Quick setup question on a '54 Thin Skin

Hey all, I'll try and give as much info as I can concerning this problem.


I have a '54 Thin Skin Strat, and when I do bends on the high E or B string, it seems to "choke" out the note right as I reach a whole note bend. Between the half note bend and whole note, you can hear it diminishing in volume, almost like you are rolling back on a volume pedal very quickly.

I have my high E set at 4/64th height, and the B slightly above that. It's a fairly new guitar (it was made in the factory May of this year), so I'm hesitant to say its a neck relief issue. Although I'm really not familiar with the measuring of relief. Is that something that could cause this issue? Neck being too straight?

I did some googling and did the finger on first fret - finger on last fret and checking the gap around the 12th fret. It's not a big gap by any means, could maybe slide a business card under the string. Should I have more than that?

Also, the neck has the adjustment for the rod at the base of the neck right near the bridge pickup. It looks like a large screw. I've never adjusted a neck that way before. Do you turn it right to straighten and left for bow? (with the frets facing up and the headstock pointing away from you)


Thanks for any info!

edit// Also, I am using .10s

The problem is the fretboard radius. On vintage/vintage styled guitars the radius is 7.25, which is fairly rounded. "Modern" radii are flatter, some even completely flat (12) which help with bends. Hope this helps in some way.

The 54 Thin Skins have 9.5 radius. Is that still curved enough to cause an issue like that?