Can you put a tremolo on a hardtail Strat?

There are two main methods to convert a Stratocaster with a floating tremolo bridge to a hardtail Stratocaster. One involves “blocking” the bridge by wedging a wood block between the trem system and the body of the guitar.

Do Hardtail Strats sound better?

“People should try the Hardtail – the Hardtail is actually a more appealing guitar to me [than a vibrato-equipped Strat]. those guitars ring so true. Even when they’re not plugged in, they are still more resonant. They’re louder in an acoustic setting because the strings are running straight through the body.

Does Fender still make hardtail Stratocasters?

Fender Mod Shop Inca Silver First, the biggest news: You can now order your Strat with a hardtail bridge. Players can finally get their hands on a hardtail Stratocaster! Up until now, you had to get either the Robert Cray model or try to get your hands on one of the long-discontinued Billy Corgan signature models.

What is a hardtail Strat?

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The term hard-tail has several meanings: A hardtail guitar bridge for an electric guitar or archtop guitar incorporates hardware that anchors the strings at or behind the bridge and is fastened securely to the top of the instrument.

Does Clapton use tremolo?

Speaking to Vintage Guitar in 2004, Lee Dickson, who has been Clapton’s guitar tech since 1979, said that while the guitarist doesn’t use a tremolo bar, he likes vibrato guitars, noting, “We block the vibrato behind the bridge and tighten up the (vibrato) springs, so it stays pretty solid.”

Should I block my tremolo?

While the design is great and they can be set up to play in tune, often that maintenance falls by the wayside and the tuning becomes unreliable. And if you never use the tremolo, blocking it off can get you some great results. You’ll get much better tuning stability and, when it’s done properly, greater sustain too!

What does it mean to hardtail a guitar?

“Hardtail” refers to a guitar that doesn’t have a vibrato tailpiece. There are many designs, with the most famous being Ted McCarty’s Stoptail bridge, which he invented while he was president of Gibson during the 1950s.

What is a floating bridge guitar?

A floating bridge has an arched wooden or metal base held in position on the instrument top only by the downward pressure of the strings. If the bridge is moved even slightly while re-stringing, the intonation will no longer be true (some Gretsch instruments feature “pinned” bridges that eliminate this possibility).

What does a tremolo block do?

The tremolo block is a solid block of steel that attaches to the back (bottom) of a Strat-style tremolo bridge inside the guitar body. The strings pass through the tremolo block; the block also serves as the anchor point for the tremolo springs (which attach on the other end to a claw screwed into the body.

Why is it called a hardtail?

Hardtail motorcycles feature old-school rigid frames that have no rear suspension. Most motorcycles through the first half of the 20th century were hardtail motorcycles. The lack of suspension made hardtails impractical for long-distance riding.

What makes a Strat sound like a Strat?

Single-Coil Pickups A key ingredient to the Stratocaster’s iconic sound is due to their pickups. This pickup combination has long been a staple on the classic Stratocaster design, although the Strat can house humbuckers pickups. A Strat with single-coil pickups is the traditional design we all know.

What’s the difference between a tremolo and a Stratocaster?

(Leo Fender named called it a “tremolo” system, though it is accurately called a “vibrato” by others, since it changes the pitch and not the amplitude of the played notes.) Unlike other vibrato systems that just move the tailpiece, the Stratocaster’s system moves the bridge and tailpiece together.

What do you need to know about the Stratocaster?

Like any instrument, the Stratocaster will play its best with regular maintenance. And those innovations unique to the Strat—like its synchronized tremolo system—will, in turn, require unique attention.

What kind of nut do you use on a Stratocaster?

A common upgrade to make is to the nut. Most Strats come with a plastic nut, and while that is not inherently a bad thing, many players prefer a bone nut (or graphite or brass, depending on playing styles). Erlewine notes that Eric Johnson prefered the old-stock plastic Fender nuts over bone.

Can a Stratocaster be repaired with too much tension?

Chelsea Clark does emphasize that you should always detune your Strat when making truss rod adjustments, then retune and check, as adding too much neck tension in addition to existing string tension can damage the neck. Of course, with a proper, seasonal setup from your local repair shop, you won’t have to worry about hurting your instrument.