Upgrading standard Wilkinson Trem to a Gotoh EV510TS

[bruunm]

Hi Team,

I bought a Chapman ML3Bea and I absolutely love the feel of the neck, playability etc etc. It feels very solid (and so it should be at 4.2kg hahahaha). But the one thing that I miss is it has a tone that lack clarity and that upper end 3D sparkle (if that makes sense).

So far I went around to change pickups, pots and redid the entire wiring (Turns out the wiring was at fault) so I ended up with the original pickups again. Which in all fairness sounds great.

One thing I still notice is that the tone is a bit "woolly" and lack definition in low notes (and top end sparkle is still not there 100% in clean tones. Gained sounds are amazing.

Last night I read that brass blocks on trems can warm up the tone and steel blocks can increase sustain and be "brighter". And yes I understand the utter subjective nature of all my terms to describe sounds etc. I have a Blade Levinson Strat with same Wilky trem and a (cast I presume) steel block. So I swapped the two blocks and indeed my Chapman became somewhat brighter. Which made me think about options and embark down the rabbit hole of mods and upgrades

I saw this trem and wonder if this will give the tone more clarity etc compared to the standard wilkinson 2 post that sit of guitar currently.

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/GOTOH-EV...QAAOSwpP9Y6~nQ

I do not mind forking out the extra cash as I said I love the guitar as a whole and if I could get those last 10-15% missing in tone then I would be a happy man (until I of course by the Martin Miller AZ later this year hahahaah).

Any feedback appreciated.

Cheers
Markus

[vh2580]

Hi Markus yep very subjective subject and but if the tone block is something your looking at there are aftermarkey blocks you can buy to suit current trems. these guys do some aftermarket stuff and have bought off them previously.
http://www.fu-tone.com/catalog/index...ndex&cPath=87t.
The babicz bridges through pitbull are also great as upgrades and have a good solid block as well.

[bruunm]

Hi VH,

Thanks for reply. I just played the guitar a more volume, which i could not last night and the clarity is actually amazing compared to previous sound. Maybe I just need to get a machined high quality block and replace saddles for same high Q stuff.

I once bought a Babicz for the old MIJ LP I have and loved the tone, but HATED the feel of string when palm muting.. Great gear but not for me.

Thanks again for reply!

[bruunm]

Hi VH,

Just check link above and doesnt seem to have blocks in steel and for Wilky Trem.

I will keep scouting the net.

Cheers again!

[bruunm]

So decided to just get a VS100 Gotoh/Wilky instead... Lets see how that goes