Electric Guitar "whammy" Bars: Secrets Of This Incredible Invention
By Daniel Wright
Occasionally, one may find a used electric guitar equipped with an odd bar dangling from its bridge. This bar is called a tremolo or "whammy" bar. There are also other names for this device, such as vibrato arm or wang bar.
Actually, you will find many electric with the tremelo bar feature at any Guitar Center store. While new models are popular, vintage used electric with intact original equipment are the most valuable.
The device was developed and introduced in the late 1940's and 1950's and gave guitar players an interesting playing option. The bar or arm is still produced on certain models of electric today. The original concept of the tremelo bar on a guitar was to create a vibrato effect.
Vibrato is the correct term for the pitch variation used by guitar players, but tremolo (actually a variance in volume), was introduced in amplification technology first and thus guitar players continue to use the misnomer tremolo for pitch variation.
Two styles of this device are the most popular and both devices work very simply. The strings are fastened to the guitar via the tailpiece. The strings are run across the top of the bridge. Within this bridge and tailpiece combination are springs that allow the bridge to move or "float". One style uses a rotating tube in conjunction with the springs. The other style operates the springs and bridge synchronously.
