The Steel Guitar Forum

I've read and watched a good bit about the use of benders on lap steel. A large percentage of the musicians seem to be 6 string.

I'd very much like to discuss and learn more from anyone who is now, or has used, benders with an 8 string.

Which strings do / did you you bend?
Bend tunings?
C6?
String gauge issues with the bender?

Did it get in the way of your normal right hand position?

Have you created / posted video or audio of your use of the bender(s)/ Links?

I am researching the benders out there. No decision reached yet.

Thanks for any comments or sharing your experience.

Hi Michael, I put out a similar question a few months ago. I was looking for suggestions for bender changes on A6. Nothing really inspired me.

As you note, benders are better suited to 6 strings, presumably because the string notes are often not repeated. Whereas on an 8 string with a '6' tuning, there is often an octave repeat of the lower 4 strings (or vice versa). That is how one gets the chord inversions that give a '6' tuning its sound.
Having the classic A-B pedal effect of a Pedal Steel Guitar wont be as effective on an 8 string as most benders can only work on a single string. If one wants that effect, it's, IMO, easy to do with a bar slant!

My question was directly related to Certano benders which are available as paired units and can only increase pitch. If a single bender were available, I might consider one to move the 6th tone to a dom 7, as I don't really like the bar slant that achieves that.

The Duesenberg benders are designed to do lowers, too. Not both but you can choose raise or lower. It uses a counter spring. I have used it to flat the 5 in a A6 tuning on an 8 string to make basically a B11.

Forumite Bert Farroach has an interesting take on benders that seems to be rooted in C6. However, his setup looks like it skips a string. Most of the affordable bender makers I've looked at only bend adjacent strings?

I did contact Peters about skipping a string with his benders. His suggestion was to buy the 3 string version and 'skip' playing the middle string. However, it just dawned on me to ask him if he would build a bender that bends only 2 strings with a spacer in between the fingers instead of the middle finger. Potentially, that would allow skipping a string.


https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=393629

I have an 8 String Jackson Slide king with two benders (G#, E, B to C#, G# to A, F#, E, D, C#). I have found that playing a guitar with benders is its own thing, it’s different than lap steel and it’s different than modern pedal steel. I take inspiration from the players who played right as pedal steel was being developed.

Thanks Paul... if you have created any videos using your tuning I'd appreciate seeing / hearing them.

Over the years, I'm amazed at the number of tunings non-players have come up with.

Michael

The tuning is the same as Ralph Mooney's. Next time I change strings I am thinking about going to a lighter top two strings to be able to do string pulls to fully encompass the Mooney Sound. I haven't progressed to the point as a player that I can do justice two the instrument. The advantage of having benders is being able to play three note moving chords, the classic being Bud Isaacs change on slowly where the top note stays the same while the bottom notes move out of sequence.

I like the thought of dropping out of a 6th tuning with benders because they are an effect and 6th tuning is more versatile than a ninth.

Thanks Paul... if you have created any videos using your tuning I'd appreciate seeing / hearing them.

Over the years, I'm amazed at the number of tunings non-PEDAL players have come up with.

Michael

...just to add to the mix, I found this guy on ebay...
benders etc made in USA

https://www.ebay.com/str/midwestlumber? ... 3561.l2563

Thanks for your comment.

I've been in touch with Shad Peters about his benders.

He's very willing to hear ideas. He'll be building me a two string bender set with a skip-a-string spacer in the next few weeks. Comparing, I find his benders to be a good value.

Using C6 tuning with his benders on 2 and 4 I should be able to create a 9th which could come fairly close to a pedal steel 'feel'.

Once I get everything set I'll post a sample video.