Bending & the thumb

Personally I grip the neck like a bat yes, but (like so much to do with the guitar) it all comes down to what works for you, and what is best for the situation you are in.

I find that if I am going to be ending on a bend note then going into a chord (barre chord especially) then having the neck gripped like a bat can cause slower transition of all fingers.

On the other hand, if you're playing an extended solo, grip that neck like there's no tomorrow and bend away! :)

Pete

I never really paid much attention to my thumb. Then I started doing exercises to start my learning how to solo, now I'm regularly venturing into the higher frets. Now my thumb is regularly in the way. Still trying to figure out what to do with it. :D Keeping it behind the neck, it's real hard to stretch to the 22nd fret, if I let go of the neck completely with it, I lose my "anchor", and it just seems wrong.

'Proper' technique comes from playing fretboard notes... if you're playing something not available on the fretboard (like a bent note), it doesn't really apply.

My thumb moves higher when I'm bending notes.

Sometimes i'll anchor mine on the back and sometimes depending where i'm at on the fretboard i'll just reach around and grip it like a baseball bat.

The only time when I have thumb problems is when I am trying to barre three or more strings with my ring-finger and/or pinky because my thumb is usually parallel to the neck (which is far away from the ring-finger and pinky) creating little resistance to push against with said fingers.

So I just have to remember to bring my thumb up and in when barre-ing with pinky & ring-finger.

Hmmm okay. I'll just keep bending away without paying attention to it then. :)