Anyone have a go at the Vega Trem?

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Kapo_Polenton

Kapo_Polenton

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Sounds like it has the range, flutter, and smoothness to it. I have my wilkinson VS-100 setup pretty good now but the block being larger means it can't dive all that far without me routing the cavity. Also pulling up can cause some instability tuning wise. This thing is on par with the cost of a FR original but I love the idea of no locking tuners. Sounds like it holds up to some abuse. Dude on the Kramer is putting it through the Gillis test lol.



 
I've never tried one but I've heard nothing but good things about them

Only thing I don't like is how tiny it is - I've seen guitars where people replaced the original Fender tremolo with a Vega and it looks weird because the route is bigger
 
Tried one at a friends local shop last week... he loves them.
I now have one going on my ESP traditional.
VERY cool, can use a light touch, can flutter it, can pull up, and fully dive bomb..
Seemed solid & well made
 
Wayniac3 said:
Tried one at a friends local shop last week... he loves them.
I now have one going on my ESP traditional.
VERY cool, can use a light touch, can flutter it, can pull up, and fully dive bomb..
Seemed solid & well made
Click to expand...

Is it effortless down and up? My Wilkie is pretty good but still takes a bit of effort to move it vs a nice easy floyd. I'm intrigued though. Will be interested in your thoughts once you get it installed.
 
I just checked these out. Pretty cool concept. I'm guessing there are no real advantages to tuning stabilty though?
 
Kapo_Polenton said:
Is it effortless down and up? My Wilkie is pretty good but still takes a bit of effort to move it vs a nice easy floyd. I'm intrigued though. Will be interested in your thoughts once you get it installed.
Click to expand...
On the demo guitar he let me play, it was hardly any pressure needed in either direction. I was really impressed
 
Findthetone1 said:
I just checked these out. Pretty cool concept. I'm guessing there are no real advantages to tuning stabilty though?
Click to expand...

With a good nut or LSR roller nut and locking tuners, you are supposed to get 95% of the way there to a floyd with a locking nut. My Wilkinson is pretty good.. abusing it stupidly and found for the most part it comes back. I sometimes have to silent bend my G string a tad and it's back to pitch. I've got sperzel locking tuners and LSR roller nut. I'm on a quest to rid myself of the locking nut. Though I probably could also just throw a Gotoh 1996T floyd on this guitar and not use the fine tuners. Will look cool and will be able to go both directions..plus about 150$ cheaper. Just need to drill posts.
 
I opened the Pandora box on 2 point trems. Also to be considered are the Non Fine Tuner Floyd ( reissue) and the Schaller Vintage Trem which has you feed in the string the regular way and avoid the allen key at the bridge. I might have a go at one of these as the fine tuners on a floyd or Gotoh are kind of pointless given that I can tune at the headstock. Another 2 point trem Schaller abuser here:

 
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Kapo_Polenton said:
Sounds like it has the range, flutter, and smoothness to it. I have my wilkinson VS-100 setup pretty good now but the block being larger means it can't dive all that far without me routing the cavity. Also pulling up can cause some instability tuning wise. This thing is on par with the cost of a FR original but I love the idea of no locking tuners. Sounds like it holds up to some abuse. Dude on the Kramer is putting it through the Gillis test lol.



Click to expand...

I've been on the fence for one of these but after watching that first video, I was convinced!
There's a new dealer on the West coast who is running them at a sale price. Just snagged one!!! Can't wait! ;)
 
Actually the fine tuners are one of the selling points of a Floyd or other locking trem to me.
 
Every time I see a new fangled bridge system, they always say it sustains more, or stays in tune better than a Floyd. Why are they all coming after Floyd? Because it's the be all end all for locking bridge systems. When I see something that actually beats the Floyd, I'll pay attention.
 
I bought one of those Schaller bridges that looks like a non-fine tuner Floyd and tried to use it on an EVH Stripe Series body and it absolutely would not fit. You could barely wedge the block into the tremolo route without removing the posts. Then, the leading edge of the block contacted the front of the trem cavity before the knife-edges made contact with the posts. I wasn’t interested in routing the f*ck out of the trem cavity and wondered even then if there would be enough adjustment range in the saddles for intonation.

I sold it and bought a non-fine tuner Floyd and the Floyd dropped right into the cavity, intonates with plenty of adjustment left in both directions for all saddles, and has full range of trem motion with zero interference anywhere in the trem cavity.

So I have no idea whats going on with that Schaller unit. Strange
 

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coffeedrinker71 said:
I've been on the fence for one of these but after watching that first video, I was convinced!
There's a new dealer on the West coast who is running them at a sale price. Just snagged one!!! Can't wait! ;)
Click to expand...

Where is this sale price? What price? What dealer?
 
PDC said:
I bought one of those Schaller bridges that looks like a non-fine tuner Floyd and tried to use it on an EVH Stripe Series body and it absolutely would not fit. You could barely wedge the block into the tremolo route without removing the posts. Then, the leading edge of the block contacted the front of the trem cavity before the knife-edges made contact with the posts. I wasn’t interested in routing the f*ck out of the trem cavity and wondered even then if there would be enough adjustment range in the saddles for intonation.

I sold it and bought a non-fine tuner Floyd and the Floyd dropped right into the cavity, intonates with plenty of adjustment left in both directions for all saddles, and has full range of trem motion with zero interference anywhere in the trem cavity.

So I have no idea whats going on with that Schaller unit. Strange
Click to expand...
Great looking Bee. I'm in the process of building one for my channel as we speak. I've been on the fence about which trem system to use...and after hearing about your experience I will definitely check the fitment of the trems in my current stash before proceeding with the next stage in the painting process!
 
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