I was in the shop today and a kid comes in with a new standard strat he must of just bought for a setup. Techs asking him what he wants done and he says he wants the bridge lowered flush with the body for more tone/sustain and that he doesn't use the bar.
Okay well first off I fully belive that everyone has the right to setup their guitars however they want.
Second I applaud the kid for knowing what he wants and telling the tech. I've said that tons of times before. Even the best tech in the world can't set up your guitar correctly if you can't let them know what you want.
Third, obviously if your changing tunings frequenty then a floating bridge will drive you crazy, but how many people really change tunings that often ?
So that brings me back to the point of this thread. I just don't see why people do it.
In my opinion it really ruins the strat sound. Even if you don't use the bar, I think it still makes sense to float the bridge for several reasons.
Strats were not designed to be hardtails. Nothing wrong with a hardtail but a strat should be a strat. Just like having a Harley and not having a V Twin. Theres some excellent inline 4's out there but putting one in a Harley would sort of kill the Harleyness, know what I mean ?
The strat tone is not just from a 25.5" bolt on neck, alder body and low output single coils, but its also very much from the bridge and toneblock and the resounance they achieve. Its how Leo meant it to sound.
Additionally even though its very subtle, its what gives a strat that "shimmer". You lose that when you drop the bridge down flush and/or block the trem. That micro vibrato on the pick attack you just dont get with a hardtail.
On most strats I've seen/played/worked on, you also really mess up your break angle and have to set your saddles absurdly high keep a decent action if you but the bridge down flat. Even with the saddle screws extended as far as you can you might still have to low of action not to mention such a steep break angle. It depends on the neck pocket to some degree but on some guitars you can't even do it. or you have to compromise the rest of the setup just to make the bridge flush.
I've never found any difference in sustain either. A properly setup floating bridge sustains just fine to my ears.
Even more so, I've set mine up flush before and it sounded dead. Put it back up off the body and it came alive. Much better resounace and just a much move alive strat tone.
Blocking the bridge doesnt hurt much. I've but some little wood shims in before to do that though I persoanlly like little upbends on chords to give a cool little shimmer
Seriously though, if you've got your bridge screwed down flush the body, try raising it up. They just aren't meant to be tightened down like that.
Thats my $.02 in a world where the penny is obsolete :headbang:
Okay well first off I fully belive that everyone has the right to setup their guitars however they want.
Second I applaud the kid for knowing what he wants and telling the tech. I've said that tons of times before. Even the best tech in the world can't set up your guitar correctly if you can't let them know what you want.
Third, obviously if your changing tunings frequenty then a floating bridge will drive you crazy, but how many people really change tunings that often ?
So that brings me back to the point of this thread. I just don't see why people do it.
In my opinion it really ruins the strat sound. Even if you don't use the bar, I think it still makes sense to float the bridge for several reasons.
Strats were not designed to be hardtails. Nothing wrong with a hardtail but a strat should be a strat. Just like having a Harley and not having a V Twin. Theres some excellent inline 4's out there but putting one in a Harley would sort of kill the Harleyness, know what I mean ?
The strat tone is not just from a 25.5" bolt on neck, alder body and low output single coils, but its also very much from the bridge and toneblock and the resounance they achieve. Its how Leo meant it to sound.
Additionally even though its very subtle, its what gives a strat that "shimmer". You lose that when you drop the bridge down flush and/or block the trem. That micro vibrato on the pick attack you just dont get with a hardtail.
On most strats I've seen/played/worked on, you also really mess up your break angle and have to set your saddles absurdly high keep a decent action if you but the bridge down flat. Even with the saddle screws extended as far as you can you might still have to low of action not to mention such a steep break angle. It depends on the neck pocket to some degree but on some guitars you can't even do it. or you have to compromise the rest of the setup just to make the bridge flush.
I've never found any difference in sustain either. A properly setup floating bridge sustains just fine to my ears.
Even more so, I've set mine up flush before and it sounded dead. Put it back up off the body and it came alive. Much better resounace and just a much move alive strat tone.
Blocking the bridge doesnt hurt much. I've but some little wood shims in before to do that though I persoanlly like little upbends on chords to give a cool little shimmer
Seriously though, if you've got your bridge screwed down flush the body, try raising it up. They just aren't meant to be tightened down like that.
Thats my $.02 in a world where the penny is obsolete :headbang:
