Bending strings on acoustic guitar

Tony Palmer · From: St Augustine,FL

I canâ€™t do it on my Martin steel string.
What brand/type of acoustic guitar and/or strings does this work best?
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Sierra S10 (three!), Peavey 112 and 115, Benoit dobro, Beard Model E dobro, Beard Roadophonic, MSA Superslide, Dean Nickless custom dobro

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

Tony Palmer · From: St Augustine,FL

I also play a Tele and bend strings like crazy no problem at all. Iâ€™ve tried Martin extra light gauge strings but itâ€™s not even close. I must be doing something wrong?
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Sierra S10 (three!), Peavey 112 and 115, Benoit dobro, Beard Model E dobro, Beard Roadophonic, MSA Superslide, Dean Nickless custom dobro

Brett Lanier · From: Madison, TN

You'll have a hard time bending a wound third up a whole step if that's what you're going for. Second string is much more realistic.

Fred Treece · From: California, USA

Get mad at it.

Ken Pippus · From: Langford, BC, Canada

Yup. One more instance where brute strength and ignorance beats technique.

Larry Carlson · From: My Computer

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

Very true, Tony! Also, acoustic guitars sustain rather poorly on notes, so even if you do get the full-tone bend, it doesn't sound nearly as effective as it does on an electric guitar.

Dave Mudgett · From: Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee

Through most of the 90s, I played in both a blues band and a bluegrass/acoustic-country band. For both bands, my primary instrument was a big ole' Martin Dreadnought - typically a D-35 or D-28, or a Gibson Jumbo - typically a J-50, with big, fat, manly wires - typically 13p through 56/58w bronze or phosphor bronze.

The bluegrass/country band was pretty typical instrumentation. In the blues band, the lead instruments were two amplified acoustic guitars (both flat top and National steel) and amplified harp, and we had a full bass/drum-kit rhythm section - it was an acoustic guitar sound but we played all kinds of blues from Delta to Chicago to West Coast jump. In other words, the blues repertoire had a lot of pretty normal electric blues, but played on acoustic guitars.

Not being able to bend strings, especially in the blues band, was not an option. But I've always bent strings some even in the bluegrass/country context. Our strings, not tuned down at all ever, woulda' made SRV blush. I had to really work to get to the point where it was comfortable. I think I started with a 12-54 set and worked my way up. I know when I would show up at a blues jam with my D-28 with mediums, most players would gasp if they tried to play my guitar.

There are also a few tricks to getting this to work. First, the strings need to be high enough off the fret board to be able to dig in enough to move the string over. Second, it's way better to have fairly tall frets. If you want to deal with "vintage style" low frets or frets that have been dressed down real far or pitted heavily, the action has to be uncomfortably high above the fret crown to be able to dig in. The only way I know of to get a reasonable action over the frets and also have enough height above the fret board to dig in is to have reasonably tall and well-dressed frets.

There are also differences in string tension between differents brands and string types. On the wound strings, one of the key variables is the ratio of core to total string gauge. The core is the plain string around which the windings are applied. Other things equal for a given overall string gauge, heavier core => more string tension at a given pitch.

Back 20-30 years ago or more, the only way I ever could glean info about core-to-overall-gauge ratio for most strings was to get a set, save the leftover pieces of string after stringing the guitar up, and then unwind a few winds and measure the core with a micrometer. I did this for a bunch of brands, and I found generally that SIT strings had thinner cores than, let's say, comparable D'Addarios, and probably was my reason for preferring them back then. Now GHS also has thin and thick core strings, as does Martin (they call it Flexible Core):

GHS Thin Core Bronze: https://www.juststrings.com/ghsacousticguitarthincorebronze.html

Martin Flexible Core Phos Bronze: https://www.juststrings.com/cfmartinacousticguitarphosphorauthenticacoustic.html (they're at bottom of page)

There are undoubtedly others out there if you look. But personally, the main issue for me is having a good, tall fret height and just high enough action over the fret to be able to dig in. And then, plenty of playing time to toughen up the left hand and fingers. And you'll have to get used to figuring out just how hard you can push the 3rd and 4th wounds before breaking them - they are at a pretty high tension. But they will go up a whole tone if the guitar is set up for it.

That has all stuck with me. I am rarely caught with even a Telecaster with strings less than 11-48/50 and many of my electrics have either 12-52 or 13-56 on them. OK, if I'm trying to do some real spanky Tele stuff, I have a Tele or two set up with 10-46. Never, ever anything less than that. I picked up a cheap Squier Mustang a couple of weeks ago that is like my old '65 white Mustang that I grew up with. It came with 9-42 on it, on a short 24" scale to boot, and I literally bent the 3rd string off the fret board. Didn't take me long to break it and restring it with a 12-50 set.

Fred Treece · From: California, USA

Jeez Dave...I think I got carpal tunnel syndrome just reading your post.
Seriously, I think I would need an anger management course after trying to do bends on a guitar strung up with 13â€™s. I hope the tone was worth it ðŸ¤

Dave Mudgett · From: Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee

My old '52 Gibson J-50 string with D'Addario medium phosphor bronze (13-56) strings was the best sounding acoustic guitar I have ever played. A true fire-breathing D-28 killer. Yes, the tone was worth it. Only guitar I have ever dropped hard - it dropped 3 feet in its original but crappy brown hard case. It shattered the unbelievably dried out and light Honduran mahogany back and sides, which with its dried out spruce top were, I believe, the secrets to its great sound.

Again - the key to not getting carpal tunnel syndrome or tendonitis (more of a concern for me) was having well-dressed tall frets and a very careful, perfect all-over setup (especially the nut) by the best luthier I know. And it had the perfect chunky-but-not-too-chunky 50s Gibson neck profile. That guitar played great. I got it fixed, but got upset every time I looked at it, so I sold it to a friend who still has it. I replaced it with a very similar '59, which I still have.

Fred Treece · From: California, USA

ðŸ‘ðŸ‘

George Biner · From: Los Angeles, CA

I've played a ton of lead acoustic guitar at shows -- I have to be able to bend strings -- I use strings with an 11 on top: 10's can be bent easily, but when you are strumming the guitar, there's no balls to the sound and it sounds like a toy guitar - not satisfying. Meanwhile, 12's sound great but are too heavy to bend. Try 11's, which are a great compromise.

Also, I really like Elixer strings -- they sound great, they last a long time, they don't break and the G/3rd string sounds like all the rest, not differently twangy like other sets. That overly twangy 3rd string that I've always hated is now gone.

Tall frets were mentioned -- those are great until you try to put a capo on the guitar -- I avoid them for that reason.
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Guacamole Mafia - acoustic harmony duo
Electrical engineer / amp tech in West Los Angeles -- I fix Peaveys
"Now there is a snappy sounding instrument. That f****r really sings." - Jerry Garcia

Godfrey Arthur · From: 3rd Rock

My take is that an acoustic, the body bends when trying to bend strings vs a solid body so it's not that easy. If you want to play chords on an acoustic but still bend strings you may not get one gauge that does both. May have to choose what you plan to do most and set it up for mainly that.

Reason having a second acoustic on a stand works for those who need to do special work.

Alex Lifeson not in a "rush."

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ShoBud The Pro 1
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Ezekiel 33:7

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

Ronald Ballister · From: New York, New York, USA

I doubt that you'd want to go this route but several years ago I had Gene Parsons install his acoustic B Bender on my Santa Cruz acoustic. Was expensive. I know there are some other manufacturers who also do this now.

Joachim Kettner · From: Germany

Dave Plenn bends the strings like mad on this Jerry Riopelle (RIP) song, it starts at 2:43
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZGJj0zeNBQ&list=RD5ZGJj0zeNBQ&start_radio=1&t=171
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Fender Kingman, Sierra Crown D-10, Evans Amplifier, Soup Cube.

Michael Mirabal · From: California, USA

What I have seen a lot of acoustic guitarists do that are playing their guitars in a lead fashion is to drop the tuning down. When John McLaughlin did his acoustic album "My Goals Beyond", he dropped his guitar a whole step (D-G-C-F-A-D)and he does a lot of string bending that way. It makes it a lot easier, but only when you are playing solo, so you don't have to transpose everything.
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2 - Sho-Bud Crossovers, Pro II D10, 65 Guild CE100D, 70 Tele, 65 Jazz Bass, Gibson 335, Gibson Midtown, Gibson LP Jr., Gibson SG Custom Shop with Explorer neck, 2 - Jackson Pro SL2M, 4 - Strats another Tele and some acoustics