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Post subject: Bending on a Tele vs. a Strat
Posted: Sat Mar 06, 2010 10:34 pm
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I just had a new neck installed on my only Tele and had the whole thing set up. 'Wolf' here at Berklee is known for his amazing set ups and I have to say it feels like a totally different instrument.

I noticed that bending on the Tele is definitely not as easy as it is on my Strat. Is this just typically accepted since the Tele has the hard tail? Is there any way to adjust that?


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Posted: Sat Mar 06, 2010 11:06 pm
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I would bet the difference is due to the radius of the necks and the type of frets. Tele's tend to have more necks that are smaller radius's than Strats. ie 9.5" or less and don't always have the taller frets like med jumbo to get under the string. A 12" radius neck with med jumbo is better suited for most people than a 9.5 with vintage frets. My Strats have been hardtails or I've blocked the Trem so I don't think that is the issue. What are the Spec's on your new neck and what's your string height.


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Posted: Sat Mar 06, 2010 11:08 pm
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It's a 62 RI Tele neck. Action is pretty low.


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Posted: Sat Mar 06, 2010 11:17 pm
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I'm not positive but it may be a 7.25" radius and have the smaller fretwire. I'd hate to say raise the action but they may be the only option. I'd recommend just working at it. Sometimes It's like a new girlfriend you got to find the sweet spot all over :wink:


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Posted: Sat Mar 06, 2010 11:25 pm
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you could always get smaller strings if you dont want to mess with the action and truss rod.


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Posted: Sun Mar 07, 2010 4:28 pm
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I use the same gauge strings 8-38 on my Tele and Strats and the Strats are definitely easier to do bends on,I've always attributed it to the difference in neck radius.

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Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2010 10:46 am
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I would advise you to bring the action up a bit and that will make the bending easier. I never had any problems bendin on Teles and country guys do so many pedal steel licks with there index finger without support. But when I changed the pups in my 62 reissue many years ago to Dimarzios and brought the action down way low to make it faster bending became a problem.


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Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2010 12:19 pm
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bluewaterpig wrote:
It's a 62 RI Tele neck.


7.25" radius.

I'm guessing the difference is your Strat bridge isn't blocked. You probably only have two or three springs installed also.

When you bend a string on your Strat, the bridge leans forward and the other five strings go flat. Try this: Pick a string and let it ring. Now bend another string but don't play it - just bend one while listening to the other one sustain. Hear how the string you plucked goes flat as you bend another string?

With a hardtail bridge, you don't get this "help" from the bridge, so bending a string takes a little more of a "push" to get the same change in pitch.

This is why Teles are better for bends like this:

E---------12------------------------
B---------12------------------------
G---------11 (bend to 13)---------
D------------------------------------
A------------------------------------
E------------------------------------

The E and B strings hold their pitch while you bend the G string. On a Strat with a floating bridge, the E and B will go flat and make the chord sound out of tune.


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Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2010 12:21 pm
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Thanks, but it's a Tele. I said that in my first post.


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Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2010 2:20 pm
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I understand that. I was trying to explain why bending might be easier on your Strat. I thought that's what you were asking. :D


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Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2010 2:23 pm
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Ah I see. No my strat has 5 springs, 9.5" radius, and it's easy as hell to bend. I'm thinking the Tele is harder because of the neck radius.


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Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2010 8:44 pm
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Interesting thread! I have a 90's american standard tele and a 50th anniversary deluxe deluxe strat. I string them both with 9-46's and I find the tele much easier to bend on than the strat, and I only have 3 springs in the strat. Go figure. My strat is one of my hardest guitar to bend on.

Ed


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Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2010 9:01 pm
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That is strange indeed Ed as I have a 50th Ann. Strat and you can almost bend an octave-OK that's exaggerating a bit but it bends very easily,much easier than my Tele.The string claw must be very close to the end of it's travel for it to be that tight.Try backing off the tension on the string claw but be very careful as you may need to do a few adjustments after on the intonation and saddle height.

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Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2010 5:45 am
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I think maybe your hands are weak?


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Post subject: Bending strings on a tele
Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2010 11:13 am
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Don't know nothing about the physics of it but get an Aerodyne Telecaster and it's as easy as bending on a Les Paul Custom. Compared to the Aerodyne Tele my strat is harder to bend.

That's not all you'll love about this guitar.


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