It is currently Tue Mar 17, 2020 12:19 am

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 10 posts ] 
Author Message
Post subject: What's the advantage(s) in taking the back off your strat?
Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2014 6:19 pm
Offline
Amateur
Amateur
User avatar

Joined: Sat Sep 22, 2012 2:43 pm
Posts: 173
Location: Brisbane, Australia.
I've noticed a lot of Strat players have the back removed to expose the springs and I was wondering why this is done? Does it alter the sound at all? I remember reading somewhere that players have been known to pull on those springs which I assume would have a similar effect to a whammy bar -so why not just use that?!
I also noticed when reading the specs of some of the Custom Shop signature models that they come with the back removed (but separately supplied) like the John Mayer model for example.
There must be a reason people do this but I just don't know it yet!
I'm sure (or I hope anyway) someone out there would know why!
If you can help, I'm all ears.
Cheers.
8)

_________________
"A monkey dressed in silk is still a monkey no less" - Rodriguez


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject: Re: What's the advantage(s) in taking the back off your stra
Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2014 6:25 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Sun Sep 08, 2013 8:50 pm
Posts: 4602
Location: ˚ɷ˚
I can't speak for others, but easy access and less wear and tear on the screw holes. Especially if you sometimes play with a vibrato bar, and sometimes with a blocker.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: What's the advantage(s) in taking the back off your stra
Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2014 6:30 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Tue Dec 07, 2010 2:39 pm
Posts: 1340
Helps for a quick string change particularly on strats with vintage trem plates.
if a string breaks the bridge moves slightly so the hole in the cover may no longer line up with the hole in the bridge block though for serious pros (I am def not one :D ) they would have a backup guitar.
Some would argue for other reasons e.g. tone , looks etc
I never worry either way :D


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: What's the advantage(s) in taking the back off your stra
Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2014 7:33 pm
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician
User avatar

Joined: Thu Sep 05, 2013 8:03 am
Posts: 575
Location: In the Land of "Stratocaster"
The other posts above nailed it. It's simply an "Easy Access" thing.
It's an added step to have to keep removing and putting it back on.

I personally like to keep mine in place. Less worry of anything snagging up on the claw/springs that can unintentionally pull the ground wire off. And it keeps the entire bridge assembly/block a lot cleaner if you keep the plate on. The only reason I'll remove it is when the float on the bridge needs to be adjusted.

There is no tone advantage to removing or keeping it in place.... Your Strat is not going to sound better... worse... or whatever by removing that backplate... sounds the same with or without it.
Enjoy! :D

_________________
★ ★ ★ ★ ★


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: What's the advantage(s) in taking the back off your stra
Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2014 12:20 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Tue Feb 04, 2014 3:43 am
Posts: 54
G'day,
My Kramer strat style has 2 slots in the back plate which allow access to the spring holder screws so once the installation is complete the plate never has to come off for adjusting. Obviously the plate would have to come off if something breaks, but nothing has ....yet. Anyway, the current configuration is as a hard tail so no adjustments necessary. Going to transfer the idea to another strat plate that I sometimes remove to enable adjustment. I like the look of the instrument with the plate on . That's me.

Ross


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: What's the advantage(s) in taking the back off your stra
Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2014 12:41 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star

Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2007 1:53 am
Posts: 4242
A Strat sits better on my belly without the trem cover. And it looks better. And access is easier. And Jimi & Stevie didn't keep it on. :wink:
IMHO, of course.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: What's the advantage(s) in taking the back off your stra
Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2014 2:17 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jul 24, 2007 7:33 am
Posts: 8461
Location: Mars, the angry red planet.
Strat-Slinger wrote:
The other posts above nailed it. It's simply an "Easy Access" thing.
It's an added step to have to keep removing and putting it back on.

I personally like to keep mine in place. Less worry of anything snagging up on the claw/springs that can unintentionally pull the ground wire off. And it keeps the entire bridge assembly/block a lot cleaner if you keep the plate on. The only reason I'll remove it is when the float on the bridge needs to be adjusted.

There is no tone advantage to removing or keeping it in place.... Your Strat is not going to sound better... worse... or whatever by removing that backplate... sounds the same with or without it.
Enjoy! :D


The above post is so worth repeating.

_________________
You dig?


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: What's the advantage(s) in taking the back off your stra
Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2014 6:42 am
Offline
Amateur
Amateur
User avatar

Joined: Sat Sep 22, 2012 2:43 pm
Posts: 173
Location: Brisbane, Australia.
Yeah man! I dig for sure!
Makes sense. If I took mine off I can just picture my belt buckle or something getting caught or something! It makes more sense, to me anyway from what you've said, to keep the back intact then.
To me, it really doesn't influence me that Hendrix and Stevie Ray took theirs off, I simply have no need to, so why bother?!
I've just always been curious, so thanks for the knowledge.
:D

_________________
"A monkey dressed in silk is still a monkey no less" - Rodriguez


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: What's the advantage(s) in taking the back off your stra
Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2014 3:21 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician

Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2010 7:06 am
Posts: 1662
There was a post about this a while back and I remember one forum member telling his story about with the back plate off, it seemed to put scratches on his belt buckle so he put it back on. I leave mine on, I imagine some that take it off eventually misplace it and that's maybe why so many of them used don't have them :lol:
mud


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: What's the advantage(s) in taking the back off your stra
Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2014 11:11 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Mon Jun 07, 2010 9:25 pm
Posts: 1162
Location: In a house....unless I'm at work....then I'm in a shop.
Strat-Slinger wrote:
The other posts above nailed it. It's simply an "Easy Access" thing.
It's an added step to have to keep removing and putting it back on.

I personally like to keep mine in place. Less worry of anything snagging up on the claw/springs that can unintentionally pull the ground wire off. And it keeps the entire bridge assembly/block a lot cleaner if you keep the plate on. The only reason I'll remove it is when the float on the bridge needs to be adjusted.

There is no tone advantage to removing or keeping it in place.... Your Strat is not going to sound better... worse... or whatever by removing that backplate... sounds the same with or without it.
Enjoy! :D


I will agree with you that is is for ease of access, I call it laziness.
Since I run mine with 5 spring and grounded, there is no need for me to remove the cover just to change strings, I have a wedge I can slip under the tremolo to align the string holes just fine.

But I will just throw this out to you'all. While with a plastic/parchment type I do not hear any difference on or off, with the guitar unplugged and an aluminum spring cover on, it does pick up a bit of a dobro type sound. It is not dramatic, and I can't tell if I really hear it come out of the amp or I just hear the "Mental acoustic" adding to it, but I think it does.

If you get a chance to play a 60th ann with the gold anodized covers, you should be able to hear what I am saying if you play it unplugged.

_________________
Marriage is like playing cards...

At first all you want are Hearts and Diamonds.

But in the end, all you really want is a Club and a Spade.

Image


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 10 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: