Neck pocket angle, non-recessed trem mount and a Wilkinson/Gotoh VS100

[Neo Fender]

I searched because I’m certain this has been answered before however, can a Wilkinson/Gotoh VS100 be mounted on a body to float (baseplate parallel and 1/8” above body, per Fender spec.) without a recessed tremolo mount or angled neck pocket?

Thanks.

 

[Cagey]

Absolutely. I do it all the time.

 

[line6man]

I'm curious why you would want it that way. The bridge ends up a mile high.

 

[Cagey]

Are you sure you're thinking of a Wilkinson VS100? As I mentioned above, I mount them that way as a matter of course, and they're not high at all. Certainly nothing like a TOM or a Floyd. They're the same height as most of the Wilkie-style vibratos from Fender, Gotoh, Schaller, Hipshot, etc.

Here's one mounted up about 1/8" high​

 

[line6man]

Are you sure you're thinking of a Wilkinson VS100? As I mentioned above, I mount them that way as a matter of course, and they're not high at all. Certainly nothing like a TOM or a Floyd. They're the same height as most of the Wilkie-style vibratos from Fender, Gotoh, Schaller, Hipshot, etc.

Here's one mounted up about 1/8" high​

A setup like that would be useless to me. You can't pull the bar up very far. I suppose it depends on the player. If you don't pull up, then it wouldn't matter much.

 

[Cagey]

You're right, in that in order to get the sharping range of something recessed, you'd end up with the base plate set up pretty high. But, in the case of most routes for that style of bridge (recessed or not), you also have to relieve the rear route on the neck side of the hole, or the sustain block will hit it and restrict your range anyway.

I've done just that a couple times over the years to gain the added range, and it works out ok. But, there doesn't seem to be much call for it. Apparently the "dive" is the far more used function of the vibrato, with those who want it floating (as I do) it's just to smooth things out on light work (hear SRV's "Lenny") or other subtle work like Beck often does. In that case, you don't need to sharp 2 whole steps, you just want to avoid bottoming out the base plate while you waver things. 1/8" rise on the base is plenty for that.

 

[dmraco]

Yes.  I have even done it on a carved top.  However I do now tighten the springs to the point is rests flush on the body.  IMHO it is a more stable system from a tuning standpoint.  With this set up you have NO upward movement (obviously)

 

[Cagey]

A lot of folks do that for the reasons you cite. But, you can't get that nice smooth vibrato like I gave examples of before if you set it up that way. Plus, you sometimes hear the knocking of the bridge bottoming out against the stop.

I have found that with a properly formed nut of a good material, locking tuners and a two-point knife-edge fulcrum vibrato bridge that stability isn't a problem. I mean, nothing's perfect. Even a Floyd will go out of tune if you go apeshit on the thing because the strings themselves will stretch and go flat even if they are locked in place at both ends. But, good hardware choices and a proper setup go a long way toward keeping things predictable for longer periods.

 

[dmraco]

A lot of folks do that for the reasons you cite. But, you can't get that nice smooth vibrato like I gave examples of before if you set it up that way. Plus, you sometimes hear the knocking of the bridge bottoming out against the stop.

I have found that with a properly formed nut of a good material, locking tuners and a two-point knife-edge fulcrum vibrato bridge that stability isn't a problem. I mean, nothing's perfect. Even a Floyd will go out of tune if you go apeshit on the thing because the strings themselves will stretch and go flat even if they are locked in place at both ends. But, good hardware choices and a proper setup go a long way toward keeping things predictable for longer periods.

Could not agree more.  I have a graphite nut with locking tuners.  I did mount a piece of rubber under the tail end of the bridge.  This gets between the body and bridge and eliminated the knocking.  my springs are TIGHT!.  No backward movement at all.

I have a full floating floyd on another guitar and a kahler on another...I use those when vibrato is needed.  Goof to have all those WARMOTH choices!!!

 

[upyardrat]

I have been looking for thread about this very topic for over 2 weeks now.

I have floyds on all my guitars both recessed (full float) and flat mount with a trem block for dive only with a D-tuna and want something different to beg a change.

I too like to pull up for a slight flutter from time to time and want another full float but different style of trem.

So, I have a related follow up question to this.

I have a Gotoh 510T-FE1 and a Strat body with a flat neck pocket.

Will this set up also work without and angled neck pocket?

 

[Cagey]

Sure. That's not a tall bridge. It'll be fine. The ones you have to watch out for are the TOMs and Floyds.