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Hardtail bridge w/ trem route?

  • Thread starter Thread starter swarfrat
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swarfrat

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Is it possible to get a hardtail bridge on a guitar with a generic trem route only? Just not mill through the rest of the way? Is it even advisable? Will warmoth do it?
 
I don't think there's enough wood for the screws to hold properly. If it's a body you absolutely have to have, you'd be better off installing a trem and blocking it. That will be just as good as having a fixed bridge.
 
Disco Scottie said:
I don't think there's enough wood for the screws to hold properly. If it's a body you absolutely have to have, you'd be better off installing a trem and blocking it. That will be just as good as having a fixed bridge.

+1, the only other option I see it taking it to a luthier and filling the trem cavity and then drilling for a bridge, which would be kind of expensive. Im almost positive W wont drill for a hardtail on a trem only body, but ive never asked.
 
If you know what you are doing, you could shape a wooden block to fill in the space directly under the bridge and then mount it yourself. I doubt Warmoth would do the drilling or the filling. On my very first project guitar, I actually did a hardtail conversion but it was a bridge specially designed to cover trem holes. I don't think they sell it anymore though.
 
I was thinking about this one for my "on squier" toastcaster...

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http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Custom-Shop-Parts-Hot-Rod-Convertible-Fixed-Bridge-for-Strat?sku=360583&CJAID=10381297&CJPID=1571798

 
this is one reason i wish warmoth would leave bridge routes off of showcase bodies. if they can route enough wood out to give a showcase body a recessed floyd i can't see why they couldn't route the spring cavity too. but it looks they decide the guitar is either a hardtail or trem route before it's ever painted because showcase bodies have paint in the trem cavity
 
The body is gone now. As far as doing expensive stuff - the whole reason I was asking is that I was being tempted by prices on bodies that were otherwise pretty much what I wanted. If it costs more than a few bucks difference or isn't worthwhile for structural reasons it kinda nixes the temptation.

But I can live with a trem. In fact, I keep waffling on whether or not I want a trem. The guitar I'm planning wasn't trem. But I also hate to get yet one more guitar and not have at least one in the stable with a trem. Especially if it's a decent fit.
 
When it comes to trems, the way I look at is it's better to have one and not need it than to need one and not have it. Modern trems aren't the problem children they used to be on vintage instruments, so unless you're running a Floyd Rose or a Kahler there's no hardship involved.
 
if you were only planning on a hardtail strat-style bridge anyway, you could have gotten a vintage trem route and just blocked it off. there's a great little tool on floyd upgrade's website that you just install into the trem cavity. it has a metal screw that sits against the trem block so it won't move on you. NOT the tremel-no. that thing looks cool, but after watching a tutorial on how "easy to use" it was i don't think i'd be able to operate it without a long list of instructions on what knobs to turn when for whatever.

but some people want a full solid body because they think wood will resonate better. i've seen plenty of people swear that spring cavities will help a body resonate better. i personally believe that both can sound great, and 99% of the people swearing one is better than the other couldn't pick them out in a blind test.
 
JaySwear said:
but some people want a full solid body because they think wood will resonate better. i've seen plenty of people swear that spring cavities will help a body resonate better. i personally believe that both can sound great, and 99% of the people swearing one is better than the other couldn't pick them out in a blind test.

My main PRS has a blocked trem, and it sounds as good or better than my Custom 22 solidbody. I've never had a trem-equipped guitar that didn't sound good that way.
 
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