Question on my hardtail strat

[stratele]

I have an 2004 American OLY white/maple hardtail strat I scored on ebay a couple of years ago. These strats seem pretty rare these days, in fact since I bought it I've not seen another. I know there's the Robert Cray stat but that's Mexican, right? Just curious to see if any one else has one and what they think of hardtails. Personally I never use a trem and my other strats have blocked trems, but this one is a bit special to me. When did Fender stop making these?

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y242/jonny69/DSC01415.jpg

[vintage_brat]

Fender still makes hardtails although they can be a bit tough to find.
About 1 in 10 strats were/are made as hardtails. They dont sell as well since many have the mentality that if its not a syncronized trem then its not a strat.. Most Strats that I set up here at the shop are vintage trems and only about 5% actually use the trem.. I think its an image thing and its there if they need it.
You will find you get better sustain with a hardtail and obviously alot less tuning issues...
Nice guitar man.

[bigbluedry]

I have a red hard tail that was put together in Bubba's Custom Shop. I truly love it and agree with you and VB about the trem issue. If it isn't a Bigsby, it isn't a tremelo.. just a handle to get in the way of things (IMHO). Nice looking OLY.. mine is a bit uglier than that.. Mine also is made from hand selected and individually discarded by others, MIM stuff.. lol..


Bubba..

[stratele]

Funnily enough, when I bid on this guitar I didn't realise it was a hardtail (the seller didn't put it in his description, and I never noticed on the pics), I was just gassing for an oly/maple strat and just intended blocking the trem when I got it. It was only when I collected the guitar in person when I realised... To be honest I don't really notice any difference in sustain compared to my trem blocked strats and I reckon if a trem is blocked tuning issues are resolved too. I just like oly strats and this being a hardtail is a bonus.

[ldelo]

While I understand the appeal and utility/functionality of hardtails, lots of folks like and use their trems to great effect.

And according to at least one git tech to stars, the vintage trem along with vintage necks (much less mass in the truss rod, less stiff neck) are a non-trivial part of the vintage strat sound (though that's obviously debatable and statements such as those start no end of controversy...)

Anyways, nice hardtail and nice strat.

[Justpickin]

While I understand the appeal and utility/functionality of hardtails, lots of folks like and use their trems to great effect.

.
yeah, that Beck guy uses one sometimes....... :Loco:

[stratcat51]

I'm one of the guys that VB is talking about......the strat can have a maple neck or a rosewood fretboard, have a HB in the bridge, or any combination of Fender or after-market pickups, any kind of a pickguard, be active or passive, I don't care it is still a strat to me.

But it has to have that trem.........even if I only use it once or twice a year, I still have to have it. It just doesn't look right without it to me.

I'm the opposite with Les Pauls.........to me, any kind of a whammy on a Les Paul is like a bra on a broomstick. It's useless and what's the point?

I know, just my opinions.......ya'll can have yer own opinions even if they are wrong! :Loco:

[stratcat51]

Oh, sorry stratele! I meant to add that your strat is gorgeous, trem or no trem! :thumbsup:

[Bytor1975]

It really doesn't matter to me - I'll take either.

[stratele]

Oh dear. Have I opened up a can of worms here? Hardtail or trem, they both have their qualities. Just that hardtail suits my own playing style. I'm off now to start a thread about R/W versus Maple!....

[Bytor1975]

I'm off now to start a thread about R/W versus Maple!....Too late - we even had a poll!

[ldelo]

I was going to point that out...

Maybe we need another Poll, trem or not? Or NoTrem, and then a choice of the 6 or so most popular trems...???

[Bytor1975]

I was going to point that out...

Maybe we need another Poll, trem or not? Or NoTrem, and then a choice of the 6 or so most popular trems...???Good idea... done.

[bigbluedry]

I was going to point that out...

Maybe we need another Poll, trem or not? Or NoTrem, and then a choice of the 6 or so most popular trems...???
6 most popular trems...

Bigsby
Gretsch Bigsby
Les Paul Bigsby
Gibson 335 Bigsby
B5 Bigsby
and a really good knock of of a Bigsby..

IMHO

Bubba
(of Bubba's Custom Shop)

[bigbluedry]

We might have to consult VB on this one, but..


maybe on these hardtails.. we could get a good B5 to work on it..
Like a SG or Tele.. Now we are cooking with gas..

[Charley Wild]

I'll take any configuration! Maple, rosewood, tremolo, or hard tail. They are all Strats to me!
That's a great looking Strat, Stratele. One of my favorite paint/pickguard schemes!

[Andoni]

Gorgeous looking strat stratele :thumbsup:

[Jossy]

I'm one of the guys that VB is talking about......the strat can have a maple neck or a rosewood fretboard, have a HB in the bridge, or any combination of Fender or after-market pickups, any kind of a pickguard, be active or passive, I don't care it is still a strat to me.

But it has to have that trem.........even if I only use it once or twice a year, I still have to have it. It just doesn't look right without it to me.

I'm the opposite with Les Pauls.........to me, any kind of a whammy on a Les Paul is like a bra on a broomstick. It's useless and what's the point?

I know, just my opinions.......ya'll can have yer own opinions even if they are wrong! :Loco:

Damn, John put it down so nicely...so i have to agree. And yeah, that's a nice looking Strat, stratele... :thumbsup:

BTW, John...bras on a chair is what i did to learn how to take them off with one hand when i was a young punk. :smoke:

Saludos.

[Justpickin]

I'm the opposite with Les Pauls.........to me, any kind of a whammy on a Les Paul is like a bra on a broomstick. It's useless and what's the point?
:
Ah, but I'd love a LP with a whammy, like Neil's "Old Black"......think solo in Cinnamon Girl.........Neil ripped on that thing all the time and was a huge part of his sound (I know, many here will be wise asses and say..."what sound"?)
http://img262.imageshack.us/img262/4374/oldblack1da6.jpg

[ldelo]

I've always liked Neil Young, at least his more electric/rockish stuff... raw and edgy, no spit-polished over-produced crap for him!

[Justpickin]

I've always liked Neil Young, at least his more electric/rockish stuff... raw and edgy, no spit-polished over-produced crap for him!
exactly.......... :thumbsup:

[stratele]

Massive fan of Neil myself, and I love the look of his Old Black...but ain't we digressing here?

[ldelo]

Digressing from what???

With apologies for hijacking the thread (which happens a lot in these parts)... what could be better than talking about strats and ole trusty LPs and removing bras from broomsticks, chairs, and .... ahem, well, yes.... anyway...??

[rongtr]

Fender still makes hardtails although they can be a bit tough to find.
About 1 in 10 strats were/are made as hardtails. They dont sell as well since many have the mentality that if its not a syncronized trem then its not a strat.. Most Strats that I set up here at the shop are vintage trems and only about 5% actually use the trem.. I think its an image thing and its there if they need it.
You will find you get better sustain with a hardtail and obviously alot less tuning issues...
Nice guitar man.I agree- during the 80's I used a strat copy with a graphite nut and locking tuners and did the Jeff Beck thing (a poor imitation) but for the last 16 years I've had a Clapton strat with the trem blocked and a wood block put in (stock) and I find that I can get more sustain, especially with the back pickup (I get a great tele sound on the back pickup alone.)