Any ideas?

EZchair Picker · May 30th, 2008, 06:46 AM

I have the 3 pickup nashville b-bender. It not only gives all the standard great tele tones, but IMO actually out 'quacks' a lot of strats in the 2 and 4 position.

EDIT: Here's a link to a backing track jam I did using the nashville tele in the middle/bridge position for the first part (before the overdriven guitar kicks in). Hopefully that gives you an idea as to what kind of sound you can get out of them.
Backing Track Jam

robt57 · May 30th, 2008, 07:45 AM

Get the 3, you can always POP on a regular PG and go normal Tele and back again when you feel the need.

But aren't all those swimming pool routes anyway ?

bender-freak · May 30th, 2008, 10:33 PM

i've got 2 bender teles with 3 pups and 5way switches, they sound tele-ish and strat-ish both; don't have any complaints with them at all.....rest of my bender teles are 2 pup models and they sound good to me also; one is done up with 4 conductor rail pup in bridge and 4 conductor hum in neck position and 5way switching....it does tele, strat and beyond....as already said, do the routing, add another pup, if it's not what you want, cover it up with another pickguard and go back to two pups.....but i personally can't imagine NOT liking the extra options......good luck..

Valvey · May 31st, 2008, 03:26 AM

Weird that I was just thinking of converting my 2007 Nashville B Bender to two pickups. As it is, it sounds a bit too stratty for my taste.

Wardpike · June 1st, 2008, 08:36 AM

Most versatile combination: 3 pups, 5 way switch and a mini toggle on the control plate that connects the bridge and neck hots, giving you all 7 possible pup combinations.
I give you

Exhibit A

Cheers!
Ward

robt57 · June 1st, 2008, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wardpike

Most versatile combination: 3 pups, 5 way switch and a mini toggle on the control plate

I am with you, how is this for versatile??

Bridge PUP in the #3 switch POS, on/on/on mini switch on the control plate for the Lil'59 [series/paralell,shunt], #4 POS neck & bridge, #2 POS Bridge & Middle. Six extra sounds over my 'normal' Teles. I loose the middle/neck position with it this way, but has more usable tones than with the bridge on the end of the switch to me.

-------------------------------------
Now this 'Strelle' below is even more interesting: Started out as an experiment and is my #1 now. I kind of like not having the mini toggle which I loose a fight with when I do swells on the top Tele.

5 way super switch on just the Tele PUPS/positions [alnicos] and a blender [only] for the ceramic Strat middle. 5 way ala Deaf Eddie, and all kinds of nuances blending in the middle to different degrees, including turning it to sounding back like a Strat in full blend. ;)

BTW, that is a modern Tele bridge plate under the Strat pickguard, not a hardtail Strat/Tele Bridge. The saddles are obvious enough. ;)

teledude66 · June 2nd, 2008, 07:45 AM

I've got the 96 two pup model. I thought a time or two about routing, but figured it would be worth more someday without the modded body. I do have the 5 way switch, and a passable strat tone on one setting.

Telecrook · June 2nd, 2008, 11:46 AM

Hi Bestron-I just picked up a new Nashville tele w/the 3 pup configuration and B bender. I was a little scared at first as I would've preferred a standard tele 2 pup arrangement but then again-this is not a standard tele. The B bender already threw that out the window. I do love strats and teles but this seems to have a bit of both and I really like it. I thought for sure I was going to stick it on the bridge pup and leave it there like I do on my other teles but I've been really into the #4 spot-middle (strat pup) and bridge. It gives a great tele twang with a hint of strat quack without the ice pick in the ear that some teles deliver while still keeping the output high enough to get some nice tube clip if so inclined. There is no hint of single coil anemia that I've experienced with some of my own strats-Lindy Frailin makes some great drop in single coil vintage pup's for strats if anyone is looking for a tonal boost. I sure got one out of my set that replaced a set of 80's american strat single coils. I still don't find much use out of the straight neck pup and though it is pleasant and musical-I just don't need it on a tele. The #2 spot-neck and middle pups-has a nice tone to it as well and I can see using it for some mellow chord inversions but the straight middle (strat pup) is not a choice I will use much. Like the strat, the "in between" settings seem to be the most interesting. The 3rd pup in the middle looks a bit strange-especially in it's white cover and maybe a bit out of place but I'm glad it is there. The whole guitar is a bit of a departure from the norm so why not take it to the limit? Just don't get any ideas bout carving up your nocaster please! Anyone have something to share re: 3 pups and one or more being a humbucker? Love to hear bout it.

The Bestron · June 12th, 2008, 07:09 PM

hey guys, thanks a lot for your answers ;)

I guess it's also a thing of being "straty" or "tele-y" but it's going to bring up a whole new world of sounds. I also really like the JD tele with the strat neck pickup (I've never managed to get a nice sound from a tele neck pickup...). Funny, but I have all of my Teles with a sort of "Esquire" setup (only the bridge pickup, no selector switch, á lá LP Jr.). This one I want to do a bit of everything and the idea is to have a bit of strat, a bit of Tele and a LOT of country bends on different settings

bender-freak, you're absolutely right - I can always hide the routing with teh pickguard, but I guess the strat pup on the neck is there to stay, so I will rout that anyway.

By the way - telecrook, it's a "CS nocaster pickup set" not a nocaster tele!!! It's one of the american 2 pup standard teles, a 97 model :)

I'll post some pics after I've finished modding it. Thanks for your help and for the pics you've posted!

mfanch · June 13th, 2008, 12:00 AM

What positions would be hum canceling in a 5 way switch?

The Bestron · June 13th, 2008, 04:37 AM

Good question... that was in my first post, I don't know if Tele bridge pickups are usually reverse wound? (as I mentioned, the tele CS nocaster set's bridge pickup has a yellow wire, like a middle strat pup).

If they're not, then it would be positions 2 and 4, as in a strat ;)

Erikr · June 15th, 2008, 10:44 AM

I find the middle pickup on the nashville bender tele useless! It has no good tone and it stands in the way for my fingernails when im picking. i never use the middle pickup. Why they put a pickup that bad in this guitar i dont know..

jmiles · June 15th, 2008, 02:29 PM

On my 3-pup Teles, I use a push/pull volume switch pot to turn on the bridge pup, along with the standard 5-way switch. This, of course, gives me bridge and neck, and all 3 pups together. I do the same on my Strats, but I send the bridge pickup thru the tone control when the 5-way is in the bridge only position.

Wardpike · June 15th, 2008, 02:38 PM

Well Erik,
Stock pups can suck, it's true. You can still retain having a middle pup and getting those extra tones without the problem of back tone by replacing it!

I've had good success with a RWRP Fender Texas Special in the middle position of my back-up tele. I bring it down as low as it will go (cover top flush with the pickguard) and I don't have a single prblem. And I really dig in for chicken pickin' too!

Best regards,

Ward

The Bestron · June 15th, 2008, 05:37 PM

same here, I've never had an issue with the middle pickup (at least with my strats).

talking pups: the AM Std pups SUCK!!!! they're a little brittle/tinny for my taste and I've tried loads of other stuff (Rio Grande, Fralin, SD, Fender...even GFS) that sounds waaay nicer ;)

Boogie · July 2nd, 2008, 12:22 PM

I bought a new Nashville B-Bender Tele a couple of years ago. I hated all of the stock pickups. Thin and anemic. I replaced the two Tele pickups with Fender SCN Noiseless and they made a big difference, replaced the Strat middle pickup with a Fender Vintage Noisless which improved the Strat tone, but still not good enough.

Then I was turned on to Bardens and installed those in the neck and bridge. It's amazing how much improvement in tone was gained from these.

Still have the FVN strat pickup in the middle. It doesn't get much use. I've been debating whether to upgrade this to a Barden or just pull it, cover up the hole with a 2-pup pickguard and go with a 4-way switch like on my #1 Tele. I don't really have much use for the Strat tones for the style I play. I suppose I'd just get a Strat if I did.

May 30th, 2008, 04:19 AM	#1 (permalink)
The Bestron TDPRI Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Madrid, Spain Posts: 40	B-Bender: 2 or 3 pickup model? Hiya! This is my first post I recently purchased a '97 Fender B-Bender Tele, the one with the traditional bridge+neck pickup arrangement but I've seen plenty of pics on the net of the 3 pickup model (is that newer???) and I'm considering routing the body to accomodate the 3 pickup layout. Never tried a tele bridge pickup with a middle single coil á lá Strat - does it sound similar to a strat or more quacky? My CS Nocaster set has a yellow wire, does that mean it is reverse wound, as in the case of the middle strat pups? I guess that would mean that on a 5-way you'd have only one hum cancelling and "quacky position" and another out of phase and tinny sound... The 3 pickup model looks the part but I'm considering the tele+strat+strat against the tele+strat+tele pup option, since I'm drying to try a strat single coil on the neck of a tele (like the JD Tele model). Any ideas? __________________ When I think of all the good times that I've wasted, having good times

May 30th, 2008, 06:46 AM	#2 (permalink)
EZchair Picker TDPRI Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Between the lines Posts: 61	I have the 3 pickup nashville b-bender. It not only gives all the standard great tele tones, but IMO actually out 'quacks' a lot of strats in the 2 and 4 position. EDIT: Here's a link to a backing track jam I did using the nashville tele in the middle/bridge position for the first part (before the overdriven guitar kicks in). Hopefully that gives you an idea as to what kind of sound you can get out of them. Backing Track Jam Last edited by EZchair Picker : May 30th, 2008 at 07:33 AM.

May 30th, 2008, 07:45 AM	#3 (permalink)
robt57 Friend of Leo's Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Lost Yankee in Nashville Age: 51 Posts: 2,793 16 Photos	Get the 3, you can always POP on a regular PG and go normal Tele and back again when you feel the need. But aren't all those swimming pool routes anyway ? __________________ Leo's Great, Leo's Good, let us thank him for our... Twang!

May 30th, 2008, 10:33 PM	#4 (permalink)
bender-freak Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: springfield, missouri Posts: 1,231	i've got 2 bender teles with 3 pups and 5way switches, they sound tele-ish and strat-ish both; don't have any complaints with them at all.....rest of my bender teles are 2 pup models and they sound good to me also; one is done up with 4 conductor rail pup in bridge and 4 conductor hum in neck position and 5way switching....it does tele, strat and beyond....as already said, do the routing, add another pup, if it's not what you want, cover it up with another pickguard and go back to two pups.....but i personally can't imagine NOT liking the extra options......good luck.. __________________ bender-freak

May 31st, 2008, 03:26 AM	#5 (permalink)
Valvey Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: morgantown wv Posts: 127	Weird that I was just thinking of converting my 2007 Nashville B Bender to two pickups. As it is, it sounds a bit too stratty for my taste. Last edited by Valvey : June 6th, 2008 at 06:40 PM.

June 1st, 2008, 08:36 AM	#6 (permalink)
Wardpike Tele-Holic Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: St. John's, Newfoundland Age: 43 Posts: 591	Most versatile combination: 3 pups, 5 way switch and a mini toggle on the control plate that connects the bridge and neck hots, giving you all 7 possible pup combinations. I give you Exhibit A Cheers! Ward Last edited by Wardpike : June 1st, 2008 at 08:39 AM. Reason: Fix image link

June 2nd, 2008, 07:45 AM	#8 (permalink)
teledude66 Friend of Leo's Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Lawndale,N.C. Age: 41 Posts: 2,735 20 Photos	I've got the 96 two pup model. I thought a time or two about routing, but figured it would be worth more someday without the modded body. I do have the 5 way switch, and a passable strat tone on one setting. __________________ The fact that no one understands you doesn't mean you're an artist.

June 2nd, 2008, 11:46 AM	#9 (permalink)
Telecrook NEW MEMBER! Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: NY Posts: 1	Hi Bestron-I just picked up a new Nashville tele w/the 3 pup configuration and B bender. I was a little scared at first as I would've preferred a standard tele 2 pup arrangement but then again-this is not a standard tele. The B bender already threw that out the window. I do love strats and teles but this seems to have a bit of both and I really like it. I thought for sure I was going to stick it on the bridge pup and leave it there like I do on my other teles but I've been really into the #4 spot-middle (strat pup) and bridge. It gives a great tele twang with a hint of strat quack without the ice pick in the ear that some teles deliver while still keeping the output high enough to get some nice tube clip if so inclined. There is no hint of single coil anemia that I've experienced with some of my own strats-Lindy Frailin makes some great drop in single coil vintage pup's for strats if anyone is looking for a tonal boost. I sure got one out of my set that replaced a set of 80's american strat single coils. I still don't find much use out of the straight neck pup and though it is pleasant and musical-I just don't need it on a tele. The #2 spot-neck and middle pups-has a nice tone to it as well and I can see using it for some mellow chord inversions but the straight middle (strat pup) is not a choice I will use much. Like the strat, the "in between" settings seem to be the most interesting. The 3rd pup in the middle looks a bit strange-especially in it's white cover and maybe a bit out of place but I'm glad it is there. The whole guitar is a bit of a departure from the norm so why not take it to the limit? Just don't get any ideas bout carving up your nocaster please! Anyone have something to share re: 3 pups and one or more being a humbucker? Love to hear bout it.

June 12th, 2008, 07:09 PM	#10 (permalink)
The Bestron TDPRI Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Madrid, Spain Posts: 40	hey guys, thanks a lot for your answers ;) I guess it's also a thing of being "straty" or "tele-y" but it's going to bring up a whole new world of sounds. I also really like the JD tele with the strat neck pickup (I've never managed to get a nice sound from a tele neck pickup...). Funny, but I have all of my Teles with a sort of "Esquire" setup (only the bridge pickup, no selector switch, á lá LP Jr.). This one I want to do a bit of everything and the idea is to have a bit of strat, a bit of Tele and a LOT of country bends on different settings bender-freak, you're absolutely right - I can always hide the routing with teh pickguard, but I guess the strat pup on the neck is there to stay, so I will rout that anyway. By the way - telecrook, it's a "CS nocaster pickup set" not a nocaster tele!!! It's one of the american 2 pup standard teles, a 97 model :) I'll post some pics after I've finished modding it. Thanks for your help and for the pics you've posted! __________________ When I think of all the good times that I've wasted, having good times

June 13th, 2008, 12:00 AM	#11 (permalink)
mfanch TDPRI Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Seattle Posts: 10	What positions would be hum canceling in a 5 way switch?

June 13th, 2008, 04:37 AM	#12 (permalink)
The Bestron TDPRI Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Madrid, Spain Posts: 40	Good question... that was in my first post, I don't know if Tele bridge pickups are usually reverse wound? (as I mentioned, the tele CS nocaster set's bridge pickup has a yellow wire, like a middle strat pup). If they're not, then it would be positions 2 and 4, as in a strat ;) __________________ When I think of all the good times that I've wasted, having good times

June 15th, 2008, 10:44 AM	#13 (permalink)
Erikr TDPRI Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Norway Age: 25 Posts: 13	I find the middle pickup on the nashville bender tele useless! It has no good tone and it stands in the way for my fingernails when im picking. i never use the middle pickup. Why they put a pickup that bad in this guitar i dont know..

June 15th, 2008, 02:29 PM	#14 (permalink)
jmiles Tele-Meister Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: ohio Posts: 132	On my 3-pup Teles, I use a push/pull volume switch pot to turn on the bridge pup, along with the standard 5-way switch. This, of course, gives me bridge and neck, and all 3 pups together. I do the same on my Strats, but I send the bridge pickup thru the tone control when the 5-way is in the bridge only position.

June 15th, 2008, 02:38 PM	#15 (permalink)
Wardpike Tele-Holic Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: St. John's, Newfoundland Age: 43 Posts: 591	Well Erik, Stock pups can suck, it's true. You can still retain having a middle pup and getting those extra tones without the problem of back tone by replacing it! I've had good success with a RWRP Fender Texas Special in the middle position of my back-up tele. I bring it down as low as it will go (cover top flush with the pickguard) and I don't have a single prblem. And I really dig in for chicken pickin' too! Best regards, Ward

June 15th, 2008, 05:37 PM	#16 (permalink)
The Bestron TDPRI Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Madrid, Spain Posts: 40	same here, I've never had an issue with the middle pickup (at least with my strats). talking pups: the AM Std pups SUCK!!!! they're a little brittle/tinny for my taste and I've tried loads of other stuff (Rio Grande, Fralin, SD, Fender...even GFS) that sounds waaay nicer ;) __________________ When I think of all the good times that I've wasted, having good times

July 2nd, 2008, 12:22 PM	#17 (permalink)
Boogie Tele-Meister Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: The Late Great Golden State Posts: 172 14 Photos	I bought a new Nashville B-Bender Tele a couple of years ago. I hated all of the stock pickups. Thin and anemic. I replaced the two Tele pickups with Fender SCN Noiseless and they made a big difference, replaced the Strat middle pickup with a Fender Vintage Noisless which improved the Strat tone, but still not good enough. Then I was turned on to Bardens and installed those in the neck and bridge. It's amazing how much improvement in tone was gained from these. Still have the FVN strat pickup in the middle. It doesn't get much use. I've been debating whether to upgrade this to a Barden or just pull it, cover up the hole with a 2-pup pickguard and go with a 4-way switch like on my #1 Tele. I don't really have much use for the Strat tones for the style I play. I suppose I'd just get a Strat if I did.