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What's a B-Bender?


xrleroyx

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Basically accomplishes what a tremolo does, except by using your strap button and a series of springs and levers. Usually operates only the "B" string, thus the name "B-Bender" but I've seen variations that work on other strings as well. I belive the sample you've posted operates on two different strings, one with each strap button.

 

Instead of using a tremolo/whammy/vibrato bar to detune all of your strings, you push the entire guitar neck down to detune the "B" string. Sort of a "hands free" approach to detuning for effect.

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Phew, I'm not alone then...


Photo%252021.jpg

 

:D:cool: picture!

 

Here's mine again(the B bender gets activated by the strap and the G bender is a palm thing):

 

afbeelding025a.jpg

 

I'll try to make a picture tomorrow from the back to show what system is in my guitar.

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Indeed
;)
The other two pickups are made by Joe Barden. There are also Keith banjo tuners on both E strings, btw.

 

Wow! Great minds think alike! I've been thinking of putting Keith banjo tuners both on the low E and low A though!

 

This is the front of mine...

 

Photo%252097.jpg

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  • 5 years later...
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The "B-bender" was originally invented by Gene Parsons & Clarence White (both formerly of The Byrds. Clarence, sadly, was killed in a freak auto accident involving a drunk driver on July 15, 1973 in Palmdale, CA and he is buried in Joshua Tree Memorial Park).

 

The idea for the B-Bender came about during a Gosdin Brothers recording session where Clarence was bending the string behind the nut and raising it to reach the pitch he wanted and at some point during the sessions he said, "I need a third hand!" and Gene became that third hand. After those sessions Clarence asked Gene if there was a way to rig up a system where he could bend strings "but I don't want it to interfere with my technique" (or words to that effect) so....Gene thought about it and came up with the idea of rigging up pedals that ran from a cable attached to White's beloved Telecaster and White tersely said, "If I wanted to play pedal steel, I'd play pedal steel!' so....Gene came up with the idea to bend the "B" string by using the strap button which was attached to levers inside the guitar. The only issue with the prototype bender (which Marty Stuart now owns and is a master at usi9ng) was that it was so large that another 2/3 of a back had to be screwed onto the back of the guitar to house the mechanism.

 

When Gene came to Clarence's house one morning as he was beginning work on the guitar, Clarence was sitting there drinking coffee and Gene dropped a big piece of wood onto the table where Clarence was sitting and Clarence said "Oh, my God.....I guess we're past the point of no return?' and Gene said, "Yes" but....Clarence let him install the "B-Bender" (or, technically "StringBender") into his guitar. And asd a kid will do with a new toy, Clarence was almost using it too much and Gene told him, "Clarence, don't lose what you've already got - which is great (Clarence was also a great flatpicker)! Use the bender along with what you already know." and in about a day he came up with his own thing and "it was just magical" (as Gene says on the DVD "Byrds: Under Review")

 

After Clarence was tragically killed on July 15,. 1973, Marty Stuart went to Clarence's widow, Suzie in 1979 because he had heard that she was selling some things of his to make ends meet (Clarence's brother, Roland, had gotten Marty his first working job as a musician with the late Lester Flatt and Marty had actually met Clarence only once) and he asked Susie about the guitar and she said, "That's what you really came to look at wasn't it? and he said, "Yes" and after spending the entire day there, she told him, "I'll tell you what. I'll sell that guitar to you." and Marty tried to stop her by saying, "Suzie, the "B" string on the guitar is worth more than money" (or something to that effect."

 

Anyway, Susie sold him some of Clarence's stage suits, some Byrds stuff and that iconic guitar for the total of $1, 450.

 

Marty has owned the guitar ever since that time and I was lucky enough to be in a band that opened two shows for Marty & The Fabulous Superlatives on July 17, 2008 and it was absolutely the highlight of my entire day! I finally got to play "Clarence" (Marty names his guitars according to who they belonged to before he acquired them) and it was an absolute thrill!

 

 

 

 

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