Who will install a b-bender in a Les Paul J.?

[bendercaster]

Is there anyone who will install a b-bender in a Les Paul Jr.? I've asked around a few times and haven't received many responses. I have an LP Jr. that sounds great, and I would love a bender in it. Can anyone recommend an installer?

 

[Ed Driscoll]

Have you contacted Gene Parsons? He invented the B-Bender, and put one into Jimmy Page's Norlin-era Les Paul.

 

[El Marin]

Gibson did it

Look for a "Gibson Music City Jr"... I was about to get one, but got sold before I could try it

You could also add a Bigsby and only use one string on it

 

[T Prior]

The Music City Jr is a fine guitar with a Glaser system , strap actuated at the upper bout, like a Tele. Not at the neck plate like a traditional Glaser system. Its also can be changed from a B to a G , or vice versa. I recently sold mine, not because it wasn't a fine instrument , but rather it was too different from my Telecasters . I found myself never playing it.

If you can find a nice one , expect to fork over around $2 grand.

One thing of note, the fret board is UNFINISHED and can get dirty in a hurry. I added 3 coats of semi gloss clear to mine. Also, the neck, while pretty slim, is a 12" radius with frets near .050 tall. I had mine dressed down to Fender height, approx .045. Makes a huge difference for lighter gauge string choices.

Other than that, a great hi quality guitar ,( USA BORN) its no wonder they only made them for 2 years, and according to Joe Glaser, maybe only around 400 in total. I suspect Gibson was loosing their shirt on them selling them new for around $1300 !

 

[bendercaster]

Yep, I regret not buying one of these when I had the chance.

I would still like to find someone willing to install a bender in my Jr. It's one of those much maligned 2015 Gibson's, but the alnico pole P90 on it sounds great and the adjustable titanium zero nut gives it great tuning stability. I think if I replaced the robo tuners I could probably get it under 9lbs.

 

[brookdalebill]

You might consider the relatively cheap, non-invasive Hipshot.

 

[Back at it]

Why don’t you contact joe glaser directly

 

[bendercaster]

Why don’t you contact joe glaser directly

I think that's what I'm going to do. He is pretty reasonably priced for a Tele install (and I've considered sending him one of mine several times), but the pricing on his site is specific to teles and hardtail strats. I don't know if he still does custom work, but it wouldn't hurt to ask.

 

[Silverface]

I added 3 coats of semi gloss clear to mine.

I did that on my SECOND one, which I still own (and also has 1956 P-90's in it! I traded my first one ot Will Ray - he couldn't find one in Nashville, of all places, so we worked out a swap.

Gibson's original plan was to make 500 natural followed by 500 sunburst - but when sales consisted mostly of preorders...then a vacuum...they cut their losses.

To me they made 2 errors:

1. The unsealed maple fretboard - they had no idea how to deal with it, which is weird considering how many Gibsons had maple backs and sides! A rosewood board would have been great (most I've heard from - like me - prefer the tall frets).

2. The "beginner guitar" name:"Music City Jr". One of the dumbest moves they EVER made IMO. The "Gibson Les Paul Special with B-bender by Glaser" Would have sold them a metric load of guitars - didn't even need to mention the G bender conversion except in the description.

 

[PigBoy]

Worked out okay for Frank Reckard.