B Bender Tele

[M Sarad]

I just got one as a loaner from a friend, who like me has more guitars than he can play in a week. It has the Texas Special three pickup configuration, dark Sunburst, maple neck/fretboard. The strings were so crusty that the B string snapped.

I had a classic Tele from the early 70s that I sold in 1980. Never got used to the action. I have preferred Strats and Mustangs. When I get home from my vacation tonight( 10 days on the road where I played lots of cool guitars: Wingert, John How, Bozo, Simon Fay, Thomas Rein, Merrill, Brondel, Anders Sterner and Kenny Hill Classicals) I will clean it up and put on a set of NYXL 10s.

Since we acquired a pedal steel player, I have been itching for a Tele to complete the look for the band.

Anyone else have a B Bender Tele?

[Darwin]

Mine was probably a 2004 Standard 2 pickup factory B Bender. I loved it. I did sell it after about a year as it was hard on my shoulder, even with a wide strap. BTW I am 75 years so my shoulders do not like heavy guitars and it was quite heavy. -- Darwin

[Steel and wood]

I love B-Bender Telecasters. (In my mind, my dream Telecaster was going to be a B-Bender with a leather cover a la Waylon Jennings).

I ended up with a blonde, blackguard, maple board with Bigsby Telecaster instead which I love. (Will have to appreciate the sound of a B-Bender Telecasters from afar because I don't have GAS for another Telecaster and I simply don't want to modify my Telecaster to cater for a B-Bender).

[s2y]

I have this one built by Chris Stambaugh. I went with a hybrid headstock to eliminate the string tree as well as have a drop D lever on the low E string.

I'll echo that it's about a pound or two heavier than the average Tele. My builder didn't want to use lightweight ash because he figured his particular pin router would have splintered with all the routing.

If you want to get around the weight issue, Rolling Bender makes a drop in lever that goes on the B saddle for 3 or 6 saddle Fender style bridges. It's also possible to have the strap mounted B bender and add a lever to the G string to have B and G bending options.

[Jerry D]

Originally Posted by M Sarad

I just got one as a loaner from a friend, who like me has more guitars than he can play in a week. The strings were so crusty that the B string snapped.

Sounds like he has more guitars than he can maintain, also.