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Affordable trems


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I’m already planning my next project and not even finished the current one.  It’s going to be a straightforward build, I need a Strat for trying to play SRV so will be making a very straight-down-the-line solid colour Strat with either a one piece maple neck or a maple/rosewood neck.

I haven’t yet decided on a vintage 6 screw trem or a 2 post style Trem.  i notice, like other bridges, there are a lot of expensive options such as the Fender own brand and the Callaham bridges.

Are these worth the outlay or is the Wilkinson wvs 50 equally as good?  Any particular recommendations?  What do you guys tend to go for when building Strats?

thanks

Edited by willliam_q
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Thanks Bizman,  which of those do you tend to use?  Do you have a particular model that you go for?

I remember some time ago seeing a video, I think from one of the guys on That Pedal Show.  He swapped out his fender trem with a Callaham and didn’t really notice any difference.

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I just found this Hipshot modern on axesrus, I think it looks real classy, anyone have any experience with these?

https://www.axesrus.co.uk/Hipshot-Contoured-Modern-Tremolo-p/42100vc.htm

also the cheaper Wilkinson trem
https://www.axesrus.co.uk/Wilkinson-VS50MkI-Tremolo-p/vs50mki.htm

 

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Heh, I tend to use the cheapest Chines for hardware, hoping to get something that at least had matching threads for the hex bolts. So far I've only built one guitar with a trem so "tend to use" doesn't apply.

Axesrus is a reliable vendor and they seem to concern about their brand, meaning their own stuff is at least worth the price.

About those two I believe there's no major difference in workmanship. The brand, design and materials used may explain the triple price tag for the Hipshot. Both look stylish and most likely perform better than any poorly chromed pot metal junk at the China shops.

Edited by Bizman62
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I and some of the guys at the course have bought gear from Axesrus and for what I've both heard and experienced their customer service is very good. Any parts from them should do the trick without issues and should anything happen you'd both be in the UK for easier support.

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they use gotoh on the suhr guitars... need I say more?  they also make a lot of the fender orig equip parts.

Haven't tried the callaham, but I'm certain it is made out of superior metal... I'm sure it's nice.  The babicz stuff - have a full contact bridge.  It is extremely nice and def a step up in terms of design, quality... does that translate to better tone - doubtful.  Better tuning stability - def. 

Still, if I was doing a vintage strat style (srv) I'd go goth.  They have some good upgrades (the elongated post holes) and are (for my money) the most innovative company making guitar hardware.  Support them for no other reason than to encourage continual research.  locking studs, heigh adjustable tom, auto adjusting string posts, heigh adjustable string posts, side adjust truss rods... I could go on.  On top of that their stuff is top notch quality and very competitively priced.

https://stratosphereparts.com/new-gotoh-510t-sf2-vintage-tremolo-for-fender-stratocaster-strat-sb-5325-010/

https://www.amazon.com/Gotoh-Traditional-Tremolo-Strat-Chrome/dp/B00EB125KW

 

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The Gotoh trems do look good and axesrus sell them.  I also like that the Gotoh stuff is available at different price brackets so it relatively accessible to all.  
 

 I’ve used axesrus quite a few times in the past and find them to be competitively priced and have quick delivery.  I got a Gotoh locking nut for my Floyd Rose from them to get me the 16” radius and am happy with the quality of it. 

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Hard to go wrong with Wilkinson stuff at any price point. VS100 is one of my favourite non-locking trems, but I also haven't found too many people complaining about the quality of any of their other lower-spec'ed models either.

Another vote for the Babicz trems here. I recently helped my brother rejuvenate an old Strat copy with one of their FCH drop-in replacement 6-screw trems and was pleasantly surprised by the quality for the money. At less than $80AUD it seemed outlandishly cheap for what you got. Whether you buy into the 'more contact = better tone' spiel or not, it's still a very nice bit of kit.

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2 hours ago, willliam_q said:

The Gotoh trems do look good and axesrus sell them.  I also like that the Gotoh stuff is available at different price brackets so it relatively accessible to all.  
 

 I’ve used axesrus quite a few times in the past and find them to be competitively priced and have quick delivery.  I got a Gotoh locking nut for my Floyd Rose from them to get me the 16” radius and am happy with the quality of it. 

cheap and good... very few real examples of that but ime gotoh is def both.

 

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I bought the Gotoh vintage style trem and it was absolutely terrible, in fact I was convinced it was a fake and I sent it back for a refund, then got the Wilkinson one which is significantly better - it's a sturdy unit and I doubt you'd find much better at the price point.

This is the one I'm referring to https://amzn.to/2sULja3

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That’s a possibility and some of the Gotoh trems are similar,  but I’m not really looking to make an srv replica. As far as I can remember  He used a left hand fender vintage trem.  I don’t think any of the Strat style trems would alter the tone that much away from what could be dialled in/out with amplifier eq.  I’m more interested in getting something at decent quality for ok price.  
 

the Wilkinson wvs50 as @ADFinlayson suggested is a definite option and one I had in mind before posting this, just wanted to get other perspectives.

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8 hours ago, ADFinlayson said:

I bought the Gotoh vintage style trem and it was absolutely terrible, in fact I was convinced it was a fake and I sent it back for a refund, then got the Wilkinson one which is significantly better - it's a sturdy unit and I doubt you'd find much better at the price point.

This is the one I'm referring to https://amzn.to/2sULja3

where did you get your Gotoh?  I used the Gotoh vs100 for my sweetspot blue... and it was solid top to bottom... but there are some really shady dealers on ebay passing off stuff as gotoh that is def counterfit.  Had to wade through a sea of them to get to stuff I knew was legit. 

that said... wilkinson does seem to be solid stuff.  hard to go wrong. 

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11 hours ago, mistermikev said:

where did you get your Gotoh?  I used the Gotoh vs100 for my sweetspot blue... and it was solid top to bottom... but there are some really shady dealers on ebay passing off stuff as gotoh that is def counterfit.  Had to wade through a sea of them to get to stuff I knew was legit. 

that said... wilkinson does seem to be solid stuff.  hard to go wrong. 

I bought it from WD Music UK on Amazon, the trem and bits came in a clear plastic bag with no markings, labels or spec sheet (everything else Gotoh that I've bought comes in a Gotoh box with a leaflet). When I queried it with the seller, they said that the product came in a clear plastic bag to reduce their/shipping storage costs because apparently they order so much from Gotoh... But the metal felt soft, saddles were flimsy, trem block wobbled when fully tight. It was clearly fake but fortunately they let me return it. 

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1 minute ago, ADFinlayson said:

I bought it from WD Music UK on Amazon, the trem and bits came in a clear plastic bag with no markings, labels or spec sheet (everything else Gotoh that I've bought comes in a Gotoh box with a leaflet). When I queried it with the seller, they said that the product came in a clear plastic bag to reduce their/shipping storage costs because apparently they order so much from Gotoh... But the metal felt soft, saddles were flimsy, trem block wobbled when fully tight. It was clearly fake but fortunately they let me return it. 

dang, that's crazy that WD sold it (note to self... avoid WD).  Like you... all the gotoh gear I've bought has been in gotoh packaging... in fact that is exactly what I look for on ebay auctions now because I've seen so many fakes.  Usually deal with philedelphia luthier.  If I don't see gotoh packaging - avoid.  That said... I have bought some gotoh from allparts that came in allparts packaging... but it's legit gotoh so... who knows. 

I've recently found a place that has great prices on gotoh - japarts, and they are international.  The shipping is a bit more for me ($30 for two sets of tuners, probably less for you) and wait time isn't great... but they have everything.  fyi.

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