Jump to content

Fitting new gotoh vintage tremolo on my guitar. Need help about the size


Recommended Posts

  • Members

So i have this two point wilkinson wvp-sb

and i want to replace it with a gotoh 510T-FE1

I'm getting this online and there's no return policy so i have to be precise

I did contact gotoh customer service and they kinda suck really.

 

I did printed out the dimension diagram on a cardboard after adjusting it to fit the real measurement given by the diagram and i got this (please take a look at the pic)

 

So far pretty good i think?

Or am i missing something?

Any tip on fitting trem on an already routed guitar?

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

the Gotoh has a post spacing Center to Center of 56 mm. its not negotiable... the Will has a nominal spacing of 56.8 mm but the way it's designed it can adapt to some variation... so simply measure the existing posts center to center Dan you can answer your own question.. hope this helps..

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

The steel Gotoh uses is much better then anything Wilkerson makes. The Japanese steel they use is nearly as good German made steel when it comes to hardness and durability. Much better then the cheap steel form China Wilkerson uses. You will find the Gotoh bridge to be slightly brighter in tone because of its added hardness. You'll have to decide whether that is a problem for your particular guitar. You may not even notice it depending on the build and pickups used.

 

As Ron Kim mentioned there is a .8mm difference between the two bridges. The Wilkerson's treble side fulcrum point allows for the post spacing to be off quite a bit and still function. The Gotoh has no side to side give besides the exact post spacing and whatever movement the post screws have. From my experience that's not much from all the Gotoh bridges I've installed. Still its less then 1 millimeter If the posts for the Wilkerson are an exact 56.8 You'd probably be OK. The fulcrum point on the post should have some wiggle room and still function. These posts are close enough where you really wouldn't want to have fill the old post hole(s) and re-drill new ones (you could get away with doing one or simply widening one of the old holes and backfilling the gap with glue. I wouldn't suggest filing the Gotoh bridge to make the spacing wider with a Dremil but that's the other option. Like I said its less then 1mm and that may be within tolerance

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members
the Gotoh has a post spacing Center to Center of 56 mm. its not negotiable... the Will has a nominal spacing of 56.8 mm but the way it's designed it can adapt to some variation... so simply measure the existing posts center to center Dan you can answer your own question.. hope this helps..

 

 

Mine isn't wvs

the wvp wilkinson has exact 56mm stud spacing

but lately i find some problem

The stud fits the baseplate but unfortunately the trem arm bush doesn't fit the routing because the wilkinson wvp has thinner trem arm and sits closer to the high E string while the gotoh trem arm sits a little bit further.

I'll have to get the guitar to be rerouted to make it fit and i don't want to. LOL

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members
Let me ask this, before going thru the hassles of installing, then setting up the new bridge.

 

WHY are you replacing the Wilkinson?

I think it is nice to have the adjustable pop in trem tension in gotoh and maybe the ability to float it better?

The wilkinson wvp floating ability was pretty bad but i think i changed my mind after finding problem with the trem hole bushing and the body routing LOL

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Sorry. I have some kinda spell checker that just guesses what you were gonna say and fills it in automatically.. sometimes I miss "corrections" when I check before I click post reply..

 

yeah Hobby Knife Like an X-Acto..

 

r

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members
Sorry. I have some kinda spell checker that just guesses what you were gonna say and fills it in automatically.. sometimes I miss "corrections" when I check before I click post reply..

 

yeah Hobby Knife Like an X-Acto..

 

r

 

LOL That happens all the time

i think i get it. It doesn't take that much of cut to make it fit.

 

​​​​​​I just wondering how tough it is to carve out the cavity.

because i don't want to mess up and create some chips or messing the finishing.

Is it possible to crack the polyurethane finish while i carve the wood.

Does a polyurethane even crack? Or is it more like a flexible material?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members
it really depends on the placement of the tremolo but it rarely takes more than about 1/16 inch or 2.5mm.

Idk you made it sounds easy 😅

according to my judgement i'll need about 3 to 5mm

If it's bare wood i can easily to that

But with a poly finish would that be the same as carving bare wood?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members
Poly can chip or crack.. I'd warm it with a hair dryer first. it softens the finish slightly so its easier to cut..

 

r

 

Another thing that I've done that works well. Chamfer the finish first with a file or sandpaper. Then cut back the wood to meet the chamfer.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
  • Members
On 8/7/2019 at 7:17 AM, Ron Kirn said:

Often the Wilkinson and the Gotoh will require a little "Dremel work" to accommodate the tremolo fitting... it's easy and the base plate of the tremolo covers it...

I pieced together a Strat with GFS parts and dremeled a big space for a GFS vintage trem with a big brass block and kind of dremeled a bit more than I should have. The baseplate didn't quite cover what I dremeled out, lol

 

aB2RKb7.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...