Gotoh Locking Saddles

Let me know how those work out for you. These look like a better design than the Wilkinson locking saddles. I've had some trouble with the Wilkinson saddles breaking strings even though I've been conservative when tightening the lock screw.
 
I'm really interested in opinions about those...
I'm not able to find them where I live but I hope they get to the market soon
 
Interested to see what you think, especially if you have experience with the Wilkinson locking saddles.

I just bought another DK-24 USA (HH) that's coming with the Wilkinsons already installed (and have them on my other 2 DKs).
 
I hope to get a chance to install the saddles this weekend. I've had the Wilkinson locking saddles, too, so I'll be able to compare.
 
fotozvuk said:
I didn't like the Wilkinson LS 108/ I could put up with the fact that the third string broke when using the tremolo intensively. But the main thing is that they are made of lightweight durable metal such as Titan, so the small mass dampens low frequencies. I left them only on the three lowest strings...
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Do you mean the Wilkinson or Gotoh locking saddles? I think the Wilkinson model number is WSL130 (or something like that).
 
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Any chance we could get you to measure the tuning (for example, tune the guitar, then push the 510 all the way down, then measure how much each string is off) before and after install and post the results? :)

I have a Modern with a floating 510 and it stays in tune remarkably well with the stock saddles, but I’m curious how much of a difference the locking saddles make…
 
Rumbletone said:
Any chance we could get you to measure the tuning (for example, tune the guitar, then push the 510 all the way down, then measure how much each string is off) before and after install and post the results? :)

I have a Modern with a floating 510 and it stays in tune remarkably well with the stock saddles, but I’m curious how much of a difference the locking saddles make…
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I think a big part of the function of these is to prevent the tuning from shifting when doing string bends.
 
Rumbletone said:
Any chance we could get you to measure the tuning (for example, tune the guitar, then push the 510 all the way down, then measure how much each string is off) before and after install and post the results? :)

I have a Modern with a floating 510 and it stays in tune remarkably well with the stock saddles, but I’m curious how much of a difference the locking saddles make…
Click to expand...
I can try that, sure. However, I'll be introducing other variables - new strings of a different gauge.

I'll also be swapping the saddles on my Suhr Classic S. The strings will stay the same gauge, so that might be more apples-to-apples.
 
fotozvuk said:
I didn't like the Wilkinson LS 108/ I could put up with the fact that the third string broke when using the tremolo intensively. But the main thing is that they are made of lightweight durable metal such as Titan, so the small mass dampens low frequencies. I left them only on the three lowest strings...
Click to expand...
fotozvuk said:
You're right. I was wrong - these are WLS 130 saddles
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They are made of steel...

I've had no issues with tone or string breakage on the 2 guitars I have them on.
 
fotozvuk said:
No, it's not steel. It is a lightweight but ultra-strong metal. I was only able to buy this off-center model. I asked a metalworker to cut a thread for me in the center of the saddles. He brought them back to me and said that he couldn’t even hammer them, it’s a very hard metal, it’s not steel! I had to drill holes in the tremolo itself for these saddles. (in the photo there are 3 saddles under the lower strings with shifted centers) I repeat - they are much lighter and harder than steel, less weight. Therefore, I think there are less low frequencies to my hearing...English is not my native language....All complaints about Google translator.
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According to Wilkinson, they are hardened steel:
https://wilkinsondirect.com/product/wilkinson-wls130s-saddle/
 
fotozvuk said:
Yes, I read and tried to argue with the master. He teaches metallurgy at the college and has his workshop there. He told me, look, the weight is not like steel, the steel is not hardened, the hardness is still higher, there are not even any scratches left from metal taps. And judging by the color, it is most likely titanium. The main thing is that they are significantly lighter than ordinary metal saddles!
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The finish is satin chrome over steel as described on the website linked above.

In my experience, they are as heavy or heavier than the solid steel saddles they replaced.

I bought mine directly from Wilkinson's Reverb store. Where did you purchase yours? Maybe they are counterfeit?

Maybe contact Wilkinson?
 
fotozvuk said:
Yes, I read and tried to argue with the master. He teaches metallurgy at the college and has his workshop there. He told me, look, the weight is not like steel, the steel is not hardened, the hardness is still higher, there are not even any scratches left from metal taps. And judging by the color, it is most likely titanium. The main thing is that they are significantly lighter than ordinary metal saddles!
Click to expand...
They are not titanium which is not harder than hardened steel.
 
Andy Eagle said:
They are not titanium which is not harder than hardened steel.
Click to expand...
I bought mine from the Wilkinson Reverb store too. Hey guys, I was wrong again! I specially took out unused saddles and compared the weight of the WLS 130....with the old metal String Saver

, yes WLS seems to be even heavier. Probably I was too suggestible to the master who could not cut a thread in hard, hardened metal. Maybe the experiment on the difference in sound when replacing saddles was also not correct. There was a difference in the sound, since I did not use the same strings, but different ones in diameter, both new and old.... I apologize for misleading some.... I’m deleting old posts...
 
I swapped the saddles on my Suhr Custom Modern's Gotoh 510 from stock to Gotoh LS108 yesterday. That's the guitar in my avatar.

Caveat: I only wanted to install these out of curiousity and because I think it's a cool, simple idea. My guitar doesn't have any tuning issues I'm trying to correct, and I'm a light user of the trem arm (just adding a touch of vibrato to chords occasionally).

The installation was easy, with no problem at all, especially if you've done this before.

Gotoh included instructions with the saddles (see pic).

Strings are about as easy to install as non-locking saddles. You just loosen the locking mechanism per the instructions, then pass the strings through the bridge as usual.

Setting string height and intonation works just like the original saddles.

I've tried the Wilkinson WLS130 locking saddles and they worked as advertised. I previously had the Wilkinson WVS130/2P and did have problems with the bridge itself due to a manufacturing defect. See the link below for the thread about that.

"Bridge Swap - Gotoh 510 for Wilkinson WVS130/2P - Ran into a snag": https://forum.fractalaudio.com/thre...r-wilkinson-wvs130-2p-ran-into-a-snag.188777/

For my use case, I think the Gotoh LS108 saddles will work well.

A potential upside of the Wilkinson WLS130 saddles: If you lose one of the locking screws, you'll have to find a replacement, but the saddle will work as a normal non-locking saddle. With the LS108, you'd have to find a replacement screw, plus the locking mechanism might rattle against the string. Small stuff, but I thought I'd mention it.

When tightening the locking screw on the LS108, I didn't notice the strings going sharp. The WLS130 saddles did cause the strings to go a sharp when locking, but just a bit.

Do the LS108 saddles help with tuning stability? It's hard to say so far, but it's at least as good as the WLS130 saddles.

I tried the before-and-after test asked for earlier in this thread. My results so far are inconclusive. I'd be comparing brand-new strings of a different gauge to the broken-in strings that were on the guitar before. And, of course, there are a lot more factors that affect tuning than the saddles.

I like their look compared to the Wilkinson. The Wilkinson saddles were each stamped with the model number, and I didn't care for that. That's just me; they probably look just fine to everyone else.

Another purely cosmetic note: The LS108s are available in several finishes. I think the WLS130s are only available in one.

I've attached pics to show close-ups of the saddle and a side-by-side comparison with the stock saddles.
 

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secondwindow said:
I swapped the saddles on my Suhr Custom Modern's Gotoh 510 from stock to Gotoh LS108 yesterday. That's the guitar in my avatar.

Caveat: I only wanted to install these out of curiousity and because I think it's a cool, simple idea. My guitar doesn't have any tuning issues I'm trying to correct, and I'm a light user of the trem arm (just adding a touch of vibrato to chords occasionally).

The installation was easy, with no problem at all, especially if you've done this before.

Gotoh included instructions with the saddles (see pic).

Strings are about as easy to install as non-locking saddles. You just loosen the locking mechanism per the instructions, then pass the strings through the bridge as usual.

Setting string height and intonation works just like the original saddles.

I've tried the Wilkinson WLS130 locking saddles and they worked as advertised. I previously had the Wilkinson WVS130/2P and did have problems with the bridge itself due to a manufacturing defect. See the link below for the thread about that.

"Bridge Swap - Gotoh 510 for Wilkinson WVS130/2P - Ran into a snag": https://forum.fractalaudio.com/thre...r-wilkinson-wvs130-2p-ran-into-a-snag.188777/

For my use case, I think the Gotoh LS108 saddles will work well.

A potential upside of the Wilkinson WLS130 saddles: If you lose one of the locking screws, you'll have to find a replacement, but the saddle will work as a normal non-locking saddle. With the LS108, you'd have to find a replacement screw and spring, and the locking mechanism might rattle against the string. Small stuff, but I thought I'd mention it.

When tightening the locking screw on the LS108, I didn't notice the strings going sharp. The WLS130 saddles did cause the strings to go a bit sharp when locking, but just a bit.

Do the LS108 saddles help with tuning stability? It's hard to say so far, but it's at least as good as the WLS130 saddles.

I tried the before-and-after test asked for earlier in this thread. My results so far are inconclusive. I'd be comparing brand-new strings of a different gauge to the broken-in strings that were on the guitar before. And, of course, there are a lot more factors that affect tuning than the saddles.

I like their look compared to the Wilkinson. The Wilkinson saddles were each stamped with the model number, and I didn't care for that. That's just me; they probably look just fine to everyone else.

Another purely cosmetic note: The LS108s are available in several finishes. I think the WLS130s are only available in one.

I've attached pics to show close-ups of the saddle and a side-by-side comparison with the stock saddles.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the pics. The locking "fingers" look much more substantial than in the pics I'd seen from Gotoh.

Where did you buy them?

If nothing else, hopefully they're more readily available than the Wilkinson which are often out of stock.
 
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