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  #16  
Old 09-13-2019, 03:20 PM
Dru Edwards Dru Edwards is offline
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I've read that comment many times over the years, for Fender to build more hardtail Strats. I too would fall into that camp. I never put the bar in my Strats.

I don't know if Fender would sell enough hardtails or whether stores would stock up on them. Perhaps an FSR Professional series and a Players series Hardtail would be a good market test.
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  #17  
Old 09-14-2019, 12:14 AM
wrathfuldeity wrathfuldeity is offline
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No association but forgot that have fondled this hardtail...abit too spendy for moi

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  #18  
Old 09-14-2019, 04:59 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dru Edwards View Post
I've read that comment many times over the years, for Fender to build more hardtail Strats. I too would fall into that camp. I never put the bar in my Strats.

I don't know if Fender would sell enough hardtails or whether stores would stock up on them. Perhaps an FSR Professional series and a Players series Hardtail would be a good market test.
Thanks Dru. I'm adding your name to the list of supporters. I think that those who contributed ways of turning a Strat w/trem into a functioning hardtail might be missing the point. If amateur and professional Strat players are using different ways to circumvent factory equipment then maybe, just maybe, the factory itself should be producing more Strat options that don't have built-in trem in the first place...

I recently re-purchased a Robert Cray Strat that I'd previously (and foolishly) sold, and it reminded me that the Strat minus trem is an option that deserves to see more daylight in the marketplace. I like Dru's idea about a few select models to test the market...
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  #19  
Old 09-14-2019, 05:10 PM
Steel and wood Steel and wood is offline
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Out of genuine curiosity, I wonder if someone could explain to me what the difference is and benefits are with a hardtail Stratocaster compared to a Stratocaster without the tremolo (vibrato) arm attached. (Or why you would block the tremolo (vibrato) system). I feel I should know.

Much appreciated.
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  #20  
Old 09-14-2019, 05:38 PM
Dru Edwards Dru Edwards is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Steel and wood View Post
Out of genuine curiosity, I wonder if someone could explain to me what the difference is and benefits are with a hardtail Stratocaster compared to a Stratocaster without the tremolo (vibrato) arm attached. (Or why you would block the tremolo (vibrato) system). I feel I should know.

Much appreciated.
I find it is quicker to tune a non-tremolo guitar (or a blocked tremolo guitar). I also like unison bends better on a non-tremolo. Those are minor items that should not impact a player from buying a tremolo guitar though.

Also, some people say that there is more sustain on a hardtail or a blocked tremolo (can someone here chime in on this).
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  #21  
Old 09-14-2019, 05:43 PM
Gordon Currie Gordon Currie is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Steel and wood View Post
Out of genuine curiosity, I wonder if someone could explain to me what the difference is and benefits are with a hardtail Stratocaster compared to a Stratocaster without the tremolo (vibrato) arm attached.
The number one benefit to me is if you break a string, the hardtail will not go significantly out of tune. If you don't use the t/v arm, then it's just sitting there waiting for the perfect time to ruin your day. With Murphy's Law in force, that's going to be during an important showcase...
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  #22  
Old 09-14-2019, 06:56 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Steel and wood View Post
Out of genuine curiosity, I wonder if someone could explain to me what the difference is and benefits are with a hardtail Stratocaster compared to a Stratocaster without the tremolo (vibrato) arm attached. (Or why you would block the tremolo (vibrato) system). I feel I should know.

Much appreciated.
Most strats with tremolos are set up such that the bridge is floating, balanced between the string tension pulling it in one direction, and the springs in the tremolo cavity pulling in the other. So, if you break a string, the balance is thrown off and the whole thing goes out of tune. Or if you like to change strings by removing all six and replacing them all at once, you lose all string tension and the tremolo is pulled completely back by the springs. Which, if you leave the plastic cover plate over the tremolo cavity on the back, can make getting six new strings in place between difficult and impossible - one reason a whole lot of folks leave the cover plate off.

If you like this state of affairs, great - there are those who believe a floating bridge on a strat allows the strat to maximize the "stratty-ness" of the tone. But it's frankly kind of a pain in the butt, useful to most only if they want to USE the trem, and in both flat and sharp directions. To those who don't want to use the trem, most prefer to stabilize the bridge somehow, either by just cranking down on the springs (and sometimes adding a spring or two) and pulling the bridge all the way down against the body such that the string tension would not begin to make a dent in pulling the bridge off the "deck" - hence the term decking.

Or, you can install a wooden block or a stack of coins or something of the sort between the tremolo block and the wall of the tremolo cavity to essentially "block" the system in place. When I've done this, I usually use coins both behind and in front of the trem block, such that the bridge is in it's floating position, but it's not floating at all - it's held firmly in place. And you really only need the block in the larger space behind the block and then you can use spring tension again to pull in the opposite way, so the bridge is effectively locked in place.

So, if you simply don't use the tremolo arm and let the bridge float, you have an inherently unstable setup that doesn't serve it's intended purpose (to allow you to pull sharp or push flat on the trem bar). Most folks who don't want to use the trem, tend to prefer to stabilize the system one way or another...

Or, you can just get a hardtail and avoid the whole thing...

-Ray
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  #23  
Old 09-14-2019, 08:40 PM
Steel and wood Steel and wood is offline
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Thanks everyone!
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  #24  
Old 09-14-2019, 09:57 PM
revvv revvv is offline
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I don't use the tremelo bar on my strat, but I do use one on my Music Man Axis.

Great to see someone else with an Axis on here. I don't see them often. I also have an OLP copy that is just as good, if not better than the MM. Great guitars for a nice gritty tone with a lot of bite.
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  #25  
Old 09-15-2019, 01:17 AM
Steel and wood Steel and wood is offline
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Originally Posted by revvv View Post
I don't use the tremelo bar on my strat, but I do use one on my Music Man Axis.

Great to see someone else with an Axis on here. I don't see them often. I also have an OLP copy that is just as good, if not better than the MM. Great guitars for a nice gritty tone with a lot of bite.
I like to have the arm available so I can use it lightly over chords if I choose.
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  #26  
Old 09-15-2019, 06:55 AM
Golffishny Golffishny is offline
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Bigsbys are the reason I never bought a Gretsch. I don't need it and too much weight.
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  #27  
Old 09-16-2019, 09:48 AM
rwmct rwmct is offline
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Originally Posted by Golffishny View Post
Bigsbys are the reason I never bought a Gretsch. I don't need it and too much weight.
I had a weak moment recently where I was considering a Gretsch, and the Bigsby was the thing that kept me safe from buying it.

Its funny, because I think a Gretsch does not look "right" without the Bigsby. I just don't want a guitar that has any of that stuff.

That is one reason I like Telecasters: as basic as an electric guitar gets.
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  #28  
Old 09-16-2019, 09:35 PM
Dru Edwards Dru Edwards is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rwmct View Post
I had a weak moment recently where I was considering a Gretsch, and the Bigsby was the thing that kept me safe from buying it.

Its funny, because I think a Gretsch does not look "right" without the Bigsby. I just don't want a guitar that has any of that stuff.

That is one reason I like Telecasters: as basic as an electric guitar gets.
Yea, Leo Fender got that guitar right from day 1, except for the name of the guitar - 'broadcaster'.
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  #29  
Old 09-21-2019, 07:51 AM
dwalton dwalton is offline
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It takes 15 minutes to deck a Strat with stronger/more springs. And it’s easily reversible. It doesn’t get much easier than that.
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  #30  
Old 09-21-2019, 08:02 AM
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Originally Posted by dwalton View Post
It takes 15 minutes to deck a Strat with stronger/more springs. And it’s easily reversible. It doesn’t get much easier than that.
Actually it does, and that involves Fender producing more readily accessible hardtail Strats....
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