hot rod 52 tele too stiff?

[rich2k4]

anyone have experience with the fender hot rod 52 tele being too stiff?

it's definitely a lot more stiff then my strats. my strats and tele all have 10 guage strings. but it's a little more work to bend on the tele.

i did get the guitar professionally setup, but it didn't really help with the stiffness.

do you guys think it would be best to move to hybrid strings on the tele? with 10 guage for the EAD strings and 9's for the GBE?

[Griz]

The scale length should be the same, so the same gauge of strings should have about the same amount of tension, as long as your Tele isn't tuned higher than the Strats.

When you had the setup done, did the nut receive any attention? Nut slots that aren't deep enough can make a guitar feel stiff to play.

Best of luck.

:AOK

[XKnight]

I find my AVRI 52 to be stiffer than any Strats that I've played.

[GregoryL]

I find strats are inherently less 'stiff' due to the trem and espescially if yours is set to float. The trem provides a little 'give' when bending.

As primarily a tele player, when I go to my strats, I initially find they feel a little sloppy ... like I'm not able to judge the bends by feel as accurately.

You could drop a gauge, but I'd recommend just playing your tele exclusively for a week or so - you'll adapt.

[SGNick]

could also have something to do with non-vibrating string length, if it's a string thorough, might make a minor difference.

[gkoelling]

The trem vs hard tail theory has a lot to do with it.

Are you using the same brand/model strings on both guitars?

[rich2k4]

yep, d'addarios.

[Marshall Man]

could it be the fretboard radius? I have a brand-new 52 AVRI as well and notice the same thing.

[rich2k4]

i don't know, the hot rod 52 reissue has a 9.5 radius, same as my american deluxe strat.

[CitizenCain]

Do the bridge saddles sit up a little high? Mine did on my custom build. I did a small forward shim to the neck and it allowed me to drop the saddles to a normal height and the guitar become much more friendly to play.

[rollyfoster]

yargh. it'll be stiffer if your strat tremolo is set up to float.

[Polynitro]

I've heard that top load Teles are easier to bend on than string through...Maybe because it's string through?

[olectric]

i have an AVRI '52 tele with .010s on it as well. it's harder to bend strings than on my strat. like others have said above, this has to do with the fixed bridge on the tele vs. the vintage trem on the strat. if you'll just stick it out with that guitar, it will be well worth it. those are GREAT teles. i find .010s on a tele to be the perfect compromise between having some twang and being able to really dig in. you just need to build a little more strength in that left hand. play nothing but the tele when you practice; you'll be used to it in no time.

tell ya what--my duesenberg is the hardest guitar to bend strings on i've ever played. it's a 25.5" scale with a bigsby and a pretty long headstock. the strings are longer (from the end of the bridge to the tuning pegs) than on any other guitar i've owned, and the bigsby-ish trem doesn't give a single bit. i decided to just practice on that guitar until i built up the strength to bend with ease on it. if i don't play it for a while, it still takes me a second to get used to it, but it's fine now.

[playon]

Check out the string angle as breaking over the bridge saddles, the guitar will feel looser or tighter depending on how acute the angle is. Some Teles end up with the saddles farther away from the string-thru holes and they usually feel easier to play.

[Gas-man]

Do your strats have the same heavy poly fretboard coating?

I'm convinced this is what makes bending such a chore on these guitars and what makes them feel tight.

[Polynitro]

Do your strats have the same heavy poly fretboard coating?


What? I didn't know the HotRods have a heavy poly fretboard coating...I know the 52ri doesn't.

[buddastrat]

I find strats are inherently less 'stiff' due to the trem and espescially if yours is set to float. The trem provides a little 'give' when bending.

As primarily a tele player, when I go to my strats, I initially find they feel a little sloppy ... like I'm not able to judge the bends by feel as accurately.

You could drop a gauge, but I'd recommend just playing your tele exclusively for a week or so - you'll adapt.


I don't find that. A trem will give but you have to bend it further to get to pitch. I can hardtail that same strat and the strings will feel the same to me. Lots and lots of teles play very slinky compared to strats and vice versa. I just got rid of a strat that played very stiff or tight. Same strings, tuning etc.. The trem set flush or floating, certainly didn't help give any slinkiness back.

Every guitar is different animal, a lot has to do with neck angle, bridge, string angles, fretboard finish, neck wood cut, headstock angle thickness, etc.. little stuff that all adds up to it's personality.

[Gas-man]

What? I didn't know the HotRods have a heavy poly fretboard coating...I know the 52ri doesn't.

52RI have a lot of lacquer on the fretboard.

[Polynitro]

52RI have a lot of lacquer on the fretboard.

Mine doesn't...My question was if the HotRods have poly though. I thought they were nitro like the 52RI. I have a CIJ with a poly neck and it doesn't feel much different then the 52ri and it certinly isn't harder to bend on. The only difference is that my 52ri has significant fretboard wear after 1 year and the CIJ will probably never wear.

[Gas-man]

Mine doesn't...My question was if the HotRods have poly though. I thought they were nitro like the 52RI. I have a CIJ with a poly neck and it doesn't feel much different then the 52ri and it certinly isn't harder to bend on. The only difference is that my 52ri has significant fretboard wear after 1 year and the CIJ will probably never wear.


The 52 RIs are poly. Unless the new ones have changed (which I doubt).

Someone correct me.

UPDATE:

Perhaps we're both right:

The top coat on the US Vintage series guitars is nitro. The colour and undercoats are poly. Only the Custom Shop stuff ( and not all of it) is nitro-finished. Fender can shoot a coat of nitro on top and still claim it is nitro-finished.