My New Parsons White Bender! Thank You Brianf!

[getbent]

Hey bender pals,

I've always wanted a PW bender... I've had a hipshot for a long time and liked it... but I wanted the real Bernie Leadon, Bob Warford, Clarence type thing... and after searching and researching decided to have Brian Friend install one for me. He's here in Ca, love country rock, runs the Clarence White Forum and well, I think he's cool!

So a project guitar I was working on became 'the one' and I sent it off to Brian... it should arrive back this coming week.... but, here are some pics Brian sent me today... I'm pretty danged excited about it!

[e-merlin]

Man, that's such a clean looking guitar. I want one.

[Don Miller]

Nice looking guitar, Randy...I like that pick guard...sure sez "Cosmic Cowboy"

Just wait until you are playing along, hot and fast....and you try and do a bend by pushing against your hip...and nothing happens...HAAAA...it will happen...ask me how I know that.,..I used to have a hipshot too...

Seriously, it looks like another guitar for the benderhead hall of fame...tell us about the parts used in the project...

[getbent]

Marty (axmaker on tdpri) pine body... just awesome.
all parts neck
glendale bridge and saddles (with the cutout for bender)
layli.net pickguard cover (a couple of emails about what I wanted and shazam!)
taipantone neckplate (the nicest one I've ever seen)
fred stuart blackguard pickups
really nice electronic stuff (I can't remember, but I remember thinking... it better last forever ha ha)
a bone nut from my buddy greg menacho...
schaller locking strap jobbies
gotoh vintage tuners
fender string tree

Every single vendor I worked with was just a joy to communicate with... everyone gave great suggestions and I got great tdpri input for the logo etc....

big fun! My homemade sherwood green tele has become just a great guitar so I'm set with teles for a spell... I played the green one last night but will gig the ranchhand when it gets here....

[play_loud]

Im jealous! Congrats.

[jd_elam]

Very nice guitar! The bender install looks perfect!

[Ming]

Kind of neat how they painted the cavity black so as to showcase the mechanics. Nice touch there.

Ray W.

[asatfan]

Man, is that ever cool! Love the pine, and of course, the pickguard is right on. Looks like a real workhorse that's gonna get a lot of playtime. Brian's work always looks very clean. Congrats and enjoy!

[getbent]

thanks fellers! The excitement builds! I can't wait to fire it up!

[asatfan]

Brian, curious now to see the logo!

[getbent]

asafan,

read all about it!

[asatfan]

Oh, guess I'm gonna have to start watchin' that forum too! Just can't keep up with all this. I'm really blown away by the creativity, and tech savvy around this place. I had no idea one could design and print their own logos! Very slick. Love the final decision.

[bendecaster]

MMMMMMM Bendeeee! Looks really nice!

[asatfan]

Randy (I mistakenly called you "Brian" the other day! Sorry.),

How's the new bender? Been using it at gigs yet?

[getbent]

Originally Posted by asatfan

Randy (I mistakenly called you "Brian" the other day! Sorry.),

How's the new bender? Been using it at gigs yet?

Asatfan, no problema on calling me Brian! it is weird my wife frequently calls me by other men's names so I'm used to it....

The neck on the guitar is a good quality all parts neck... but, I have had some fret problems etc... I read threads sometimes where guys get all frustrated and everything... I've never had problems before so A) I now understand better why guys get freaked out.. it IS disconcerting but B) it is a guitar! there are only so many things that can be wrong...

I took it to my luthier buddy and he dressed some frets and ... still some buzzing etc

But, I kept working at it and as of last night... Frickin' BLISS BABY!

I am gonna play it friday and sunday at gigs.... I can't wait to wear it out...

I've been playing it tonight after little league (no joy in mudville tonight sadly! we ain't in first place no mo!)

I'm gonna have a little break in the morning and I'm gonna turn it up some... it sounds sweet at normal volumes... cranked... oh man.

[asatfan]

Good to hear! Always nice to get the house to yourself to really let loose. Doesn't happen very often around here! You're gonna love that thing after all the time you've put into it.

When I sent my Asat body out to Dave Evans for the bender install, I was very concerned about putting the neck back on. Luckily, it seated right in place with no adjustments needed.

I know all about the little league thing....6 years of coaching my two boys...they made me quit at Babe Ruth....they wanted to play on winning teams for a change!

[jdawg]

Is it a long throw bender? What does Brian charge?

[milocj]

That's a nice guitar!

How does that upper pivot attach to the guitar body? I'm assuming that it is threaded directly into the wood, but did he need to use an insert due to the pine being so soft. I'm guessing that the different bender manufacturers want to keep some of their mechanisms secret, but I sure would like to see some good pics of the different installation processes and how the things go together. I'm a tool designer so that stuff always fascinates me and I love seeing the things that people come up with.

[boris bubbanov]

That looks absolutely perfect, Mr. G. Bent!

I need to select one o' mine and take the plunge. A light tele, I think!

[getbent]

Boys, I'll answer what I can and the rest I'll defer to Brian. Brian and I shared emails about any fears of pine and he had no reservation and, well, as I get to know Brian, he knows his stuff and is a very prudent and smart guy (and a really great picker too)

It is a short throw parsons white. We kicked around doing a long throw and it can be changed, but Brian was awesome in asking me some questions about my purposes for the guitar and in the end, he advised short throw and I think he was spot on.

It was a super light tele to begin with and even with the bender (which requires that he route the back, removing a goodly chunk of wood and the beautiful installation of the felt black background the metal bits and the plexiglass cover) it is still a very light guitar... I haven't weighed it but it is not heavier than my thinline (with a hipshot) and it is lighter than my green homemade ash tele... (which is pretty light)

I played the guitar for a couple of hours today.... it is a really great sounding guitar! my goal is to have this be my go to guitar for all gigs etc... I have some learning to do to be sure!

I'm a big person 6'3" 240... and while I've always prided myself on having a light touch on the guitar... I have to learn not to push and get the 'auto clam' feature of partially actuating the lever....

I am toying with fashioning a rubber stopper to eliminate that accident on songs that do not require the bender... The Fred Stuart pickups have a really unique sound... I've always been a nocaster guy... but these are very different and rich etc...

Anyway, I need to get that accidental clam thing under control.

Boris, to quote my luthier friend who saw Brian's installation "wow, somebody knows what they are doin'."

The neck seems to have settled in and played nicely today...

asatfan, the dave evans benders look pretty righteous... if Jim Sliff likes them, it is a good bet they are great. It is kind of fun to get what you want... in this case, I'd learned so much from Brian and Brian's site and he'd been so kind to me over the years... I really really wanted a bender from him... it makes the guitar that much more special... like having a body from Marty, the plate from Taipantone, the stuarts etc and having my buddy greg go through it....

I guess I'm getting sentimental in my old age... but I guarantee I'll have some guitar guys come up this weekend and ask about the guitar....

[asatfan]

You'll be getting lots of attention when playing that cool guitar....and not just because of the bender! It's the total package.

Yes, I love my Evans, and talk about sentimental in old age, I'm trying to figure out how to afford a second one so I'll have one to hand down to each son (they're both players)!