Add G-Bender to Parsons/Green?

[Boogie]

I have an '06 Fender American Nashville B-Bender with the Parsons/Green. Can I add a Hipshot or other G-Bender to it?

Thanks.

[BrianF]

I believe you can easily add a Hipshot palm lever for the G...some people here have done that.

[Boogie]

Thanks, Brian. How do folks like these? I've never played with one. Are they pretty easy to bend? Impede right hand technique? Difficult to pick and bend at the same time?

[BrianF]

Not sure...the only guys I know that use one are Jesse Harris and Jerry Hayes...both post here on teh TDPRI... hope fully one of those guys will add their advice on this topic...

[J. Hayes]

Hey Boogie, I've used palm pedals for a long time but they do have their drawbacks. I don't know what your picking hand technique is or the style of music you want to play is but.......I use thumbpick and finger of my right hand which probably is the easiest way to use a palm pedal type device. The more standard hybrid technique would probably be harder to use one with although I've seen exceptions. The great SoCal (now Las Vegas) guitarist Al Bruno has used a Bigsby type palm pedal for 35 or more years and uses the hybrid style of picking and does it great. I think the P/W or Glaser would be best for up tempo things. The G bender is a wonderful addition to an instrument for adding extra notes and glisses in the middle of chords. Also you can do things like the intro to "Take it Easy" in the key of F if you had to by just holding the 1st and 2nd strings in the first fret and bending your open G string up a whole tone. I have a friend who ordered a HipShot unit with the palm pedal for the 3rd string, plus lowering levers for the 1st, 5th, and 6th strings. It was put on a Nashville Tele with a Parsons/Green B-bender and works just fine. Looks kinda funny though.........JH in Va.

[bender-freak]

hipshot to a parson green tele is easy and simple...takes maybe 30 minutes tops....only thing that needs to be done is dremel out or file a small 1/4" notch on the hipshot base to fit around the grommet on top of the Tele body where the B string comes up...i have several bender teles set up like this...one is an amer.stnd. silver sparkle tele with a Shelton B bender with added Hipshot..another is my amer. stnd. P/G that has a B/G and A string bender thanks to utlizing the much-maligned Hipshot... both work flawlessly, other than i have NOT YET found a set of pickups for the sparkle that i am completely happy with (guitar itself is great....and a beauty..!! )..NO tuning issues at all with either one...have several other teles with just the hipshot B/G system and several with Bigsbys...i would advise anchoring the Hipshot to the guitar by drilling the two holes at either side of the strap button...just take your time and you should have no problems...good luck and welcome to the insane bender world..!!

[bender-freak]

that like J. Hayes posted, i myself am a thumbpick and fingers player...the factory "handle" that comes on the Hip**** G lever will swing out of the way for right hand damping or muting....however, i much prefer to simply cut the lever off shorter so as the "end" of the lever to be barely behind the saddles and tighten the crap out of the screw, making sure the lever runs same direction as the neck..still plenty there for the heel of your right hand to activate the bend with no problems or extra "pressure" needed....again, good luck and welcome..

[J. Hayes]

That's exactly what I do with the palm lever, cut it off short enough so you can do palm muting and tighten the dookey out of the screw. I also use a file and round off the edges of the cut so it doesn't nick your hand......JH in Va.

[jjh37854]

I removed the bender lever all together and just puch down on the set screw, I find that works very well, but I have some seriously meaty strong hands, freakish actually.

[Boogie]

What about a hip lever? Can one be attached to the hipshot? (I thought that's what HIPshot meant, lol.) Googled for pictures and info but so far it's been a crapshoot.

I'm kinda new to the bender game and I'm lovin' it so far. HERE'S one of the first songs I've recorded with my bender. No lyrics yet; the bender solo is at 1:35.

THANKS everyone for the info and the warm welcome!

[bender-freak]

Originally Posted by Boogie

What about a hip lever? Can one be attached to the hipshot? (I thought that's what HIPshot meant, lol.) Googled for pictures and info but so far it's been a crapshoot.

I'm kinda new to the bender game and I'm lovin' it so far. HERE'S one of the first songs I've recorded with my bender. No lyrics yet; the bender solo is at 1:35.

THANKS everyone for the info and the warm welcome!

here is how i did mine...the P/G amer. stnd. tele already has it's own internal B bender, obviously......so..i simply moved what would normally be the "hip" B bender over one slot and it is NOW a G bender (activated by the hip)...i ADDED another G lever mechanism (think hipshot calls them a "palm shot??") in the slot for the A string...i put a threaded Allen screw in the hole that would normally secure the lever and put a Tele volume knob on it to activate the A string bend with the wrist of my right hand....works for me just great...

what i ended up with on this guitar is a B (factory Parson/Green) bender, the hip lever bends the G string, the added "palm shot" bends the A string...it also has a drop key for the big E string...

when i was talking about cutting off the lever to shorten it, i was speaking of my silver sparkle amer. stnd. with the Sheltom B bender; somewhat different from the P/G B bender; more akin to a Glaser, i suppose....i added a Hipshot plate with a G bender ONLY to this guitar...have G and B bend with a drop E to D on the 6th string.....

hope this somewhat clarifies what i meant...i have used different bender systems for so long that when i talk about them i tend to forget that it may not be clear to someone just starting what i meant..

my way of doing it may not be for you...we all find our own "groove" when it comes to bending...some consider the Hipshot to be "born out of wedlock", i personally like them, have used them forever, still have my first one that i purchased app. 25 yrs ago...some will only use the Parson White, others only a Glaser...some prefer the Bigsby palm pedals (i like those, too)...IMO, there ain't no one system better than any other; i have tried them all...Hipshot/P/G bender is my favorite....not a "better" system than any other, just what i like...

what works for you will be the best system for you..be patient and try several...they are around to be tried....one thing about the hipshot, if ya don't like it, you are only out $130 and your guitar has NOT been mutilated...the internal dual bender systems are in the stratosphere pricewise, the guitar is PERMANTLY altered, and the wait to get your guitar back is stupidly long unless you are "somebody" , when you can do it yourself in 30 minutes....good luck

[Tim Bowen]

Thanks for the thread, it's a good read. I've went round and round about adding a G bender to my P/G B-bender Tele. Assessing the pros and cons from various comments regarding this operation has always sort of made my head hurt, so I've held off. That said, I'm still quite interested.

Originally Posted by J. Hayes

...bending your open G string up a whole tone.

Pardon my ignorance here, but is a whole step bend standard operating procedure for a G bender? For whatever reasons, I guess I've always speculated that a G bender would be configured for half step bends, as to facilitate sus4 moves and such. No?

[Boogie]

Originally Posted by Tim Bowen

Pardon my ignorance here, but is a whole step bend standard operating procedure for a G bender? For whatever reasons, I guess I've always speculated that a G bender would be configured for half step bends,

1/2 step bends on the G is what I'm looking to do.

[bender-freak]

the reason i do this is i like to let the note bend "down to the desired note for a somewhat different effect in places...for instance, on an open A 7th chord, first string open, second string noted on the second fret, G string open, fourth string noted on second fret....A 7th....hit the full chord with the G bend engaged and allow it to slowly descend for a very nice transition prior to a D chord, or hit the chord with the G string "open" and let the note "climb".....also,used with an open C chord, engaging the bender on the G this way gives a nice c6th effect, same with a D chord..on down the neck....i like to use almost as many "descending" bends as i do "ascending"....same with the A string bender; gives a really nice low string growl like heard on many Phil Baugh recordings and George Jones and Haggard, to name a few...finger bends IMO are not quite the same effect, but again just IMO....cheers...have fun

[J. Hayes]

a good lever! They're too easy to do with a finger. If you're looking to go from a I to a IV chord all you have to do is bend hold an A chord on the 5th fret and when you activate your B bender you just bend the 3rd string a half or slide the finger on that string one fret. A whole tone bend is more useful by far. Here's a simple exercise if you've got a G bender, just play an open G note on string three, bend it a whole tone, play the second string open then hammer on a C note, next bend it a whole tone to D with your B bender. All the time you're holding a G note on the 3rd fret of the first string and droneing that note along with the notes you're fretting and bending on strings 2 and 3. Another thing, just play an open C or D chord and bend the G string up and see what you have. Another good use is to play a D minor for instance on the 1st four strings at the 5th fret. Play string 4, then play string 3 and bend it up a whole with the G bender, release it and then play string 2 and bend and release it. There is so much more you can do with a whole tone raise it's hard to list it all here. I've had one for so long that it's very simple to just feel a half raise if you need it. A whole tone G string raise is also great for playing melodies in harmonics! Remember the country tune "Help Me Make it Through the Night"? Try this. Harmonic strings 4, 3, & 2 in that order at the 12th fret. As two is ringing bend it a half with your B bender, release it, harmonic string 3 and bend it a whole tone and as that's ringing harmonic string 4. Do the same thing again and then harmonic string 6 at the 5th fret. You'll hear it when you try it.....JH in Va.

[Boogie]

Is it possible with a Hipshot to adjust between 1/2 and full step bends? Half steps are what I want to do now, but I guess I wouldn't want to limit myself in the future.

[jjh37854]

yes, totally adjustable

you could have a 13/16ths bend if you want :)

[bender-freak]

Originally Posted by J. Hayes

a good lever! They're too easy to do with a finger. If you're looking to go from a I to a IV chord all you have to do is bend hold an A chord on the 5th fret and when you activate your B bender you just bend the 3rd string a half or slide the finger on that string one fret. A whole tone bend is more useful by far. Here's a simple exercise if you've got a G bender, just play an open G note on string three, bend it a whole tone, play the second string open then hammer on a C note, next bend it a whole tone to D with your B bender. All the time you're holding a G note on the 3rd fret of the first string and droneing that note along with the notes you're fretting and bending on strings 2 and 3. Another thing, just play an open C or D chord and bend the G string up and see what you have. Another good use is to play a D minor for instance on the 1st four strings at the 5th fret. Play string 4, then play string 3 and bend it up a whole with the G bender, release it and then play string 2 and bend and release it. There is so much more you can do with a whole tone raise it's hard to list it all here. I've had one for so long that it's very simple to just feel a half raise if you need it. A whole tone G string raise is also great for playing melodies in harmonics! Remember the country tune "Help Me Make it Through the Night"? Try this. Harmonic strings 4, 3, & 2 in that order at the 12th fret. As two is ringing bend it a half with your B bender, release it, harmonic string 3 and bend it a whole tone and as that's ringing harmonic string 4. Do the same thing again and then harmonic string 6 at the 5th fret. You'll hear it when you try it.....JH in Va.

then i'm gonna shaddup..ha ha...a half-step bend IMO is only useful if your playing is done mostly from an "F" position...half step hits are easy to do with the G lever after just a short time of practice...why limit yourself to "only" half step?; it's ALWAYS gonna be there..have the full step option to use at all times...it's just a matter of practice...as always, just find what works for you and your style of playing....i'm always lookin" for ways to add MORE bending capabilities; still workin' on the 6-string bender, but mounted on a Tele, not the floor; (already got that goin' on with one tele....too bulky and cumbersome in a live situation)...my six string rig is mostly there "on paper" anyhow have all the parts, just still in the planning and "blueprint" stages

[J. Hayes]

A six string bender? That's a cool idea if you can get it to work. Do you know Boomer Castleman? He's the inventor of the Bigsby Palm Pedal. Boomer has a six lever device which he made installed on a Telecaster and it works great. He's used it so long that it's just automatic to him. If you'll contact him he might give you some useful info on how to construct one of those...........JH in Va.

[bender-freak]

Originally Posted by J. Hayes

A six string bender? That's a cool idea if you can get it to work. Do you know Boomer Castleman? He's the inventor of the Bigsby Palm Pedal. Boomer has a six lever device which he made installed on a Telecaster and it works great. He's used it so long that it's just automatic to him. If you'll contact him he might give you some useful info on how to construct one of those...........JH in Va.

i have been bandying my "idea" around for quite a while; close but ain't there yet ....am afraid it is going to end up too bulky and "butt-heavy"...what i want to end up with is a half-step drop on 1st string, raise full step on 2nd through 5, undecided on 6th as to a raise or a drop..i had a four lever palm pedal system i had rigged up and ended up giving it to my buddy John Short in Perth, Au....don't know if he ever pursued it or not...it worked just fine, but for me, by the time i got the ends on the levers bent around to be able to access them, the "spread" was TOO much...and that is what i am running into again...am trying to utilize the P/G system; Hipshot with added levers but extending toward the "butt" of the guitar for the 1st, 4th and 6th strings...have not come up with a usable plan like that as of yet that will allow me to "raise" the 4th i wanna raise and lower the one i wanna lower; ...... i can do a "lower-bend" if that makes sense, but haven't figgered out the raise part....i haven't gave up, but have almost "gave out"..the old "ten gallons of water in a five gallon bucket" delimma, i suppose....why are us benders such a crazy, twisted..."BENT..!!" bunch of nuts...?????

[hotraman]

Originally Posted by bender-freak

i have been bandying my "idea" around for quite a while; close but ain't there yet ....am afraid it is going to end up too bulky and "butt-heavy"...what i want to end up with is a half-step drop on 1st string, raise full step on 2nd through 5, undecided on 6th as to a raise or a drop..i had a four lever palm pedal system i had rigged up and ended up giving it to my buddy John Short in Perth, Au....don't know if he ever pursued it or not...it worked just fine, but for me, by the time i got the ends on the levers bent around to be able to access them, the "spread" was TOO much...and that is what i am running into again...am trying to utilize the P/G system; Hipshot with added levers but extending toward the "butt" of the guitar for the 1st, 4th and 6th strings...have not come up with a usable plan like that as of yet that will allow me to "raise" the 4th i wanna raise and lower the one i wanna lower; ...... i can do a "lower-bend" if that makes sense, but haven't figgered out the raise part....i haven't gave up, but have almost "gave out"..the old "ten gallons of water in a five gallon bucket" delimma, i suppose....why are us benders such a crazy, twisted..."BENT..!!" bunch of nuts...?????

Hey;
I like your idea, bender freak.
Did you ever have time to do this?

[bender-freak]

Originally Posted by hotraman

Hey;
I like your idea, bender freak.
Did you ever have time to do this?

i messed with it for a long time, and finally just gave up on the idea since i have pretty much quit even jamming, let alone gigging....i've still got a lot a parts (palm levers, hip levers, cams, roller pieces, etc) laying around in the garage, but i doubt that it ever "comes together"....

i have a case of the "terrible twos" about playing now days

too old
too tired
too much arthritis
too cranky
too set in my ways


in all seriousness, i might come back to the idea this summer...we'll see...if it does "happen", you can bet i'll have pics up of the monstrosity.....thanks for the interest...

[hotraman]

Originally Posted by bender-freak

i messed with it for a long time, and finally just gave up on the idea since i have pretty much quit even jamming, let alone gigging....i've still got a lot a parts (palm levers, hip levers, cams, roller pieces, etc) laying around in the garage, but i doubt that it ever "comes together"....

i have a case of the "terrible twos" about playing now days

too old
too tired
too much arthritis
too cranky
too set in my ways


in all seriousness, i might come back to the idea this summer...we'll see...if it does "happen", you can bet i'll have pics up of the monstrosity.....thanks for the interest...

LOL about the 2's.
I think we've all been there!
Too bad you're not up here in the Northwest,
its hard to find any bender players up here.

[claudel]

Anybody have some pix of a P/W "B" bender with a Hipshot "G" they can post?


TIA

[bender-freak]

Originally Posted by claudel

Anybody have some pix of a P/W "B" bender with a Hipshot "G" they can post?


TIA

i can figger out how to get the stupid image from my photobucket pics over here to a post...i've done it before, but it ain't happenin' this time for some idiotic reason...!!!!??....i'm tryin', but i'm getting pretty disgusted with it all....

[bender-freak]

Originally Posted by claudel

Anybody have some pix of a P/W "B" bender with a Hipshot "G" they can post?


TIA

i've spent the last hour or more trying to get the image over here to a post and it just ain't gonna happen...i don't know what i'm doing wrong, but whatever it is, i'm doing it every time...ha ha.....maybe someone can send me a private message and explain in simple layman's english how to get an image from photobucket to a post.... ...be gentle, i am old and not at all compooter savvy.....

[J. Hayes]

jshayes2007@cox.net I'll save it to my computer if I can and then post it............JH in Va.

[bender-freak]

Originally Posted by J. Hayes

jshayes2007@cox.net I'll save it to my computer if I can and then post it............JH in Va.

i can't even seem to attach an image to an email..????...just recently went hi-speed after years of the ol' dial-up and there's a lot of stuff i'm finding that just ain't working the same any more....i'm not getting any error messages or such when i try to post an image or email one; it just DOESN'T show up.....it says sent, but who the "H" knows where the images are going/sent TO...?????...not to any posts on the forum, nor to any emails i try to attach them to....very freakin' frustrating.....but i'll give it another go tonight....i'm infringing on Lady bender-freak's computer time right now and i'm "getting the LOOK" from her....very frightening......

[bender-freak]

Originally Posted by J. Hayes

jshayes2007@cox.net I'll save it to my computer if I can and then post it............JH in Va.

tornadoes monday afternoon and trouble with phones, TV, and everyone's DSL in this part of missouri are making emails and sending attachments impossible right now....this is the first i've been able to go on-line since yesterday morning, and i don't look for our connection to last as is; expecting it all to go KER-PLUNK just any time, but when everything EVER gets up and going right again i'll try to get the images to you....it's a real mess here, but no structural damage.....thanks....

[claudel]

Hope ya make it through OK...

[Wardpike]

Just examining my tele with the hipshot, I don't think you can add a hipshot with the PW b-bender present as the big old chrome knob for the string overlaps the footprint of the hipshot chrome (or gold or black) plate.

[bender-freak]

Originally Posted by Wardpike

Just examining my tele with the hipshot, I don't think you can add a hipshot with the PW b-bender present as the big old chrome knob for the string overlaps the footprint of the hipshot chrome (or gold or black) plate.

on the P/G and the P/W bender system...what i did with mine was dremel out a "notch" on the Hipshot base-plate to fit around the grommet on my P/G tele, only took a few minutes and works just great...don't know why that couldn't be done with any other "hub" type system....there may be a reason, but since i don't own a P/W or Glaser or Bill Bores system, i can't say for certain, but from just "eyeball engineering" at pictures of them it sure looks to me like it could be done.....

[Wardpike]

Dear Bender Freak,

Thank you for the insight you have provided. I think my ideal set-up would be to have a McVay or Glaser G-bender, and continue to have my hipshot for b-bending.

Thanks again!
Ward