Bridge question

[Bill in SC]

If a showcase body has been routed on the rear for a trem, but not yet on the front, can the guitar still be made into a hardtail instead of routing for the trem?
BB in SC

 

[simple]

Nope; it cannot change gender. 

 

[Alfang]

I've wondered the same thing.

Seems to me that a TOM bridge would have the meat in the right spot, and the tail piece or string through would be far enough back.

Maybe Warmoth wouldn't do it because it would look hacked up with a spring cavity unused.

Gregg can you elaborate?

 

[jalbertochavez]

Great question. I'm pretty much anti-trem and I'd definitely be more likely to make an impluse buy off the showcase if more hardtail bodies or bodies with no bridge routing were available. I see some great looking bodies with no top routing done yet, but then get turned off when I check it out to see the back routed for a trem.

:sad1:

 

[MKFAN]

Maybe it's structural?

Once that cavity has been put in, you're essentially leaving not a great deal of wood at the face of the guitar to which you can attach a hard tail. The string tension may warp the body if there's not enough wood to anchor the bridge into? and since changing bridge position would alter the scale length, then you're really stuck with the same relative position on any strat body?

i'm just guessing that's why once the cavity has been routed it has to get a trem.

but i agree, that being a non trem kinda guy it'd be nice to see more hard tail strats/soloists/VIPs in the showcase.

 

[Bill in SC]

Reason I asked is because I was browsing the VW bodies last night and noticed that NONE of them were hardtail. There's some fine lookin'  finished bodies over there plumb CHEAP! I had my eye on a koa top VW body that was ridiculously cheap! I see it is GONE this morning. :-(  Are all VWs designed for a trem?
BB in SC

 

[Kostas]

Are all VWs designed for a trem?
BB in SC

No, but Warmoth has some routing "rules" with the showcase bodies. Like VW, they route all teles for tele bridge, all Les Pauls for TOM/STP etc. Although Warmoth sells parts for custom guitars, they route these bodies in a conventional way. I'm guessing they do the "normal" thing and if you want something different you have to order like you want it.

 

[Kostas]

... I had my eye on a koa top VW body that was ridiculously cheap! I see it is GONE this morning...

They have the same VW bodies for a long time. They added two beautiful curved VW bodies last week and they both gone now!
Back to the same bodies... :sad1:

 

[ocguy106]

Actually what you can do is go ahead and get it routed for the standard Fender trem. Install the trem system then block it so it doesn't move. Get your guitar all set up i.e action and right size gauge strings, Then in the trem cavity measure the distance in front and behind the trem. cut blocks of wood to fit and glue or tack in. I have done this in the past and works great. I to am not a fan of trems.

 

[ocguy106]

http://www.fretnotguitarrepair.com/blocktremolo.htm

 

[dm251z]

TREMS RULE!!!  :laughing7:

 

[jackthehack]

Just have them drill it for 6 hole vintage trem and lock that sucker down with the screws & install all 5 springs. Don't insert the arm and the thing will NEVER move anyway...