The whammy bar brings a vast array of tonal possibilities to a guitar that can be both exciting and confusing for new guitar players. Before diving into the exploration of this amazing invention, one has to first deal with its installation.
To install a whammy bar on guitars with vibrato systems, insert the bar into the hole provided for it and screw it clockwise until you begin to feel some resistance. This applies to threaded whammy bars. For systems using non-threaded bars, simply push the bar into place, and you’re done.
In this article, I’ll be taking you through everything you need to know about installing a whammy bar on your electric guitar, no matter its type. So, make sure to keep reading until the end to learn more.
Related: why does your whammy bar not work? 9 problems and fixes, what to do when a whammy bar keeps falling out, and how to put binding on an electric guitar. New to this topic? Start with our step-by-step guide to cleaning and maintaining a guitar.
How To Install a Whammy Bar on Different Electric Guitars
The answer given above is by no means an exhaustive one. This is because the whammy, which was first synonymous with the Stratocaster guitar, has long ceased to be that restricted. Given this development, we shall take some time to look at how one can enjoy the whammy effect on different types of guitars.
In discussing this topic, it is essential to understand that you can only use the whammy bar on a guitar equipped to receive it. These are usually guitars with vibrato or tremolo bridges, as they are more popularly called.
Just a point to note; the tremolo bridge was named by Fender. Tremolo, in music, refers to a rapid modulation in the volume of a sound. However, since the actual action that occurs with the use of a whammy bar is the modulation of the pitch of a sound, calling it a tremolo system is technically wrong. The accurate description, which many people now use, is a vibrato system.
That said, since the system is still widely known as tremolo, I’ll use both terms interchangeably in this article to mean the same thing. It’s just important that you understand why you may see two different names for the same thing.
Without further ado, let’s get into the process of installing a whammy bar on different electric guitars.
Installing a Whammy Bar on a Stratocaster
This is probably the easiest guitar to install a whammy bar on. As mentioned above, whammy bars were traditionally a Stratocaster thing, and many Stratocasters still come preinstalled with the type of bridge required for using the whammy bar.
To install a whammy bar on a Stratocaster, simply insert the included whammy bar or a suitable one you got into the hole in the bridge designed for it. The bar will most likely be threaded, so turn it in a clockwise motion until you feel the beginning of some resistance.
You can watch this video for a visual guide:
How tight or loose it should be is often an issue of personal preference. Many guitar players, however, advise against screwing the bar too tight into the hole.
If you happen to own a guitar that requires an unthreaded bar, all you need to do is push the right bar. There will be no need to screw it into place.
Installing a Whammy Bar on Other Types of Guitars
There’s a wide range of types of electric guitars. Some of these include the Telecaster (also a Fender design), Gibson’s SG, Les Paul, and hollow and semi-hollow guitars. Traditionally, these guitars do not come equipped with the ability to utilize a whammy bar.
Today, many of these guitars have models equipped with a bridge suitable for whammy bar use. Even those not so equipped can now be modified to accept whammy bars.
For better clarity, we’ll look at how whammy bars can be used on Telecasters, Les Pauls, SGs, and other guitars. To help us understand the process better, we’ll start by looking at some of these guitars and the types of tremolo bridges that either come with them or are used to modify them.
Installing a Whammy Bar on a Telecaster
Though the vibrato system for guitars had been invented decades before the creation of the Telecaster, none of the designs available were considered stable and really viable until the Bigsby was invented in 1952. Since Fender’s Telecaster, which was then known as the Broadcaster, was invented in 1950, it did not come with an onboard vibrato (Tremolo) system.
Being a well-loved guitar, the Telecaster retained this original design. Fender, however, went on to satisfy the needs of guitarists who wanted the vibrato system by creating the Stratocaster, which came with a vibrato system from the get-go.
That said, some players still want to enjoy the sound and tone of the Telecaster, plus the ability to add some of the tremolo effect of the whammy bar. While it’s possible to have some manufacturers create a Telecaster-like guitar with a vibrato (tremolo) system installed, the most common solution that guitarists use is modifying the Telecaster to install a vibrato system.
One tremolo (vibrato) system that many regard as the best option for the Telecaster is the Super-Vee Maverick Telecaster Tremolo System. Super-Vee started with a design that was regarded by many as an improvement on the standard Stratocaster bridge. This new, improved bridge was known as the Super-Vee Bladerunner and was specifically designed for the Stratocaster.
The Maverick Telecaster, on the other hand, as you may have guessed from the name, is a design specially made for the Telecaster. It’s designed in such a way that it does not alter the outer appearance of your Telecaster. That said, it is not a project that should be entered into without some knowledge of woodworking and guitar construction.
You may also require some tools that aren’t usually found in most households. Most guitar players will be better off having professionals install it for them.
The reason for this is the somewhat complex routing process required. You can watch this video to better understand what I mean:
For a real-life example of the reaction to the work required for installing the Super-Vee Maverick Telecaster Tremolo System on a Telecaster, I’ll share with you what a senior member on a Guitar Forum had to say about it.