Hi, I saw a guitar today that had what I guess is known as an ashtray cover on it.Why someone would use a guitar bridge as one is asinine imo.I do like the look of them however.Seems like it would be a smooth surface to rest your hand when palm muting.Well I may pick one up based on what others opinions are.I am not a smoker anymore but I could make use of the pocket for something.Comments..Suggestions..

I love the bridge covers/ashtrays/whatever; it's a great classic look that immediately evokes the vintage axes of the 50's and 60's.



I hear of people complaining that it interferes with their palm muting, but I have never had that problem. If they are palm muting that close to the bridge, the side of their hand must look like raw hamburger meat, due to the saddles and saddle adjustment screws. It just adds a little "something" visually.



...and, believe it or not, I noticed a difference in sustain when the cover is in place. I've had people criticize this opinion, but there is a bit more sustain when the cover is there; my theory is that the saddles are pushed together a bit more, creating a "block" of saddles instead of a row of individual saddles...

Leo had the same idea with his hardtail G&L guitars (there's a set screw on the side of G&L hardtail bridges that pushes all the saddles together). A luthier who set up my G&L noted the presence of that screw, and said he was told it was to add sustain...good enough for Leo, good enough for me.

Either way, it just looks cool...

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Screamin' Armadillos
Texas Roadhouse Music
Guitar/Slide Guitar/Harp/Vocals

I have some, I like 'em, but prefer the Tele covers.

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Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

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More Sustain..Cool...Do you have to take it off to replace strings??Yes I understand exactly where your getting at.That's part of the problem now or has always been with palm muting.I mean I don't understand how it get in the way of the strings unless it stuck out more than it did.I mean there only 10 dollars but wanted to know how or what it's purpose is thanks!

+1

All my Strats have them but I always remove the ashtray and toss it in the case before playing. They do look cool though.

Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY

I prefer the "naked" look of the guitar. But you have a relic maybe you can put some cool stickers on the ashtray to make the guitar more your own.

Chris

Yes, but it just stays in place by friction/tension. It takes less than a second to remove or reset the plate.

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Good Vibes To Y'all!



Screamin' Armadillos
Texas Roadhouse Music
Guitar/Slide Guitar/Harp/Vocals

I have some of the big ashtrays on a few of my Teles. They look cool hanging on the wall, but they're no good for playing. My hand is always on the bridge, ready to mute.

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Dennis in CR
Rockin' since 1963

They make terrible ashtrays though.

i have a 2009 mim strat. does anybody make an ashtray cover that fits this guitar?

my old strat had one, and i always left it on because it looked cool

I've never used them on the guitars...I just put them aways somewhere...and they wind up in the world of lost "ashtrays",like the "Island of Misfit Toys".

I never thought people actually used them as ashtrays. I thought that was just a nickname.

I feel the same as some of the other posters though. They look cool so I keep mine, but I don't leave them on while playing.

There is a reason they are called ashtrays. In the 1950 and 60s those shiny covers spent a whole lot more time on top of an amp with cigarette butts in them than they did on the guitar. I was told that the original idea, like on a 52 Tele, we to encase the electromagnetic field of the pickup. Also the cover "covered" up the springs, screws, saddle and such since the were the "ugly" workings of the guitar and not part if it's esthetic beauty! I love the looks of them on the guitar—in the case or on the guitar stand. But when playing they are in the case or on top the amp where they belong!! LOL!

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Xhefri's Guitars
www.xhefriguitars.com

i dont like the strat covers. the tele ashtray is great though

thanks guys epsecially xherfi, I guess they would make good ashtrays but I saw a pic of some guy on photobucket.com with an unlight cigarette on the side of this so I guessed that was it's purpose.Well I took my guitar to the store and said my bridge wouldnt work but for $50 they could retrofit one to.SO maybe.I still dont see this as a problem muting though but I have thin arms possibly if had a bigger wrist.Well interesting..