Any love for Wilkinson VSVG Strat trem?

[loverocker]

My favourite Tokai Strat is 25yo this year I've had it from new, and as a present to myself I'm pimping it up. Main change is an EMG DG-20 set, but I'm also changing the hardware for bling. Right now it has the original Tokai vintage 6-screw trem bridge (Japanese dimensions, I guess?) and I'm changing over to gold hardware - and while looking for a gold tremolo I just spotted the Wilkinson VSVG.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110221594996

I've got to check to see if it will drop straight in first. Thought I'd ask if anyone here has any experience with this bridge? Or if you have a different recommendation?

All advice gratefully received.

 

[jerryjg]

Re: Any love for Wilkinson VSVG Strat trem?

I have one. Like it much better than 2 point. I really like it a lot espcially the action off the saddles. The saddles themselves I think are great. The block is heavey steel and sustains well. One thing i would change is that big fat whammy bar that slides down into the trem. I prefer smaller screw in types like Fender, but all in all an excellent trem.

 

[loverocker]

Re: Any love for Wilkinson VSVG Strat trem?

Thanks for the advice - really useful

Quick follow up Q: How is the saddle height adjusted on these? I can't quite make out from the photo in that auction. I have a hate/hate thing with normal Strat saddles - because the height adjustment screws dig into my palm when damping.

The photo seems to show them screwed right in, but it looks like there's not a lot of screw-thread-to-saddle contact. Which would mean that there's no chance to shorten the screw?

My alternative was to go with a regular trem and use Graphtech saddles - which are solid and would allow the height adjustment screws to be shortened if necessary.

(Sorry it was a not-so-quick Q after all!)

 

[jerryjg]

Re: Any love for Wilkinson VSVG Strat trem?

Thanks for the advice - really useful

Quick follow up Q: How is the saddle height adjusted on these? I can't quite make out from the photo in that auction. I have a hate/hate thing with normal Strat saddles - because the height adjustment screws dig into my palm when damping.

The photo seems to show them screwed right in, but it looks like there's not a lot of screw-thread-to-saddle contact. Which would mean that there's no chance to shorten the screw?

My alternative was to go with a regular trem and use Graphtech saddles - which are solid and would allow the height adjustment screws to be shortened if necessary.

(Sorry it was a not-so-quick Q after all!)

I do a fair amount of Palm muteing too. These saddles are different from the Fender. The bridge hieight screws will not come uphrough the top unless maybe you have the sadles down almost 100% flat on the bridgeplate.
Theres pleanty of room for sadddle height adjustment but the bridge saddle screws just sit about halfway inside of the hollow saddle.

 

[loverocker]

Re: Any love for Wilkinson VSVG Strat trem?

Hi Jerry - thanks for the extra info. Sounds like it's just what I'm after. It's a bit spendy, so I'll do some shopping around for a good price. Thanks

 

[Lazarus1140]

Re: Any love for Wilkinson VSVG Strat trem?

You might check Carvin. They have pretty decent prices on Wilkinson trems.

 

[loverocker]

Re: Any love for Wilkinson VSVG Strat trem?

Thanks for the pointer. Saw some Wilkinson stuff at Carvin, but not the VSVG. So far I've found it on the www.universaljems.com site - $135 for the gold version - some similar prices on Ebay, too.

 

[Crazy_Guitar]

Re: Any love for Wilkinson VSVG Strat trem?

I bought one, but I haven't installed it yet. I need to correct the holes on the body.

 

[MikeS]

Re: Any love for Wilkinson VSVG Strat trem?

I've got one on a Highway 1 strat and I love it. With a properly cut nut it's quite stable, and I frequently use it for vibrato and dips without issue. The saddle height adjustment screws are not sticking above the top of the saddles on mine, and I don't suspect that would be a problem unless the saddles were all the way down.

It was a direct drop in for my Highway 1, but not for the Aria strat copy I originally had it installed in. Fortunately the elongated screw holes allow for some play in the screw placement, but the screw under the low E must be correctly placed.

StewMac has your gold one for $116: http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Bridges...los/Wilkinson_Gotoh_VSVG_Vintage_Tremolo.html

 

[jeremy]

Re: Any love for Wilkinson VSVG Strat trem?

i have one on a hamer daytona and i like it alot. simple and effective

 

[loverocker]

Re: Any love for Wilkinson VSVG Strat trem?

Thanks - now ordered from StewMac

I ordered a slipstone nut blank as well and I have locking tuners on the way, too. (It's going to a tech to setup, because I'm all fingers and thumbs when it comes to hardware).

 

[loverocker]

Re: Any love for Wilkinson VSVG Strat trem?

Just a quick update to say that StewMac rocks - my order arrived (all the way here in England) in 40 hours. I can't get that sort of service from any UK supplier! And the money saved will go some way to pay for the final setup

The Wilkinson VSVG appears to fit as-is, but I'll do a more thorough assembly tomorrow.

Thanks all.

 

[Quicksilver689]

Re: Any love for Wilkinson VSVG Strat trem?

Thanks - now ordered from StewMac

I ordered a slipstone nut blank as well and I have locking tuners on the way, too. (It's going to a tech to setup, because I'm all fingers and thumbs when it comes to hardware).

+1000000^inf. on the locking tuners, I have them (Sperzels) on my axe even though it has a Floyd lock nut on it, because they make restringing and string stretching so much easier, and I get up and in tune and ready to go so much faster with them. :headbang:

What kind did you get, Schallers, Sperzels?

 

[loverocker]

Re: Any love for Wilkinson VSVG Strat trem?

After umming and arring about Sperzels (I have them on my Thorn), I wimped out and decided to keep it simple and 'old school', so I went with the locking Kluson lookalikes from Gotoh.

Partly because I can add them without drilling - if they're not up to scratch, then I can switch.