Do Fender Strat/Tele comes with the ashtray these days

Philly_Q

I honestly don't know if any of my Strats or Teles have ashtrays or not.  There may be one or two sitting in the cases.

I have got one Tele which came with a six-saddle bridge in the case, as an alternative to the three-saddle one.  That was unexpected.

skunkwerx

ICBM said:

skunkwerx said:

My American Professional came with the new version.. 

What on earth is the point of that? It serves no purpose - the original was intended to shield the pickup - it looks ridiculous, and the front corners are sharp enough that they're likely to slice your hand open if you catch them. Total waste of metal and money.

Haha I know. It serves absolutely zero purpose! Doesnt even cover the saddles.. 

Surprisingly comfortable though! 

Funkfingers

skunkwerx said:

ICBM said:

What on earth is the point of that?

Haha I know. It serves absolutely zero purpose! Doesnt even cover the saddles.

It’s a stash tray. 

LastMantra

That's the first time I've seen one on a strat ^^  !! 

Lestratcaster

Silly question but what is the actual function of the ashtray? Does it enhance the tone in any way or purely a visual aesthetic? 

RaymondLin

Lestratcaster said:

Silly question but what is the actual function of the ashtray? Does it enhance the tone in any way or purely a visual aesthetic? 

I guess it serves to protect the bridge from your hands (oils and dirt) or protect your hands from the bridge (Sharp edges).

ICBM

Lestratcaster said:

Silly question but what is the actual function of the ashtray? Does it enhance the tone in any way or purely a visual aesthetic? 

The original function of the Tele one was to shield the pickup. Theoretically it should take off a very small amount of top-end, but probably not much since it's quite a long way from the coil.

The Strat one, I'm not sure - I can only assume a visual thing since there is no shielding necessary there.

Tone71

skunkwerx said:

ICBM said:

skunkwerx said:

My American Professional came with the new version.. 

What on earth is the point of that? It serves no purpose - the original was intended to shield the pickup - it looks ridiculous, and the front corners are sharp enough that they're likely to slice your hand open if you catch them. Total waste of metal and money.

Haha I know. It serves absolutely zero purpose! Doesnt even cover the saddles.. 

Surprisingly comfortable though! 

I like that and need one of those on my American Standard although they have the flat bridge, I tend to rest the palm of my hand on that area when picking which is fine on an ashtray bridge but sharp and sore when resting on a single saddle. First world problems eh

BoopDeWoop

GavRichList said:

LastMantra said:

GavRichList said:

LastMantra said:

Kittyfrisk said:

Completely, utterly pointless. But they look sooo.. cool.

The design actually makes more sense with it on. Looks better imo. 

A bitch to palm-mute though 

Yeah it's not a good design. Aesthetically though it looks far more complete. 

Same can be said for the bridge covers on my Jaguar and both of my Rics... and yet they’re all in their cases!

I really like the bridge cover on my 330, comfy little spot to rest my hand and doesn’t really get in the way of palm muting. 

GavRichList

BoopDeWoop said:

GavRichList said:

LastMantra said:

GavRichList said:

LastMantra said:

Kittyfrisk said:

Completely, utterly pointless. But they look sooo.. cool.

The design actually makes more sense with it on. Looks better imo. 

A bitch to palm-mute though 

Yeah it's not a good design. Aesthetically though it looks far more complete. 

Same can be said for the bridge covers on my Jaguar and both of my Rics... and yet they’re all in their cases!

I really like the bridge cover on my 330, comfy little spot to rest my hand and doesn’t really get in the way of palm muting. 

Ah, the 330 I wanted to buy off you!

Alex2678

My AO strat came with one. I wonder how different guitar history would’ve been if it hadn’t been so easy to take them off

Funkfingers

Alex2678 said:

how different guitar history would’ve been if it hadn’t been so easy to take them off

String changes, pickup height and saddle adjustments would have been a tad difficult. 

ICBM

Funkfingers said:

String changes, pickup height and saddle adjustments would have been a tad difficult. 

String changes on the basses with bridge covers are a pain.

Oh...

monquixote

PMT are strangely silent about why mine didn't have one.

I'll never use it, but given that I've had a sale fall through in the past because of lack of hang tags I want all the candy.

GavRichList

monquixote said:

PMT are strangely silent about why mine didn't have one.

I'll never use it, but given that I've had a sale fall through in the past because of lack of hang tags I want all the candy.

yeah, I would be too - Just relentlessly hassle them via all media until they respond. 

RaymondLin

So I guess they only come with American Standard level and up?

I would've thought they would come with all vintage spec guitars like Vintera as vintage guitars had them as standard back then.

monquixote

GavRichList said:

monquixote said:

PMT are strangely silent about why mine didn't have one.

I'll never use it, but given that I've had a sale fall through in the past because of lack of hang tags I want all the candy.

yeah, I would be too - Just relentlessly hassle them via all media until they respond. 

Just had a reply and they say that they don't

Hmm.

Might speak to @MattFGBI ; about it.

Philly_Q

RaymondLin said:

So I guess they only come with American Standard level and up?

I would've thought they would come with all vintage spec guitars like Vintera as vintage guitars had them as standard back then.

The only time I definitely remember getting one (outside Custom Shop) was with an AVRI Strat.  They've never been supplied with American Standard/American Series/American Professional etc because the "modern" bridges were never designed to be fitted with ashtrays.

And as far as I'm aware they're not supplied with any MIM models, even vintage reissues.  They've probably been supplied with certain MIJ models over the years but god knows which ones.

RaymondLin

Philly_Q said:

RaymondLin said:

So I guess they only come with American Standard level and up?

I would've thought they would come with all vintage spec guitars like Vintera as vintage guitars had them as standard back then.

The only time I definitely remember getting one (outside Custom Shop) was with an AVRI Strat.  They've never been supplied with American Standard/American Series/American Professional etc because the "modern" bridges were never designed to be fitted with ashtrays.

And as far as I'm aware they're not supplied with any MIM models, even vintage reissues.  They've probably been supplied with certain MIJ models over the years but god knows which ones.

Sounds like pot luck.

RaymondLin

Been playing the Strat with the cover on, sure I can't palm mute but if you don't need to...i find it really comfortable! lol

I might leave it on for regular practice