Wilkinson bridge on Yamaha Pacifica 611vfm - need help re setting to 'float' properly

Voxman

Hi guys - the bridge on my 611 isn't set right for full floating - it 'dips' OK but there's no 'pull-up' range - it's too flatly set.  Does anyone have any experience of these bridges and can guide me to set up so that it floats properly & of course returns to pitch properly, whilst retaining the low action I have?  I've looked on you-tube for a vid but can't find one for this type of bridge.



This is how it was.....



but since lowering the action and intonating it, the back-end has no play anymore ..I haven't yet touched the claws at the back btw

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c33/voxman5/IMG_20170828_114748596_zpsjfsphs4g.jpg

Funkfingers

Do you wish your vibrato to float like a VS100 two-point type or tilt up like a Fender six screw fulcrum type?

Voxman

Funkfingers said:

Do you wish your vibrato to float like a VS100 two-point type or tilt up like a Fender six screw fulcrum type?

Sorry for being dumb here, but I'm not sure I understand the difference? I'd like to be able to both push down and pull-up the vibrato arm - at the moment I can't do the latter.  I need to get it back to the middle photo position but without affecting the action. 

Funkfingers

Slacken the spring tension then lower the saddles.

mbe

Funkfingers said:

Slacken the spring tension then lower the saddles.

If you can't lower the saddles sufficient to restore low action then a shim in the neck pocket would be required.

AndyR

Funkfingers said:

Slacken the spring tension then lower the saddles.

This is the next move I would make, judging from those pics.

ICBM

It looks like you have the six pivot screws too tight.

First, slacken the strings a fair bit. The bridge should rest flat on the top of the body. If it doesn't, raise the pivot screws by about a full turn each.

Then lower them all until they *just* hold the bridge down flat and don't try to lift the back edge of it - it's easiest to do the two outer ones first, then the middle four. Some people prefer to leave the middle ones raised, but it actually makes no difference and in my opinion it's better to do them all 'right'.

If the springs are in a 'fan' shape, put them straight.

When you tune back up to pitch, then adjust the claw screws so the bridge floats about 2-3mm above the body at the back. There should now be a *tiny* (paper thin) gap between the 'angle' on the bottom of the bridge and the body - contrary to some things you may read online, the bridge does *not* pivot on this point, and if it does then it will cause major friction and tuning issues.

If you need to adjust any of the individual saddle heights - it doesn't look like you do, although the Es could possibly go down a bit - if you're going to raise them, it's absolutely essential to release the big cap-screw in the middle first, or you'll probably snap its thread. It's easiest to lower the saddle with its two height screws about one turn first, then loosen the big one, then raise the saddle. If you're lowering the saddle, do that first then tighten the cap-screw. Likewise, if you're adjusting the intonation, you must loosen this screw first.

Good luck!

Funkfingers

Voxman said:

I'm not sure I understand the difference?

Your vibrato operates like a traditional Fender fulcrum type that happens to have the Wilkinson lockable saddles.

Two-point vibrato bridges are designed to pivot about two knife edges, guided by notches engineered into the two studs. The baseplate is intended to rest parallel to the top of the guitar.

Voxman

Thanks guys - @ICBM - what will be the impact on the action by doing this? 

ICBM

Voxman said:

Thanks guys - @ICBM - what will be the impact on the action by doing this? 

Whatever you want it to be. Loosening the pivot screws might make it go up *very* slightly, but you can always lower the individual saddles by more than that - there's plenty of room under them. On a 2-post bridge it's normal to set them with the two Es almost flat to the plate.

Voxman

Funkfingers said:

Voxman said:

I'm not sure I understand the difference?

Your vibrato operates like a traditional Fender fulcrum type that happens to have the Wilkinson lockable saddles.

Two-point vibrato bridges are designed to pivot about two knife edges, guided by notches engineered into the two studs. The baseplate is intended to rest parallel to the top of the guitar.

But surely if the bridge baseplate is flat, you have no 'upward' vibrato movement. I have a 2-point Strat and adjusted it in line with this video (the 6 screw bridge on the 611 is different, so I can't use that vid for it):

Voxman

Apart from releasing the locking screw, is the process here (for a 6 screw Strat) the same as the 611 bridge for getting a fully floating bridge?

ICBM

It's not a 2-post - it's like a vintage 6-screw. The bridge needs to sit up at a slight angle, with the back edge above the body. Wilkinson do make 2-post bridges as well.

Voxman

ICBM said:

It's not a 2-post - it's like a vintage 6-screw. The bridge needs to sit up at a slight angle, with the back edge above the body. Wilkinson do make 2-post bridges as well.

I appreciate that - the vid I posted was for my 2-post Strat - but I was just trying to clarify if a 6 screw vintage Strat trem set up vid would be the same process for the 611?

ICBM

Voxman said:

I appreciate that - the vid I posted was for my 2-post Strat - but I was just trying to clarify if a 6 screw vintage Strat trem set up vid would be the same process for the 611?

Assuming the video is right, yes .

Must admit I gave up with that one when he got to the bits of coloured paper… after earlier stabbing the fingerboard with a Vernier caliper while measuring from the wrong side of the string. He's making it much too complicated.