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DanDeTora
Guest
Sorry to bump an old thread, but Orpheo, you do you have any pics of the Hipshot trem in the Wilkinson route? You mentioned it fits perfectly, but I'm wondering if the routing looks "off" in some way.
Hipshot Tremolo
- Thread starter Zionplayer
- Start date
Thanks for bumping this thread. I've been seriously thinking about replacing my wilky with the hipshot. I honestly can't believe warmoth still sells that piece of shit. It was fantastic when it was new(the first few days). You can dive bomb, it's smooth, much more compact than the floyd, but......It's just so cheaply made The bar wobbles and I can't play without the bar in or else the loose bridge vibrates sypathetically while playing. There's absoultely no way to tighten it, so when you start to press down on the bar it wobbles before you can depress the note. Also, the little screw that tightens the bar somehow fell out, so now the bar sits either to tight, or not at all. I'd love the bridge if it worked, but.... it's just so cheaply made, with absolutly no company support. It makes me never want to get another again.
Any opinions on whether to get the normal or steel block version of the hipshot?
erik
Any opinions on whether to get the normal or steel block version of the hipshot?
erik
I've got a steel block and a 'normal' block, and I've got to say, no big difference. well, the guitars are quite different; one is a hollow les paul, the other massive. but I dont want to put the differences in tone on the blocks. its more like bodywoods, hollow vs solid, other neck, other pickups...
a wilkie has the same dimensions, sort-off, as a hipshot. they're both designed to be a retrofit of the am. standard. so, an am.std would fit a wilkie-rout. the baseplates are the same (though a hipshot is thicker), and the blocks are put on the same angle and 'same' position. it looks even better, a hipshot in a wilkietrem than on a am.std. kind-off like a PRS trem recessed.
a wilkie has the same dimensions, sort-off, as a hipshot. they're both designed to be a retrofit of the am. standard. so, an am.std would fit a wilkie-rout. the baseplates are the same (though a hipshot is thicker), and the blocks are put on the same angle and 'same' position. it looks even better, a hipshot in a wilkietrem than on a am.std. kind-off like a PRS trem recessed.
taez555 said:
They are not all like that..
I have had 3 gotoh wilkies and 2 of them were absolotely fantastic, smooth, no wobbling, just perfect!
the other one (which is the only one I still have) is the way you described.. horrible!
it is almost like the nut underneath the baseplate is loose and can't be tightened! if anybody knows of a good fix, pleaaaase let me know!
Orpheo said:m4rk0 said:
not even necassary. the studs are the same. and the studs fit the bushings
Orpheo, I had installed the Wilkinson bushings (inserts) and studs, then bought the Hipshot after reading the above. The Hipshot just came today and it appears that Wilkinson's studs might work, but the difference in shape between the Hipshot studs and the Wilkinson studs concerns me. The last thing I want is for the bridge to pop loose and scratch up my killer quilt top
The Wilkinson studs have rounded tops, whereas, the Hipshot studs have flat tops with a concave area to catch the ball-bearings. It looks like it is cleverly designed to work with the ball-bearings and using the Wilkinson studs might not be getting the true benefit of the ball-bearing's stability.
Could you please chime in on this? Thanks.
well, the studs should just fit the bushings, but I dont really get the problem. can you post a pic of the wilkie studs?
by the way; i never said that the studs for the wilkie are good for the hipshot.only that the tremrouting and holes are a match. if it doesnt fit, the only thing you can do is pull out the bushings and bash in the hipshots. if they are a bit loose, no biggy, just use a bit of veneer to make it snug.
all I can say is that the hipshot needs a more rounded edge for the rollers. I have no idea how its like on a wilkie
by the way; i never said that the studs for the wilkie are good for the hipshot.only that the tremrouting and holes are a match. if it doesnt fit, the only thing you can do is pull out the bushings and bash in the hipshots. if they are a bit loose, no biggy, just use a bit of veneer to make it snug.
all I can say is that the hipshot needs a more rounded edge for the rollers. I have no idea how its like on a wilkie
Are those bushings threaded with an open bottom? If so you can put something at the bottom of the hole (like a bolt than is small enough to fit through the bottom hole but still has some size) and screw in an extra stud on top of it. When the stud bottoms out on the bolt, keep screwing in. The bushing will begin to pull out as you screw in.
Works great with TOM style....except some tailpieces that are glued in. You'll need to heat those up carefully with a soldering iron to loosen up the glue.
Works great with TOM style....except some tailpieces that are glued in. You'll need to heat those up carefully with a soldering iron to loosen up the glue.
Okay, I got the bushings out and can offer some valuable insight on how to get it out.
Tools:
1) Hammer with nail pull
2) Thick leather wallet
First, I screwed in the stud almost all the way. Then I laid the leather wallet under where the bridge goes and rested the head of the hammer on it. I got a secure grip on the stud with the nail pull and gently eased the bushing out in a rocking back and forth motion being careful not to apply too much stress upon the body. It came out relatively easily.
Note that this is not a fool proof method. I noticed that as the bushing came free the hammer wanted to fly risking damage to the body. So I had to exercise a GREAT amount of control. So be forewarned if using this method. It works good, but requires a LOT of caution.
Tools:
1) Hammer with nail pull
2) Thick leather wallet
First, I screwed in the stud almost all the way. Then I laid the leather wallet under where the bridge goes and rested the head of the hammer on it. I got a secure grip on the stud with the nail pull and gently eased the bushing out in a rocking back and forth motion being careful not to apply too much stress upon the body. It came out relatively easily.
Note that this is not a fool proof method. I noticed that as the bushing came free the hammer wanted to fly risking damage to the body. So I had to exercise a GREAT amount of control. So be forewarned if using this method. It works good, but requires a LOT of caution.
Just FYI, my Hipshot trem bushings *did* fit with the Wilkinson holes, but the bridge plate does *not* fit all the way into the Wilkinson recess when pulling up. It's just a 1/16th of an inch or so too far over the route, but that's enough that the bridge can only be down-only unless I angle it. I'm getting the recess routed out a little more (no biggie).
There is some bad feeling between Warmoth and Hipshot, or something - I've called with questions about hipshot products and been made to feel that Hipshot wasn't a great company to work with, to say the least. But their stuff that I've seen is really the top end out there and lots of us use hipshot products on warmoths. Can we start a "Hipshot / Warmoth compatibility" sticky? About routs, products etc.
Super Turbo Deluxe Custom
Epic Member
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tfarny said:
+1
I've had an unnamed Warmoth salesperson express this to me as well during a phone order. A paraphrased quote was, "You order a square and they send you a circle." Hipshot makes great products, but I prefer not to deal with their office staff directly. Luckily, one can find Hipshot stuff for cheaper elsewhere. Why Hipshot doesn't have the best prices for Hipshot products is beyond me.
