DF Fulcrum and sustain

[Muleya]

I've noticed that when I'm playing my Legacy up high on the neck and use the tremolo it's like an instant sustain killer. It's especially bad if I'm bending the string...the note just dies. And it doesn't seem to matter how aggressively or mildly I use the tremolo bar...even happens for fairly moderate vibrato effects.

I've tried to adjust my fingering, to see if that makes a difference, and it doesn't seem to make a significant difference...perhaps just a bit, but not much.

This is true of both of my Legacies, so I'm just wondering if this is normal? I don't recall having this problem with other tremolo equipped guitars I've owned (import models from both PRS and Fender ), though I don't have any other tremolo equipped guitars to compare it to right now. If this is not normal, is it my technique? Or is there a set up issue? Or both? Any suggestions?

[sirmyghin]

How high is the neck pickup? I would start by lowering that. If it chokes out using the bar to rais pitch, it could be through lowering the string too close to the pickup. The bending might be an action issue also depending on fretboard radius and bridge setup. I don't have any of these issues with my OFR, 14" radius though.

[Boogie Bill]

Not usually a problem for me with my Legacy-bodied guitars.

I would suggest getting a radius gauge, and check the radius of the saddles. They should have a radius to match the radius of the fingerboard. On most Legacys that is a 12" radius.

Best I can do without seeing the guitar. Good Luck!

Bill

[Muleya]

Thanks. A little more experimenting last night showed it's mostly an issue for the high strings, so it could be a radius issue. I might be able to solve it by raising the saddles of the affected strings just a hair...I'll try it this weekend.