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Post subject: Bending G string causes E to go flat.
Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2015 6:49 am
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Hi all. Newbie to the forum.

I have a 4 month old American Standard/Rosewood.

When I bend the G 7th fret up a whole note, the E 5th fret goes flat.
As I release the bend, the E 5th sharpens to pitch.
This is just one example. The issue occurs all over to varying degrees.

I've never experienced this before on any guitar so I'm at a loss to explain.

Hints? Suggestions? Incantations?
Need more info?


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Post subject: Re: Bending G string causes E to go flat.
Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2015 7:06 am
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I'm assuming you have the trem set up to float? If so, that is somewhat the nature of a floating trem because your string bends are also moving the bridge. Try adding springs to keep the trem from moving quite so much when you bend.

There are also devices like the old tremsetters used on some Strat Plus/Strat Plus Deluxe/Strat Ultra guitars (when the Strat Plus Deluxe and Strat Ultra went to the "mini-Floyd" bridge they removed the tremsetter) or the Tremol-no locking device.


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Post subject: Re: Bending G string causes E to go flat.
Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2015 7:49 am
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It's the nature of the beast.
As John C says, it's caused by the tremolo. There's insufficient spring tension to stop it moving when you bend. Do you use it at all?
If not then add springs, increase spring tension, and possibly block it off.

I like my Strat bridge floating, so welcome to my world :)
If I want to bend up on the G and sound a higher note on the B or E strings I've learned to bend more than just the G to get the other string to play in tune.


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Post subject: Re: Bending G string causes E to go flat.
Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2015 9:34 am
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stratmangler wrote:
It's the nature of the beast.
As John C says, it's caused by the tremolo. There's insufficient spring tension to stop it moving when you bend. Do you use it at all?
If not then add springs, increase spring tension, and possibly block it off.

I like my Strat bridge floating, so welcome to my world :)
If I want to bend up on the G and sound a higher note on the B or E strings I've learned to bend more than just the G to get the other string to play in tune.



+1
I keep one of my Strats with floating bridge which is good for tremolo action but you have to learn to adjust the double bendings if you want them perfectly intonate.
The other Strat is with the trem decked,5 springs on the trem claw, so that a two tone bending does not affect other strings pitch.


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Post subject: Re: Bending G string causes E to go flat.
Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2015 4:25 am
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that "floating bridge" setup,, Eeeesh,, NOT for me...

I just tighten up the springs until the bridge is resting on the body.

that will solve the problem in the original post.


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Post subject: Re: Bending G string causes E to go flat.
Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2015 6:47 am
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Thanks guys.
My trusty 8+ yr old MIM does not exhibit this behavior, and its bridge is floating.

Also, I don't use the tremolo a lot, but when I do, the MIM has always stayed in tune.
Perhaps it has stiffer springs or more of them?
I'll have to check for differences this weekend.


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Post subject: Re: Bending G string causes E to go flat.
Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2015 10:10 am
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SpacemanSpiff wrote:
Thanks guys.
My trusty 8+ yr old MIM does not exhibit this behavior, and its bridge is floating.

Also, I don't use the tremolo a lot, but when I do, the MIM has always stayed in tune.
Perhaps it has stiffer springs or more of them?
I'll have to check for differences this weekend.


It could be stiffer springs, but there is also a difference in the two is the trem unit. I'm assuming your MIM has a vintage-style 6-screw trem, and the American Standard of course has the 2-post trem. The 2-post reacts differently than the 6-screw does, even when both are stet up to float.


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