I just got a 30% off deal on a PRS SE McCarty 594 in faded blue for the black friday. I can’t wait to receive it. 
On a side note, some reviewers said that its scale lenght (24.594") helped for bending. It was not the main reason why I bought it, but it’s nice.
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Enjoy your new guitar. Early Christmas present to yourself? I’m attracted to the idea of short scale guitars for their string bending capability too.
It is an amazing instrument overall. I am as impressed now as I was the first day I got it. Bending is definitely easier than on Strat. 
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Thanks,
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Apologies if already covered but as a general rule would a bend ‘always’ sound good if bending up to another note in the same scale
So eg in A minor:
e string 3, 8 or 10
b string 3, 8 or 13
G string: 6, 7 or 12
They all have another note in the same scale 2 frets up so would be bending to that note
Depends somewhat on the underlying chord - whether actual or implied; and the general context of the progression.
You will hit another scale note with nearly all these bends; some will sound great, some OK, others a bit off.
The ‘6’ on G, is not a note of the A minor pentatonic, nor is the tone bend from there. This is a Major 3rd - C - to b5 - Eb- bend - not sure I’d ever really use that one.
Certainly a semitone bend from 7 - 8 though.
I’d put on a simple 145 progression or similar and try them out.
Cheers, Shane
Sorry that’s right about the G, my typo it should have been 5, 7 or 12
Ah okay so there is no set ‘rule’ that if the note being bent to is in the scale then it works. On that G for example bending from the 5 to the 7, or on the B bending from the 3 to the 5. I was maybe thinking too simply that if that note your targetting is also in the same scale then it has to work
Yep. Proably the best bet is let your ears be the judge.
I’m finding the full tone bend really difficult on my acoustic guitar, even after changing out to custom light strings. I can only manage a half tone bend right now, and am always flat when trying for the full tone bend. Any tips? Or do I just need to keep chipping away and build hand strength?
Full tone bends on an acoustic are all technique not hand strength. Are you using your whole hand or just your finger.
Try using the next finger behind it as well, if you’re not doing so…
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So, I suppose “Custom light” means 11’s? I would suggest changing to 10’s, if you’re going to be bending on an acoustic. Furthermore, I would look for a string set that has a “plain” (unwound) G string, which is much easier to bend then a normal G string. I use Ernie Ball Earthwood Rock and Blues for just this reason.
100% agree. I will add, though, that when I learned string bending, the more I practiced, the higher I could bend. Even after I had gotten the technique down. I don’t know if this was due to 1) micro improvements to technique that I didn’t even realize, 2) improved hand strength or 3) just “getting used” to bending and therefore becoming more efficient, somehow.
This is just to say that, even if your technique is good, it may take a bit of reps to get those big bends up to pitch.
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Hi. Struggling to bend. Just starting electric guitar and had a luthier get my old Ibanez Blazer (1981 in good condition. The action is super low and the top E doesn’t want to move more than a half tone.
Couple things.
What’s the scale length on your Ibanez? My understanding is that a shorter scale length results in a bit less string tension. So a shorter Gibson scale length will have a lower string tension than a longer Strat scale length all else being equal.
What gauge strings do you use? My understanding there is that lighter strings are easier to bend than heavier ones.
Those things being kept in mind, string bending takes quite a bit of hand strength. Deeper bends, heavier strings, and longer scale lengths mean more hand strength is needed. I definitely feel the workout when I’ve been working on bends for a bit.
Also, it seems to me that the high E string is not as easy to bend as the B string. I suspect that’s more to do with its position on the fretboard and where it’s easier to exert more grip force than it is with any of the above factors.
Bending is something that I’ve been working on bit by bit for quite awhile. It’s not one of those things where I’ve noticed especially sudden improvements from my own ability to just “get it”. Getting my guitar setup dialed made a big difference, but any gains beyond that have been slow. So I need to make sure I don’t bite off too much and get frustrated.
I wish people would quit saying this.
String bending is 90% technique and 10% hand strength. Fret board radius has more to do with difficulty than hand strength. A fender with a 9in radius is harder to bend than a 12 or 16. 16 being the easiest.
Watch Justin’s videos and follow his instructions and you’ll be bending strings in less than a week of practice.
I have no problem bending a full tone on an acoustic with 12s on it.
Anyone having problems doing full tone bends on an electric guitar with 10s needs to take a good look at their technique.
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Thanks guys. I guess I was expecting it to be easier. I’ll se what happens after a couple of weeks practice.
That’s interesting - do you mean the effort needed? I’ve never noticed that. I’ve got 2 guitars with 7.25 radius, one 9.5, one 10 and one 12. The 7.25s have a bigger risk of chocking out though.
you DO have to press harder on the strings that you’re probably accustomed to using to fret notes. especially when you’ve been working hard on the “only use as much pressure as is minimally necessary”.
press that lightly on the strings and they’ll lift up as you increase the tension on them. do you have to death grip? of course not. but needing to use more pressure, when you’re practicing, repeating the motion, you will feel it.
Plus one for technique. Sort the technique out first and the other factors won’t seem as big.
Take your time. It takes time and practice just like everything else.