Tremelo or no Tremelo?

[texasguitarslinger]

Back in the early '80s when I first learned to play guitar I had a Fender Lead III witch has a hardtail. At that time Eddie Van Halen was still the reigning God of Guitar and all my buddies were playing FrankenStrat copies. So, naturally I had to join in on the trend. I tried a standard Strat trem, Floyd Rose, Kahler. It was so frustrating because if you found one that stayed in tune it took the patience of Job to tune it! After about five years I said, 'to hell with it' and have been a hardtail player ever since.

Can anyone relate to this?

 

[EL WHOPPO]

Re: Tremelo or no Tremelo?

A tremolo can be a pain in the butt, to tune or to just change strings. Butt :wink: like anything else once you get it down, it's not that bad.
A alternative is the Hipshot Tremsetter, which is a dampner that is installed in the trem cavity. Makes tuning and string changes fast and easy, while you can still dive bomber to your hearts content.

 

[JOLLY]

Re: Tremelo or no Tremelo?

I think it's nice to have a tremelo equipped guitar just for the sake of having them. You never know when you'll need it. I have three of them, but all the others of mine are hardtails.....and when it comes to hardtails I'm definitely a tune-o-matic kinda guy.

 

[sgstrat]

Re: Tremelo or no Tremelo?

My guitars are 3 to 1 in favor of tremelos. Two traditional Strats, one Bigsby and one wraparound hardtail.

 

[Metalblaze]

Re: Tremelo or no Tremelo?

I just love dive bombing! :fing2:

 

[midnite_man]

Re: Tremelo or no Tremelo?

Gotta have that whammy!
Read this thread for more insight on Strat trem's: https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?t=4770

I adjust my tremelo as described in this thread, and once my Strats are in tune they stay in tune. I rarely have to tweak any tuning keys even after divebombing. I use 4 trem-springs instead of the traditional 3 that come on many Strats.

 

[3 cent hero]

Re: Tremelo or no Tremelo?

i'm still trying to find the difference between a tremElo and a tremOlo

 

[Alvin Lee Fan]

Re: Tremelo or no Tremelo?

I thought you were gonna ask about amps.

 

[Humphrey Bear]

Re: Tremelo or no Tremelo?

Kahler all the way for me.

 

[Jeff_H]

Re: Tremelo or no Tremelo?

I own 4 guitars, 3 are trems and 1 is a Dean Hardtail. I really prefer hardtail guitars except when it comes to Strats. On those I prefer vintage trems and set them flush with the body...only allowing down trem. I have one floyd that is floating, and the other floyd type guitar has the trem blocked.

 

[loudriver23]

Re: Tremelo or no Tremelo?

I've never felt comfortable with a guitar with a tremelo. Not to mention it doesn't really fit my style of playing. I've never really had a great need to dive bomb. Perhaps one day i'll get a new Axis with a floyd, and bomb away.... then again maybe monkeys might fly out of my bumm.
No offense to this guitar or any Axis players.. Just aint' my bag baby.....
Lou Driver

 

[RACER X]

Re: Tremelo or no Tremelo?

All but 2 of my guitars have trems and the ones that do are all vintage style trems, NO FLOYDS ! There easy to string and setup unlike the Floyd. Its allways nice to know you have it if its needed, just add some locking tuners and your set.

 

[59paul]

Re: Tremelo or no Tremelo?

Well, judgin from my Avatar, can ya tell ??????

 

[StefanM]

Re: Tremelo or no Tremelo?

Well, FWIW, I have a hardtail bridge on my axe, and I often grab the base of the neck in one hand and the upper horn in the other and vintage-trem after playing chords.....

Probably not the best idea, so my next guitar will most likely have a trem (not anything wanky, just a gotoh/wilkinsion or similar). Then I'll have one of each!

 

[BornToShred]

Re: Tremelo or no Tremelo?

:soapbox:

Hardtail. Bigsby is ok in my book too. Even a Strat bridge will do. But a locking trem, HELL NO!

I have a guitar with a Floyd Rose system, and i ****ing hate it! Words can't describe how much i hate the damn thing.

Here's my list of reasons:

1. String changes are a pain in the ass.
2. You can forget about oblique bends. Bend one string, and every damn string goes out of tune. I like playing blues, so this is a big issue for me.
3. It sucks tone.
4. It sucks tone.
5. It looks ugly as ****! :earl:
6. Did i already mention that it sucks tone?

Locking trems : a major headache :headache:

 

[kmcguitars]

Re: Tremelo or no Tremelo?

It's nice to have options I almost never use the ole' wammy. Of the
4 Strats I have,One is a hardtail, One the trem is blocked off and
the other two.... Have the bar unscrewed.( I'd have to look for them LOL)

 

[BornToShred]

Re: Tremelo or no Tremelo?

Tremolo/tremelo is an incorrect term BTW. Many manufacturers used the term back in the day, and it stuck.

Vibrato : fluctuation in pitch.
So, vibrato bar would be the correct term.

Tremolo is a musical term. On the guitar it refers to a certain picking technique, where you alternate pick a note repeatedly at a very fast speed.
Tremolo is also an electronic effect, which was propably intended to mimic this.

Hope somebody learned something new today

 

[Norman_T]

Re: Tremelo or no Tremelo?

I have Strats, PRSs, 335s with vibrato (tremolo) arms and I don't use them unless for a very special occasion. They are all set flush with the body (strats) and so I don't have any problems with them. My EC strat is the only one which has got a block of wood and the springs taken out. I prefer having the tremolo block there as it adds something to these guitars - IMO.

 

[NecroPolo]

Re: Tremelo or no Tremelo?

Depends on your chick if she prefers vibrato or hardtail :naughty:

 

[fenderiarhs]

Re: Tremelo or no Tremelo?

definately....a tremolo is giving you more options when playing......from a gentle vibrato to a dive bomb i thinks it is always better to have it there and not use it than not having it at all.