Wilkinson VSVG

[master of tacos]

Anyone out there with experience with this trem?

Any info on the following would help:

-Tone in comparison to vintage and 2-point strat trems
-How it fares compared to hipshot or callaham trems
-Smoothness of the bar
-Tuning stability (think Jeff Beck style)

Also, what exactly does it mean to have a "locking saddle"? Is that like in a Floyd Rose where the saddles clamp down on the string at the bridge? Also, how do you insert the bar into the trem- is it like in some Wilki's where you need an allen wrench to tighten the bar, or is it like in Fender trems where you just screw it in?

Also also, is it just me, or does the bridge look...kinda big in comparison to Fender trems?

 

[dr. ad]

Re: Wilkinson VSVG

Also, what exactly does it mean to have a "locking saddle"? Is that like in a Floyd Rose where the saddles clamp down on the string at the bridge?

yes

IMO it seems funny that single-locking (vs double-locking) isn't the standard; if the strings' threaded through and held at a trem block i'd think it'd be as secure as if it were pinned down in the saddle; i wonder how much difference it makes, on a guitar that's well-maintained and set up properly, if it's also pinned at the nut vs locking tuners (or no slack on the machine heads)?

awesome name btw

EDIT - i want to put a VSVG on a strat, i've been drooling over the hosco japan website for a while now; i want to test the difference between a graphite-lubricated bone nut and a tusq or graph-tech one on a strat

 

[jeremy]

Re: Wilkinson VSVG

i have one on a hamer daytona (strat) and its a great trem. it isnt "locking" at all but is stable and sounds good.

the bar slides in

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Wilkinson VSVG

IMO it seems funny that single-locking (vs double-locking) isn't the standard; if the strings' threaded through and held at a trem block i'd think it'd be as secure as if it were pinned down in the saddle; i wonder how much difference it makes, on a guitar that's well-maintained and set up properly, if it's also pinned at the nut vs locking tuners (or no slack on the machine heads)?

It makes a lot of difference. Whenever you slacken the strings, they will move wherever they're not clamped down. If that means you don't have one end securely locked into place, it will move, and that means it may not end up in the same position it started, which obviously means tuning issues.

If we're talking about subtle trem usage, then a properly maintained and setup guitar with no locking anything will work just fine. However, if we're talking Steve Vai, or even the occasional strings-slapping-against-the-board divebomb, you're gonna be much better off with it locked at each end.

 

[dr. ad]

Re: Wilkinson VSVG

so if the strings are locked down at the nut and you performed some 'medium' trem abuse like dropping the strings to slack at the end of a riff, how far can the strings have moved once the bridge returns to home?

 

[MikeS]

Re: Wilkinson VSVG

I have one installed in a Highway 1 strat. It's tough to compare to a 2-point trem because of mounting requirements. It does, however, have a very vintage feel to the tone. The fact that it is a 6-screw trem means it feels like a vintage trem, though IMO it's a little smoother. Stability is fine, and the locking saddles are a big part of that. My HWY1 does not have locking tuners, so full-slack dive bombs do not return to perfect tuning. The best you can hope for is medium trem use. Mine stays in tune fine with 1-2 note dips. That has more to do with tuners and setup than the bridge, though.

 

[Zerberus]

Re: Wilkinson VSVG

yes

Not quite....

a "locking saddle" in the sense of a Wilkinson is NOT a saddle that locks the string, but rather means that teh saddle itself is locked in place alleviating one of the primary issues with V-trems: Unwanted movement of the saddles during bar usage, causing tuning and intonation issues after the return. The only other way to fully alleviate this is the Prs method of "framing" the saddles combined with very precise machining tolerances that just barely have air for the saddle to move back and forth when being adjusted.

so if the strings are locked down at the nut and you performed some 'medium' trem abuse like dropping the strings to slack at the end of a riff, how far can the strings have moved once the bridge returns to home?

Depending on trem, string slippage, saddle movement and setup the difference can be up to a full mm

 

[dr. ad]

Re: Wilkinson VSVG

you're right there zerb, i forgot about that difference when posting and should've made the distinction about potential saddle movement.


what i mean to ask is:

miss X has a non-US fender-type strat with the obvious appointments ie non-locking tuners, string trees on the headstock, a bone nut and a 6-post trem.

miss X is 'handy on the tools' and in her impatience has performed the following on her latest strings-change (10-46s):
>removal of string-retaining 'trees' from the headstock
>ensured the strings move freely through their nut slots, added a spot of vaseline and shaved some 2B pencil-lead into the nut slots prior to stringing
>seated the strings on stringing the guitar, leaving 1-2 loops (max) around the tuning posts
>slightly loosened all 4, and then re-tightened the neck bolts starting with the ones closest the headstock
>looped her old first string around all 6 saddles, pulling them together in a lo-fi attempt to secure them as a single unit
>re-seated the 6 screws holding the bridge onto the body so that the one on the extreme bass side is tight, and the other 5 are located securely in the body but their heads aren't putting downward pressure on the bridge
>set the bridge 'claw' screws in the back to float the bridge at the point where it's just lifting off the body
>stretched the strings and played them in

on subsequent use and abuse of the 'trem', miss X starts off with some tasteful bigsby-esque holding of the arm while arpeggiating, and then applying mild vibrato to notes and chording, before getting a bit rockabilly/psychobilly on it; she then steps on the dirt and starts dipping notes up to 2 steps before attempting to play the intros to motley's dr feelgood and machine head's old, culminating in her best joe perry 'eat the rich' tribute, dumping the bottom E but bringing it back up before the strings went entirely slack.

at what point did she stop getting away with it?

if the above is the extent of miss X' 'trem abuse', would she be best advised to:
>leave it as is. mojo!
>fit one a modern wilkinson bridge and/or locking tuners and/or a graphite/tusq/roller nut
>rout for and fit a non-locking string-thru-floyd-type hardened steel bridge and/or locking tuners and/or a graphite/tusq/roller nut
>start playing her rg, even though the tone sucks, she doesn't need 24 frets and the locking nut gets in the way of her hands and stops her being able to play iron man and young lust properly and generally pisses her off.

discuss?