I built my own hardtail. Started with a Robert Cray sunburst body, added a Custom Shop '59 rosewood neck, mint green pickguard, and finished it off with a set of Abigail Ybarra '69 hand wound pickups. Just doesn't get much better. Incredible guitar.
I love the neck and pickups on my Robert Cray stratocaster, but I'm sure your modifications sound and feel great too. I've got Abby pickups in my 1997 Hendrix Tribute strat (1968 period correct mirror image of the Woodstock strat), and they do sound great.
I’m not implying that your home build guitar doesn’t sound great, it most probably does, but I once assembled an Esquire and I bought an old beaten up Japanese contemporary strat for the sole reason that I wanted to change as good as any aspect of it to turn it into the most beautiful, best sounding and perfectly playable strat I could think of. I didn’t have the know how nor the tools or the patience to actually achieve this goal, yet both of these guitars were perfect, even though I knew they weren’t really. But because of all the love and hard work I put into them they looked and felt and sounded absolutely perfect to me and for many years they were the guitars I played the most, even though I had some really good and expensive guitars. This is the magic of building (or assembling, or even heavily modifying) a guitar. Nothing will beat that feeling. 😎
I laughed out loud when Jonathan said “Don’t do that…what a d*ck.” I must have gone back two times to watch that. I love the real moments like those in your videos.
As much as I love guitar, I can’t help but think that I would really get along with you guys, personally. You guys are rad keep up the fantastic content!!!
so excited I bought a hardtail from the mod shop last week before the price jump. Bordeaux metallic, full rosewood neck, vintage style tuners and corona classic pups!
My Mom was from So Illinois, Dad from Tennessee, but you guys have given me reason to drive to SC from Los Angeles. I'd fly but who wants to fly home with a new guitar?
My hardtail is a Tom Delonge Strat. It’s Strat shaped but doesn’t have the Strat sound. It has a Seymour Duncan humbucker and a single volume knob. There is no tone knob. I bought it off the wall at Sam Ash over 20 years ago for less than $400. Best guitar ever.
My first real big man’s electric guitar was an ‘82 Fender ‘Dan Smith’ hardtail strat in Sienna Sunburst. I still have it. I love that thing. I even bought a second one a couple of years later. For some strange reason, every guitar playing friend I had owned a hardtail Fender strat. I guess it was just more of a thing back then. And it does sound different. A normal strat sounds like there’s a build in reverb tank. The hardtail strat is sturdy as a mule, but comfortable as a satin shirt (forgive me for that comparison). And Ron Wood’s favorite strats are hardtail versions, so I’m in good company. 😬
I have NEVER owned a strat (and we're talking dozens and dozens) that I didn't lock the tremolo down or bar it off. I've never had anything BUT a hard tail, but never actually owned a true hard tail. So, I feel the vibe.
Same. I own two and they've been blocked off from day one. I might set it up as floating trem to channel my inner David Gilmour, but then I realise I'm not David Gilmour.
In my experience, a Strat NEEDS a trem and trem cavity to sound like a proper Strat. You can absolutely block the trem, and I’ve had 2 Strats for 30 years that are blocked, and I love them, but a hardtail Stratocaster just doesn’t sound “right” to my ears. I also have had 6 Suhr Strats, and they are absolutely fantastic. I decided to order a Custom Classic Suhr and had them build it as a hardtail. It was a dog. I couldn’t get it to sound good no matter what I tried. My Fenders that have blocked trems sound completely different. Again, just my opinion.
@@riffs66yeah totally subjective My 72 is blocked off...my 65 along with several others are floating but I recently got a CS Troposphere hard tail and absolutely love it I does have a bit of Tele vibe being string thru but it sounds great Strings are a tad snappier like a Tele and loves a half step down Not sure if there is more tension for that Tele twang but no complaints at all All keepers as well
I read a Clapton interview in a guitar publication asking why he doesn't use a hardtail instead of blocking off his trems and he stated that he preferred the sound of the blocked-trem guitars.
Whenever I see a hardtail Stratocaster I internally ask myself, "Am I good enough for a Hardtail Strat?" or "Who do I think I am Robert Cray?" Thanks for another great video & the opportunity to renew my guitar lust.
A Hardtail Strat w/ the 70s headstock is kinda my dream guitar right now. I've been curious about the MIM Robert Cray model, but I'm also hoping Fender will put out other options in the future. For a hot second last year they made very limited runs of the 70s Vintera Strat (alder body instead of ash) with a hardtail and custom shop '69 pickups and I'm still kicking myself that I missed my chance on that one.
Don’t throw me in the Briarpatch! Got my first one back in the early 90s and even though I am really a Les Paul player, I always keep one around. Fantastic choice… Thanks for the great video, fellas!🤠
Love my Robert Cray MIM Strat. It's my only Fender guitar. I'm a Les Paul and PRS Custom 24 player. Sometimes I need a Strat sound and to get that tone, well, best to go to the original source.
I was about to Do another Strat, I bet I can build one like that a Hardtail, make sure to record something on that in case I do so perhaps we can compare, maybe this will be guitar I put those Abby Initialed CS 69 pickups into. Let me know if You two were building it anything you might like to see me do if able to
Guitar Mill has a really beautiful light swamp ash hardtail strat body finished in a dark lake placid blue nitro for sale on their website. Not affiliated with them at all, they just make a great product and that would be a sick guitar build for someone out there. :)
I have an amazing Custom Shop 57' Journeymen Hardtail Strat that I absolutely love. I think the hardtail tone really complements the 50's style Strat tone, especially when if has the aged sounding relic pickups. That aging rounds out the sound a bit but the hardtail brings a more immediate attack that really melds with that 50s chime and cluck. Great guitars
I have a 1998 American Standard hardtail and I love it. The string tension is perfect for my playing style. It also seems more resonant then my American Standard strat with a trem from the same year.
@@richsackett3423 No I don't. I think the sound difference occurs because of the route for the trem verses the string through on the hardtail. I could be wrong. I just get a nice tight sound with the hard tail. Stays in tune a lot better too.
My 1st Strat is actually an accidental SSS HT. didn't know what I was doing, so I responded to a seller in the next county moving a 15 year old Squier Bullet HT. Didn't pay much for it, needed some repairs & fixes that I finally figured out as I learned more from a luthier's perspective. The Bullet taught me set ups at first, also glue & toothpick fixes. After that I finally realized the only way I was getting lower action was o shim the neck/neck pocket. So after playing this old guitar, I think I've finally resolved it's issues to the best of what anyone could really do for it. And it's now a phenomenal guitar. And the thing with the Bullet, about 2 weeks later I found the Affinity with a Tremolo. It was 3 years old at the times and rarely/never used. But it's music changing epiphany was swapping out a zinc alloy trem block for a solid steel trem block. The Affinity & Bullet sound different enough, yet Strat like enough, that I still wanted a Telecaster or two. And naturally the LP Special with P90's was a little next step of sound/tone territory than the Telecasters. Those are the 3 types of 6 string solid slab guitars. The LP I ended up putting a Bigsby like Vibrato on it. So it's not exactly the LP Special fixed bridge either. None of them are better than the other, just a different tool and role as part of a band & in a mix.
Yep, I picked up a set of Bill Lawrence L 45's pup's at an estate sale. So I built a hardtail strat for them. I'm very pleased with the outcome. The top load Schaller roller bridge that I chose really makes a difference when it comes to set up. It allows string spacing adjustments. Everyone should have a hardtail strat in their stable.
You guys are like 7 hours away from me,but I hope to visit you one day even jus to meet you two. You guys just seem so so cool and down to earth. Maybe I'll go there when I pick up the Silver Sky I hope to win. Keep the vids up guys, you make a huge difference with the hard work into these videos
Growing up my uncle had a obnoxious heavy 1970 something Ash mocha brown hardtail Strat. I loved it! A little bit ago I set out find one of my own and was just floored how crazy the market has got for 70s and 80s fenders. I decided to build my own Warmoth partscaster instead at a fraction of the price since I did not know how much play time it would get. Built my take on it and now I have a green sparkle hardtail “Strat” that weighs almost 11 pounds.
Built an HH hardtail, immediately liked it, so I built an SSS hardtail; hoo boy. It's one of those guitars you pick up and several hours fly by before you know what happened.
Hey Baxter and Johnathan, I've played hard tails, there great, but I reach for the wiggle stick and it's not there. I know, there is a massive hunk of tone wood that's gone, very hard to set up and changing strings is a drag. But I've always love to play wiggle stick. I'm not a shred master, but I do love having the trem bar. It's to me anyways, one of the coolest sounds your guitar can make, in my opinion. Therefore I taught myself how to maintain the bar, so it's always in tune for at least a half hour of wiggling. Plus Jimmy Hendrix would roll in his grave. So to ease the pain of being a trem guy, I now play P.R.S. because of Paul's excellent trem system, and guitar. He nailed it. Have a great day, as always great show.
I recently got a new Squier Contemporary Strat HT in pearl white with a roasted maple neck. Hardtail of course. I absolutely love it! Plays and sounds amazing! If you're looking for a hardtail strat check 'em out.
My $100 Fender - Squire ‘51 Pawn Shop hard tail Strat is still around! Thinking of upgrading the HS pickups if you guys can recommend a good humbucker with a nice coil split Tele-Strat sound...?
I have a lefty G&L strat with a hardtail bridge, they call it the Saddle Lock bridge. They will be happy to build you one, made in Fullerton CA on Fender Ave.
I own a 2000 hardtail Strat. It has a rosewood neck stainless frets and vintage noiseless pickups. It's my main guitar and it is very light as well... I love it...
My first guitar, that I still own. Is a 61 Strat hard tail. It's still my favorite guitar. I prefer hard tails to this day because of this guitar. I love them for all the reasons you guys say. I blocked up my 86 Charvel years ago. Because I like to down tune it. The only, "Wiggle Stick" guitar I have is my '13 MIM Charvel San Dimas. I wish Charvel would do more hard tails.
You guys are killing me! First the Custom Shop Vid with #52, The '55 Wide Fade Hard Tail (I already Called), and now this. I played a '77 Hard Tail about 7-8 years ago and it changed my life, I almost never use the "wiggle stick" and mostly play Tele, let me get the cash for a deposit together and we will talk.
You are right about how special that model of Strat is I have a Hard Tail FSR Stratocaster. I really like the sound and the feel that the strings have., It is a good option. The feel of a Telecaster, makes the Hard Tail Strat feel great to me. I usually deck my Strat trems flat against the body, and the Hard Tail still feels different.
I got a lefty player strat in 2018, decked the bridge, and loved it; until 2021. In 2021, i got a mod shop, lefty hardtail HSS, roasted maple neck, locking tuners, noiseless pickups. This thing is a beast of a guitar. Love it, love it, love it. If i want to use a trem, i play my Wolfgang. Thinking of selling my player strat. Don’t really play it anymore.
I watch you guys all the time but for some reason I dug this episode more than usual. Might be because of the recent trip to the Cannabis store. Play on, Gentlemen!
My next build is already started and i planned on it being a hard tail strat. So now I excited . Its some old wood a buddy gave me that we watched burn in his fire pit one week end while sitting with family and havin a few beer. I asked him what kind of wood it was but he didn't know. I was impressed with how long it took to burn down since I thought it was a softwood. I figured it was quite dense based on the burn rate. I said I think that would make a great guitar. A few weeks went by and next thing I know he hands me enough wood to make 2 guitars including the necks.. I have a gold colored hard tail bridge and a mint green pick guard loaded with vintage 59s and some aged pick up covers and knobs. Also have some brass frets. I think I will burn a burst into the wood with a torch and the put a high gloss clear over it. Might turn out quite nice.
I was jonesing for a hard tail strat a couple years back. Ended up getting a duo sonic. Not a hard tail strat but I’ve had fun with it. It scratched that itch and gave me something I didn’t have before.
Totally! You absolutely gotta get a hard tail (and I just happen to have one in stock). It’s waaaay different from just using all 5 springs on the back and not screwing in the whammy bar!
Really like a blocked/decked strat with springs left on! Very similar characteristics to a hardtail, it kinda sits in between a fully trem’d & hardtail🤘👽👽👽
Jonathan, I also "Deck" Strat trems. I use the trem just the tiniest amount when I play really fast, just to slack the strings and get the bend to mature in full quicker.
I have mine locked out, bridge plate flush, tremolo claw is tighened all the way, 4 springs with foam underneath and no back plate..."oh the Sweet sound of music baby"! Great topic to all the fellow straters out their in this chaos we call life.. cheers!
I'm not disliking this video because I'm all about the hardtail Strat.. that's why I put my deposit down with you last week! As for why I might dislike a video, I would only do so because the video didn't talk about the subject in the click-bait title.
I only play Stratocasters, I use to have a hardtail, but there is such a tiny difference between a hardtail and a blocked Stratocaster I would rather have the resale and selection of a normal Trem system. An HSS is a far different thing, than a hardtail.
I've got an 1986 hardtail stratocaster which the orignal owner built. He worked at fender in the late 80s. Its a 1 piece body, custom order neck which the guy who ordered forgot about and all custom shop electronics. Crazy bit is, didn't the custom shop open in 86? If so i think its one of the orignal sets of electronics from there. Best stratocaster I've played hands down. Its never faulted me, never. Just plays better and rings like a tele
Keep in mind that the Fender Mod Shop offers the hardtail bridge as a Strat option. I have one and Baxter was kind enough to give me advice over the phone when I was trying to choose which pickups to order.
My Mom bought me a sunburst ‘79 hardtail w/ rosewood fretboard. I just thought it looked cool. It was a featherweight. Eventually I traded it for an ‘06 EJ, which is a lovely guitar, but I wish I had that hardtail back.
My first guitar since I decided to start playing again was(is) a partscaster hard tail with a warmoth roasted maple neck and a reverse headstock. Hsh w/5 way switch and coil splitters.
I have a 79 hardtail Strat, 3 bolt, etc. Weighs a ton, about 10 lbs. I've had it since the early 80s. I decided that my Strat should have a trem bar and I'd like it to weigh less, so I bought a Fender Mexican made Strat body on eBay with a trem installed, with a 3 bolt neck pocket. After I put my neck, pickups, and other electronics on the new body it came in at less than 8 lbs. and it sounds very different, IMHO, much better. All of the old 79 stuff just screwed into place. One of the things about that vintage Strat body was the neck pockets were cut too big. You could actually pull the neck up and down in the pocket. The new body is cut precisely to fit the neck perfectly so the neck fits very snuggly so now the guitar sustains better and in general sounds much better. I was always on the fence about selling this guitar, but the neck is just so nice. It's a keeper now.
I purchased a hardtail noventa strat last year. Not quite in the same ballpark as this but people slept on that guitar. It's immense and still retains it 'stratiness' whilst the P90's howl!!!!
There’s room for hard tail Strats, Strats that are blocked off & ones that aren’t More flavours. I have a Mustang, but mostly don’t use the vibrato -got it out of my system. But it’s there if I need it & then it’s mostly the heel of my picking hand pushing one way the other for a subtle effect. But overall I am glad of all the variety and people using different stuff
Awesome video guys! It’s a really cool subject, I am a telecaster player predominantly it’s just what I have gravitated towards historically. I definitely will have to check one out though,👍
That thing looks great! Right up my alley, I have the trem on my Strat cranked down as much as possible. Not sure if you have time, especially since you said that’s already sold, but I’d love to hear a playing clip of that!
These also work great for using 7-8 gauge strings. And whatever happened to all the Fender Black Top model of guitars. Is someone hoarding? Lol.. I loved the swimming pool pickup cut out on those. You could do loaded pick guard swap outs with no fuss.
@@monkfish3099 they work great with lead, finger tapping, and overdrive. Takes a lot of getting used to I know, but when you experiment with everything that you can do, it’s pretty cool to me. Best wishes. Thanks.
I dont use my trems at all, so i usually put a block in to lock the trem. I would like to get a hard tail Fender, but the models are limited. Like the New Pro II, id love to have a hard tail of that guitar for sure. Only guitar i use trem on is my Gretsch with a Bigsby.
My Strat has five springs in it because I've never been a tremolo user and I like how it feels when the trem doesn't move - hardtails are great but they are tonally different than a 'normal' Strat.
I’ve got four in mine, and the trem block in my guitar has a bolt inside of it that functionally blocks it off. Trem is still available but it doesn’t move unless I want it to. A nice compromise
My guitar that got away was a wonderful hardtail strat similar to that one. Small store in downtown Vicksburg whose high end is used Epiphones had it. I fell in love but hesitated, and he who hesitates…
Always fun watching you guys talk. But c'mon, should've played that thing at least a little bit. P.S I have a 74 Strat, regular trem version. Weighs a very light 7.8 lbs.
2 years ago I switched from playing Gibson style guitars to Strats. I found a strat just always feels far more comfortable in every way. But at first, it WAS a lot of getting used to bending drone strings out of tune, so I think a hardtail is EXACTLY what I need! Ugh, having Gear, Wine, and Whisky Acquisition Syndrome all at the same time sucks.
also, if you could get back to releasing your videos about an hour earlier, I'd still be able to have my morning coffee while watching them... just sayin'
Dag....that's an awesome example. I am a believer in 70's guitars. They are in my sweet spot. Mostly because I intentionally love on things that others hate.
I setup my Strats so the back of the bridge is about 1/8" off the body. Now, I'm thinking about a hardtail, so I'm looking at a Robert Cray hardtail Strat. He's a great player -- underrated for some reason.
I've got 3 non-Fender hardtail Strat-oids, 2 with string-thru and one with a TOM bridge. I also deck the trems on my trem equipped Strats. I've tried blocking them but I didn't care this so much.
I built my own hardtail. Started with a Robert Cray sunburst body, added a Custom Shop '59 rosewood neck, mint green pickguard, and finished it off with a set of Abigail Ybarra '69 hand wound pickups. Just doesn't get much better. Incredible guitar.
I love the neck and pickups on my Robert Cray stratocaster, but I'm sure your modifications sound and feel great too. I've got Abby pickups in my 1997 Hendrix Tribute strat (1968 period correct mirror image of the Woodstock strat), and they do sound great.
I’m not implying that your home build guitar doesn’t sound great, it most probably does, but I once assembled an Esquire and I bought an old beaten up Japanese contemporary strat for the sole reason that I wanted to change as good as any aspect of it to turn it into the most beautiful, best sounding and perfectly playable strat I could think of. I didn’t have the know how nor the tools or the patience to actually achieve this goal, yet both of these guitars were perfect, even though I knew they weren’t really. But because of all the love and hard work I put into them they looked and felt and sounded absolutely perfect to me and for many years they were the guitars I played the most, even though I had some really good and expensive guitars. This is the magic of building (or assembling, or even heavily modifying) a guitar. Nothing will beat that feeling. 😎
I built one from a two piece alder body and a neck from a -87 USA Stratocaster and -69 pickups from Fender Custom Shop. Sounds GREAT!
A bit easier I would think
Sounds incredibly cool. I’m thinking of doing a 2 tone sunburst hardtail from the modshop
A hardtail Strat is the perfect guitar. The absolute best blend of simplicity, features, and comfort. Also, naturally light.
I'm not sure it's lighter. The route for the tremolo takes a lot of wood away. I'm no expert though
@@bobbert6770 but adds more hardware/metal as well...
I laughed out loud when Jonathan said “Don’t do that…what a d*ck.” I must have gone back two times to watch that. I love the real moments like those in your videos.
As much as I love guitar, I can’t help but think that I would really get along with you guys, personally. You guys are rad keep up the fantastic content!!!
so excited I bought a hardtail from the mod shop last week before the price jump. Bordeaux metallic, full rosewood neck, vintage style tuners and corona classic pups!
Bought a Mod Shop hard tail a couple years ago. You’re gonna love it.
I did too! Got Antigua.
I got the Noveta, hard tail with P90’s. Love it!
1995 I was 16 and bought a '75 hardtail swamp ash body with maple neck strat for $600. Still have it. Best guitar ever!
My Mom was from So Illinois, Dad from Tennessee, but you guys have given me reason to drive to SC from Los Angeles. I'd fly but who wants to fly home with a new guitar?
What’s in SC?
My hardtail is a Tom Delonge Strat. It’s Strat shaped but doesn’t have the Strat sound. It has a Seymour Duncan humbucker and a single volume knob. There is no tone knob. I bought it off the wall at Sam Ash over 20 years ago for less than $400. Best guitar ever.
Just bought a CS hardtail Troposphere Strat... Its amazing...
My first real big man’s electric guitar was an ‘82 Fender ‘Dan Smith’ hardtail strat in Sienna Sunburst. I still have it. I love that thing. I even bought a second one a couple of years later. For some strange reason, every guitar playing friend I had owned a hardtail Fender strat. I guess it was just more of a thing back then. And it does sound different. A normal strat sounds like there’s a build in reverb tank. The hardtail strat is sturdy as a mule, but comfortable as a satin shirt (forgive me for that comparison).
And Ron Wood’s favorite strats are hardtail versions, so I’m in good company. 😬
😊
I have NEVER owned a strat (and we're talking dozens and dozens) that I didn't lock the tremolo down or bar it off. I've never had anything BUT a hard tail, but never actually owned a true hard tail. So, I feel the vibe.
I blocked my Strats trem as soon as I got it home.
Same. I own two and they've been blocked off from day one. I might set it up as floating trem to channel my inner David Gilmour, but then I realise I'm not David Gilmour.
In my experience, a Strat NEEDS a trem and trem cavity to sound like a proper Strat. You can absolutely block the trem, and I’ve had 2 Strats for 30 years that are blocked, and I love them, but a hardtail Stratocaster just doesn’t sound “right” to my ears. I also have had 6 Suhr Strats, and they are absolutely fantastic. I decided to order a Custom Classic Suhr and had them build it as a hardtail. It was a dog. I couldn’t get it to sound good no matter what I tried. My Fenders that have blocked trems sound completely different. Again, just my opinion.
@@riffs66yeah totally subjective My 72 is blocked off...my 65 along with several others are floating but I recently got a CS Troposphere hard tail and absolutely love it I does have a bit of Tele vibe being string thru but it sounds great Strings are a tad snappier like a Tele and loves a half step down Not sure if there is more tension for that Tele twang but no complaints at all All keepers as well
I had a 24 fret Gibson SG, the neck on that might as well have been a trem bar.
I read a Clapton interview in a guitar publication asking why he doesn't use a hardtail instead of blocking off his trems and he stated that he preferred the sound of the blocked-trem guitars.
Whenever I see a hardtail Stratocaster I internally ask myself, "Am I good enough for a Hardtail Strat?" or "Who do I think I am Robert Cray?" Thanks for another great video & the opportunity to renew my guitar lust.
A Hardtail Strat w/ the 70s headstock is kinda my dream guitar right now. I've been curious about the MIM Robert Cray model, but I'm also hoping Fender will put out other options in the future. For a hot second last year they made very limited runs of the 70s Vintera Strat (alder body instead of ash) with a hardtail and custom shop '69 pickups and I'm still kicking myself that I missed my chance on that one.
I have a MIM Robert Cray model, and I love it.
Don’t throw me in the Briarpatch!
Got my first one back in the early 90s and even though I am really a Les Paul player, I always keep one around. Fantastic choice… Thanks for the great video, fellas!🤠
Love my Robert Cray MIM Strat. It's my only Fender guitar. I'm a Les Paul and PRS Custom 24 player. Sometimes I need a Strat sound and to get that tone, well, best to go to the original source.
Me too - I love the neck, pickups, and Inca silver finish..........!
The Robert Cray has my favorite shape for the neck.
Do it Jonathan, I wanted a hardtail so I had one built in the Mod Shop in Shell Pink (Baxter) with a 65 neck and pure 59 pickups and she sings.🤘😎🎸
I was about to Do another Strat, I bet I can build one like that a Hardtail, make sure to record something on that in case I do so perhaps we can compare, maybe this will be guitar I put those Abby Initialed CS 69 pickups into. Let me know if You two were building it anything you might like to see me do if able to
Guitar Mill has a really beautiful light swamp ash hardtail strat body finished in a dark lake placid blue nitro for sale on their website. Not affiliated with them at all, they just make a great product and that would be a sick guitar build for someone out there. :)
I have an amazing Custom Shop 57' Journeymen Hardtail Strat that I absolutely love. I think the hardtail tone really complements the 50's style Strat tone, especially when if has the aged sounding relic pickups. That aging rounds out the sound a bit but the hardtail brings a more immediate attack that really melds with that 50s chime and cluck. Great guitars
Good wording....love my 56 HT
I have a 1998 American Standard hardtail and I love it. The string tension is perfect for my playing style. It also seems more resonant then my American Standard strat with a trem from the same year.
Do you have the trem blocked out?
@@richsackett3423 No I don't. I think the sound difference occurs because of the route for the trem verses the string through on the hardtail. I could be wrong. I just get a nice tight sound with the hard tail. Stays in tune a lot better too.
@@pastorofmuppets1968 It’s that the force counteracting the pull of the strings is held in springs rather than solid wood.
Almost Tele feeling IMO but w better pups and contours
The HT Strat is awesome. It sounder louder unplugged and the strings ring with longer sustain. Just nicer all round.
My 1st Strat is actually an accidental SSS HT. didn't know what I was doing, so I responded to a seller in the next county moving a 15 year old Squier Bullet HT. Didn't pay much for it, needed some repairs & fixes that I finally figured out as I learned more from a luthier's perspective. The Bullet taught me set ups at first, also glue & toothpick fixes. After that I finally realized the only way I was getting lower action was o shim the neck/neck pocket. So after playing this old guitar, I think I've finally resolved it's issues to the best of what anyone could really do for it. And it's now a phenomenal guitar. And the thing with the Bullet, about 2 weeks later I found the Affinity with a Tremolo. It was 3 years old at the times and rarely/never used. But it's music changing epiphany was swapping out a zinc alloy trem block for a solid steel trem block. The Affinity & Bullet sound different enough, yet Strat like enough, that I still wanted a Telecaster or two. And naturally the LP Special with P90's was a little next step of sound/tone territory than the Telecasters. Those are the 3 types of 6 string solid slab guitars. The LP I ended up putting a Bigsby like Vibrato on it. So it's not exactly the LP Special fixed bridge either. None of them are better than the other, just a different tool and role as part of a band & in a mix.
Yep, I picked up a set of Bill Lawrence L 45's pup's at an estate sale. So I built a hardtail strat for them. I'm very pleased with the outcome. The top load Schaller roller bridge that I chose really makes a difference when it comes to set up. It allows string spacing adjustments. Everyone should have a hardtail strat in their stable.
You guys are like 7 hours away from me,but I hope to visit you one day even jus to meet you two. You guys just seem so so cool and down to earth. Maybe I'll go there when I pick up the Silver Sky I hope to win. Keep the vids up guys, you make a huge difference with the hard work into these videos
Wow! I can't believe you guys are talking about a 74 hardtail Strat.
I've been playing one for years. I love it!
Growing up my uncle had a obnoxious heavy 1970 something Ash mocha brown hardtail Strat. I loved it! A little bit ago I set out find one of my own and was just floored how crazy the market has got for 70s and 80s fenders. I decided to build my own Warmoth partscaster instead at a fraction of the price since I did not know how much play time it would get. Built my take on it and now I have a green sparkle hardtail “Strat” that weighs almost 11 pounds.
Built an HH hardtail, immediately liked it, so I built an SSS hardtail; hoo boy. It's one of those guitars you pick up and several hours fly by before you know what happened.
Hey Baxter and Johnathan,
I've played hard tails, there great, but I reach for the wiggle stick and it's not there.
I know, there is a massive hunk of tone wood that's gone, very hard to set up and changing strings is a drag. But I've always love to play wiggle stick. I'm not a shred master, but I do love having the trem bar. It's to me anyways, one of the coolest sounds your guitar can make, in my opinion. Therefore I taught myself how to maintain the bar, so it's always in tune for at least a half hour of wiggling. Plus Jimmy Hendrix would roll in his grave. So to ease the pain of being a trem guy, I now play P.R.S. because of Paul's excellent trem system, and guitar. He nailed it.
Have a great day, as always great show.
I’m a massive hard tail strat fan boy ! They are rad ! The sustain is clearer and they just don’t go out of tune !
Regular Strats don’t go out of tune either. My bridge is floated half step in either direction.
I would really like to have a hardtail Strat. They seem to be hard to find, though.
I recently got a new Squier Contemporary Strat HT in pearl white with a roasted maple neck. Hardtail of course. I absolutely love it! Plays and sounds amazing! If you're looking for a hardtail strat check 'em out.
My $100 Fender - Squire ‘51 Pawn Shop hard tail Strat is still around! Thinking of upgrading the HS pickups if you guys can recommend a good humbucker with a nice coil split Tele-Strat sound...?
I have a lefty G&L strat with a hardtail bridge, they call it the Saddle Lock bridge. They will be happy to build you one, made in Fullerton CA on Fender Ave.
I own a 2000 hardtail Strat. It has a rosewood neck stainless frets and vintage noiseless pickups. It's my main guitar and it is very light as well... I love it...
My first guitar, that I still own. Is a 61 Strat hard tail. It's still my favorite guitar. I prefer hard tails to this day because of this guitar. I love them for all the reasons you guys say. I blocked up my 86 Charvel years ago. Because I like to down tune it. The only, "Wiggle Stick" guitar I have is my '13 MIM Charvel San Dimas. I wish Charvel would do more hard tails.
You guys are killing me! First the Custom Shop Vid with #52, The '55 Wide Fade Hard Tail (I already Called), and now this. I played a '77 Hard Tail about 7-8 years ago and it changed my life, I almost never use the "wiggle stick" and mostly play Tele, let me get the cash for a deposit together and we will talk.
You are right about how special that model of Strat is I have a Hard Tail FSR Stratocaster. I really like the sound and the feel that the strings have., It is a good option. The feel of a Telecaster, makes the Hard Tail Strat feel great to me. I usually deck my Strat trems flat against the body, and the Hard Tail still feels different.
I got a lefty player strat in 2018, decked the bridge, and loved it; until 2021.
In 2021, i got a mod shop, lefty hardtail HSS, roasted maple neck, locking tuners, noiseless pickups. This thing is a beast of a guitar. Love it, love it, love it. If i want to use a trem, i play my Wolfgang.
Thinking of selling my player strat. Don’t really play it anymore.
A hard tail Charvel is on my list, that counts right?
I love the tone and feel of a nice hardtail Strat!
Will ya'll have a booth at the Carolina Guitar Show in Fletcher, NC in a few weeks?
I watch you guys all the time but for some reason I dug this episode more than usual. Might be because of the recent trip to the Cannabis store. Play on, Gentlemen!
Recently got a Mod Shop Strat and went with a hardtail bc I already have a trem. One of my now favorite guitars :)
I like that Fender. I only like hardtails myself.
I always gig with a Mexican Robert Cray strat. It is awesome. Hardtail strats get two thumbs up 👍 from me
On my Fender Strat I have my trem blocked off with 2 stacks of dimes and I use the back cavity to hold the battery for the Alembic blaster installed.
I absolutely love Hardtail Strats! Thanks for posting it, Gents!
My next build is already started and i planned on it being a hard tail strat. So now I excited . Its some old wood a buddy gave me that we watched burn in his fire pit one week end while sitting with family and havin a few beer. I asked him what kind of wood it was but he didn't know. I was impressed with how long it took to burn down since I thought it was a softwood. I figured it was quite dense based on the burn rate. I said I think that would make a great guitar. A few weeks went by and next thing I know he hands me enough wood to make 2 guitars including the necks.. I have a gold colored hard tail bridge and a mint green pick guard loaded with vintage 59s and some aged pick up covers and knobs. Also have some brass frets. I think I will burn a burst into the wood with a torch and the put a high gloss clear over it. Might turn out quite nice.
I honestly wish that Fender sold more hardtail versions from the factory. I would definitely get one just for the quicker restringing alone.
If they made it in other models, I would still buy the Robert Cray version for the neck, pickups, and silver finish.
I was jonesing for a hard tail strat a couple years back. Ended up getting a duo sonic. Not a hard tail strat but I’ve had fun with it. It scratched that itch and gave me something I didn’t have before.
I would love a hard tail Strat. I never use the trem on mine so I took it off.
Totally! You absolutely gotta get a hard tail (and I just happen to have one in stock). It’s waaaay different from just using all 5 springs on the back and not screwing in the whammy bar!
Really like a blocked/decked strat with springs left on! Very similar characteristics to a hardtail, it kinda sits in between a fully trem’d & hardtail🤘👽👽👽
I saw that Fender is coming out with a 50s spec American hard tail stratocaster… are you guys gonna be getting some?
Where did you here that? I’m very interested.
@@charlesbolton8471 Landon on you tube mentioned it. I’ll see if I can find it and post a link. I believe Sweetwater was carrying them very briefly
Jonathan, I also "Deck" Strat trems. I use the trem just the tiniest amount when I play really fast, just to slack the strings and get the bend to mature in full quicker.
I have mine locked out, bridge plate flush, tremolo claw is tighened all the way, 4 springs with foam underneath and no back plate..."oh the Sweet sound of music baby"! Great topic to all the fellow straters out their in this chaos we call life.. cheers!
Likely be ordering a CS hardtail from you someday Baxter. And it's Corto Maltese. Also, the Peacemaker opening is the best.
I'm not disliking this video because I'm all about the hardtail Strat.. that's why I put my deposit down with you last week!
As for why I might dislike a video, I would only do so because the video didn't talk about the subject in the click-bait title.
My 70s hardtail strat really makes me happy. Bright, snappy and responsive. Pisses all over my recent guitars that I sold them.
I love my 79 hardtail Strat! Tuning stability and the lighter weight is definitely a thing!
Yes, please. Hardtail all the way for me!
You guys are off the dang hook, Love it!! Great video!!
I only play Stratocasters, I use to have a hardtail, but there is such a tiny difference between a hardtail and a blocked Stratocaster I would rather have the resale and selection of a normal Trem system. An HSS is a far different thing, than a hardtail.
My hardtail strat dreams include a blond ash 1956 a boat neck and gold parts.
I'd love to see a video on opinions for decking, floating, or blocking a trim! I look forward to any time ya'll talk strats
I got a 2005 HT Strat in Sept. Very resonate and very light.
I have an 81... Stripped out the block in probably a year. Screwed down the bridge and never looked back. I haven't bought anything with a trem since.
I just pre ordered a charvel jake e lee model. His guitar with ozzy was a 79 hardtail strat.
I've got an 1986 hardtail stratocaster which the orignal owner built. He worked at fender in the late 80s. Its a 1 piece body, custom order neck which the guy who ordered forgot about and all custom shop electronics. Crazy bit is, didn't the custom shop open in 86? If so i think its one of the orignal sets of electronics from there. Best stratocaster I've played hands down. Its never faulted me, never. Just plays better and rings like a tele
Keep in mind that the Fender Mod Shop offers the hardtail bridge as a Strat option. I have one and Baxter was kind enough to give me advice over the phone when I was trying to choose which pickups to order.
Dad's 71 sunburst rosewood 4 bolt neck seems all that cooler. Thanks guys.
Love the two different woods on that Strat. Looks great.
A few months back I was looking for a hardtail Strat but couldn't find any left handed ones that where not super expensive
I’ve got a Vintera 70s HT Strat. Great guitar!
My Mom bought me a sunburst ‘79 hardtail w/ rosewood fretboard. I just thought it looked cool. It was a featherweight. Eventually I traded it for an ‘06 EJ, which is a lovely guitar, but I wish I had that hardtail back.
My first guitar since I decided to start playing again was(is) a partscaster hard tail with a warmoth roasted maple neck and a reverse headstock. Hsh w/5 way switch and coil splitters.
I have a 79 hardtail Strat, 3 bolt, etc. Weighs a ton, about 10 lbs. I've had it since the early 80s. I decided that my Strat should have a trem bar and I'd like it to weigh less, so I bought a Fender Mexican made Strat body on eBay with a trem installed, with a 3 bolt neck pocket. After I put my neck, pickups, and other electronics on the new body it came in at less than 8 lbs. and it sounds very different, IMHO, much better. All of the old 79 stuff just screwed into place. One of the things about that vintage Strat body was the neck pockets were cut too big. You could actually pull the neck up and down in the pocket. The new body is cut precisely to fit the neck perfectly so the neck fits very snuggly so now the guitar sustains better and in general sounds much better. I was always on the fence about selling this guitar, but the neck is just so nice. It's a keeper now.
I purchased a hardtail noventa strat last year. Not quite in the same ballpark as this but people slept on that guitar. It's immense and still retains it 'stratiness' whilst the P90's howl!!!!
There’s room for hard tail Strats, Strats that are blocked off & ones that aren’t
More flavours.
I have a Mustang, but mostly don’t use the vibrato -got it out of my system.
But it’s there if I need it & then it’s mostly the heel of my picking hand pushing one way the other for a subtle effect.
But overall I am glad of all the variety and people using different stuff
Awesome video guys! It’s a really cool subject, I am a telecaster player predominantly it’s just what I have gravitated towards historically. I definitely will have to check one out though,👍
That thing looks great! Right up my alley, I have the trem on my Strat cranked down as much as possible.
Not sure if you have time, especially since you said that’s already sold, but I’d love to hear a playing clip of that!
The LP/SG guys love the hard tail strats. In the 80/90's Robin Rangers were a strat/tele hybrid.
It's time for fender to make a standard made in Mexico and American hardtail. I tried a friend's modshop and it was really cool.
It’s past time. They should have never stopped.
Hello from Dominican Republic! Really nice guitar. Love your show!
These also work great for using 7-8 gauge strings. And whatever happened to all the Fender Black Top model of guitars. Is someone hoarding? Lol.. I loved the swimming pool pickup cut out on those. You could do loaded pick guard swap outs with no fuss.
@@monkfish3099 they work great with lead, finger tapping, and overdrive. Takes a lot of getting used to I know, but when you experiment with everything that you can do, it’s pretty cool to me. Best wishes. Thanks.
I dont use my trems at all, so i usually put a block in to lock the trem. I would like to get a hard tail Fender, but the models are limited. Like the New Pro II, id love to have a hard tail of that guitar for sure. Only guitar i use trem on is my Gretsch with a Bigsby.
My Strat has five springs in it because I've never been a tremolo user and I like how it feels when the trem doesn't move - hardtails are great but they are tonally different than a 'normal' Strat.
I’ve got four in mine, and the trem block in my guitar has a bolt inside of it that functionally blocks it off. Trem is still available but it doesn’t move unless I want it to. A nice compromise
You guys always make me want to buy a new guitar lol....I do have to tune my Strat way more than my Tele's
I’ve got a scratch built hardtail strat that’s just a killer guitar. It’s loaded with some NC made Mojotones. Just a killer guitar!
My guitar that got away was a wonderful hardtail strat similar to that one. Small store in downtown Vicksburg whose high end is used Epiphones had it. I fell in love but hesitated, and he who hesitates…
Always fun watching you guys talk. But c'mon, should've played that thing at least a little bit.
P.S I have a 74 Strat, regular trem version. Weighs a very light 7.8 lbs.
2 years ago I switched from playing Gibson style guitars to Strats. I found a strat just always feels far more comfortable in every way. But at first, it WAS a lot of getting used to bending drone strings out of tune, so I think a hardtail is EXACTLY what I need!
Ugh, having Gear, Wine, and Whisky Acquisition Syndrome all at the same time sucks.
also, if you could get back to releasing your videos about an hour earlier, I'd still be able to have my morning coffee while watching them... just sayin'
Dag....that's an awesome example. I am a believer in 70's guitars. They are in my sweet spot. Mostly because I intentionally love on things that others hate.
I setup my Strats so the back of the bridge is about 1/8" off the body. Now, I'm thinking about a hardtail, so I'm looking at a Robert Cray hardtail Strat. He's a great player -- underrated for some reason.
Hardtail Strat is the way. Been telling people for years. Even Baxter. Most people never use the tremolo.
How many HT strats in current Fender/Squire line-up? A mustang, bullet and mod-shop. Bit of a jump unless I missed one
You two should have a classic rock radio show. greetings from Riverside California
Love the hardtail… but assembled my own candy apple red with r.maple neck. Visually love the ferruled rear view and the stability.
I've got 3 non-Fender hardtail Strat-oids, 2 with string-thru and one with a TOM bridge. I also deck the trems on my trem equipped Strats. I've tried blocking them but I didn't care this so much.