Liko
New member
Still tinkering on paper with my "everything axe" based on an HSH Strat. The current question is, which trem?
My two current Strats are both Highway-1s with the vintage 6-hole trem, but neither of them has the arm installed, partially cause I don't use them much, but also cause I lost the only arm I ever got that fits these oddball Highway-1 trem threads. One of them is decked (but not blocked) for extra tuning stability, while the other came to me set up low but still floating and I haven't seen fit to adjust it.
For this build, I still want the option of a trem, but as you can tell I'm not a real whammy bar virtuoso, so the Floyd Rose seems like overkill (and a waste of good swamp ash and figured maple carved out of the body to fit it).
The Gotoh Wilkinson trem Warmoth sells has caught my eye as something not totally shred-head in looks (in fact it's rather sleek and understated which suits my tastes just fine), but with more flexibility and yet stability than the standard 6-hole. The looks aren't vintage of course, but it's going on an HSH build so purists are just going to have to get over themselves. I like the lockdown capability on the saddles and posts; adjust as you like, then set the lock screws and it's not going anywhere.
On the topic of flexibility, Warmoth offers a semi-recessed rout for this trem, giving you more Floyd-y range to your bends. It's an intriguing option, but if it turns out that I'm just not a trem guy, the recessed rout would require blocking the trem to stabilize it against the body, not just decking it like I've done already.
So the questions for the floor:
1. What do you think of the Wilkinson trem in general? Quality, stability, tone, sustain, etc?
2. If I go for the Wilkinson, do you think I should get it semi-recessed?
My two current Strats are both Highway-1s with the vintage 6-hole trem, but neither of them has the arm installed, partially cause I don't use them much, but also cause I lost the only arm I ever got that fits these oddball Highway-1 trem threads. One of them is decked (but not blocked) for extra tuning stability, while the other came to me set up low but still floating and I haven't seen fit to adjust it.
For this build, I still want the option of a trem, but as you can tell I'm not a real whammy bar virtuoso, so the Floyd Rose seems like overkill (and a waste of good swamp ash and figured maple carved out of the body to fit it).
The Gotoh Wilkinson trem Warmoth sells has caught my eye as something not totally shred-head in looks (in fact it's rather sleek and understated which suits my tastes just fine), but with more flexibility and yet stability than the standard 6-hole. The looks aren't vintage of course, but it's going on an HSH build so purists are just going to have to get over themselves. I like the lockdown capability on the saddles and posts; adjust as you like, then set the lock screws and it's not going anywhere.
On the topic of flexibility, Warmoth offers a semi-recessed rout for this trem, giving you more Floyd-y range to your bends. It's an intriguing option, but if it turns out that I'm just not a trem guy, the recessed rout would require blocking the trem to stabilize it against the body, not just decking it like I've done already.
So the questions for the floor:
1. What do you think of the Wilkinson trem in general? Quality, stability, tone, sustain, etc?
2. If I go for the Wilkinson, do you think I should get it semi-recessed?
