Electric Guitar "Whammy" Bars: Finally Explained!

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 guitars with the tremelo bar feature at any Guitar Center store. While new models are popular, vintage used electric guitars 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 guitars 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 simple styles of such devices are the most common. In both styles, the strings are fastened to the rest of the guitar at the tailpiece and run over the top of the bridge. There are springs that allow the bridge to move or "float" where the tailpiece and bridge meet. In one style, a rotating tube is used along with the springs; in the second style, the bridge and the springs are simultaneously operated.

With the attached arm in motion and pressed either up or down, the device can alter the pitch of the notes being played on the guitar. As the springs guide the bridge up or down, this tightens or loosens the tension on the string. Thus, the vibrato effect is perfectly achieved when repeated slowly or rapidly.

The first musicians to use the tremelo bar include Leo Fender and Lonnie Mack, whose song "Wham!" might be responsible for the term "whammy" bar. Later users of this device include Jimi Hendrix and Jeff Beck. The tremelo bar has been used in new and innovative ways more recently by Steve Vai and Eddie Van Halen.

I encourage you to go to a guitar center and try a used electric guitar with a tremelo bar. They are fun to play and you'll be quite surprised with the many variations of sounds that you can produce. Nothing beats tremelo bars on used electric guitars!