Converting a trem body to hardtail

[Disco Scottie]

Can it be done? Am I insane? Short of plugging the hole with a block of wood or filling it with a stupid amount of Bondo, is there any other way to approach this? I know I could just install a trem and block it but I'm a stubborn mule who always tries to figure out how to do things in the hardest way possible. :turtle:

 

[amigarobbo]

Have you considered buying another body?

:turtle:

I know, where's the fun in that?

 

[Disco Scottie]

Have you considered buying another body?

:turtle:

I know, where's the fun in that?

Well, I tried three different ways to upload pictures of my black limba bodies but I had no success. You'll just have to imagine how awesome they look, and since I bought them 10 years ago I probably won't find anything that looks like them again.

 

[Rick]

Use a tremelno.

 

[mayfly]

Yep - or block that trem up tight with some wood blocks.

 

[zebra]

+1 Rick 2
+1 Mayfly

I was in a similar situation at some point too.  I read around and couldn't find anything more elegant than what you found so far (chunks or wood and Bondo) and that didn't appeal to me either.  If I were you, I'd probably go the Mayfly route and toss a properly-sized block of wood between the trem block and the trem cavity wall.

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

One Word = Scartozi

 

[DuckBaloo]

I'm a hardtail Strat fan, they had a different attack on the note (more Tele-esque) and completely different center of balance without the trem block.

If you have the body and trem already, then just block it off. I would not try and fill the trem route.

If you really want a true hardtail, then buy a hardtail body.

 

[Rick]

I vaguely remember those Scartozi posts, though I thought they were tele bridges???  Does anyone have any pics of the Scartozi strat bridge?

 

[DuckBaloo]

There used to be a company that made plates like these to cover trem routes. They even made ones with a flame shape. I don't think they were big sellers.

 

[swarfrat]

Scartozi bridge was an acoustic looking bridge made from metal to fit a trem routed strat. Most of the pics are lost to time (Photobucket) but here's one on Pinterest

 

[Rick]

I see, though once you install it, there's no going back?, like permanent holes that will be not be covered if you put the trem back?

 

[swarfrat]

Not 100% positive without going back but I think those holes are either/or. Six are obviously for string through if you chose that. Front six are for screw fulcrum trem hole mounting. Back three are for hardtail mounting. I imagine you could probably mount only using the outside two fulcrum screws and string tension and it'd be just fine.

 

[bagman67]

I think Doug (DangerousR6 on here) made some Scartozi-style bridges, perhaps he'll notice this thread and weigh in?

 

[gingataff]

Get an Evertune fitted