720 mod, gotoh 510 trem

[ValeBliz]

Hi guys, I’m new, I have a couple of warmoth builds but nothing with a 720 mod. I ordered yesterday a soloist body with a 720 mod routed for a gotoh 510 trem. I don’t plan to float the trem but to keep it decked. Will I be able to set the action without problems? I read a few topics but it’s very confusing I can’t seem to find definitive informations on what can and can’t be used with a 720 pocket. One of my builds is a strat with a gotoh 510, I float it maybe 1mm over the body for some vibrato and still have the saddles relatively high. At first glance, I don’t think lowering everything 2mm would be a problem, but in an old topic Aaron was saying otherwise.

 

[TheOtherEric]

I don’t know the answer, but just today I received a Soloist body with 720 Mod and Gotoh 510 trem that I also don’t plan to float, so maybe I’m your guinea pig, lol.

I’ll let you know! But seriously I’m not worried. Worst case, you need to buy a Stewmac shim for $10, but even that seems unlikely.

 

[stratamania]

Welcome to the forum.

If a Gotoh 510 could not be used with a 720 rout it would not be offered. Whether having the combination does a lot other than altering geometry by lowering the pocket will depend on how you set things up overall and how you plan to set things up. Factually however if you alter anything geometrically that is related to height, angle or similar along the string length it will mean other things consequentially must also be adjusted to take this into account.

Will you be able to set something up without problems?  This is not meant to sound flippant but we do not know your skills or experience. Can this combo be set up without problems? Probably but it will also be dictated by the change to geometry that the mod has introduced.

It is also much better to ask questions prior to ordering. Either here or via Warmoth sales.

I can understand someone perhaps wanting to deck a six screw tremolo, but why use a higher performance tremolo on a new build if it is not planned to be used as designed?

 

[ValeBliz]

Welcome to the forum.

If a Gotoh 510 could not be used with a 720 rout it would not be offered.

Are you so sure about that? The 720 mod is “known” to be a problematic option that can lead to incompatibilities, and it’s down to the sales rep to find those in the orders places, which could be not that obvious considering they don’t know what you plan to do with the parts ordered. Prior to opening this topic I read the topics I found on the matter and on this very forum there’s a topic on the 720 and gotoh 510 trem combo with Aaron himself saying it wouldn’t work, now that’s doesn’t seem to be the case but at this point I don’t have full confidence they exactly know what can or can’t work.
Btw with  “decking” the 510 I mean not floating it, using it flat on the body with it only being able to pull down, is it the correct term? I’m not an English speaker. I choose the 510 over a six screw or a cheaper trem just because I’m used to it, it’s what I have on my strat, I like the string spacing, the feeling and the aesthetics of the bridge.

Thanks TheOtherEric, looking forward to read what happens when you put the guitar together lol

 

[stratamania]

Welcome to the forum.

If a Gotoh 510 could not be used with a 720 rout it would not be offered.

Are you so sure about that? The 720 mod is “known” to be a problematic option that can lead to incompatibilities, and it’s down to the sales rep to find those in the orders places, which could be not that obvious considering they don’t know what you plan to do with the parts ordered. Prior to opening this topic I read the topics I found on the matter and on this very forum there’s a topic on the 720 and gotoh 510 trem combo with Aaron himself saying it wouldn’t work, now that’s doesn’t seem to be the case but at this point I don’t have full confidence they exactly know what can or can’t work.
Btw with  “decking” the 510 I mean not floating it, using it flat on the body with it only being able to pull down, is it the correct term? I’m not an English speaker. I choose the 510 over a six screw or a cheaper trem just because I’m used to it, it’s what I have on my strat, I like the string spacing, the feeling and the aesthetics of the bridge.

Thanks TheOtherEric, looking forward to read what happens when you put the guitar together lol

Yes I am sure about it as it should not be an option in the builder if it was completely incompatible.

Where is the thread with Aaron saying it would not work?  Please post a link as I wonder if something has been misread.

The 720 mod is not something preferred by Aaron or myself. But that does not mean something is completely incompatible or will not work.

Yes that is what I mean by decking also being able to only lower the pitch. I prefer tremolos to float and a Gotoh 510 does it well. Of course if you want to deck it you can.

 

[ValeBliz]

https://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=31491.0

Here’s the topic I was referring to.

 

[stratamania]

https://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=31491.0

Here’s the topic I was referring to.

Ah I see your concern. If the 720 mod was supposed to have been removed from the site. It definitely is there again. I know Warmoth are working on a new web site so it is possible on the current site a bug may have crept back in unintentionally.

Please contact Warmoth sales to confirm one way or the other and reference your order and both threads.

 

[ValeBliz]

Yes I did thank you, I'm waiting for an answer.
For what it's worth, while looking for infos i found pictures of this soloist body with a 720 mod and an american standard two point trem that seems to work just fine.

https://img.mercatinomusicale.com/p_z/15/26/6272615_1566064367.jpg

https://img.mercatinomusicale.com/p_z/15/26/6272615_1566091824.jpg

https://img.mercatinomusicale.com/p_z/15/26/6272615_1566091823.jpg


Btw, i don't think the 720 mod came back on the site because of a bug but because people requested it quite often.

 

[stratamania]

Perhaps so.

Though better to check which you are doing.

 

[ValeBliz]

No answer whatsoever by the sales rep after 4 days. Uhm.

 

[ValeBliz]

Just for an update, the sales rep replied advising to drop the 720 mod from my build.
Eh, whatever, I'm a bit sad because I'm not fond on the large gap between the fretboard and the body in warmoth build without a pickguard. I wonder why they don't reduce the amount of material they remove with the 720 mod, removing only the thickness of a 2 ply pickguard doing like a 675-680 mod instead. It would pose no problem with non recessed routes too.

 

[TheOtherEric]

Just for an update, the sales rep replied advising to drop the 720 mod from my build.
Eh, whatever, I'm a bit sad because I'm not fond on the large gap between the fretboard and the body in warmoth build without a pickguard. I wonder why they don't reduce the amount of material they remove with the 720 mod, removing only the thickness of a 2 ply pickguard doing like a 675-680 mod instead. It would pose no problem with non recessed routes too.

If the website allows you to choose 720 mod and Gotoh trem, yet they don’t recommend it when asked, I’m going to assume that means it USUALLY works. I just ordered a replacement body and will take my chances. Again, worst case is you need a $5 shim. I like that the 720 mod thins out that area, which improves upper fret access.

Even if you forego the 720 mod, it won’t look as bad as some factory guitars with standard depth but angled pockets (for a non-recessed FR trem). You should see the new Kramer Nightswan, OMG the gap under the fretboard is HUGE. Lol. It’s really not a big deal in the grand scheme.

 

[ValeBliz]

Well yes, you're right. What I'll probably do is I'll have my luthier shave 1.5mm from fhe neck pocket.

 

[TheOtherEric]

As a follow-up, I just assembled my Soloist with 720 Mod and Gotoh 510. As suspected, if you want the tremolo to free-float, then it's close but do-able.  To get low action (I'm at 0.060" at 12f), I can get the bridge at a good height off the body (0.8mm) to allow for decent free-floating.  Only issue is that the bridge saddles need to be pretty low; much lower than this and the screws will protrude and dig into your palm (which can be remedied by grinding them down).

I really like 720 Mod with Gotoh 510 and would do it again.  But it's pretty close, so other guitars may not work out quite as well as mine did.

 

[ValeBliz]

Thanks for the follow up man.