Different B-Bender for Telecaster....

Jerry Hayes · Post by **Jerry Hayes** » 30 Nov 2004 9:45 am

Have any of you Tele players seen the Shelton B-Bender. They're made in England I believe but you can get them installed in the US for $495 by Jeff Mosby of Mosby Guitars. These things are really cool and also endorsed by John Jorgensen. They don't require the entensive routing required by a Parson/White or Parsons/Green type. The only visible sign of a bender on the front of the guitar is the bridge piece for the second string. Other than that, nothing else shows. The strap peg that you use to activate it is in a slot on the plate that holds your neck to the guitar and there's a small hole in the plate to adjust the throw of the bender. You can see pictures of 'em at the mosby site which is: www.mosbyguitars.com I'll be getting mine in January hopefully. They're in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina........Have a good 'un..JH

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Livin' in the Past and Future with a 12 string Mooney Universal tuning.

[This message was edited by Jerry Hayes on 30 November 2004 at 09:52 AM.]

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 30 Nov 2004 1:51 pm

It sounds just like Joe Glaser's almost-invisible B-bender - I hope they didn't just copy his!

Apart from the fact that Joe's device works very smoothly and with great sustain, it also adds only minimal weight to the guitar, unlike the very early Parsons/White (or 'Green') pull-strings.

RR

Dan Sawyer · Post by **Dan Sawyer** » 30 Nov 2004 1:59 pm

Here's something interesting. It seems you can use this bender AND a Strat whammy at the same time. http://www.nymphusa.com/tele/forsale/shelton/default.asp

Barbara Hennerman · Post by **Barbara Hennerman** » 30 Nov 2004 5:32 pm

*[This message was edited by Barbara Hennerman on 21 August 2006 at 01:39 AM.]

Iain · Post by **Iain** » 1 Dec 2004 3:37 am

Does anyone know of anywhere in Britain that fits this type of bender? I'd love to have bender and trm arm functional on my Strat! I really miss the trem when playing my P/W bender Tele (and vice-versa) so this'd be grand.
Thanks
Iain

Jerry Hayes · Post by **Jerry Hayes** » 1 Dec 2004 4:07 am

Hey Iain,
John Shelton is in Great Britain so you're very close to him. I don't know where he lives over there but you could probably ask around or search the net for him. I don't know if Jeff Mosby in SC would give out the info from his site or not....JH

Dan, thanks for the pix of that Strat with a bender, I've never seen anything like that. I'll have to check into that. I'd like to have something like that on my Strat for sure....

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Livin' in the Past and Future with a 12 string Mooney Universal tuning.

[This message was edited by Jerry Hayes on 01 December 2004 at 04:09 AM.]

Iain · Post by **Iain** » 1 Dec 2004 7:36 am

Thanks, Jerry. I'm trying to dig up a contact number/email address, as I know he is in Britain, but no luck so far (Google etc don't seem to have any useful info)

Darvin Willhoite · Post by **Darvin Willhoite** » 1 Dec 2004 10:40 am

Now that would be a real engineering feat, making a B-bender work reliably with a tremolo tailpiece. Thats interesting, I may have to look into that myself.

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Darvin Willhoite
Riva Ridge Recording

Jerry Hayes · Post by **Jerry Hayes** » 2 Dec 2004 9:12 am

The only bender I've ever seen that had a vibrato arm was the 6 pedal foot actuated thing that Phil Baugh used to play. I think MSA built it for him. I used to have one that a friend of mine saw in an add somewhere and bought two of them as they were so cheap and gave me one of em. I used it for a little while on my Strat but it looked funny so I took it off even though it worked pretty good. What you'd do was take off your hold down nut from your 6th string tuning peg and attach the unit under that nut. It went across the peghead, parrallel to the nut and wrapped around the bottom of the peghead. There was a small tubular brass thing on top with a nylon piece protruding from it with a hole in the side of the piece. You'd thread your B string through the nylon piece and when activated the thing would pull your B string sideways at the headstock. There was a small chain which you'd attach to your guitar strap which would pull the thing when you pushed down on the guitar neck. Same motion as with a Parsons/White bender. The thing I didn't like was that chain going from the headstock to your shoulder, it just looked funny. You could use your vibrato equipped guitar though as it didn't have anything to do with the tailpiece or bridge. I also used it for a while on an acoustic and that was pretty cool. I haven't seen the thing for about 5 years but after talking about it I think I'll go to the garage and find it and then stick it on something just for the fun of it.....JH

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Livin' in the Past and Future with a 12 string Mooney Universal tuning.

[This message was edited by Jerry Hayes on 02 December 2004 at 09:22 AM.][This message was edited by Jerry Hayes on 02 December 2004 at 09:26 AM.]

Dan Sawyer · Post by **Dan Sawyer** » 2 Dec 2004 11:30 am

Jerry, do you have the unit with six pedals, one for each string like Phil used to play? If so, i might be interested in buying that if you're not using it.

Tony Trout · Post by **Tony Trout** » 2 Dec 2004 11:50 am

The only complaint (although I've never used one) I have about the Shelton bender is that the bend just wouldn't seem to have a "natural" feel to it in regards to where the actuation lever is positioned on the guitar. In other words, the feel of the bend is "unnatural" as opposed to a Parsons/White or Parsons/Green bender.

But then again....that's JMO. Please don't shoot me.......

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Dan Sawyer · Post by **Dan Sawyer** » 3 Dec 2004 11:04 am

Tony, that's interesting. Are you talking about the strap button being in a different place? (The neck plate instead of the upper bout).

Jerry Hayes · Post by **Jerry Hayes** » 3 Dec 2004 11:57 am

It doesn't seem to me like it'd make a differnce as you'd still be pushing down on the neck on both types. The only difference would be that the stap peg on the Shelton would be like that of a Gibson 335 on the back of the guitar on the heel of the neck. It might affect the balance of the instrument a little maybe, but I don't think so. If Jorgensen recommends it, it must be a good 'un. He could have anything out there he wanted and I don't think the guy's making enough money on these to pay him the huge bucks to endorse it.....JH

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Livin' in the Past and Future with a 12 string Mooney Universal tuning.

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 3 Dec 2004 12:37 pm

As someone who went from the Parsons/White device to the Glaser version (Joe's conversion has the strap attached to a fitting at the neck-plate - like the Shelton apparently does), I have to say that there was a difference in 'feel' between the two...

With the P/W, the guitar is more easily pushed downwards due to the strap being connected at the guitar's upper 'shoulder'; the other method needed a little practice for me as the guitar tended to pivot away from my body.

I soon became accustomed to it, though, and the superior action, smoothness and sustain, along with the fact that Glaser's method barely requires any body-routing was more than enough justification for the change. I overcame the awkwardness by slightly shortening my strap which helped me to control the movement; it really didn't take long to get comfortable.

Now, my old P/W is stiff and 'notchy' by comparison.

I must stress that I don't know the Shelton Bender, but it sounds like it's awfully close to the Glaser in construction.

Roger R.[This message was edited by Roger Rettig on 03 December 2004 at 04:50 PM.]

Dan Sawyer · Post by **Dan Sawyer** » 4 Dec 2004 12:39 pm

Roger, you mention sustain. Was there a loss of sustain with the parsons/white?

Dan Sawyer · Post by **Dan Sawyer** » 4 Dec 2004 12:44 pm

Roger, you mention sustain. Was there a loss of sustain with the parsons/white?

Toby Rider · Post by **Toby Rider** » 4 Dec 2004 12:52 pm

I'm pretty happy with my hipshot b-bender.

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 4 Dec 2004 2:48 pm

Not so much a distinct loss of sustain, maybe just slight - when the bender was pulled to the higher note, the string didn't ring quite as well as the other strings. This was the case with both my P/Ws.

When I engage the Glaser bender, the raised note seems to hang on that bit longer, and the pulled note sounds strong within the chord. I wonder if it's because of the brass bridge-saddle that Joe installs.

This slightly-enhanced sustain adds to the pedal steel illusion somehow, although I've never felt that benders make Teles sound like steels! They just allow you to get PSG 'voicings' - particularly effectively if you pull up the B in the middle of a chord.

Joe does a great job, 'though he can take a few weeks doing it!

RR

Dan Sawyer · Post by **Dan Sawyer** » 5 Dec 2004 1:26 am

OK, thanks Roger.

I have used a hipshot in the past and have no problem using my hip to play it. The problem is, sitting down! Anyway, i'd like to try something like this new bender, and also use the hipshot on one of the other strings. I've found you really don't need a bender as much on the 3rd string since it's so easy to bend.

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 5 Dec 2004 5:48 am

I agree, Dan. Joe also offers a 'G' bender, but you need to order it at the same time as the 'B' is being installed, otherwise it'd get pretty expensive.

As you say, the 3rd is much easier to bend, so I didn't even consider it. When I last saw Joe (a while ago!) he was installing a 'G' and a 'B' bender in a Parker 'Fly' guitar for Jimmy Olander - that was a big challenge, given the shape of the Parker's body. I wonder how it worked out?

It requires pushing downwards to activate the 'B' pull, and away from you to pull the 'G'. I assume that one could learn to pull both strings with practice.

RR

Tim Wallis · Post by **Tim Wallis** » 5 Dec 2004 9:20 am

At the risk of sounding like a bad infomercial, I'm real happy with the stringbenders I invented. It bends the B&G Strings. Take a look if you want at www.TimaraStringBenders.com If you're a member of the Steel Guitar Forum, I'll sell them to you at dealer cost.

I'm in the middle of updating the web site adding our Axxx Hot Rod Guitars, so it's a little messy in there right now.

Oh yeah, be sure to keep listening to Steel Radio www.SteelRadio.com We have some new programs and live shows in the works.

Thanks,
Tim Wallis, Owner of Steel Radio

Jerry Hayes · Post by **Jerry Hayes** » 6 Dec 2004 4:27 am

Hey Dan, I think the HipShot is the best way to go for sitting down. I do over half of my gigs sitting behind my steel guitar and doubling on both instruments. The HipShot has the lever that you can position right on your hip or side and then just push the neck forward which is a better way to go than down when you're sitting. There's another bender out there called a Slingshot by a guy in Conneticut which is pretty cool. Brad Paisley has one on one of his Telecasters. It has the strap lever like a P/W but requires no routing whatsoever. The unit attaches to the neck mounting screws and the strap peg on the butt of the guitar. It's all housed in a 1/2" thick aluminum housing on the rear of the guitar. I believe the guy's name is Paul McEwen who makes it. They're only $400.00 installed. His phone number is (860) 485-2720. Have a good 'un....JH

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Livin' in the Past and Future with a 12 string Mooney Universal tuning.

Dan Sawyer · Post by **Dan Sawyer** » 6 Dec 2004 9:05 pm

Jerry, that's a good point about sitting down. The slingshot sounds interesting, but the Selton is only $100 more, and it's light weight and inside the guitar.

Tim Wallis, i've looked at your website, but i can't quite figure out how your system works. Can you still strum, or is it only for fingerstyle playing? What motion does your arm have to make to bend the pitches? Thanks!

Tim Harr · Post by **Tim Harr** » 8 Dec 2004 6:59 pm

Check out Tim Wallis' Timara Benders !!!!!
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Tim Harr
Carter D-10 8p & 9k w/ BL-705s; Hilton pedal; Webb 6-14E Amplifier
http://groups.msn.com/TimHarrWebPage/yourwebpage.msnw

[This message was edited by Tim Harr on 08 December 2004 at 07:01 PM.]

Tim Harr · Post by **Tim Harr** » 8 Dec 2004 7:00 pm

I have seen Tim use his Timara Benders up close.... They work great.

I have been using a B bender system since 1985/86. It seems like before they really caught on I was using one in my Tele. My first was built by a guy named Alan Manship. It still works well ..I just dont play that Tele much anymore..

Currently, I am comfortable with my USA Tele with the Parsons/Green system. It works fine and is extremely reliable.

Tim builds great instruments! Please check out his website and be sure to listen to his sound bytes!!!!!!!

I have not played an entire gig with Tim before but I am ready anytime he wants to get together and have a blast!
CHECK HIM OUT!!

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Tim Harr
Carter D-10 8p & 9k w/ BL-705s; Hilton pedal; Webb 6-14E Amplifier

http://groups.msn.com/TimHarrWebPage/yourwebpage.msnw