Wilkinson trems

Jacew

Jacew

New member
Are they overrated?

I've read a lots of approving reviews about them. Since I wanted steel saddles for my #1 strat, I decided to by one, wvp6 sustain model. (the entire trem cost a new barely more than just a set of steel saddles).

To be honest, after examining it, it feels and seems very cheap (Well, it is, but still...). The block seems decent, but the arm feels cheap: It's slighlty loose when not tightened, and held by minuscule screw when it is. I have very little confidence it will hold in time. It's also "squier-sized", which bend easily if you use it with more than 3 springs.

Springs and claw feel a bit cheap also. They should work fine though.

Weird part is that the trem is sold as heavier model for sustain, but weighting it against Peavey trem with deluxe strat block I have now, there's barely 10g difference. (330 vs 340 grams).

Since there's much more material in it, I wonder what it's made of.

The blocky part around saddles is hold by 4 minitiature screws which seems quite a waste. Why not make it a one slab of metal to make it more solid?

Basically I feel this is just made to look all the way solid product and sold as what ever it is, rather than outsourcing for cheaper production and keeping the quality value.

I resulted to just switch the steel saddles for my current trem. Those seem great in this.
Now that trem is built from parts sourced from 4 different trems :D

I'll drop this in my cureent project when I have time. And update my opinion when I get to use it.
 
Re: Wilkinson trems

Jacew said:
I resulted to just switch the steel saddles for my current trem. Those seem great in this.
Now that trem is built from parts sourced from 4 different trems :D
Click to expand...

That's what I did on one of my MIM Strats. Callaham block, MIM bridge plate, Wilkinson saddles (I later replaced them with Highwood saddles that feel better on your hand while retaining vintage looks), and noiseless springs.
 
Re: Wilkinson trems

Chistopher said:
That's what I did on one of my MIM Strats. Callaham block, MIM bridge plate, Wilkinson saddles (I later replaced them with Highwood saddles that feel better on your hand while retaining vintage looks), and noiseless springs.
Click to expand...

It surprised me how big change those steel saddles made. I expected sharper overall tone, but actually it went way darker. Sustain improved quitd nicely though, which was the aim.

I used to keep treble around 11. Now I couldn't get highs piercing even by cranking the knob.

Had to move my volume pedal behind buffer to brighten up the tone. Which worked brilliantly. It sounds now much punchier and sharper, with the same good treble and balanced tone it already had.
 
Re: Wilkinson trems

I use a Wilkinson on my Brian Moore guitar...I like that trem a lot. It doesn't cut up my hands, either, so that is a plus. I like it about the same as a Bladerunner, which I also think is great.
 
Re: Wilkinson trems

I find Wilkinson trems rugged, dependable, easily adjusted, and affordable. I've switched sustain blocks on them for clients, but I could barely tell any difference in sound. There's one on my Vintage Icon V6M24 that works great with locking Grovers.
 
Re: Wilkinson trems

Mincer said:
I use a Wilkinson on my Brian Moore guitar...I like that trem a lot. It doesn't cut up my hands, either, so that is a plus. I like it about the same as a Bladerunner, which I also think is great.
Click to expand...

Does they all have trem arm held in place with a miniature screw in block? (It's same size as saddle height screw in this?!)

It does have a smooth feel on palm surely.

Pic of wvp6 model:
images (1).jpeg
 
Re: Wilkinson trems

Does they all have trem arm held in place with a miniature screw in block? (It's same size as saddle height screw in this?!)
Click to expand...

I haven't seen all of them, so I can't say.
 
Re: Wilkinson trems

They are made by Gotoh these days...but they have different grades of manufactuers....some are made in China now, the lower grade models.
View attachment 91583View attachment 91584View attachment 91585
My MiJ 510 Gotoh here uses the same small screw...no trouble, but this is no cheap vibrato and the arm is threaded on the inside, so the mini thing just adjust the tension, had an old Ibanez with a similar system, some 25 years later it still worked just fine, but that was also a Japanese Gotoh, but not that expensive either.
Anyways back when I was working in the shop, I sat up alot of cheap guitars with the lower grade Wilkinson stuff....even that worked well.
 
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