Homemade B-Bender more pics added!

[andy]

Hey y’all

I thought I’d share a little project I started yesterday. I butchered up an old pine telecaster body I had lying around. Fabricated some parts and used up some old stuff I had lying around. I assembled it last night to make sure it’s gonna work and it did! I must say that I’m just a rookie hobbyist. I lack most of the proper tools for something like this but it’s been fun project.



I used a couple fender washers with a groove ground into the middle of it for the piece that the string attaches to. The carriage bolt going through the washers has a square section so the washers (which have a square hole) are held in place by it and a small screw as well. I used a couple old strat springs and a third of a strat claw as a tensioner.

I took it apart this morning to improve the mechanism and to prep the body for stain.
I loved the finish “my main man” did on his Costello-Jag so I got the same dark walnut Minwax stuff and got at it this morning. Here’s a pic of the first coat. I ended up doing a second but didn’t get a pic.


I’ll take some closeups of all the hillbilly rigged bits and pieces tomorrow.

Thanks for looking!

[BoringPostcards]

That's awesome!
You don't see many people doing up DIY b-benders.

[mackerelmint]

That's some solid fabricobbling you did there, Andy! Way cool!

[oid]

Hah! love it, great work.

For some reason home made string benders always make happy.

[Embenny]

I admire your skills and determination, that is way above my technical skills as a modder! Looks great.

[andy]

Here’s a few more pics of the guitar. I put a brown finish on it. It’s not perfect at all but I learned a bunch about finishing (and patience). I still need to make a back cover and change the return springs. The rod kinda scrapes on the spring claw and makes a squeaking noise. I want to make something adjustable too. I also have to add a neck pickup. The only esquire wiring isn’t really my thing. Anyway, here is guitar with some colour.




Here is disc that the string goes onto.