String-bender suggestions, please.

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 12 Dec 2008 7:16 am

I'm seriously looking for options for fitting a bender to my new Thin-Skin Tele. My favourite - Joe Glaser's version - is fitted to my G&L Asat, but that guitar has suddenly been relegated to second-place in my arsenal, due to the amazing quality of this "'62" reissue I've just bought.

Jim Sliff has kindly provided some excellent info on benders (privately, as well as in that recent 'Clarence White' thread), but I'm asking about all options here. I'm partial to the Glaser, as it seems to be a less-intrusive process, and doesn't involve routing away much of the guitar's body. Some players don't like the neck-plate-mounted lever, but that's fine with me - I'm accustomed to it.

I've tried in vain to do a 'search' on the subject here on SGF; I know that there was at least one thread about the various competitors in the market, but I can't find the right 'key-word'.

I've had an email from McVay's, but I'd like some independant opinions on those if anyone has experience of them.

Many thanks...

Jerry Hayes · Post by **Jerry Hayes** » 12 Dec 2008 7:35 am

Roger, I have a few Bender guitars, Parsons/White, Parsons/Green, HipShot, Bigsby Palm Pedal, Epiphone EZ Bender and my favorite is the HipShot but my most used Tele is the one with the Parsons White bender.

All that said, for your 52 reissue I think I'd go with Paul McEwen's "Slingshot" B-bender. If you don't want to marr your guitar or route it out or anything this is the one. All the mechanism is between two aluminum plates on the back of the guitar. It's attached by the four heel plate screws and a piece that hooks over the tailend of the guitar. It doesn't require any modifications at all to your instrument and could be taken off and put on another Tele if need be. You can see Paul's work at his web site which is www.pullstringsystems.com I have a Les Paul Jr. with one of his benders. They operate just like a P/W or Glaser by pushing down on the neck. It'll just make your guitar about a half inch thicker when installed. Another good thing, they're only around $350 installed plus shipping to Conneticut......JH in Va.

David Mason · Post by **David Mason** » 12 Dec 2008 10:37 am

I have become The World's Biggest Brad Paisley Groupie (sigh - he doesn't even know my name) and he prefers the McVay - apparently they're the least tonally-intrusive.

http://www.mcvaybenders.com/

Ken Lang · Post by **Ken Lang** » 13 Dec 2008 4:59 pm

I have a Paul McEwen bender that I bought about 6 months ago. It does both the E string and the G string. Cost about $600. I haven't used it that much so I'm still playing with it. The g string is operated by pushing the guitar into your chest. I have seen other G benders that attach to the belt and you pull the guitar back or forward a little. I like that better.

I also have the Hipshot full deal E,G and Drop D. I don't care for it, but that's just me.

I guess my druthers now would be a P White.

Olli Haavisto · Post by **Olli Haavisto** » 14 Dec 2008 12:20 am

Ken Lang wrote: The g string is operated by pushing the guitar into your chest.

Iain · Post by **Iain** » 14 Dec 2008 6:01 am

The McEwen bender's certainly a good way to go for non-intrusive stuff and it works very well - very smoothly - and stays in tune.

See below for mine:-

Jerry Hayes · Post by **Jerry Hayes** » 15 Dec 2008 2:52 pm

Nice guitar Ian, here's my latest bender rig. It's a seventies Ibanez Les Paul Jr. copy (lawsuit series) which sounds great and now is complete with a McEwen bender.................JH in Va.