Either talk me into or out of buying a new B bender Tele

TeleDon · September 26th, 2006, 05:46 PM

OK - here is the deal. I bought a new sunburst B bender Tele usa in 1997 or 1998, after being primarily a classic rock player, I bought the Tele because I joined a popular country band. I engulfed myself learning Brent mason / Albert Lee / Vince Gill (the list goes on) and really loved it. After 5 years, the band broke up and I found myself in another rock band and taking my SG and Les Pauls out of their cases. Like a true bone head, hard times fell and I sold the B Bender on ebay!!! DAMNIT anyway.
WHile my mouth is watering, I will tell you that I had Joe Bardin pickups in it, sperzel locking tuners, and a hopshot drop D (tuning key)

Mine was the model with only 2 pickups, it didnt have the 3rd pickup in the center.

Anyway, Here I am wanting to play some country chops and joint another country band. I am bored with the classic rock - I am a little older (42 now) and feel that I am ready to put in the time/effort to really take on these licks and play them with feeling.

And now my delima. I recently bought a MIM tele with texas specials in it. I put on some sperzels and the guitar plays very very nice and sounds well through my tube amp. THe country licks are sounding very authentic. I recently bought a hipshot standard (b bender and drop D) I am not digging this at all.

After playing my fender standard b bender for 5 years or more, using this hipshot feels like I am trying to learn to play left handed for example. It is VERy unnatural to me.

Also, I seem to remember that playing with a thumbpick is a pain in the arse with a middle pickup (at least on my strat it is). DOes the middle pickup get in the way or is it spaced differently on the tele than the strat??

I am thinking of ordering another sunburst tele B bender from Musican friend. The sunburst is like 1194.

Which pickups are in that guitar? I know that the middle pickup is a tex special.. what are the bridge and neck?

WOuld I want to take the bridge/neck tex specials that I have in my MIM and put them in the usa b bender???

I have almost made up my mind to order it - I almost did it today....

Any/all words would be appreciated.

THanks, Don

getbent · September 26th, 2006, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TeleDon

OK - here is the deal. I bought a new sunburst B bender Tele usa in 1997 or 1998, after being primarily a classic rock player, I bought the Tele because I joined a popular country band. I engulfed myself learning Brent mason / Albert Lee / Vince Gill (the list goes on) and really loved it. After 5 years, the band broke up and I found myself in another rock band and taking my SG and Les Pauls out of their cases. Like a true bone head, hard times fell and I sold the B Bender on ebay!!! DAMNIT anyway.
WHile my mouth is watering, I will tell you that I had Joe Bardin pickups in it, sperzel locking tuners, and a hopshot drop D (tuning key)

Mine was the model with only 2 pickups, it didnt have the 3rd pickup in the center.

Anyway, Here I am wanting to play some country chops and joint another country band. I am bored with the classic rock - I am a little older (42 now) and feel that I am ready to put in the time/effort to really take on these licks and play them with feeling.

And now my delima. I recently bought a MIM tele with texas specials in it. I put on some sperzels and the guitar plays very very nice and sounds well through my tube amp. THe country licks are sounding very authentic. I recently bought a hipshot standard (b bender and drop D) I am not digging this at all.

After playing my fender standard b bender for 5 years or more, using this hipshot feels like I am trying to learn to play left handed for example. It is VERy unnatural to me.

Also, I seem to remember that playing with a thumbpick is a pain in the arse with a middle pickup (at least on my strat it is). DOes the middle pickup get in the way or is it spaced differently on the tele than the strat??

I am thinking of ordering another sunburst tele B bender from Musican friend. The sunburst is like 1194.

Which pickups are in that guitar? I know that the middle pickup is a tex special.. what are the bridge and neck?

WOuld I want to take the bridge/neck tex specials that I have in my MIM and put them in the usa b bender???

I have almost made up my mind to order it - I almost did it today....

Any/all words would be appreciated.

THanks, Don

I'd send what you've got to Bill Bores or Brian F and get them to put a PW in it... then, if you don't like the pickups, swap'em for some bennies or nocasters and put in a 4 way switch... no third pickup.

thats what I'd do.

Don Miller · September 26th, 2006, 06:18 PM

Ha..yeah..I was gonna say what Getbent just said...Ive had the PG, and the Bores (installed by Stringpull) benders...and I think the Bores PW clone is a better unit. If you put it in what you already have you have a good bender for less $$$ than the PG.

TeleDon · September 26th, 2006, 11:32 PM

I did it - I bought it.
Musician friend - 10% 0ff- got it total for 1075
I caved under extreme pressure from myself.

it should be here Thursday or Friday.
I cant wait!!!

Don Miller · September 27th, 2006, 01:30 AM

Well, congrats on the new guitar......If I recall correctly that guitar has the American-American Standard pickups in the neck and bridge...they dont have a metal plate under the bridge pup and have an .022mfd tone cap. You can easily rewire the guitar for 2 pickups...a new pick guard and a 3 or 4 way switch and youre there...I'd chenge the tone cap to a .050 (.047) mfd while I was in there too...

Ive never thad texas special pickups..before I sold my parsons green bender, I had a fender vintage pickup in the bridge and a 57/62 strat pickup in the neck..but if you like those TS pickups there no reason why you couldnt put them in the bender tele..

I think I'd be inclined to leave the TS's where they are and replace the Am std pickups with something else....

getbent · September 27th, 2006, 02:30 AM

Congrats amigo! I guess I'm taking tomorrow off to work on painting the body I'm sending to get the PW put in... it has to get done! Let us know how it goes and how much you love your bender!

TeleDon · September 27th, 2006, 07:29 AM

Thanks for the nice words guys - I guess I will make a post in the "pick up" section to find out about the possiblity of taking the bridge/neck texas specials out of my mim teli and putting them in the b bender tele to match the tex special strat pickup.
I am excited - by the way, I have a never really used hipshot standard (b bender with drop D) for sale. 125 shipped.

Don

JohnnyAtomic · September 27th, 2006, 05:53 PM

I agree with the "buy whatever you want and send it to Bill Bores" school of thought.

September 26th, 2006, 05:46 PM	#1 (permalink)
TeleDon TDPRI Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Springfield IL Age: 44 Posts: 35	Either talk me into or out of buying a new B bender Tele OK - here is the deal. I bought a new sunburst B bender Tele usa in 1997 or 1998, after being primarily a classic rock player, I bought the Tele because I joined a popular country band. I engulfed myself learning Brent mason / Albert Lee / Vince Gill (the list goes on) and really loved it. After 5 years, the band broke up and I found myself in another rock band and taking my SG and Les Pauls out of their cases. Like a true bone head, hard times fell and I sold the B Bender on ebay!!! DAMNIT anyway. WHile my mouth is watering, I will tell you that I had Joe Bardin pickups in it, sperzel locking tuners, and a hopshot drop D (tuning key) Mine was the model with only 2 pickups, it didnt have the 3rd pickup in the center. Anyway, Here I am wanting to play some country chops and joint another country band. I am bored with the classic rock - I am a little older (42 now) and feel that I am ready to put in the time/effort to really take on these licks and play them with feeling. And now my delima. I recently bought a MIM tele with texas specials in it. I put on some sperzels and the guitar plays very very nice and sounds well through my tube amp. THe country licks are sounding very authentic. I recently bought a hipshot standard (b bender and drop D) I am not digging this at all. After playing my fender standard b bender for 5 years or more, using this hipshot feels like I am trying to learn to play left handed for example. It is VERy unnatural to me. Also, I seem to remember that playing with a thumbpick is a pain in the arse with a middle pickup (at least on my strat it is). DOes the middle pickup get in the way or is it spaced differently on the tele than the strat?? I am thinking of ordering another sunburst tele B bender from Musican friend. The sunburst is like 1194. Which pickups are in that guitar? I know that the middle pickup is a tex special.. what are the bridge and neck? WOuld I want to take the bridge/neck tex specials that I have in my MIM and put them in the usa b bender??? I have almost made up my mind to order it - I almost did it today.... Any/all words would be appreciated. THanks, Don

September 27th, 2006, 02:30 AM	#6 (permalink)
getbent Moderator Doctor of Teleocity Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: San Benito County, California Posts: 10,229 37 Photos	Congrats amigo! I guess I'm taking tomorrow off to work on painting the body I'm sending to get the PW put in... it has to get done! Let us know how it goes and how much you love your bender! __________________ 'never pet a burning dog'

September 27th, 2006, 05:53 PM	#8 (permalink)
JohnnyAtomic Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Little Rock, AR Posts: 1,338	I agree with the "buy whatever you want and send it to Bill Bores" school of thought. __________________ flaming hamper of rock! www.myspace.com/johnnyatomicmusic

September 26th, 2006, 06:18 PM	#3 (permalink)
Don Miller Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Anchorage, Alaska Age: 57 Posts: 593 14 Photos	Ha..yeah..I was gonna say what Getbent just said...Ive had the PG, and the Bores (installed by Stringpull) benders...and I think the Bores PW clone is a better unit. If you put it in what you already have you have a good bender for less $$$ than the PG.

September 26th, 2006, 11:32 PM	#4 (permalink)
TeleDon TDPRI Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Springfield IL Age: 44 Posts: 35	I did it - I bought it. Musician friend - 10% 0ff- got it total for 1075 I caved under extreme pressure from myself. it should be here Thursday or Friday. I cant wait!!!

September 27th, 2006, 01:30 AM	#5 (permalink)
Don Miller Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Anchorage, Alaska Age: 57 Posts: 593 14 Photos	Well, congrats on the new guitar......If I recall correctly that guitar has the American-American Standard pickups in the neck and bridge...they dont have a metal plate under the bridge pup and have an .022mfd tone cap. You can easily rewire the guitar for 2 pickups...a new pick guard and a 3 or 4 way switch and youre there...I'd chenge the tone cap to a .050 (.047) mfd while I was in there too... Ive never thad texas special pickups..before I sold my parsons green bender, I had a fender vintage pickup in the bridge and a 57/62 strat pickup in the neck..but if you like those TS pickups there no reason why you couldnt put them in the bender tele.. I think I'd be inclined to leave the TS's where they are and replace the Am std pickups with something else....

September 27th, 2006, 07:29 AM	#7 (permalink)
TeleDon TDPRI Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Springfield IL Age: 44 Posts: 35	Thanks for the nice words guys - I guess I will make a post in the "pick up" section to find out about the possiblity of taking the bridge/neck texas specials out of my mim teli and putting them in the b bender tele to match the tex special strat pickup. I am excited - by the way, I have a never really used hipshot standard (b bender with drop D) for sale. 125 shipped. Don