string bends on an electric vs acoustical

[Kathryn L]

Is there a reason for using an electric guitar (besides being amplified) for a tune with a lot of “bends”. I am thinking it just makes a difference what strings are used, but is there another reason? Thanks. Kathy L.

[Vorocnan]

I think string guage and tone are two trade of factors, thicker strings give better tone but are harder to bend, thicker heavier strings usually require higher action as well and makes more difficulty as well plus you usually get that wound g on acoustic which makes it harder to bend. Some acoustic players go to E flat tuning for tone and easier bends.
Shorter scale length makes for easier bends and guitars where the strings are taken to the tail of the guitar instead of the bridge are also supposed to be easier to bend.
There are also strings which bend easier I am told. I find electrics a bit of a pain as they go out of tune on me🤫

[ranja]

You will almost certainly find electric guitars easier to make bends on.
Mostly because lighter gauge strings are used. Lighter strings take less tension to reach pitch.
Ron

[JohnStrat]

Kathryn,

I have both electric and acoustic guitars as probably the large majority of the AM membership. Vorocnan has made the fundamental points about tone and string gauges. I feel they are really almost separate instruments. An Electric guitar has a differing sort of versatility from acoustic. If you are not an electric guitar player why not go and have a try at some local stores or perhaps a friend could let you have some time with their kit.
An Electric guitar is possibly a little easier to play than an acoustic and because it does not need a voluminous body they can be very ergonomic as for example the most famous of them all the Fender Stratocaster. That ease of use puts them in a slightly differing frame for playing and that manifests itself in the music emanating from them. Where there is a lot of string bending and notably hammering etc amplified sound lends credence to it.
I hope that’s some sort of help/ answer for you. The best way is to have a go and start to get the feel for both.
JohnStrat

[David L]

In addition to string gauge making it easier to bend on electric, the ability to sustain a bend on electric is a big difference. Imagine a David Gilmour solo without the sustain.

On Wish you were Here, you can hear semitone bends on the acoustic because of the gauge of the strings and you hear mostly eighth note bends. On Shine on You Crazy Diamond you can hear whole tone bends (and sometimes more) that last half and whole notes.

[Kathryn L]

THank you, Vorocnan, ranja (Ron), John Strat and David L, for your replies. So much good information – like a g string being wound or non-wound, and of course, the gauge of a string.
I guess this is the place to reply to your replies – I hope. There is so much to learn!! And, I’m striving to learn everything. I’ll just fixate on one thing at a time. Right now, I love the sound of EP349, as well as so many other “episodes”. So, bending a string is important. Kathy L

[sunjamr]

Sounds like an NGD (New Guitar Day) is coming! For you, I would recommend a Fender Strat or an Epiphone SG. The SG is slightly lighter, and the neck is slightly shorter, which makes notes easier to bend. Either way, you need a set of .009 strings (they come standard on most Fenders).

Sunjamr Steve

[Canada Moose]

I agree that acoustic and electric guitars are two different instruments, with different styles and techniques and tones and purposes unique to each. Certainly electric is more fluid with ability to really bend those strings.

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