Both my guitars have whammy bars and I’m wondering if a hard tail guitar would be better/easier for string bending.
Logic tells me that the strings have to move further with a trem because the bridge will move.
So for those who have both:
How much less do the strings have to move to bend to pitch on a hard tail?
Do you find bending easier on a hard tail and are bends easier to control?
Bending a single string is exactly the same, but (depending on how the trem system is set up) you’ll have a better time doing “country style bends”, where you bend one string and then play another string without releasing the first. On some trem equipped guitars that can cause the second string to sound a bit flat. However, proper technique and adjustments to the trem system can go a long way towards fixing that issue as well.
In short - no particular reason to get a hardtail, other than if you feel like you want one 
(then use whatever to justify the purchase)
I never use trems so I have decked my strat - ie increased the spring tension so it will only move in one direction, and then only with quite a bit of force.
If you have a floating bridge on a strat style guitar (pitch can be both increased and decreased with the whammy bar) then bends will technically be a little harder as the bridge will move (slightly) with the increased tension when you bend (to Kasper’s point this is why those country bends will be out of tune) this will mean you need to bend a little further to reach the same pitch. Although this is technically the case, I can’t say I really noticed the difference in bending when I decked mine.
Another benefit of a hardtail (or heavily decked/blocked bridge) is that if you break a string during a performance it won’t throw the whole guitar out of tune - Assuming you are skilled enough to continue playing with a broken string!
I see this comment so often around here, and every time it makes me a bit sad 
There is so much expression to be found by using the trem bar (that cannot be done on a hardtail) that I would encourage everyone to practice using it and become familiar with it. Unless of course you for some reason really dislike the sound of all types of trem bar playing. I would strong recommend giving it a try!
Thanks Kasper, one day I might, but there’s enough for me to work on without worrying about that too
Not sure why, but I’ve never used one, had a few strats over the years and the whammy bar always sat in the case.
I can’t tell you how much it bothers me to hear it called a tremolo bar. It does vibrato (fluctuation of frequency or pitch), not tremolo (fluctuation of amplitude or volume.)
The bar for my s-type has never been attached to the guitar. It’s still sitting in the compartment in the case.
There are just too many things to learn before even touching the vibrato arm.
Thanks guys, I’m better informed now.
Trem bars are there to be used so I aren’t planning on decking mine.
I haven’t learned country bends yet but I do like me a bit of Country Rock!
You’re right Mark @markr31 they are wrongly named but Tremolo is a name that has stuck. I’ve never heard them called a Vibrato bar….
….until now!
Not worth getting out of shape on the name because regardless of what it does, trem is the name that is sticking and when the likes of the Floyd Rose official website calls it a trem system and refers to a tremolo arm (yes I checked), then you’re fighting a losing battle
Nope. Won’t accept a term that’s clearly, inarguably wrong.
The term, correct or not, was really not the important part of the message I was trying to convey…
I gotcha. I have been wanting to unblock mine for a little while now. My body came blocked and the more I play the electric the more I get the feeling I am missing out on it. I always loved those who have the sweet bigsby on their Gretschs or Gibsons. While I know they are a bit different I do need to order an arm and an oring for my strat and cheak it out. At least I should give it a fair shot.
I would agree with this.
The difference is very small. Some people wouldn’t even notice the difference.
Technically, I think bends are probably a tiny bit easier with a hard tail bridge but not by much. The main advantage is being able to do unison or “country style” bends without the other strings(s) going flat. Floating bridges are cool too though because they can be used in such an expressive way.
I like both types of bridges. I wouldn’t say one is definitely better or easier than the other. You just need to pick the one that works best for the way you play and the style of music you enjoy playing. It’s an interesting conversation though. It’s great to hear everyone’s opinions.
Thanks Dave @Dave_Birnie
Questions like these rarely get a definitive answer and I wasn’t expecting one. Folks have differing views but it’s good to get the opinions of people who have far more experience than me.
I asked because if the answer had been that bending is lot easier on a hard tail, then I would buy one to take that issue out of the equation to help me progress in the upcoming Blim course. (I need all the help I can get 
)
The answers here, including yours, tell me it’s no big deal, so I’m good to go.
Mind you…I may still go buy a Tele cos I ain’t got one. 
Quite right! 
You should have led with that … it’s a much bigger problem.
I’m not sure this is correct. The tension in the string when it’s bent to the correct pitch is the same whether your guitar has a trem system or not. Now, on a trem, since the trem “gives” a little when you bend, you will have to bend the string slightly farther to achieve the required tension. (This is what you wrote actually.)
My guess is that what makes bends difficult is the force that you have to exert on the string to achieve the correct tension, and not the physical distance that you move the string. So, from a physics standpoint, bends should be equally difficult on both types of guitars.
You have to move the string further across the fretboard, so also pushing against other strings increasing the effort required. Also from a physics pov surely you are now also moving a system consisting of a heavy bridge and block and springs.
I don’t think there is a significant difference in the difficulty, but there must be some.
I’m sure all this has very little effect in general, but just for fun let’s continue this gedanken experiment…
Here, I don’t agree. All that your finger needs to do is provide the tension to reach the correct note. Whether there is a fixed bridge or a trem system down at the end won’t make any difference.
A good point, which I hadn’t thought of. But… keep in mind that those other strings will be “looser” on the trem guitar and hence easier to push.
My guess is that any overall effect would be so small, it wouldn’t make any sense to choose one type (trem or hardtail) of guitar over another in order to facilitate string bending.
The easiest way to make string bending easier is to use lighter gauge strings. Or get a shorter scale length guitar. EDIT: Or practice a lot of string bending! 
