Do hardtail/tune-o-matic give better neck pup tone?

[Biu]

Am I just crazy, or do they sound better? I solo 85% using neck pickups and I've noticed that my guitars with either tune-o-matic or hardtail style have a richer neck tone.

Is this true for vintage style trems too (Wilkinson, vintage Fender)? I dunno, maybe it's just something to do with double-locking trems?

[nuntius]

Re: Do hardtail/tune-o-matic give better neck pup tone?

Well a tuneomatic bridged guitar will sound more solid than an identically spec'd floyd axe.

Floyds (and any trem for that matter) need routing for the spring cavity etc, so you lose a lot of wood, which all adds up to a different tone.

[Quencho092]

Re: Do hardtail/tune-o-matic give better neck pup tone?

do your floyd guitars have 24 fret necks? many times this ruins the neck pup tone and makes it sound more like a mid pickup

[beandip]

Re: Do hardtail/tune-o-matic give better neck pup tone?

do your floyd guitars have 24 fret necks? many times this ruins the neck pup tone and makes it sound more like a mid pickup

Eh, only sometimes. It mostly can ruin the in between tones, but it only changes the neck tone a tad.

[Biu]

Re: Do hardtail/tune-o-matic give better neck pup tone?

Thanks, guys. I think I will go Wilkinson. I prefer 21-22 fret guitars, but my Prestige Ibanez is a 24-fret guitar. There is a minor difference with the # of frets, and I know it's pretty small, but for me, it's a world of difference because the essence of my tone lies in the neck pickup.

[jeremy]

Re: Do hardtail/tune-o-matic give better neck pup tone?

i think hardtails are always a little better than trem guitars, but i have a wilkinson vs100 (i think) and its great. solid tone and works well

[Biu]

Re: Do hardtail/tune-o-matic give better neck pup tone?

i think hardtails are always a little better than trem guitars, but i have a wilkinson vs100 (i think) and its great. solid tone and works well

Thanks, Jeremy. How would you compare the Wilkinson to your hardtails (tone-wise)? I'm looking to get THE MOST out of my neck pups.

[\m/(00)\m/]

Re: Do hardtail/tune-o-matic give better neck pup tone?

i like the wilkinson trems. really smooth action and never are stiff or go out of tune.
if your talking about hardtails like on the PGM's then i guess you'd getter an overall better tone since you are using the more overall mass of the wood and it seems the string tension is a bit tighter.

[That90'sGuy]

Re: Do hardtail/tune-o-matic give better neck pup tone?

I really like the trem I have now, but I could probably live without it. My only gripe is how the guitar's strings have to be tuned back and forth a few times before it holds a new tuning. Forget about switching tunings live (that's why I use my Dean and Epi... they're alternatively tuned guitars to switch to when needed ).

[Biu]

Re: Do hardtail/tune-o-matic give better neck pup tone?

i like the wilkinson trems. really smooth action and never are stiff or go out of tune.
if your talking about hardtails like on the PGM's then i guess you'd getter an overall better tone since you are using the more overall mass of the wood and it seems the string tension is a bit tighter.

Thanks, moom. I think I will go hardtail in that case. I'm not much of a trem wanker, but for when I DO need it, I got my Ibanez's This will r0x! I'll be able to go nutz without having to worry about going out of tune from breaking a string or bending too much

[\m/(00)\m/]

Re: Do hardtail/tune-o-matic give better neck pup tone?

yep

plus you'll be able to do those aweosme double stops without nothing to worry about!!!!!!!!!

[Benjy_26]

Re: Do hardtail/tune-o-matic give better neck pup tone?

I love my Wilkinson as well. The only nit I have to pick with it is the "flutter" I get when strumming hard (I have it in my Carvin set to full float).