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Originally Posted by Stackabones
... I also seem to recall that players used to sub out banjo strings for the 3rd string (or maybe the 2nd and 1st as well) so that they could start bending.
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Right; that may have started with Burton. I don't know when string makers became hip to the fact that guitarists were doing that.
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One piece of advice for newbie jazz guitarists is "Don't bend strings." (Silly piece of advice, but it's out there.)
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Yea, the Jazz Police: "No Bending! And absolutely NO pinch harmonics under ANY circumstances! What do you think you are - a LEAD instrument??"
Historically, I think it goes back to jazz guitar's roots as a RHYTHM instrument, and one that had to cut through all the horns and drums surrounding them (like Freddie Green did with Basie): heavy strings = volume. Once they started amplifying and getting a chance to solo once in a blue moon, that sound just sort of stuck around. So, I guess there's a bit of "honoring tradition" to it.
Plus, it's a change, and that's nearly ALWAYS a good thing.
