Unplugged sound enhanced by a tremelo bridge on a solid body

[walrus]

I'm noticing that on my recently acquired '20 PRS S2 with a tremelo bridge that unplugged it sounds at least as good as my former Guild Bluesbirds did with their chambered bodies. If I strum the strings and listen from the back of the guitar, you can clearly hear the sound ring out of the back where the tremelo opening and cover is.

This is news to me, I've never had a guitar with a tremelo bridge before. It's possible everyone else already knows this, but I play the guitar unplugged often, and it's pretty cool!



walrus

 

[chazmo]

I noticed more resonance with the tremolo springs in the electrics that I've noodled around with in my living room. I'm not sure if "good" is the description I'd use for the sound, but certainly more audible than without.

 

[SFIV1967]

It depends on the quality of the wood. There are solidbodies sounding dead unplugged and there are solidbodies with a great sound unplugged (comparing various Fender Stratocasters for instance, Custom Shop vs. normal production as example have big differences sometimes). I doubt it has to do with the tremolo only.

Ralf

 

[walrus]

Good point. I once tried a Suhr solid body - beautiful guitar - but absolutely dead unplugged...

walrus

 

[Midnight Toker]

In my experience, heavier grade metal in the bridge/tailpiece really resonates better through a solidbody's wood and makes for a "louder" guitar acoustically. (Which of course translates through the strings/pickups when plugged in.

For my tele, the best upgrade I ever made was installing a heavy grade Callaham tailpiece w/ 3 brass compensated saddles. That guitar w/ the 6 stock string through saddles was an absolute dud. Now she sings like a bird and is great fun to play unplugged....and a tone monster plugged in!

I've done similar upgrades for 2 friends w/ Squier Strats....the heavier trem block/tailpiece really brought them to life! That and installing a preloaded Fender (57') pickguard w/ all American Standard pups/hardware...those cheap guitars instantly sounded as good as any Fender I've ever played...including some vintage and custom shop models.