-1- Floated: stock as delivered from the factory
-2- Decked: limited range of motion
-3- Blocked: no range of motion
-4- Hardtail: strung through the body like a Telecaster

…

=1=FLOATED
Guitarpages.com & Fender.com
Jeff Beck – Stevie Ray Vaughan (Lenny) –  Yngwie Malmsteen – Jimi Hendrix

DELUXE SERIES 2 POINT TREMOLO $79.99 Fender.com 

Chrome bridge assembly
Modern two-point synchronized tremolo
Screw-in tremolo arm
Six “Fender®”-stamped bent steel saddles
Includes steel tremolo block, tremolo claw and springs, pop-in tremolo arm with aged white tip, adjustment wrenches and mounting hardware
For most Player, Deluxe, Classic Player, and Vintera Modified Series Stratocasters

AMERICAN DELUXE STRAT BRIDGE ASSEMBLY  $149.99 Fender.com

Polished steel bridge assembly
Two-point synchronized tremolo
Modern narrow string spacing
Includes six polished-steel block saddles, offset intonation screws, steel tremolo block, pop-in tremolo arm and mounting hardware
For American Deluxe and Ultra series Stratocaster models (1986-present)

 

Pros:
Full range of tremolo, can bend notes up and down
Can be used with a very light touch resulting in smooth vibratos
Cons:
Breaking a string sends all other strings out of tune
Bending notes will pull other non-bent strings out of tune
Must be reset for alternate tunings or a change in string gauge

…

=2= DECKED
Guitarpages.com  & PremierGuiair.com

Stevie Ray Vaughan –  John Mayer – Eric Johnson – David Gilmour  – John Frusciante

Before after photos: The photo on the left show the tremolo cavity with the wood screen with a working tremolo. The photo on the right shows the wood screws being tightened to increase the tension on the tremolo. Additionally, the some strats have only three springs. The tension can be increased by adding tighter springs or more springs.

The increased tension allows the tremolo to limit range of motion.

Pros:
Tuning stability
A broken string won’t affect the tuning of other strings
Still allows for dive bombs and limited vibrato
Increased sustain
Cons:
Decreased vibrato range
Heavier tremolo touch

…

=3= BLOCKED
Guitarpages.com

Eric Clapton

A wooden block or sets of objects like American pennies are wedged between the tremolo and the guitar inside the Strat cavity. Photo from hazeguitars.com

Pros:
Achieve the highest amount of sustain
Highest amount of tuning stability
Cons:
Zero vibrato or tremolo function
Cost custom wood block

…

=4= HARDTAIL
-1- Stratocaster Hardtails are strung though the body like Telecaster.
-2- Most Strats have tremolo bridges (whammy bar) allow stretching strings and pitch.
-3- Hardtail’s stay in tune longer  than tremolo bridges for strings are not stretched.
-4- Hardtails can be replaced by block tremolo bridges.
-5- Hardtail’s are rare and required special orders.
-6- Hardtail’s resale value is reputed to be less than tremolo bridges.

 STRAT-TALK.COM – ARTIST HARDTAIL DISCUSSION THREADS

The list indicates simple ownership only. Note that some strats are not the artist’s number one instrument. Ronnie Wood and Joe Bonamassa uses a hardtail frequently. Billy Gibbons has many number one guitars; but did record La Grange with a hardtail. Alvin Lee is known for his Gibson ES 335.

0059 – Mark Knopfler (Dire Starts) – 1954  –  (Thread #1) 
0157 – Ronnie Wood – 1954 – (probable hardtail – (Thread #2)
0707 – Joe Bonamassa  – 1954 – Sunburst (Thread #2)
6634 – Ronnie Wood – 1955 – Sunburst (probable hardtail – Thread #2)
09704 – Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top) – 1955  – La Grange – (Thread #2)
026057 – Billy Corgan  (Smashing Pumpkins) – 1958 – Sunburst – (Thread #2)
48769 – Alvin Lee (Ten Years After)  – 1960 – Sunburst – (Thread #2)

HARDTAIL STRAT PRICES – REVERB.COM 

Fender Stratocaster Pre-CBS (1954 – 1966) Rever.com
Fender Stratocaster Hardtail (1971 – 1977) – Reverb.com
Fender Stratocaster Hardtail (1966 – 1971) – Reverb.com