Which element, body or hardness of bridge plate/block, has more effect on a Strats sound?
I think that the question is best answered by thinking of Ash and Alder bodied Strats®. If both of the instruments had the identical bridge components (machined cold rolled steel blocks, hardened steel bridge plates, and same material saddles) you would still hear a big difference between the two guitars. We know that the body material does play a large role in the end sound of the instrument. But there is also a tremendous difference heard in the block material that is being used. Tremolo bridges in the past thirty years have been manufactured out of different alloys and they each have their own sound. Most of the alloy bridges seem to deaden the sound of the guitar to my ears. I feel a difference in the response of the string to my touch as well. To determine if a block is alloy or steel all you have to do is put a magnet up against it. If it sticks it is steel. If it doesn’t, I would replace the block with a cold rolled steel block. Be aware, though. There are blocks manufactured th
