It is understood that tidal deformations of neutron stars can release energy via gravitational wave emission. This work uses a polytropic neutron star equation of state to gain insight into how the stiffness of an equation of state affects the f-mode frequency, as parameterized by the polytropic index Γ. Numerical simulations of Tolman–Oppenheimer–Volkoff neutron stars in full general relativity are used to obtain gravitational wave signals for different polytropic indices. It is shown that the signal decreases in amplitude as the equation of state gets stiffer. This work is also a proof of concept for future broader parameter surveys with more realistic equations of state.