I notice that many remove the tremolo cover. I could see it if you change springs every day, but other than that it seems to me like driving around with your gas cap off. There must be a reason I don't know of.

There really is no reason for it. Some folks do it simply because their guitar hero leaves his off. Fender even makes a lot of "Signature" series Strats that don't even have holes to mount a cover since the artist who's signature model it is, doesn't keep their cover on. But, the guitar that they play has the holes, so.....shouldn't the holes at least be there? lol Some will actually try to convince you that the guitar sounds different with it on than with it off. I think you actually nailed it with the "like driving around with your gas cap off" theory. What makes me mad is that when they go to sell it and you want an all original axe, they ALL have lost the trem cover. Amazing. lol

I change strings pretty often and with the trem decked I have to remove the cover to change strings on my AVRI so I leave it off. On the Am Standard I can change the strings with the trem cover on so I leave that one on. I don't like the idea of screwing and unscrewing those little screws every two to three weeks because I fear I might strip the threads in the wood eventually. I don't think it affects tone much if any at all with it on or off.

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"Damn Right I Got the Blues"

Yeah Scott, that's what got me started on this. I bought a nice quilt Showmaster and it was missing it's cover. No replacement to be had. I had to modify a flat black, single ply Strat cover to fit, and had to put two new holes in the body to match up. I really didn't want to do this. I would have paid dearly for a stock cover.
BTW that's another nice thing about being in love with Strats...anything you desire is available.

I sometimes like to play the guitar in the nude of a lazy weekend morning. I find that on my Strats with no back covers there is a moment of trem use when the springs grab the short hairs and then - za-a-a-a-a-amo! Time to get dressed.

I shan't be posting photos.

Cheers - C

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Oh man,this is the first thing I read this morning...what an image.

lmao...

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"When words fail, the guitar speaks."

i leave mine off because pure and simply its easier to change strings.

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"When words fail, the guitar speaks."

C'mon, we've all been there. You step out the shower and then go wandering off round the house wearing nothing to cover your modesty but a cup of tea. You idly pick up a guitar to just try a few variations of floaty chords based on, say, an open A root. Hmmm, would that low note against some jazzy high ones sound nice with a bit of gentle whammy...?

Next thing you know - shazam! Instant Brazilian.

Here's the floaty A voicings, by the way. These definitely sound better with the back cover off:

e - 5
B - 5
G - 4
D - 4
A - 0
E - x

e - 9
B - 9
G - 9
D - 7
A - 0
E - x

e - 12
B - 12
G - 11
D - 11
A - 0
E - x

Mmmm - shimmery, man!

Cheers - C

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I agree.

As stated before, ease of string change for one. And I have also found that with certain guitars, there is a slight difference in sound with the back cover off, a difference in how the springs "ring" adds some to the sound (RW 60s for example). This seems to be more true with the bridge decked as opposed to floating. On most guitars I haven't noticed a difference with the cover on or off.

Just because one person doesn't hear something, doesn't mean that someone else can't. Billy Gibbons swore that the swimming pool route on a guitar added an "echo chamber" sound to the guitar, compared to SSS routing, which he liked. Others say that the different routing made no difference in sound.

If a band that really sucks, was playing in the woods and a tree fell on them, would anyone care? (B&B)

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---> "The amp should be SWITCHED OFF AND UNPLUGGED before you do this!" <---

Por favor, disculpe mi español, no se llega a la práctica con mucha frecuencia.

I Leave It On. It Does Protect The Ground Wire And The Holes Are Large Enough To Get The Strings Through.

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Vintage Hotrod '57 Strat, 81 G&L L2000 Series E Bass, Fender Musicmaster Bass Amp.

I plan to build my own strat from parts, inc. a Warmoth custom body. In which case, I think I will leave the backplate off instead of buying one and then drilling the holes to fit it on. I don't like the look when there are holes left, but do like it if it all looks clean. I'll position the ground wire behind the trem claw, in order to provide a little more protection.

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Fender 2009 Highway One Limited Edition (Bigsbified)
Traynor YCV-40 Tube Amp
Boss OC3
Boss SD1
Boss DD3
Boss DN2
Boss FZ5
Boss NS2
Boss RC-20XL
Dunlop Crybaby GCB-95
Digitech Whammy WH-4

What "protection" does the ground wire need? Do you have rodents nibbling at it, or what?

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---> "The amp should be SWITCHED OFF AND UNPLUGGED before you do this!" <---

Por favor, disculpe mi español, no se llega a la práctica con mucha frecuencia.

I was referring to an earlier comment about how it can be exposed and is, therefore, more likely to be damaged than if there was a guard there. I mean, the back plate must serve as something of a protection device? The ground wire is easily tugged loose, I had to remove mine the over day and it was only to easy to remove it from it's original joint with a bit of force. Say it gets snagged on something and gets pulled out while playing... all is possible!

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Fender 2009 Highway One Limited Edition (Bigsbified)
Traynor YCV-40 Tube Amp
Boss OC3
Boss SD1
Boss DD3
Boss DN2
Boss FZ5
Boss NS2
Boss RC-20XL
Dunlop Crybaby GCB-95
Digitech Whammy WH-4

Didnt got the brazilian saying mate.