The Bob Warford & Clarence White Telecaster - The Second B-Bender Tele - Ask Zac 146 

Zac, I absolutely love these history lessons! Please keep them coming.

My friend Dick put together a three pick up Telecaster made with a Mighty Mite body and a Schecter neck- or possibly the other way around and gold-plated Kluson tuners in the late 70s. The key element to the guitar was three Velvet Hammer pick ups that he bought from Red Rhodes in his workshop- as seen on the front cover of "Velvet Hammer In a Cowboy Band". Dick had been staying in Ritchie Blackmore's California home with his family- hoping to start a new career in California in 1977 but it did not happen. Now, my brother bought this guitar in the mid-80s and one of his friends who had some DiMarzio pick ups in his guitar convinced him that the neck pick up was not powerful; enough- total sacrilege! So he took it out and I don't know what he did with it. Now, Bob Warford was in Michael Nesmith's Coutryside label house band and he played on Red's album I just mentioned and on Nesmith's fabulous "Pretty Much Your Standard Ranch Stash" where Nesmith called him- after his law qualifications Dr Robert K Warford! Sadly, my brother died recently and my sister wanted a guitar on his coffin, so we got out that Tele with the Velvet Hammer pick ups- it has a great red sunburst finish and some MOP inlay done by Dick Knight who in his time was regarded as Britain's top luthier. One of the songs in the chapel we played was Gene Clark "Full Circle Song"- with Clarence on guitar and "Georgia On My Mind" by Jerry Reed. My brother learned to play that just like Jerry- took a lot of effort to learn it!

Zac, I'm enjoying your deep-dives into bending technology history.

New to your channel here. Your history lessons are great and I now will be going through your previous videos. Thanks for making these cause they are really invaluable to those interested in the history and how/why/when/where things happened.

Sweet sound! I now think of that 2nd Clarence White Tele as the “Marty Stuart guitar” 😉 Happy 2023 to you and your family, Zac! Thank you!

Outstanding historical knowledge share. Thank You! The guitar solo on Willin’ is what opened my eyes to the b-bender sound. Yes, Clarence on SHOTR and the Live From Fillmore West Buckeroo melted me. After my journey with a ‘77 Sho-Bud Pro I was still enamored with the tele b-bender. Used a Hip-Shot with B, G and drop E for years then finally had an internal b-bender installed so I could play it while seated behind the steel. Of all the songs/leads I ever played nothing pleased me more than trying to match BW’s performance. Still melts me to this day…..

I have (at my age) only just discovered the 'B Bender', and all its history & associated pioneers. Having spent a life time as a rock player, this new discovery has relit my passion for guitar. Brent Mason signature Tele in hand, I'm busy learning how to play all this 'real good stuff'. Watching and listening to your videos is a real inspiration. Checking out the albums all these great B bender aficionados played on is a real thrill. Thank you so much, for making all these excellent videos. Best wishes from Liverpool, UK.

Really makes you think about the life on the road for musicians back then.

Saw Clarence with the Byrds in 1971! Cool subject good info.

Terrific deep dive on the Warford/White telecaster. Appreciate the work put into this…Well done!

Great history lesson, Zac. So little info about the players of my time was available back in the day. Nice to finally hear details about how they made the music I grew up with and love to this day. Thanks.

I was at a taping of Marty Stuart’s TV show and came this close || to holding the Bender guitar. But, by the time Marty turned around to grab it, it had already been taken backstage.

Really Love Ask Zac and the Truetone Interviews, but I must say That the B bender designs will have to go down in history as one of the greatest bits of Over Engineering talk about using a Hammer to crack an Egg.Check out something called the Easy B bender its meant to go on a Gibson type tailpiece but can be adapted to screw in behind a Strat(with or without trem) or a tele for a fraction of the price.But the best bit of all is You have it right under the heel of Your Hand..

Great video...while being very familiar with Bob's tele, I never knew it had come to him via Clarence. Bob played some stellar solos on Herb Petersen's Lonesome Feeling LP- just wish there was more of him on it...

Awesome to see you cover Bob and his guitar.

Hi Zac, I always look forward to videos like this where you shine the spotlight on classic Teles from the past...🙂

Love these stories Zac! You're a true historian!🎸🎸🎸🎸

Thank you for all the great info and the Spotify list. I’ve learned so much in the 20 minutes!

I am from Liverpool,but love bluegrass,great to see this stuff.

Fascinating musical history! Thanks for the stories.

Amazing video as I always. I watched the Reverb interview with Marty after this video on the Clarenece guitar that he owns and how he came to own it, which is a lovely story of its own. When I look at the levers I go back to the ultimate genius of the Glaser bender and just how revolutionary it is( Also a cool video you have shared before)I still need to pick a Tele of mine that I don't mind holes drilled in so I can get one of those installed. Thanks for sharing.

Killer episode! I’ve known who Bob Warford was for years, but I never knew much about him until your video. Great stuff. Keep it up!

Great show my brother. Thanks!

Such an interesting episode, Zac. Thank you! Learning about Bob Warford has filled in gaps and made connections for me.

Awesome that this guitar was on Pancho and Lefty, love that song!

ZAC, is the tele that Marty Stewart plays today Clarence Whites guitar. Love Marty and Cousin Kenny.

Thanks Zach! I installed a Bigsby Palm Pedal on my Tele in 1974 . Clarence was my inspiration. I learned how to palm on stage playing 5 nights a week. Some strange embarrassing noises came from my guitar until I got a grip. Maybe some day you can speak about the “other benders” out there

Zac, thank you so much for this! Do you know if the sunburst tele that Marty owns is still equipped with a Red Rhodes Velvet Hammer pickup? I know it was at some point. Anyway I hope to see an Ask Zac episode on Marty one day and maybe him even beeing a guest in the Truetone Lounge. That would be awesome!

When I saw Marty's guitar the back reminded me of a Danelectro too. I have an old Silvertone body I pulled the back off and I'm cobling a B-bender together for it inside. It will have a tele style neck, bridge and pickup, but use the original lipstick in the neck.

great episode Zac, thanks

Loved this episode!!

There is an instructional record/album of Bob's with the B bender floating around on youtube.

I learned so much from this! Thanks Zac!

Huge fan of Bob...thank you!

Excellent! Time to look into True Fire!

As an observer, and a Brit, these sessions are a true education. Your knowledge and insights are the best on YT. Keep up the fantastic work, Zac. Q. What do you think of the Nashville Tele? Is it covered on your channel? Can’t find it. But would love your take on it. 🎸🇬🇧📺👍

Nice job of bender action on "Easy Ride" pretty close.😊

Zac, you're a freakin national treasure brother!

Hi Zac , great vid , the nashville west album is my favourite Clarence white playing and guitar sound as well that is one awesome album 👍

Great playing at the beginning there Zac

Great episode!

Hi Zac, any idea what year tele that is ? The bridge plate is at least 1962 with the straight across stamping and Broadcaster pickup ?. And a flat pole neck pickup ? early 50s ?

I can say these boys were on a mission making a guitar with the steel guitar characteristics ,it was ground breaking at that time , everybody wanted one excluding jimmy page. Just the thought of making the B&G string sound like a steel guitar was brilliant ! Sadly clearance didn’t get to see the entire thing revolutionized into what is is today ! He’s picking Polk salad with “ Annie “ now & we can thank him & Woodford for there invention !

Great history lesson - i made my own long stroke “lever action” bender several years ago so I eat this stuff up!

Nice to hear about a guitarist that likes the old ehx lpb1's as much as I do. They are nothing like the reissues that are super bassy and clean...the old ones SIZZLE. I'll be checking out Bob's music! THANK YOU

Great stuff Zac,... How bout another installment about Frank Reckard and his B-bender LPjr...

I was brought here after hearing Willin' by Linda Rondstat. I had to find out who played the amazing B-bender guitar on that!

Great stuff, Zac! I love all the guitar history and anecdotes. You know your Tele facts for certain( long time subscriber and proud T- shirt wearer)

Good story. I remember Clarence White's playing on Maria Muldaur's first solo album.

Bravo and Happy New Year!

Love the Peanuts Album. Learning Christmas Time is Here every year.

Re recordings; look also for Bob’s playing on Michael Dinner’s “The Great Pretender,” and several Ian Matthews records. Re law, Bob is a member of the American Academy of Trial Lawyers, an invitation only quite elite group.

Hey Zac, thank you for all your great videos and information. Maybe you can help answer a question for me. Whats a chopped or chopper Tele. I’ve heard this term but have no clue what it means. Thanks in advance!

There was a guy working part time ate the Vintage guitar store I started at in 1974. He had a telecaster with the Masonite housing you are describing. He said it was one of Clarence Whites telecasters. He told me to remove the mechanism from it, so I got to se how it works. told me to throw away. I said if it is Clarence Whites it is of historical significance. He was adamant throw it away. so I put it in the trash bin thinking that it was stupid to do so (and it was). We had an incredible luthier wo plugged the hole finished it ( he was great at faded original colors). And when the Eagles were in town, we took it and several 0tther pieces to their motel room close to the amphitheater they just played, It was late, they were seriously full of blow, and the one member said "this had a B String Bender on it". I said "yes it was Clarence Whites". He took the guitar by the neck and charged across the bed with it like a baseball bat with rage in his eyes. A couple of people subdued him. I had no idea what was going on. the guy who was actually selling it talked to him over in the corner and he calmed down. I still don't know what was going on, but it seemed suspicious. Anyway he bought the telecaster. I have no idea if it was Clarence Whites tele, but it had that Masonite external B Sting Bender mechanism on it- it worked but you had to fight a bit. True story. Joe Walsh was opening for the Eagles with Barnstorm so you can date this.

Many thanks for another great video...very informative and I did not know that James Burton played for Emmylou Harris.......I have been playing with a Gibson jazz pick now since I bought my Tele in '87 (I'm still a novice).....I bought a bunch of them as to me, they are like 'gold' ! HNY '23 Zac ! ! ! !

Happy New Year Zak

Awesome as always. What about Luther Perkins Esquire?

Hey Zac, love the show. I've watched some Everly Bros. live television performances with Bob Warford and the guitar has a maple neck on it. Wonder what the story was with that?

Ever think doing a show on Manassas would be awesome? It still kills me every time I hear Red Rhodes name. He repaired a bandmate’s amp when we were in LA and only figured out years later of the Amazing things he’d done as a tech and a steel player. The one that got away!

Another fab and informative vid Zac - lovely stuff mate.

warford also did great work with ian matthews & michael nesmith trading licks with another great tele-player jay lacy also a veteran if the everly brothers touring band ..

Great job as usual Zac 😊

Really good episode Zac - so, did Bob re-shape the headstock on the Strat neck to look like a Tele headstock? HNY!

First time I remember BW was hearing this killer Tele all over a Herb Pedersen album. Great player.

Thank you Zac.

You make no mention of his role in Mike Nesmith's studio band, i thought that was quite a prominent thing for him?

Great stuff Zac

Great video Zac, I learned a lot of info/details on Bob’s Tele. I always thought that it was a Parsons/White bender, but as you pointed out, Gene was not making them at the time. Here are a few links to other Bob Warford solos via session work, that perhaps you have not heard. Atrium (Al Perkins) on the Pacific Steel Co. album ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-qzmv8OD9hsM.html Salty Psaltrey (Al Perkins) same album no link Perfect Will (Bruce Herring) ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-_t0TsAKnftU.html Winners and Losers (Daniel Amos) ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-wxVTSyjr1Fk.html All recordings were produced by Al Perkins

Too bad we don't have Roland here anymore to ask about the Buck Owens connection. Marty Stuart might know. I'm James Ratliff. My mother was Anna Marie Hackney born to Linel Hackney of Road Creek Kentucky. Linel's brother Basil had a daughter they called Susie though her real name was not Susie. Susie had gone out according to my mom to California to visit and live for a summer with her brother I think it was and his family. While she was there this young girl/woman met a musician who had also lived in Kentucky, one Clarence White. Susie sold the guitar to Marty the first B-Bender I think around 1980 not too long before her own death in another freak car accident. Clarence lost his life in 73' to a drunk woman in a parking lot of the club he had just finished a gig in and Susie and her son died with Susie and Clarence's daughter Michelle in the vehicle along with Michelle's friend when she went off the road into a ditch and trying to escape the ditch gave it too much gas and the car went across the road in reverse into some sort of drilling machinery. My mother lamented her until she passed October of 2023. I was born fifteen months after Clarence passed, but grew up on stories of Susie and Clarence. Being a singer I would have relished the opportunity to have sang for Mr. White and being older now my son who's 13 shows incredible promise on the guitar. I bought him a strat but he wants a telecaster. I enjoyed your video and applaud you for telling an interesting and inciteful story. The music and the people who made it live on through these stories and it's great that you took the time to share one of Clarence. God Bless and Thanks for reading.

I have a 2011fender b bender. Perfect in all respects

Great story, thanks!

Loved it !

Great story, thanks Zac👍 Out of curiosity I'd really like to know what the weight difference was between the two teles. Someone I knew that played Stuart's tele told me it was 16 pounds.

Hey zac, great show! What your thoughts on rock string benders? Jimmy page is kinda different! Always wondered how they got that sound.

LPB-1! My must have for the Twin Reverb in the late 70’s. MXR 6 band EQ and a Maestro Echo-Plex. Very noisy!

This was rich - I learned a ton!

It looks like Bob and his dad built the bender so that it could work on multiple strings (or maybe only one string at a time, but not necessarily the B). Is that so? Did they ever use it to bend something besides the B?

This is off subject but I really enjoyed Nashville’s Big Night.

Interesting that he used such a light gauge G string; I think Clarence might have done the same. Did he give you any indication why?

good stuff

The IBEW sticker makes it!

My cousin is married to Bob. He is a retired attorney.

@askzac is the Texas Country Reporter for guitar.

This ought to be cool 👌

So what is the story of the I.B.E.W. sticker?

Yep….❤️👍🏻🎶

IBEW bug 👊👊⚡️⚡️

I need to go back to Truefire. I came across a bunch of books with accompanying audio tracks so I've been using that stuff lately. 100 Progressive Blues riffs, 100 Progressive Blues Solos and stuff like that. They're actually pretty decent books by Learn to play music Com dot.