Trem Back Plates - yay or nay?

[veniculum]

Hey guys...I don't know if this has ever been brought up on this board...if so, I apologize for bringing it up again...I didn't see anything, so I think I'm good to go..

I've obviously been watching other players for many years, and very often..probably more so than not....I see guys leaving the back plate off their guitars.

I'm curious...is this just for ease of access to make adjustments to the tremolo, or are there actual sonic benefits to this.
Being a bit of a perfectionist, it looks very unfinished to me when the plate is left off the guitar...an I don't think my ear is trained well enough to hear any subtle differences this may (or may not) make. So needless to say, I leave mine on. If I do make adjustments, it's certainly easy enough to remove the 6-8 screws that hold it in place.

But I do wonder...do you guys leave these off your strat style guitars (anything, from vintage trems to Jackson/Charvel, etc floyd rose equipped guitars)?

Thanks.

[neilli]

If I take it off to adjust the springs I'll leave it off. But if I don't need to tinker, the plate will stay on. And maybe Eric Johnson would say it affected the tone, but I'm afraid I'm sceptical...

[Musician78]

I leave all mine on. I honestly don't think I would be able to sleep at night knowing one of them is not on there.

[Trussrod]

This topic has been posted before. I used to always leave the plate off after taking it off the first time, but that was when I only owned two electric guitars. Now that I have nine I put the plate back on so it stays with the guitar it came with originally.

[wilkinsi]

Plate stays on unless the guitar is having a repair/upgrade. Only one of my guitars is missing the plate. It never came with one.

[Chad]

I'm a perfectionist type too, but I always leave the plate off of all of my trem equipped guitars. Easy to adjust as needed. Also, for guitars that string through the block, it is easier with the plate off. To keep my anal retentive side in check, I always use a separate ziploc baggy for each guitar where I place the back plate, screws, hang tag, etc. Then I either leave this in the original case or label it with a Sharpie so I know what guitar it goes with.

[MetalHeadMat]

I'm a perfectionist type too, but I always leave the plate off of all of my trem equipped guitars. Easy to adjust as needed. Also, for guitars that string through the block, it is easier with the plate off. To keep my anal retentive side in check, I always use a separate ziploc baggy for each guitar where I place the back plate, screws, hang tag, etc. Then I either leave this in the original case or label it with a Sharpie so I know what guitar it goes with.

.

[veniculum]

I leave all mine on. I honestly don't think I would be able to sleep at night knowing one of them is not on there.

Amen man....I think if one comes off, they all are...then I'd be able to sleep again

[rudociliak]

Yeah, I leave mine off. Well, just like whoever mentioned, I only have 2 guitars. And I don't have such a well trained ear to tell any difference in sound. I highly doubt there even is....

[straycat]

If it has one I put it back on after adjustments.
I've built quite a few and never put a cover on.

[Chief_CrazyTalk]

On, for the plastic resonator goodness.

[Grim]

Mine are on, but that 's more because I'm worried about the safety of my stomach than the guitar.

[Grandturk]

On if the plate is recessed, off if it is non-recessed. I prefer non-recessed trem cavity plates.

[Sharkfin]

I leave them off on all my guitars. I like the way it looks and if any adjustments need to be made it can be done quickly without messing around with screws and the plate.

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

I leave them on once I get them set up, but until everything is tweaked and adjusted some very slight changes to the spring tension may be necessary, and it kind of suck taking out 6 screws and putting them back in every time.

Except my Warmoths... I haven't even bothered installing covers on them.