# cheap tele with b and g bender



## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

Can anyone tell me if they can identify this b and g bender? This guitar is local to me and I'm thinking about checking it out. My plan was to add a custom shop 52 tele as a back up to my Master built nocaster and they'd be my only 2 electrics. However I really would like a b bender but wouldn't be in to hacking up one of the custom shop guitars.
Since I've recently joined a very busy traditional country band where I'm doing a lot of steel licks I figure the bender would fit in nice. But I can't see using it for more than just a few songs a night so don't want to spend too much.
The guy is asking $600 CA ($450 US) for the guitar. It looks like some kind of partscaster. And my second question is, can I really expect something worthwhile for this little money? I don't want to get stuck with a crappy bender that has pitch or other mechanical problems. I have absolutely no experience with a bender but I have lots of confidence that I'll adapt well.


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

I'm not sure about the bender, kinda looks homemade, but the guitar seems to be of the SX/Rondo variety


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

vadsy said:


> I'm not sure about the bender, kinda looks homemade, but the guitar seems to be of the SX/Rondo variety


Yes I kind of thought it looked home made to. Sort of fashioned after a P\W. It actually looks a little heavier duty than a P\W and probably heavy as hell.


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

guitarman2 said:


> Yes I kind of thought it looked home made to. Sort of fashioned after a P\W. It actually looks a little heavier duty than a P\W and probably heavy as hell.


actually pretty cool the dude got it done, if it actually works. it looks like a fair bit of engineering and creativity. I would have just bought a kit, seems like a few available for do-it-yourselfers


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## Guest (Dec 3, 2018)

Steampunk


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## johnnyshaka (Nov 2, 2014)

Boy, depending on where your guitar hangs/sits and what you wear while you play, that thing could alter your life in a very, very bad way...


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

johnnyshaka said:


> Boy, depending on where your guitar hangs/sits and what you wear while you play, that thing could alter your life in a very, very bad way...


I'm a country player. I wear my guitar above that.


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## Distortion (Sep 16, 2015)

I am now searching Kijiji for a G /B bender..


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## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

Distortion said:


> I am now searching Kijiji for a G /B bender..


I just spent all night buying my B/G bender Tele. 

PS, you'll likely only use the G bender 5% as much as the B. 

If it plays good to you, buy it. It appears to be a homemade P/W or Forrest Lee style bender. 

HipShot is always another budget option for a B bender that works very well and is way less invasive


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## GuitarT (Nov 23, 2010)

Looks like a Parsons White bender.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

GuitarT said:


> Looks like a Parsons White bender.


Thats what I thought and I said that to the seller. Although I know its not. It looks a lot heavier than a p\w. This was his response to me.



> It based on it but I built it I a a machinist the g is the same but actualled off the rear of the guitar that hooks onto your belt loop


I don't think anyone would be crazy enough to put an actual p\w bender on a cheap asian guitar. Of course it looks like the guitar is heavily modded as I don't think it has the stock neck on it.


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## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

GuitarT said:


> Looks like a Parsons White bender.


It's based on Gene's design, but it is NOT one of his builds.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

I'll direct your attention to this thing, that I stumbled onto at Summer NAMM this year: http://www.vsquaredguitar.com/

Makes pedal-steel-like bend+swell easy to do with one hand. He's working on other bridge types, but the existing Strat-bridge model works like a charm.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

mhammer said:


> I'll direct your attention to this thing, that I stumbled onto at Summer NAMM this year: TruV Volume Tremolo
> 
> Makes pedal-steel-like bend+swell easy to do with one hand. He's working on other bridge types, but the existing Strat-bridge model works like a charm.


I watched the video. Someones got to tell him those aren't pedal steel licks. Just a whammy with a volume function.


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## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

mhammer said:


> I'll direct your attention to this thing, that I stumbled onto at Summer NAMM this year: http://www.vsquaredguitar.com/
> 
> Makes pedal-steel-like bend+swell easy to do with one hand. He's working on other bridge types, but the existing Strat-bridge model works like a charm.


That's neat, but it lacks the ability to change pitch on 1-2 strings of a chord without messing with the rest.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

cboutilier said:


> It's based on Gram's design, but it is NOT one of his builds.


Yes thats what he told me when he responded. I think if it wasn't on such a cheap guitar I'd go and check it out.


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## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

Marty Stuart is how a B Bender was meant to be played.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

guitarman2 said:


> I don't think anyone would be crazy enough to put an actual p\w bender on a cheap asian guitar. Of course it looks like the guitar is heavily modded as I don't think it has the stock neck on it.


If it does have the stock neck on it, that's exactly what someone did.


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## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

guitarman2 said:


> Yes thats what he told me when he responded. I think if it wasn't on such a cheap guitar I'd go and check it out.


If you can afford it, buy it. It's a cheap way to find out if a Bender is for you. If you don't like it, sell it to someone else. If you do, and the bender works good you can transplant it into another quality body and go from there.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

cboutilier said:


> That's neat, but it lacks the ability to change pitch on 1-2 strings of a chord without messing with the rest.


Give him time. He started out with the most commonly available vibrato assembly. He's persistent enough that he'll eventually get around to more string-specific assemblies. And yes, I realize it doesn't *fully* duplicate pedal-steel, but it does cover a segment of the terrain, with negligible modification to the instrument. And for some folks that may be more important than nailing Clarence White licks.


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## troyhead (May 23, 2014)

mhammer said:


> I'll direct your attention to this thing, that I stumbled onto at Summer NAMM this year: https://www.vsquaredguitar.com/


That looks like kind of an interesting idea, but using it for volume seems to be a mundane use of a neat idea. Most guitars already have a volume control at their fingertips. Now if it was an expression pedal control or a wah or something, that would be neat!



cboutilier said:


> Marty Stuart is how a B Bender was meant to be played.


Check out the bass player during the solo. #stankfacefordays


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## allthumbs56 (Jul 24, 2006)

guitarman2 said:


> I'm a country player. I wear my guitar above that.


Then mind your nipples


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

troyhead said:


> That looks like kind of an interesting idea, but using it for volume seems to be a mundane use of a neat idea. Most guitars already have a volume control at their fingertips. Now if it was an expression pedal control or a wah or something, that would be neat!


And Strats most definitely have a volume control handy. But having used the gadget, AND being a fan of pinky swells and pinky wah, I have to say that the integration of volume and pitch bend into the one physical device provides for smoother action. I also think that anything which can collate multiple musical intentions into one or two coordinated movements is a good thing, especially since it frees up other parts of your body for other "musical intentions". That said, reservations expressed by others here that single-string or 2-string bends are absolutely essential to "country" and pedal-steel emulation, are absolutely fair, IMHO. And _that_ said, one could also offer up the critique that pulling down on the neck to actuate the bender may get in the way of some players' phrasing and integration of runs.

I am always in awe of pedal-steel players, and the skill that goes into making those beasts work as expressively as they do. I suppose if there was a simple and straightforward way to transform a standing instrument into everything that a pedal-steel is, we would have found it by now. For the time being, I guess we are limited to add-ons that let a guitar do this but not that.


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## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

mhammer said:


> And Strats most definitely have a volume control handy. But having used the gadget, AND being a fan of pinky swells and pinky wah, I have to say that the integration of volume and pitch bend into the one physical device provides for smoother action. I also think that anything which can collate multiple musical intentions into one or two coordinated movements is a good thing, especially since it frees up other parts of your body for other "musical intentions". That said, reservations expressed by others here that single-string or 2-string bends are absolutely essential to "country" and pedal-steel emulation, are absolutely fair, IMHO. And _that_ said, one could also offer up the critique that pulling down on the neck to actuate the bender may get in the way of some players' phrasing and integration of runs.
> 
> I am always in awe of pedal-steel players, and the skill that goes into making those beasts work as expressively as they do. I suppose if there was a simple and straightforward way to transform a standing instrument into everything that a pedal-steel is, we would have found it by now. For the time being, I guess we are limited to add-ons that let a guitar do this but not that.


Playing a pedal steel is purely witchcraft.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

mhammer said:


> I am always in awe of pedal-steel players, and the skill that goes into making those beasts work as expressively as they do. *I suppose if there was a simple and straightforward way to transform a standing instrument into everything that a pedal-steel is, we would have found it by now.* For the time being, I guess we are limited to add-ons that let a guitar do this but not that.


A double bender (b and g) are about as close as you're gonna get.

Then of course there is this:


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

If pedal-steel is witchcraft, Junior Brown is a warlock.


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## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

mhammer said:


> If pedal-steel is witchcraft, Junior Brown is a warlock.


No argument here. Check out this digital take on a string bender: 






I think I'm going to give my grade 11s a lesson on B bending in Design class tomorrow.


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## Distortion (Sep 16, 2015)

Ya $600 is not chump change. If it was me I would be contacting some Nashville shops and see what else is out there on maybe a Mexican Standard for that kind of money. Paisley is the only current player that comes to mind that uses one now, and it is a G bender.


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## Guest (Dec 4, 2018)

Then there's the Hipshot.


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

laristotle said:


> Then there's the Hipshot.


...combined with a 'Footshot'


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

greco said:


> ...combined with a 'Footshot'
> View attachment 233836


maybe Milkdud?


Milkman said:


> View attachment 232394


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## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

laristotle said:


> Then there's the Hipshot.


That's what I play. I was planning to DIY a Parsons or Forrest Lee style, but a HipShot landed in my hands via trading.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

cboutilier said:


> That's what I play. I was planning to DIY a Parsons or Forrest Lee style, but a HipShot landed in my hands via trading.


How do you like the hipshot? I'm considering a G&L Tribute with a factory installed hipshot.


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## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

guitarman2 said:


> How do you like the hipshot? I'm considering a G&L Tribute with a factory installed hipshot.


No real complaints. I've never played a strap operated Bender, but I feel like it would be a more natural operation than the hip rod. But the Hipshot works great for me, and Will Ray has no issues being a master with it.


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## cbg1 (Mar 27, 2012)

was a company years ago called McKenzie String Puller. Scotland based iirc.... modified bridge connected to foot pedal board via bicycle brake cables. operated 3 strings i believe. worked well but you were tethered to the pedalboard.


this looks like a nice simple and minimally invasive approach.


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

How much do the kits go for? The ones you have to route the rear to install.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

cboutilier said:


> No argument here. Check out this digital take on a string bender:


Oh...my...goodness. That is F-ing brilliant.


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## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

vadsy said:


> How much do the kits go for? The ones you have to route the rear to install.


Between 700 and 1500 USD depending on who you get them from. Mr. Parsons himself is at 1500.


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## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

mhammer said:


> Oh...my...goodness. That is F-ing brilliant.


He plays it super good too.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

cboutilier said:


> He plays it super good too.


Yes he plays it very well but the design look far more complicated than it should be.


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## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

guitarman2 said:


> Yes he plays it very well but the design look far more complicated than it should be.


It was only a proof of concept IIRC.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

A friend of a friend is selling this 1996 anniversary Fender Telecaster with PG b bender for $1,200. I'm considering it.

 https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/


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## Tone Chaser (Mar 2, 2014)

Not a bad choice.

I picked up a 2000 American Deluxe Nashville B Bender a year or two ago. I still have not mastered any licks worth repeating. They are heavy, but they work well and stay in tune. The neck is slightly fatter in feel as well. I also really like the Nashville feature and tone bypass.


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## Distortion (Sep 16, 2015)

Seen a real nice one on Steel guitar forum. Its in the guitar section $1200 US.


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