Want to put a Glaser in one of my Teles.

[jmbstudios]

So I am wanting to put a Glaser B-Bender in one of my Teles.

Those of you with multiple Teles, is the bender on your number one or just one in the wings waiting.

I do a lot of B-Bender type bends as it is without a bender but played one and that was it. So much easier than the way I do it.

I thought about picking up a Brent Mason, but not digging the Grey and don't use a middle pickup.


So I suppose it's between my #1 and #2 Tele. Actually both #1s......

#1 Tele = Nash

#2. Actually a second #1 Tele.
Also a Nash.

 

[Rick Towne]

Others may disagree, but I would put it in my favorite guitar(s). The more you play it, the better it goes.

 

[itstooloudMike]

I have a Brent Mason Tele and love the Glaser bender. I’ll probably end up having a Glaser installed in my other Tele as well. The Glaser is kind of addictive, and once you get used to it, you really miss when it’s not there.

 

[fretWalkr]

I wouldn't do a non-reversible mod to my #1 or my #2 for that matter. But it depends on the value of these two guitars and how much you like them.

Mod remorse is a real thing. I've done a few that I regret and a couple of really dumb ideas that cooler heads talked me out of, thankfully.

A b-bender would be a cool thing to have. I remember when I heard Clarence play the original one. It blew me away. But, I would get another tele just for that purpose. That's what I did when I wanted to add a synth pickup to my strat.

 

[jmbstudios]

I feel that adding a Glaser bender would not devalue the guitar in any way. And it's a great mod.
If I routed a lake bed in the Tele for humbuckers, yeah I'd have remorse.

it's a non reversible mod in the fact that you can't put the original wood back in, but it can be used without the bender.

 

[T Prior]

#1- Benders do not ruin the value of a Tele unless its a home made Rube Goldberg design. If anything it will ADD value.

#2- Tele's with Benders are not like Tele's without Benders. Its not a novelty, or a gimmick, its a different instrument . If we practice and study on a Bender, we bring it to a gig and show our stuff. If we bring a NON Bender to a gig ( and we do ) we play differently, but we are missing an important ingredient and may find ourselves in a "work around" situation, which can be challenging and actually fun. Kinda like going backwards and forward at the same time !

#3 - All of my Tele's (5) are #1, but only two of them have Benders. One is a Glaser ( neck pull) the other is a Forrest Lee jr. which pulls off the upper body bout. These are the two Tele's that get 99% of the gig duty. There is no specific reason why the other Tele's do not have Benders, they just don't . I do find , if I had to choose, I prefer the body bout pull over the neck plate pull. But clearly there is another camp of players who prefer the neck plate pull ! Either way , the STRAP PULL system is the choice for me , I have had numerous systems previous, the Strap Pull is for me.

I have said this before and I am repeating it, if we are of the mindset that the Bender installation needs to be reversable, we have given up on the study before we even started. They are two different Instruments and our playing is from a different approach. For many who view the Bender as just a PULL up, LETS clarify that, it's also a release DOWN. And, it allows pulling or releasing a note in the middle of a triad. We ain't doing that with our fretting hand. Its a study, triads, intervals, chord shapes, redundant root positions etc which allow access to the BENDING note within our phrasing.

Have fun ! and all of this is just my view and opinion.

Here's some of my tracks , bashing not allowed ! https://tprior2241.wixsite.com/website

 

[jmbstudios]

I would suspect if you had a neck plate bender installed and wanted to use it like a regular (non-bender) Tele, just put the strap on the body strap button. So that bender Tele would be just like a non bender, right?

 

[kctelegas]

You use a dedicated strap for the Glaser; it attaches to the actuator with a Dunlop strap lock (pointing towards outside of the strap). So you'd have to use a standard strap (probably slightly different length) to use with the stock strap button.
Or just use the bender strap and don't push down

 

[tfarny]

do it! benders are awesome. my glaser is great. the guitar didn’t sound or play differently after the mod, it just had a cool additional option.

 

[bobk]

I can def recommend the Glaser bender…..when first installed it was setup as a B but now it is set as a G bender….first rate service and amazing quality and switching between the bender setup was very easy and straightforward…..

 

[Chipss36]

Wow I did not know about the Glaser bender, wonder if they can do this to a thin line? Building a thin line the body is 3 pounds one oz,
this would cure what I am expecting to be a neck diver.

 

[lewis]

Wow I did not know about the Glaser bender, wonder if they can do this to a thin line? Building a thin line the body is 3 pounds one oz,
this would cure what I am expecting to be a neck diver.

I’m not an expert but I’m sure a Glaser mechanism can be installed in Thinline bodies also.

 

[steveintampa]

Dealing with Glaser is a breeze. I sent mine off, and had it back in 4 days. Great system and very easy to play. Well worth the money.

 

[CCK1]

Mod remorse is a real thing. I've done a few that I regret and a couple of really dumb ideas that cooler heads talked me out of.

Haven't we all. When Super Strats became the thing, I was dead set on routing my 1971 hardtail Stratocaster for a top mount Kahler and locking nut. I thank the heavens almost every day that I didn't!

As for the Glaser modification, I certainly wouldn't do it to a vintage, high value instrument, but if you're going to do it, Joe is the guy to take it to. I've had a few problem guitars set up at his shop, and they were no longer problem guitars. I think if you arrange it ahead of time, you can get a same day install on a bender, spend the night in Nashville, listen to some music, and come home with a Glaser bender!
If the night you spend happens to be a Friday night, try to go to the 5 Spot and catch Tim Carroll's Rock 'n Roll Happy hour. Free admission, cheap drinks, and real, honest to God music!
If it isn't Friday night, if you can catch Sarah Gayle Meech at Robert's Western World, or anywhere else around town, you's be in for some real country music. We once caught Kenny Vaughn playing a '54 Gold Top sitting in with whoever was playing at Bourbon Street Blues and Boogie bar beside Skulls Rainbow Room in Printers Alley.

 

[kctelegas]

We went early in the week and caught the Time Jumpers at 3rd & Lindsley on a Monday night.

 

[Silverface]

Those of you with multiple Teles, is the bender on your number one or just one in the wings waiting.

I'll give you the same advice that I got from Clarence White:

When you play a b-bender, play it as a different musical instrument. It'll take a while to adjust, but when you play it your mindset, approach and style should be "not guitar".

You don't play full chords, or guitar licks, or much that's guitar-related. And DON"T EVER play pedal steel licks - they don't work. at all. And you play a more open, off-the-beat, notes hanging in the air and unique things you'd NEVER play on a guitar.

I've been playing them since the 70's and have...I think 8 - but a lot of "guitars" as well. Clarence had a Les Paul and a Strat he never played on stage with the Byrds. I have a rare type of '65 Tele, a '69 SG, '61 Epiphone Zephyr, a Firebird I, 3 Les Pauls, a '52 ES-175 etc.

I play guitar on them.

But if I strap on my '69 Thinline reissue with an Evans Pull String; my custom baritone Evans; my Mike Nihen Nashville West; Or my Custom Shop Strat neck (Chris Fleming/'54 specs; Abby '54 spec pickups; butcher block body and custom Glaser b-bender...or ANY of my others - I don't play guitar. I play b-bender. I change my mindset.

Listen to the Byrds at Royal Albert Hall - with headphones.

FWIW My '69 Thinline with the Evans usually set to hair-trigger tension and a 1" or 1 1/8" stroke, with Velvet Hammer pickups (the VHTBX bridge pickup with a boost coil and Strat neck-9) and Keith tuners on the high E and A strings - and a 1968 Mitey Mite neck with aa 9" radius and ebony board...plus unobtanium frets - no wear after decades of use; and a very precise setup (fret dressing, nut slot height, saddle height and intonation); and a 3" wide black woven cotton strap - is my number 1 bender; the SG my #1 solid body rock guitar; the Zephyr my #1 thinline with mini humbuckers my #1 for clean electric, Allman Brothers style material etc; and the '52 ES 175 my # for jazz.

Instruments have purposes find their nich and PLAY them that way.

Benders are not guitars, and have VERY unique, non-guitar capabilities. I taught every student that way. You have to get your mind in a different place

 

[brookdalebill]

Great stuff, you won’t be disappointed.