Are You a String Bender?

[ducktrapper]

How many tones can you bend up or down to without breaking a string?   

[B0WIE]

Good question. I never bend on acoustic. Just doesn't fit what I play.
On electric can get into some deep bends. Especially if the guitar has a Floyd Rose. Breaks seem to depend on the strings. When I used daddario I basically bought an extra couple E strings for every set. With DR or Everly B52 they rarely ever break,even on those step and a half bends.

[ducktrapper]

Good question. I never bend on acoustic. Just doesn't fit what I play.
On electric can get into some deep bends. Especially if the guitar has a Floyd Rose. Breaks seem to depend on the strings. When I used daddario I basically bought an extra couple E strings for every set. With DR or Everly B52 they rarely ever break,even on those step and a half bends.

I can't remember the last time I broke a string but I think was while using a string winder on my electric12 string. I have been playing out with a trio and using my LT-1 a lot. That little beast begs to be bent.

[Silence Dogood]

I do monster bends on acoustic (with medium strings). I play it like it's an electric.  And I never break strings.

[StringPicker6]

Only time I broke a string in many, many years was when someone was teaching me a bunch of songs in different tunings, and after all the tuning changes I finally blew out the e string.  It was annoying yet also a bit exciting!  POW!!! 

[ducktrapper]

I bend acoustic strings too. Either way, I think it is generally the pick angle of attack that causes the breakage and not the bending per se.

[StringPicker6]

Sometimes a bad nut will also contribute, so I've heard.

[ducktrapper]

Sometimes a bad nut will also contribute, so I've heard.

Especially, if the bad nut is holding the pick! 

I had a friend, unfortunately departed, who would purposely break strings and then make changing the string on the fly part of his act. He was really good at it. 

[B0WIE]

My strings only break at the nut or saddle. Which makes sense as those are the sharpest points of pressure. I always make extra sure that my E and B contact points are super smooth as the tiniest imperfections can cause repeated breakage.

[ducktrapper]

My strings only break at the nut or saddle. Which makes sense as those are the sharpest points of pressure. I always make extra sure that my E and B contact points are super smooth as the tiniest imperfections can cause repeated breakage.

Unless they are really old and worn, I doubt they ever break anywhere else. My friend would do a big bend and then come down on the string with the edge of his pick and the string would snap at the saddle, I believe. Could be wrong. He was a bear of a man (his nickname in fact) and could do it at will. Strings were cheap back then, I suppose.

[unclrob]

I bend bass strings,12 string,acoustic and electric guitar string banjo and mando strings now and again.



keep smilin and keep dancin   

[ducktrapper]

I bend bass strings,12 string,acoustic and electric guitar string banjo and mando strings now and again.



keep smilin and keep dancin   

 

[Queequeg]

I bend acoustics but not violently or to extreme. Generally no more that 2 half tones. I don't break strings in the process either, but I don't use picks.
Old blues tunes require some bends and not only on the 1st string.
Bending adds a little spice to the mix.

[ducktrapper]

I bend acoustics but not violently or to extreme. Generally no more that 2 half tones. I don't break strings in the process either, but I don't use picks.
Old blues tunes require some bends and not only on the 1st string.
Bending adds a little spice to the mix.

If you're not bending, you're not trying!   

[Silence Dogood]

I don't see how anyone could play guitar and NOT bend?  Man, it's at the heart of how I play guitar.   That and harmonics, which I admittedly overuse. 

[ducktrapper]

I don't see how anyone could play guitar and NOT bend?  Man, it's at the heart of how I play guitar.   That and harmonics, which I admittedly overuse. 

Although bending and not quite getting the right pitch can be a problem, I couldn't agree more!   

[Riverbend]

It seems to me that it would be a very limited repertoire that didn't call for at least an occasional bending of a string or two once and a while. On the other hand, I haven't been ON a bender in many, many years.     

[B0WIE]

It seems to me that it would be a very limited repertoire that didn't call for at least an occasional bending of a string or two once and a while. On the other hand, I haven't been ON a bender in many, many years.     

I play a wide variety of things from classical to folk to rock and I can't think of a song I've play on acoustic in the last few years that used bends. I'm actually curious what songs people are playing that use all these bends on acoustic. Blues makes complete sense, as do solos.

[Silence Dogood]

I play lots of rock and roll, and that means bends.

[Riverbend]

I play a wide variety of things from classical to folk to rock and I can't think of a song I've play on acoustic in the last few years that used bends. I'm actually curious what songs people are playing that use all these bends on acoustic. Blues makes complete sense, as do solos.

Mind you I said occasional. One that comes immediately to mind is the intro to The Weight. And it is mostly solos, be those acoustic or electric. I haven't played my electrics in about as long as I haven't been on a bender. And as you mentioned, the blues are ripe for the bends.