Will wilkinson 6 post trem (vsvg) fit on a Fender Jap strat?

[nuntius]

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Bridges,_tailpieces/Electric_guitar_tremolos/1/Wilkinson_Gotoh_VSVG_Vintage_Tremolo/Pictures.html#details

One of those ^

I'm just wondering if anyone knows if it's a direct fit or not.  All I know is the guitar I'll be looking at (I've not played it yet) is a Japanese standard strat.  AFAIK they have 6 post trems, right?  Or am I going wrong somewhere here lol

Any help is much appreciated, along with experiences with the Jap strats in general

[TwilightOdyssey]

Phil, we know you know the answer to this!!!

[38thBeatle]

I can't help with the trem but I can with the Strat. I have a Japanese 1960's reissue to accompany my 1970's USA Strat. The Japanese guitar is put together extremely well and plays beautifully. The standard of finish is superb and puts the USA Strat to shame ( but , hey it was the seventies right and it has always played well and now that it has Apaches it sounds great too- there is a clip of it in the player's section btw). I was totally happy with it until, that is, I got my first set of Apaches for my other Strat. It will join the BKP fold soon and it will be one hell of a plank then. I would say that the electrics are not it's strong point. There is nothing wrong but, like I say, after having a set of BKPs in another guitar, the Japanese guitar sounds a bit bland. I'd never have said that before. If you see a Japanese Strat at a good price, I would say get it - provided Phil can reassure you re the trem

[nuntius]

The current best deal on new US Standard strats is £599 with a case, to my knowledge.  The problem is, I've yet to find one that's worth that much money to me...

I've found a s/h std Jap one for half that, and a few Jap reissues for a bit more, so hopefully I'll get a chance to try them this weekend.  A guy I spoke to told me the Jap Standards have thicker necks than their US counterparts, but I'm not sure how right that is.

If the wilkie trem fits it'll be a major bonus.

Edit -

Does anyone know how the Japanese guitars are routed underneath the pickguard?  It's not a deal breaker but if they have a humbucker slot in the bridge it'd be good incase I decide I can't live without one later on down the line

[jt]

:D Every Strat i`ve ever come across is routed for single coils. US, Japan, Squire, Mex`s.

If you want to H/B it you`ll have to take it to a tech. As for the Wilkinson i`m sure it can be retro fitted but i can`t remember for the life of me wether you can drop it straight in !

Phil Help !!

 :D  8)

[tewboss]

Alternatively buy one of the Strats by "Vintage" as they come with Wilkinson parts as standard  :D

[PhilKing]

This is the Wilkinson that Trevor made to replace the standard Fender model.  However the string spacing is narrower than the American Strat spacing (2 1/8 vs 2 7/32), but I think the Japanese Strats might have the narrower spacing anyway.

If I was replacing it though, I would be tempted to use one of his newer temelo's, the WVP6SBCR Steel Block – £33.99 from JHS http://www.jhs.co.uk/wilkinson.html

[nuntius]

This is the Wilkinson that Trevor made to replace the standard Fender model.  However the string spacing is narrower than the American Strat spacing (2 1/8 vs 2 7/32), but I think the Japanese Strats might have the narrower spacing anyway.

If I was replacing it though, I would be tempted to use one of his newer temelo's, the WVP6SBCR Steel Block – £33.99 from JHS http://www.jhs.co.uk/wilkinson.html

Cheers Phil

Would you be able to give me a comparison of that trem and the VSVG?  I've never used that one but I do have experience with the VSVG

[Peterku]

I think the VSVG is supposed to fit every strat that has 6-post trems. The screw holes are wider so that it will fit narrower (chinese copies) and wider (MIA) spacings, too. I have a chinese Strat-copy with the VSVG. It had a narrow spacing but the VSVG was good for it, and I see it could handle much wider spacings, too.

[PhilKing]

Would you be able to give me a comparison of that trem and the VSVG?  I've never used that one but I do have experience with the VSVG

This is more like a PRS trem than a fender one.  It is meant to be smoother in operation because of the 5+1 screw setup (though the VSVG has this in the latest version I think).  The one I was recommending has the steel trem block, which again adds to the sustain.  

If you want to keep the original Strat tone and feel, then the VSVG will work fine, but for a bit more attack and dynamics, then the WVP6SBCR might be the way to go (there is also a steel block version of the VSVG).

[Eric]

Those bridges look pretty slick. Where are all the VS bridges? Or are those strictly made by Gotoh now? I have a VS 100 on a guitar and really like it, with the Sperzels and the graphite nut it really stays in tune.

Eric

[PhilKing]

They are my favourites too, but they are all Gotoh's I think.  I have about 4 originals (including a locking one and one with a set of Fishman pickups).  The only problem here is that they use a 2 stud fixing, not the 6 screw type of the standard Strat.

[willo]

Those bridges look pretty slick. Where are all the VS bridges? Or are those strictly made by Gotoh now? I have a VS 100 on a guitar and really like it, with the Sperzels and the graphite nut it really stays in tune.

Eric

I'm getting the VS100, Sperzel tuners and a graphtech nut on my new guitar, so I'm glad to hear this!

A little OT, but has anyone here tried one of Trev Wilkinson's Fret King guitars?

[Eric]

Thanks for the reply Phil.

I wish Gibson hadn't been such pricks and allowed the Convertible Trems in the USA. I heard they worked great and are a wonderful idea.

Willo,

You should love that set up. It holds tune very well. Just don't rest your palm on ther bridge if you let it float or recess it. Mine's recessed. Other than that you can use and abuse it pretty well and it will stay in tune. It's not quite a Floyd Rose for tuning stability, but it lacks the annopyances of Floyds. I think the Warmoth site says it best when they say it's a great trem for players burned out on locking trems.

Eric

[Floyd Pepper]

Every Strat i`ve ever come across is routed for single coils. US, Japan, Squire, Mex`s

My 2002 Fender Highway 1 strat is routed for a humbucker at the bridge.

The Fender web site gives details of the routing for some of the guitars, eg one of the Highway 1's "Unique features" is "H/S/H Pickup Routing".  Perhaps the changed the spec after mine was made?