"Ashtrays"

[lotech]

I've seen very few Strat's, or Tele's, with the bridge cover on them. I've often wondered why.
Anyone with any thoughts, opinions, information, history, or anything at all to say about the "ashtray" bridge covers, please chime in.

 

[Strat-Talk]

Two words... Palm Muting.

You can't mute the strings with your palm with the bridge covers on either guitar.

Simple as that.

 

[lotech]

What was the point in the first place, so they would look better hanging in the store?

 

[claudel]

I leave mine on my Strat. It helps keep me from tearing skin off the side of
my hand on the saddles and screws... :?

I can still mute the strings with my right hand, it just took a bit of getting used to the ashtray.

Claude

 

[Picky Picky]

What was the point in the first place, so they would look better hanging in the store?

Back in the early days, palm muting wasn't a really big thing. The Ventures seemed to do it in "Wipe Out" but I think that was it. Everybody else was country-ish, clean and ringy. Rickenbacker bridges come with a cover on most of theirs I think.

 

[rkclary]

I love the look of the ashtray, but it's not very practical for playing. Besides the palm muting problem, the 'ash-tray' sometimes pops off when you use the trem bar.

 

[Boris Bubbanov]

I had a Tele (or was it Esquire) cover pop off on me while I was playing someone else's guitar, and it got damaged when it landed.

Very awkward, trying to offer to replace it when the owner was actually super defensive about having one on there, playing it that way. Unpleasant moments followed.

I'd forgotten about that. See what you've done!

Bubbanov

 

[Orlando Mike]

I thought they were just there to fall out of the case compartment and add to the noise when you forget to close the clasps on your tweed case

 

[StratmanNick]

I really can't think I'd ever use the 'ashtray'.

As apart from Palm Muting I also Palm Warble the bridge, an effect not so easy to do with the trem bar.

 

[JKjr]

If it's installed on the guitar how ya gonna snuff your butts in it?

 

[klunkerbill]

Are those things just suppose to snap on? Did they make different types? I've got a used '82/'57 RI and I can't get the thing on, not that I'd really use it, I just wanted to check it out.

 

[Nogbad]

Originaly the mechanics of the bridge and pickups were considered ugly by manufacturers . Chrome covers were purely decorative. Nearly every guitar/Bass player promptly whipped them off. In these retro themed timed lots of young players seem to like them on but when I started out mine, like most people's went straight in a drawer and stayed there. The guy I sold my first Strat to didnt even want it!