What's the best sounding whammy bar unit?

fillmore nyc · Post by **fillmore nyc** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 7:41 am

toner wrote: Maybe your screen name should be "acronym nyc"!
For the record, I've never built a guitar so I'm just basing my opinion on the typical stock models available. All of my strats have the trem blocked. In a past life I had several guitars with Floyd Rose trems but I recently got "old" and lazy and just don't use whammy bars anymore.

on the "acronym nyc"... I might have to consider that!!
BTW, not old and lazy getting away from whammy bars~~just realizing that what mom told you was right all along...
"To-NER... put that whammy bar down NOW!! Its no good for you. You KNOW you get tuning issues every time you touch that thing. And another thing... LEAVE THOSE KNOBS ON YOUR MARSHALL ALONE"!!!

/

wdelaney72 · Post by **wdelaney72** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 10:37 am

I have an '81 G&L S-500 strat. It has the 2 stud trem system on it. The bar is unusable, as it IMMEDIATELY goes out of tone.

Anyone know if a Wilkinson would fit with any body modifications?

http://www.warmoth.com/hardware/bridges ... _wilkinson

straycat · Post by **straycat** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 11:18 am

I have an '81 G&L S-500 strat. It has the 2 stud trem system on it. The bar is unusable, as it IMMEDIATELY goes out of tone.

Have you tried locking tuners yet? If not try some schaller locking tuners on it and see what happens.

fillmore nyc · Post by **fillmore nyc** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 11:44 am

straycat wrote:Have you tried locking tuners yet? If not try some schaller locking tuners on it and see what happens.

Very true... I've used Sperzel's (the ones with the little thumb wheel on the back) and they're really good, and they DO help. Its not THE answer, but it is a step in the right direction.

(Spoken with a deep-south drawl, like the warden in Cool Hand Luke:)

"Some gi-tahs... well, they have... unconventional ah-deahs... what we have HERE... is failure to intonate..."

myfoot · Post by **myfoot** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 2:35 pm

One of my favorite movies of all time

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fuDDqU6n4o

wdelaney72 · Post by **wdelaney72** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 8:56 pm

fillmore nyc wrote:
straycat wrote:Have you tried locking tuners yet? If not try some schaller locking tuners on it and see what happens.
Very true... I've used Sperzel's (the ones with the little thumb wheel on the back) and they're really good, and they DO help. Its not THE answer, but it is a step in the right direction.

(Spoken with a deep-south drawl, like the warden in Cool Hand Luke:)

"Some gi-tahs... well, they have... unconventional ah-deahs... what we have HERE... is failure to intonate..."

Yeah, that's a good idea. Do the Sperzel's fit the stock tuning machine holes or do they need to be further drilled? I think the Wilkinson will fit, but they recommend an LSR nut, which I won't do.

I don't do a lot with the bar, but it would be nice to be able to use even once in a while. Currently, I can't even look at it without the guitar going out of tune. Without the bar it stays in tune great.

to further your thought...
"Diggin' the hole, boss."
LOL

johniss0001 · Post by **johniss0001** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 9:20 pm

what's wrong with a bigsby i quite like them i have no tuning issues what so ever with mine and the sustain on my old sg with that is awesome, i have had no problems but i have good tuners schaller locking ones. it depends on the style of guitar you are making and if you get a cheap bigsby well copy or the real thing

Roe · Post by **Roe** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 5:53 am

I prefer the callaham strat vib

fillmore nyc · Post by **fillmore nyc** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 10:00 am

johniss0001 wrote:what's wrong with a bigsby i quite like them i have no tuning issues what so ever with mine and the sustain on my old sg with that is awesome, i have had no problems but i have good tuners schaller locking ones. it depends on the style of guitar you are making and if you get a cheap bigsby well copy or the real thing

Actually, I think a Bigsby probably sustains better than just about any trem out there, cause when you're not using it, you basically have a tune-o-matic/stoptail set up. The issues with Bigsbys seem to be lack of range when divebombing or pulling up. They're really good for putting a little wobble on a note, but they cant really go up or down too much.
Im suprised that you dont have tuning issues, though. Thats the other complaint I hear with Bigsbys.
I like the way they look (not they way they work), so I used to stick a small piece of brass bar stock inside the spring on a Bigsby to prevent it from moving. Now the guitar looks slick, and has NO tuning issues at all.