Recommend a replacement tremolo for my Strat

CodePoet said:
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.
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It's bunk science, unfortunately. Whatever subtle change in tension you're making by having the springs unequal lengths is:

a) subtle;
b) applied uniformally to all strings as you move the tremolo because they all move in unison and the body that moves them is highly rigid.

It's not troll physics, but it's a great example of someone doing something, looking at it, making some assumptions and reporting it as fact. Sounds plausible when you say it out loud, but under actual scrutiny is not really based on anything but conjecture.

Edit: @mr_fender beat me to it. :)
 
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unix-guy said:
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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I think Reverb was where I looked. I guess I will look again and see about messaging them.
 
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Andy Eagle said:
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.
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Do you have a link to the locking saddles?
 
scottp said:
Do you have a link to the locking saddles?
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Here's a link to their Reverb store item, which is the only way I could find to buy them:

Wilkinson WLS130 Locking Steel Saddles
https://reverb.com/item/24879182-wi...are&utm_campaign=listing&utm_content=248791821596839032049.png

It says "no longer available"... Before it showed only "out of stock".

Maybe they have a new product link... Check their Reverb Store.

Worst case contact them via Reverb. They got back to me within a day or so.

Edit:

I just checked their store and don't see them... However, they do have a 7 string set. The price is pretty close to the same:

Wilkinson WLS130/S7 "Seven String" Steel Saddles
https://reverb.com/item/34753364-wi...are&utm_campaign=listing&utm_content=347533641596839308827.png
 
the Hipshot is my personal favorite. I have mine modded slightly-adding a brass block to add a bit of fullness to the notes and reduce the top end hash. I recommend the Hipshot in conjunction with an LSR nut if possible. IMHO this pairing provides the tuning stability and performance of a Floyd Rose system. The bearing system used in the nut and the bridge provide tuning stability and you get all the "chirp" you like. All this and behind the nut bends!
 
iaresee said:
It's not troll physics, but it's a great example of someone doing something, looking at it, making some assumptions and reporting it as fact. Sounds plausible when you say it out loud, but under actual scrutiny is not really based on anything but conjecture.

Edit: @mr_fender beat me to it. :)
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So now I understand and agree with all you and mr_fender are explaining, which leaves me at a loss as to why my trem has never worked better (in regard to staying in tune) since I set it up that way.🤷‍♂️ Probably just a better overall setup. Oh well...
 
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Andy Eagle said:
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.
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The bridge is only $200.
https://www.johnmannsguitarvault.co...NN-Vibrato-Bridge---LH---Nickel-x50671539.htm

Sadly, right-handed is out of stock. 😕
 
It's not really trolling, just misguided.

The primary thing that affects the rate of pitch bend when the bridge is pivoted is the relative length from the saddles take off point (where the string leaves the saddle edge) to the pivot plane of the bridge plate. The further away from the pivot point the wider it's arc of travel and the more the string gets stretched as you move the arm. The G string bends the most because it typically the furthest back in it's intonation position, giving it the longest arc of travel when the bridge plate pivots. The high E bends the least because it is the furthest forward. If you moved the saddles to all sit parallel to the pivot plane, their pitch bend intervals would be much closer together. You could adjust the saddle positions to get specific bend intervals, but this would almost certainly screw up your intonation as well.

The string diameter, tension, and length also play a role as well. They work in unison and are balanced by your choice of string gauges and the notes to which the strings are tuned.

Spring adjustments will have zero impact on this relationship between strings. That only affects the balance point of the trem and the feel of moving the arm. Again spring and string tension must be equal for the bridge to float.

If you want to change that relationship, your best bet is to experiment with different string gauges. That will change the tension and intonation point for each string at any given tuning and cause different bend intervals.
 
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mr_fender said:
If you moved the saddles to all sit parallel to the pivot plane, their pitch bend intervals would be much closer together.
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They wouldn't be "much closer" but they'd probably be slightly closer. The main reason for the different intervals is the tuning itself. You could make the saddle positions equal and/or tune three (plain) strings of any gauge to G B E (or any transposition) and they'll still hit around 3, 2, 1 semitones together at some point. (Less bridge rotation would be needed for a lower tuning, more for a higher tuning.)

I just tried this now. JP13, pitch rise on 3rd (G) string at bar raise bridge-hits-body limit:

Ideal intonation/height: ~440 cents
Saddle moved to same distance from neck as high E saddle: ~430 cents
Saddle (still closer) lowered to height of high E saddle: ~400 cents

Either adjustment of that magnitude would make a terrible setup. If you drop the B to G and intonate it (or not since the distance barely matters as shown above) you'll see the gauge doesn't matter either. Strings 2 & 3 will rise in almost perfect unison. (Note that the 3rd string might change faster if the saddles match the neck radius, but you wouldn't actually lower the 3rd saddle if you switched to a thinner 3rd string.)
 
favance said:
Actually, it makes tremolo bar bends on each string predictable...
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No,any set up makes the up pull on ONE string predictable and repeatable but the others will be whatever they end up at according to the action, intonation, tuning and string gauge. The angle part is BS .
 
Just got a parcel from England....
20200821_204633.jpg


Liking the locking saddles so far. Need to dial the action/intonation in a bit more after everything settles in, but seems pretty close as it sits....
 
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