Which Trem shold I get? GFS vs. Gotoh

[AutoBat]

Duncan113, welcome to the board!
The Gotoh/Wilkinson bridges can be setup as either floating or flush mounted.  I haven't had one myself to know what the adjust is on the back though.

Please note that Warmoth makes & sells parts. The assembly is left to you. (I wanted to clear that up, as I couldn't tell from your wording that if you were aware)

 

[ezas]

I don't know of any special 'adjustment' feature on the Gotoh Wikinson and I put one of these on one of the guitars I put together but typically you lock down the trem using one of two methods one really simple and the other still pretty simple.

In the first very simple case you tighten the claw in the trem cavity until the back of the bridge plate touches the body. Some people also add extra springs. Most people call this 'decking' the trem. I use this method on my two trem guitars.

In the 2nd method you make a small block of wood and wedge the trem block holding it in place. Some use a combination of the two methods. Some use something other than wood like gluing a stack of coins together. This method is usually called 'blocking' the trem.

I like the 1st method because I like to believe that the block and strings are still contributing to the sound. If it does or not I can't really say.

Maybe you are thinking about something like this: http://www.tremol-no.com/

 

[Cagey]

As I contemplate having Warmoth build me my super strat, I need more info on Gotohs. My understanding is that wth a quick adjustment on the back, this tremolo bridge will snap down and become a standard, solid bridge. Is this correct? Secondly, when used as a tremolo, there is no need for a double locking unit on the nut, as with standard FR systems. Is this also correct?

It is as the others have said. There is no "quick" adjustment to lock the thing up, unless you use a Tremol-No. And it is true - you don't need a locking nut, but it's highly recommended that you use locking tuners. The Floyd Rose only uses a locking nut because locking tuners didn't exist when that bridge was originally designed.

 

[ezas]

Lockers = good trem or no trem. Just about the easiest and fastest way to change strings, and one less place to introduce slip into tuning.

I'll mention that I have both GFS locking tuners and a GFS 2-point trem and I like them both.

Tuners (locking and staggered): http://www.guitarfetish.com/Now-STAGGERED-Gotoh-style-Locking-Tuners-Sperzel-Style-String-Lock-_p_514.html

2-point trem: http://www.guitarfetish.com/USA-Strat-2-Point-Hardened-Steel-BLACK-tremolo-system_p_776.html

I've also used the Gotoh Wilkinson from Warmoth and it's a very nice unit and is a good value short of something high-end like a Callaham.

 

[ZionWarmoth]

Here a cheap version of the wolkinson VS100 the VS50? I think http://www.guitarfetish.com/Gloss-Black-Wilkinson-Stainless-Saddle-trem-Fits-ALL-Strats_p_375.html

 

[Mikhael]

I have a Wilkinson on my Parker, and I think it's about the best non-locking vobrato bridge there is.  Very smooth, and with a Graphtech nut and saddles (and locking Sperzels), it's fairly stable.  However, it's still not as stable as a locking system - the Floyd still has it beat there.

I've seen some people with a non-locking system do divebombs and stay in tune - John Petrucci of Dream Theater does it - but not many.  I rarely go that far with my mine.  I use it to slide up/down to/from a note, or to apply a little vibrato most of the time.  But the full locking system guarantees perfect tuning return for radical moves.

 

[Mikhael]

By the way, has anyone tried those Super-Vee/Bladerunner thingies?  The spring steel idea looks interesting.  It worked quite well on the Washburn WonderBar, although that thing had more moving parts than my Chevy Truck...

 

[Cagey]

I've seen a couple people use them here and be happy with the results. It's not a great design, but you don't have a lot of choice if you're stuck with a body that has the vintage 6 hole vibrato bridge routing - you gotta do something.

 

[Great Ape]

Well, I'm having no issues whatsoever with the BladeRunner
unit, I'm happy to say, since my personal preference is for 'vintage style' bridges.

 

[ZionWarmoth]

I have the Blade-Runner in several guitars, very happy with it!!!!
here some pics♫