How much of a difference is there in tone between a hardtail and non HT strat?

[RoboCop00]

I'm going to buy my first Strat- an American series. I plan to play blues and classic rock stuff (SRV, Clapton, Etc) and was wondering if having a hardtail or non hardtail bridge effects the tone at all.

 

I really don't picture myself using the whammy bar at all but can see how it would be good to have. I having a hard tail as opposed to a whammy bar bridge really effects the tone, I might be persuaded to change (right now I'm leaning towards the whammy bar standard bridge)

 

Any thoughts?

[Steve Matthews]

I can't fully answer your question due to my limited experience between the two, but I'll toss you this cookie.

I was reading about trem springs in one of my tech books, and the author pointed out that the springs inside a strat contribute tone to the guitar like an internal reverb chamber. It makes sense.

He recommended two springs for gauges 8's and 9's and four springs for 10's and above.

But there was something in there about having your springs up to snuff (like not stretched out) to help with the tone.

[Europa760]

it looks pretty cool when you leave the cover off.

thats a plus.

[maxnew40]

Most people including Clapton himself think that there is a real audible difference. Clapton doesn't use the trem but specifies his strats to have the trem blocked.

Max

[fishfartz]

there is a difference


it may not be huge if you have not been playing long but if you have played strats for years, and have played both its easy enough to tell.


the reason i say that is i started playing guitar back in 86, and after my first strat copy - i got deep into strats. im a strat guy and have owned my share of them, from metal-superstrats, MIA, MIJ, MIM, etc. -

the thing is, my first experience with the fender tremelo units was bad - so i started blocking my trem and have done so for about 16 years! what i would do is screw the tremelo down flush with the body, take off the trem arm, and install extra springs in the back essentially making it a hardtail guitar

i got used to my strats like that and kept all of them that way all those years. then about a year ago i decided to see if i could set up the 2-point trem on my strat to use for some surf/wobble type stuff and keep it in tune.

so i took my time and set it up, and did all the little tricks to make it work better. it works like a charm!


as far as the tonal nuances you asked about - it is something i noticed after raising the trem to float and setting it up. i didnt immediately notice it, but did after a few days of playing. i was so used to my guitars having the trem blocked that i didnt know i was missing anything. the truth is, with them setup to float there is a sort of chambered resonance to the tone that is just not there if you have the trem blocked or screwed flush with the body. and it is a part of the classic strat sound



what makes my trems work, is to use light machine oil on the saddles and nut, and chapstick on the pivot point of the screws (the screws the trem pivos on during use) and under the string trees. the chapstick works great - i got that tip from fender website

i cant do floyd rose type crazy divebombs, but as far as nice warbles/wobbles, and even some decent dips it works great and returns to pitch every time, i just keep the saddles/nut oiled with each string change - and i put chapstick under the string trees and on the pivot screws of the trem every 3-4 months. also - i stretch the strings for 2-3 full days before using the trem - and it works great



sorry that was so long - but it made me think. the sound is subtle - but its there. i never noticed it when playing other strats through the years, but usually i was playing my own that were blocked - unless i was shopping. but if you put 2 side by side and play them in a quiet room listening, its easy to hear the subtle chambered/spring resonance