Hang Loose or Sit Tight Trem Bar

[franklantern]

I have been reading the posts here and have decided to put something together.
I have a 91 or 92 American Standard Strat and the Trem Bar hangs loose over the strings but wont drop to the floor when I let it go.  I am interested in the new Wilkinson, I think its the V401. I am curious if you can set the bar so that it feels pretty loose over the strings?

I like to hang my third finger over the bar and milk notes, especially whlie arpeggiating. Example here at 4:30 minutes;

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hY5Kd3IvNnM[/youtube]

Second question, my sound is fairly amp oriented. Would I notice much difference running either the Fralins or 57/62's? I am currently using the stock Lace Sensors.

Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[Cagey]

I like the V401 Wilkie a lot, and use it exclusively when I want a vibrato bridge. The bar socket tension is adjustable, so you can set it anywhere from gravity drop to stay where you put it until you move it.

As for whether or not Fralins or 57/62s sound better than Lace sensors, it's tough to say. For one thing, there are a lot of Lace sensors out there now. For another, one person's "golden tone" is another's "nails on chalkboard". Personally, I like the Area series pickups better, but that's just me. Your mileage may vary.

 

[franklantern]

Thanks for the V401 feedback Cagey.

I agree we all have different perceptions as to what a good tone is. I was curious as to whether a tone that is strongly colored by the amp would be altered much by a low output pup.

I have only played this one guitar for a long time. Guess I will try a couple of different things and sort it out. Thank you for the 'Area Series' suggestion. I have not come across those in my reading.

 

[Cagey]

I was curious as to whether a tone that is strongly colored by the amp would be altered much by a low output pup.

The amp(s) are but one subset of very long list of variables that affect tone. The amp itself is a long list, what with different tubes, caps, resistors, speakers, stages of gain, output tube choice, bias, on and on. What can be frustrating is that even that as a subsystem it's not a constant. It will have a dynamic response to it, behaving differently based on volume/tone/power settings/age/etc. and what you feed it for an input signal.

That last - the input signal - is what you're questioning, and yes, a low output pickup is going to alter the sound. But, that's the idea, right? Otherwise, why change the pickups?

You mention you have an older Strat that has the original Lace Sensors in it, and from what I remember, those early units were blessedly quiet but sounded somewhat anemic relative to a traditional single coil or humbucking pickup. Perhaps what you want is that same kind of single coil tone, but with a little more meat on its bones. I don't know. But, there are a bajillion different pickups to choose from now, many of them noiseless, and you don't necessarily have to suffer low output or narrow bandwidth to get good tone.

 

[franklantern]

Yes the lace sensors are very quiet, I'll give them that. From what I have read there are alot more options these days. I'm sure I can do better than what I have.

Maybe someone will create IR files of various pup's that we could use over a baseline wide bandwidth pup. Then use Cubase, AxeFX, etc to run the signal through the IR. They could sell it like a kit, you get baseline pup and IR files.