New video - installing a Parsons / Green b-bender in an American Standard telecaster

[mayfly]

for your viewing pleasure:

 

[stratamania]

That is a good video of the process

 

[bagman67]

Thank you very much for this, Trevor. As I go through my woodworking journey, it's gratifying to see how a cautious and thoughtful craftsman approaches this stuff. And when I can put together the scratch for a bender of my own, I'm gonna watch this video another 47 dozen times before I start the installation.

A couple things -

1. When you brought the body in from outside, you noted the fog on the template from the chill. Any issue with condensation on the newly exposed wood surface? I should think not, but one wants to be cautious.

2. When you shellacked the cavity, I presume you also waited for the body to come back up to the temperature range recommended by the shellac manufacturer, yes?

3. Can you tell us exactly what file you used for the knockout slot for the b-string on the end of the bridge plate? I have a Dremel I would be tempted to use, but I take your concerns about high-speed rotating tools being hard to control very much to heart.

4. Do you have any opinion on whether to rout the cavity before or after finishing an unpainted body? On the one hand, one would hate to ding up a newly finished body while doing the work, but as you demonstrate, care can be taken to avoid that. On the other, I might be just the tiniest bit concerned about fitment due to the extra layer of coating maybe causing some friction; but this seems ill-founded and could be remedied by adjusting the plate a millimeter or less. Am I worrying about inconsequentials?

5. Presumably the whole affair is grounded by the b-string's contact with the bridge, which is itself specifically grounded with copper tape and wire to the rest of the electronics. Is that correct?


Thanks as always for your generous contributions of know-how, lore, and wisdom.

Yours,

Ian

 

[mayfly]

Thank you very much for this, Trevor. As I go through my woodworking journey, it's gratifying to see how a cautious and thoughtful craftsman approaches this stuff. And when I can put together the scratch for a bender of my own, I'm gonna watch this video another 47 dozen times before I start the installation.

My pleasure Ian!

A couple things -

1. When you brought the body in from outside, you noted the fog on the template from the chill. Any issue with condensation on the newly exposed wood surface? I should think not, but one wants to be cautious.

Well, it's pretty low humidity in the winter, and I did take my time masking it off. Any moisture flashed off before I started sealing the cavity.

2. When you shellacked the cavity, I presume you also waited for the body to come back up to the temperature range recommended by the shellac manufacturer, yes?

Yep. More or less

3. Can you tell us exactly what file you used for the knockout slot for the b-string on the end of the bridge plate? I have a Dremel I would be tempted to use, but I take your concerns about high-speed rotating tools being hard to control very much to heart.

I used a couple of them. First a regular triangle file to get things started, and then a wedge shaped file that also has cutters on the thin edge of the wedge for the rest of it. I'll see if I can find a photo of it on-line somewhere...

4. Do you have any opinion on whether to rout the cavity before or after finishing an unpainted body? On the one hand, one would hate to ding up a newly finished body while doing the work, but as you demonstrate, care can be taken to avoid that. On the other, I might be just the tiniest bit concerned about fitment due to the extra layer of coating maybe causing some friction; but this seems ill-founded and could be remedied by adjusting the plate a millimeter or less. Am I worrying about inconsequentials?

I've done it both ways. For example, Kashmir was routed first, then the paisley paper applied, and then sent off to Tonar for the green burst. I've never worried about adjusting for different finish heights. Now that you mention it, I don't think it really makes any difference to the pull tower height on the face of the guitar, as the bender sits on a finished surface no matter what. A millimetre more or less in the routing depth I think is inconsequential as well. This guitar was slightly thicker than a warmoth body, and that did make a slight difference. But it still worked well in the end.

5. Presumably the whole affair is grounded by the b-string's contact with the bridge, which is itself specifically grounded with copper tape and wire to the rest of the electronics. Is that correct?

Yep! The bridge is grounded to the pickups, which is grounded to the strings, which in turn grounds the bender. Never worried about running another ground wire. No issues with noise. Well, no more so that usual with a telecaster...

Thanks as always for your generous contributions of know-how, lore, and wisdom.

Yours,

Ian

 

[mayfly]

Hey! I found out what that file I use is called. It's a Pippin File! Never knew before...

 

[Spud]

Thes guitar is nice, but I really like the pillow!

 

[Spud]

hmmmm.....I always thought that was a Meriadoc? Great video btw. I know I will never be attempting that!