Least invasive B-bender?

[iansmitchell]

This is what I got so far:


Anything else?

[Tim Armstrong]

I use my ring finger!



Tim

[mrbdxmpl]

Good one, Tim!

[loopy reed]

Higgins Peg Benders. I'm a recent convert. They require two (at most) 12 mm deep holes in the headstock.

[F6_FullMelt]

Originally Posted by Tim Armstrong

I use my ring finger!



Tim

tim gets me laughing quite often

[e-merlin]

The Hipshot can be installed, IIRC, by simply taking off the strap button on the body, placing the Hipshot over the hole, and screwing the strap button back in. Additional screws can be added for increased stability, but are not necessary. Once again, I am not an expert on these, I'm just going on memory from a bit of reading a while back.

[Chet Johnson]

Tje Timara benders work VERY well for the money, and they are direct swap tele bridges, even less invasive than a Hipshot I'd have to say.

[kp8]

I've been all kinds of happy with the hipshot. I love it. I looked into the higgins peg benders and they looked pretty cool too, but the hipshot was easy as pie to install and my tele can go right back to normal if i decide to move the bender to another guitar or what have you. I am seriously gassing for another hipshot but with the levers and drop-D too. Here you can see i have a Timara (old version, really wish i had the new one instead) on my low E, which was also easy to install and non invasive, tho i wonder if it will wear down the nut slot faster. Anyway, it's been on there a while now and i use it a lot and like it.

[J. Hayes]

I'd opt for the "Slingshot" bender made by Paul McEwen in Connetticut! Paul's unit is made of two pieces. One goes on the back of the guitar. You just take off the screws which hold the neck on. The unit has a plate attached to the end of it for that purpose. You just lay the unit on back of the guitar and put the neck screws through the holes in the unit and it's attached. The other piece slides right over the end of the guitar and is attached by just removing your strap peg and putting it back in.

All that's left then is to notch your bridge unit or put the string through one of those holes with a teflon tube........ The unit operates just like a Parsons/White or P/G bender as you push down on the neck to move the lever. There's an arm which is attached to the piece which goes over the back of the guitar which moves and pulls the string. Another nice touch is that there's an adjustment with a thumbscrew for spring tension.

If you want to take it off of one guitar and put it on another, it's a snap and it leaves no holes drilled into your instrument. It's best to have Paul install the bender on the guitar as he's very reasonable and he'll make sure all the holes are in the right place so you won't have to drill any. Imagine, a high quality bender for between $350-$400 INSTALLED.....JH in Va.

[telesavant]

Originally Posted by J. Hayes

I'd opt for the "Slingshot" bender made by Paul McEwen in Connetticut! Paul's unit is made of two pieces. One goes on the back of the guitar. You just take off the screws which hold the neck on. The unit has a plate attached to the end of it for that purpose. You just lay the unit on back of the guitar and put the neck screws through the holes in the unit and it's attached. The other piece slides right over the end of the guitar and is attached by just removing your strap peg and putting it back in.

All that's left then is to notch your bridge unit or put the string through one of those holes with a teflon tube........ The unit operates just like a Parsons/White or P/G bender as you push down on the neck to move the lever. There's an arm which is attached to the piece which goes over the back of the guitar which moves and pulls the string. Another nice touch is that there's an adjustment with a thumbscrew for spring tension.

If you want to take it off of one guitar and put it on another, it's a snap and it leaves no holes drilled into your instrument. It's best to have Paul install the bender on the guitar as he's very reasonable and he'll make sure all the holes are in the right place so you won't have to drill any. Imagine, a high quality bender for between $350-$400 INSTALLED.....JH in Va.

Thanks for the positive write-up J. Hayes. I'll add....I usually don't even need the guitar unless it is a custom install....these can be installed in 10 minutes by the customer....thanks again

Pauly

www.myspace.com/paulmcewen

[Silverface]

Although I use Higgins' benders and do want to give one of Paul's a test-drive (since I've played a zillion other brands...) I've never quite understood the "invasive" question.

I'll take a stab at it - I'd guess it's asked by either those with vintage guitars they don't want to modify, or players who view the bender as an "effect" - however, when used well, it's a completely different instrument and not something like an overdrive or phaser.

The bender becomes an organic part of your playing - at least the players I've heard who really "play" b-bender rather than have a guitar with a b-bender on it.

To really play it well takes a commitment.

[TomTele]

tremor Bender.......$150.00 plus $10.00 shipping.....installs in a few minutes on existing tele bridge........works great for me

[randysmojo]

The only tremor bender I have seen requires you to completely remove your bridge and replace it with the tremor unit. Is there another unit they make now that can go on the current bridge?

[J. Hayes]

When I have a guitar I like, I want it to have a bender no matter what the guitar is. I had one of Paul's benders intalled permanently on an old Ibanez (lawsuit series) Les Paul Jr. which as far as MIJ's go, is fairly collectable. I had Paul install everything and screw it into the body as I'm never going to take it off. This is one fine bender unit and now I have my "faux Frank Rekard" bender guitar.........JH in Va.

[asatfan]

Agree with Silverface and J.Hayes. I had Dave Evans put his Pull String in my favorite guitar. Why a Pull String? Well, because after alot of research, and having a Glaser that I had installed in the early 90's, Dave's design really caught my eye....but the fact that the pull length was variable, and the pull "pressure" was also infinitely variable, did it for me. My problem is, the way I play, if I don't have a really strong spring pressure, I'm constantly pulling the B string sharp as I play. With the Evans, I can set it tight so there are no accidental bends. I suppose I should just try to alter my style.....that's really tough after over 40 years! Anyway, I got off the subject.....sorry! Not a thing wrong with any of the "bolt on" type benders!

[sequencepro]

Originally Posted by telesavant

Thanks for the positive write-up J. Hayes. I'll add....I usually don't even need the guitar unless it is a custom install....these can be installed in 10 minutes by the customer....thanks again

Pauly

www.myspace.com/paulmcewen

hey, is that unit a b & g bender? it looked like two pull rods on the tailpiece, but i didn't see a way to bend the second one, (it didn't look like the rear strap button moved) Where can I see more photos/info on this bender

[telesavant]

Originally Posted by sequencepro

hey, is that unit a b & g bender? it looked like two pull rods on the tailpiece, but i didn't see a way to bend the second one, (it didn't look like the rear strap button moved) Where can I see more photos/info on this bender

Hope this helps....

[tomtheguitarguy]

Originally Posted by Silverface

Although I use Higgins' benders and do want to give one of Paul's a test-drive (since I've played a zillion other brands...) I've never quite understood the "invasive" question.

I'll take a stab at it - I'd guess it's asked by either those with vintage guitars they don't want to modify, or players who view the bender as an "effect" - however, when used well, it's a completely different instrument and not something like an overdrive or phaser.

The bender becomes an organic part of your playing - at least the players I've heard who really "play" b-bender rather than have a guitar with a b-bender on it.

To really play it well takes a commitment.

+1.