I don't have any use for the trem on my Strat and I have it wound down tight to the body. Although this is fine by me, I just wondered if:
a) could I fit a hardtail bridge to replace the trem bridge (having regard to the huge cutout there?
b) would it make any difference (eg to sustain) at all?
As it is - I have plenty of sustain and within my claw screwed right in there is no discernable movement at all from the trem, hence my tuning is very stable (esp with my locking tuners). So, this is more about idle curiosity than an actual project consideration.
Strat question - hardtailling.
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Rog
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Strat question - hardtailling.
He hit a chord that rocked the spinet and disappeared into the infinite ...
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ash
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I think there are bridges available that 'bridge' the gap left by the trem, but I'm not sure of brand names or such. You can fill the gaps with maple and screw the bridge to the filler blocks, but its still not ideal. Its almost cheaper to buy a new hardtail body than it is to do the surgery. A new hardtail body would offer more sustain (wood variations excepted), a blocked up trem body would be not so diffeent. Either way, not many people could genuinely tell.
http://ashcustomworks.com for custom built electric guitars hand made in new zealand
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philth
Just to throw a thought into the mix here guys.. If you say the sustain is fine, then you probably won't notice much of a difference. I have an old strat that I didn't intend to 'hardtail' but happened by happy accident. Originally the springs in the tremolo cavity were getting worn out, so I took it into the shop to get them replaced.
At the time I didn't have a whammy bar fitted, so the guy must have assumed I didn't ever wat to use one.
Instead of replacing the strings and winding the trem down flush with the body, he simply added two new ones - effectively 'hardtailing' the strat. You wouldn't believe how well this guitar stays in tune, you could drop it down a flight of stairs. I could be kidding myself, but I reckon its had an eerie effect on the tone too, as the vibration of the strings dissipates through the bridge into more springs.
Could be a cheap experiment to try?
Phil.
At the time I didn't have a whammy bar fitted, so the guy must have assumed I didn't ever wat to use one.
Instead of replacing the strings and winding the trem down flush with the body, he simply added two new ones - effectively 'hardtailing' the strat. You wouldn't believe how well this guitar stays in tune, you could drop it down a flight of stairs. I could be kidding myself, but I reckon its had an eerie effect on the tone too, as the vibration of the strings dissipates through the bridge into more springs.
Could be a cheap experiment to try?
Phil.
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amgine
