Simple question about the wilkinson

[po_0784]

Still unsure about the bridge i will be ordering. I want an easy to set up bridge (no floyd!!!). How do you adjust intonation on a wilkinson? I noticed there is bolts on the top of the saddles?!? Is it like a floyd rose  :dontknow: .

Thanks !

PO Mérizzi

 

[jimh]

The bolts on the top of the saddles lock the saddles in place once you've adjusted the intonation.  The intonation adjustment is a small Allen/Hex key on the rear of the saddle.

I fitted a Wilko to my strat build about 3 months ago, and it was easy (in my opinion).  I've had no experience with Floyd's so I wont comment, but I had mine intonation, action etc set up in maybe 30-45 mins.

 

[jackthehack]

If you want something easy to set up; get a 6 hole vintage bridge. The Wilkinson can be a pain, don't know if the Floyds are worse, never use them.

 

[stormbringer]

I have both Floyds and Wilkinson and the Wilk is much easier to set up and I never have any troubles staying in tune.

 

[po_0784]

thks for the help  :hello2: , well if you can adjust the intonation right on the saddle with a little allen key, this bridge is perfect  ccasion14:

 

[kataar]

I never have any troubles staying in tune.

can you set up a wilky to be floating?  :icon_scratch:

 

[jimh]

I never have any troubles staying in tune.

can you set up a wilky to be floating?  :icon_scratch:

Mine is.  I think they pretty much have to be due to the design of the mounting studs.  You can tilt the base plate back against the face of the body, by screwing the spring claw in the rear cavity right up.  This will mean the trem can only pushed down.  ie non-floating

 

[kataar]

oh, nice. so if it can float, can you get it to flutter too?

 

[jimh]

float like a flutterby, sting like a Bmaj7sus4

 

[rahimiiii]

6 hole vintage is easy to use, but can go out of tune in heavy tremolo use, not so bad for those wanting hardtail feel since you can always block it, good for guitars routed for trem but doesn't want trem.

Wilkinson is a compromise, they are relatively easy to adjust and adjusts a lot like a 6 hole in many case. They have good tuning stability PROVIDED you use a locking tremolo and graphite or roller nut. However they are not available in steel block that I know of (at least not from Stewmac, probably someone on ebay has a steel block version) for those who must have one... callaham doesn't make one either so a machine shop is the only choice if you must have one.

Floyd provides the best tuning stability for heavy tremolo use, so you can do that Joe Satriani dive bomb or whatever (but a really good guitarist could do that on a TOM les paul so...) however from what I understand they are a pain because you gotta change one string at a time or else something goes out of whack. Also retro-fitting it to a guitar requires heavy modification to the guitar, most likely de-valuing it if its a Fender or something. Wilkinson fits on an American Fender without any modification.

 

[spauldingrules]

Dive bomb on a TOM Les Paul?!?!?  He must be a REALLY good guitarist!

 

[GoDrex]

Yes I'd like to learn that technique, just for the hell of it.

 

[Chris of Arabia]

however from what I understand they are a pain because you gotta change one string at a time or else something goes out of whack.

Really not sure why you'd want to do that. Just slide the empty string pack under the back edge of the tremolo base plate and de-string & replace as necessary - least ways, that's what I do.

 

[tfarny]

I've got the 6-hole wilkinson VSVG (sort of a 'vintage modern' bridge). Bolted it in, set it up flush, and it was already intonated within 1 cent on all strings. I haven't even bothered to go back and mess with it. It was like it was made for this particular guitar. Weird.