advice for MIM/import spacing strat trem

G

greekdude

New member
Hello,
this is for this guitar.

Finally i sold the GFS block and reverted back to the original cheapo one, i am right now looking to replace, 52.5mm E-E.

I have in mind the whole GFS MIM tremolo , which is going to have better saddles, plate, than the ones the guitar has now.

Also i have the Fender upgraded MIM in mind.

Until i noticed two interesting new entries here :

Axesrus Steel trem 52.5mm : seems very well built.

Might mite bridge : also seems interesting.

Constraint here is the 52.5mm spacing, no option for the many 56mm or 54mm quality bridges out there.

What you guys think?
 
Re: advice for MIM/import spacing strat trem

I have the GFS MIM bridge with steel block and am really pleased with it. The only change I made was the saddles. I got some 10.5mm Gotoh saddles for it. The screws in the GFS saddles dug in to my hand a bit more than I'd like. The GFS trem is literally a drop-in replacement and surprisingly good quality. The steel trem block definitely helps a lot with the tone.
 
Re: advice for MIM/import spacing strat trem

Replacing the saddles might be something i might do as well. Did you notice improvement in tone after you installed the gotos? In my other strat, refreting + new bent steel saddles made a HUGE improvement in sustain.

Thanx for the tips!
 
Re: advice for MIM/import spacing strat trem

Thanx, will check it out ASAP.
So you mean, that you had a wilkinson with 52.5mm spacing? I have never found one.
 
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Re: advice for MIM/import spacing strat trem

Yes, that was string and screw spacing. The four middle holes matched up well enough to attach, but I had to leave the outside two alone. I did that since I knew I was getting the Hantug custom bridge. I got the Wilkinson from my local shop. I bought it just so I had something to get the guitar going for the short while before I got the new custom bridge. The Wilkinson is just now sitting around doing nothing.
 
Re: advice for MIM/import spacing strat trem

I have listened to your demo, and noticed a slight improvement in the last titanium version. However i think assessment for tone/sustain should be easier with clean tones. Interesting. And well made bridge as well. Shipping costs should also be cheaper for me, being in Greece.
But i still haven't quite got the story about the wilkinson. Can you show a photo of this? or a link to where they sell it? I am confused on the spacing part. If your guitar was 10.5mm string-string spacing, and the wilkinson was also the same, why did you have to leave the 2 outer holes unscrewed? Something is missing from the equation here. Please enlighten!
 
Re: advice for MIM/import spacing strat trem

greekdude said:
I have in mind the whole GFS MIM tremolo , which is going to have better saddles, plate, than the ones the guitar has now.
Click to expand...

I bought a GFS MIM tremolo and quickly replaced it. I thought it was garbage. I ended up putting a Babicz Full Contact tremolo on the Strat and couldn't be happier.

http://www.fullcontacthardware.com/fch-strat-tremolo

Here is a review of the unit

Guitar-Gear-Review-The-Babicz-Full-Contact-Stratocaster-Tremolo-Banner.jpg
 
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Re: advice for MIM/import spacing strat trem

Hello, just an update here, i ended up buying super-vee bladerunner, which works very good. I would say it is on par with floyd rose. I expected some saddle height screws problems like another member, but overall very good quality. And sound as well.
 
Re: advice for MIM/import spacing strat trem

update : finally the saddle height screws were ok. The small alen wrench was the problem. They sent me some new one, problem solved!
 
Re: advice for MIM/import spacing strat trem

I bought the GFS full MIM trem unit first, and found it was cheaply made, and the fulcrum point for the bridge plate is in the wrong place, so it doesn't pivot as it should. The GFS block on the stock Fender bridge was much better IMO.
Al
 
Re: advice for MIM/import spacing strat trem

Super-vee bladerunner works with all spacings, (kind of universal, so this is no longer a matter). In comparison to the vintage design (6 screws) or the modern (2-pivot studs), the Super-Vee bladerunner, is clearly superior, basing all the support to the steel flexible blade. No more noises, creeeks, quarks, when moving the tremolo. Tuning stability is very good. I can dive and pull up with the partscaster and it almost feels like a double-locking floyd!

This is how it looks like :

9231923944_df892f1b9a_c.jpg


9231919498_dd9742bfd9_c.jpg


9229130833_aee28df9a2_c.jpg


(the "wood"-work on this one, was due to prior efforts to fit the GFS block, some day i gotta pretiffy this, but OTOH, it lets wood "breath" a little ! )

9231930338_ff7b5f1ae4_c.jpg


What i noticed :

- ok, with dimarzio HS-3 and generic cheapo middle/neck SC pups i didn't notice any increase in sustain
- In distorted mode, the guitar has sooo much more clarity. The HS-3 sounds fantastic in comparison to the previous bridge
- yesterday i added some brass polishing in the brass nut, worked it a little and now i think i have even better tuning stability, just a click below floyd rose!

All in all, this is a partscaster which i like so much playing that i will further invest in better tuning machines (heavy Gotoh locking tuners or somth equivalent), and definitely pups/electronics. As i first step i will install EMG SPC, and if it turns out good, i will go for the Livewire Classic II single set. + the SPC it would be a killer guitar.
 
Re: advice for MIM/import spacing strat trem

Rand-O-Monium said:
Scalloped neck on that?
Click to expand...

Yes! this is fully scalloped! Not sure how much difference it makes tho... Definitely makes the guitar sound louder unplugged. Also as a fretboard needs zero maintenance. Reduces finger friction with the wood. Maybe adds a little attack, but maybe the initially produced energy peak results in less sustain. Hard to tell.

What's your experience with scalloped necks?
 
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