Recommend a replacement tremolo for my Strat

Think outside the box and get a bigsby. You'll definitely get some looks...lol.

The Wilkerson's are getting rave reviews. Some of the new Suhrs are coming out with them, or at least the Pete Thorn versions are.
 
Levinson Blade had a regular Gotoh six screw mounted on six knife edge screws on a model for a while. It worked pretty well.
You probably would get quit a bit of post lean if you tried to set up a prs trem on two screws so I wouldn't recommend it. Also if you ever do have to set up the screw hight on a Mann style trem make sure you do it with the strings off and the trem sitting down off the notches. Tweak the hight until it looks like you have them in alignment then test the bridge against it and repeat until it seams to hit the exact centre of each. If the bridge is adjusted close to the body you won't get much leeway to see as the screw heads prevent you from removing the bridge while you do this, you are stuck just dropping it off the notches to see. Once set up you should leave well alone as the whole thing needs to wear in to work at its best. Not an issues because you still adjust everything else like a strat. PRS use steel for the top plate and brass for the block but the first (Mann made ) where one piece solid brass.
I saw an article or video (I don't remember which) on PRS bridge adjustment.

There is a method to properly adjust the screws by measuring in a specific way.

I'll see if I can find it.

Edit:

This video from John Mann is the one I was thinking of. You can jump to the 8 minute mark:

 
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I saw an article or video (I don't remember which) on PRS bridge adjustment.

There is a method to properly adjust the screws by measuring in a specific way.

I'll see if I can find it.

Edit:

This video from John Mann is the one I was thinking of. You can jump to the 8 minute mark:


'Smidgen'. LOL!

Does this bridge retrofit into the SE24 Standard from PRS' Indonesia factory?
 
I'm not too knowledgeable on the PRS - I only have a single CE-24... But I think they are all the same basic design.
This is what's in mine. It looks like it may be the same one.
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I do want to look into the Wilkinson locking saddles. I have heard a lot of good things about them.
 
Thats a good tip on getting the notches aligned. I'm not sure I'd put a bridge that costs the entire value of an SE on, especially as the pickups suck and also need replacing. Tuners should go as well. Save your money and get a used USA Custom. Avoid the S2 USA as they have the same hardware and pickups as the SE.
 
I have a set of the Wilkinson locking saddles on a Gotoh 510 on my Suhr Modern. They are great. They hold the string firmly on the saddle top almost at the witness point. You don't need to crack them down and crush the string (like you do on a Floyd) because the lock is only to stop the string moving in the saddle during use. The ball end is still taking care of the string tension.
 
That picture is not my Modern but it is the Gotoh 510 with the saddle swap. The 510 has better posts (locking) than the Wilkinson and the block is CRS as well on the TS version. The T version has a deep drilled zinc block, still good as the string tension is lower and the zinc is liquid poured not sintered. It just does not get better than this at the moment on a fender two post mount.
 
Thats a good tip on getting the notches aligned. I'm not sure I'd put a bridge that costs the entire value of an SE on, especially as the pickups suck and also need replacing. Tuners should go as well. Save your money and get a used USA Custom. Avoid the S2 USA as they have the same hardware and pickups as the SE.
Actually, I rather like the 85/15 pickups and this guitar quite a lot. The fit and finish are quite good. I am just looking to improve tuning stability when yanking the bar. It's not bad now for gentle use, but could be better when used less gently. Some sort of locking tuning machines are eventually going to happen as well....
 
I don't know the physics of it or how he's trolling for any sort of benefit, but I've had great luck with that technique. My Strat stays in great tune using that method - it works for me.
The angled spring and tension argument is kind of suspect. The strings act in unison, very uniformly, when you rotate the tremolo around the fulcrum, so angling the bass side and treble side doesn't really do what he thinks its doing. If there's a spread of force across the surface of the tremolo block doing it this way, it's subtle.

The bit about adjusting spring tension and float until you can pull certain strings up a specific number of steps is fine. Nothing magical about it. You could do that and not change the springs the way he does and it'd all work out just as fine.
 
The bit about adjusting spring tension and float until you can pull certain strings up a specific number of steps is fine. Nothing magical about it. You could do that and not change the springs the way he does and it'd all work out just as fine.
I use this part of his setup, and it works pretty well.
 
The angled spring and tension argument is kind of suspect. The strings act in unison, very uniformly, when you rotate the tremolo around the fulcrum, so angling the bass side and treble side doesn't really do what he thinks its doing. If there's a spread of force across the surface of the tremolo block doing it this way, it's subtle.
The main takeaway I get from it is balancing the string tension and the spring tension - that seems to work well for me. The claw angle/tension thing is a leap - I get that. I think his bit about adjusting the upward pull up a specific number of steps is more for performance to give you known intervals to play off of. It also acts as a general guide for how much play to put into the setup.

I just don't understand the "troll physics" comment. I don't know Carl or much about him, but I don't think he's trying to act like a physics master - seems like he's just passing along some anecdotal experience he's come across. People can take it in and use it how they wish. Or not.
 
Claw angle has nothing to do with it. You can only add more or less pull as a whole. Unless it's really thin and cheap, the bridge plate does not flex, so it can only pivot as a whole. There is no way to put more or less tension on specific strings. In order to have a floating trem, the total string and spring tension MUST be equal. Otherwise the trem would pull in the direction of greater tension. Simple physics. The rest is internet BS.
 
I have been trying to find these, but they have been a bit hard to get ahold of. My Strat will get a set as well when I find them....
You can find the Reverb item and send them a message. I did that for about 6 months... Finally bought them when they were in stock.

I can share the link to Reverb if you want?
 
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