1980's Shift Tremelo System/Washburn Wonderbar - remember them ?

guitars4you

@ICBM ;;

I've not seen one in the flesh for years but looking at the pics it is non locking at the bridge end so assume you still left ball ends on + strings load by the fine tuners - Plus point in that it has down ward pressure on the saddles, hence a decent break angle, due to the 'rollers' 

Cabicular

In the 80s I put one of the Kahler surface mounts on a BC Rich Wave
Making a dodgy guitar ..even dodgier
The things you do when you are young and dumb...
To be fair to the BC Rich it was actually a really good guitar to play

Garthy

It looks like a good idea but poorly executed. 

NotNowJohn

A friend of mine had a white Washburn superstrat with a Wonderbar in the late '80's. He loved it and he was big on Van Halen whammy abuse.
Also, I think Brian May has a Washburn 'V' with Wonderbar in the 'Princes of the Universe' Video (1986).

ICBM

NotNowJohn said:

Also, I think Brian May has a Washburn 'V' with Wonderbar in the 'Princes of the Universe' Video (1986).

Yes - looks like the two-humbucker version of the one above. I'd forgotten they had a droopy headstock - it spoils the rocket-ship look.

That's a truly dreadful song too.

NotNowJohn

ICBM said:

NotNowJohn said:

Also, I think Brian May has a Washburn 'V' with Wonderbar in the 'Princes of the Universe' Video (1986).

Yes - looks like the two-humbucker version of the one above. I'd forgotten they had a droopy headstock - it spoils the rocket-ship look.

That's a truly dreadful song too.

No. It's a great song. You're missing the subtle production and deep lyrical content...

jan9

Hi!

I have a 72 Les Paul Custom with an Answer Shift 2001 tremolo installed. Way back in the 80s i bought the Shift 2001 complete with archtop mounting base. I went home, installed and set it up and i have never looked back. (ok, to be fair, i spent some time to get the setup perfect, but then again, i had to learn how to do it. There was no internet back then so i had to figure it out by my self).

I see some of you claim that the Shift 2001 sucked sustain and tone out of the guitar and that it could not be set up correctly... Mostly prejudices if you ask me, i doubt any of the critics have spent time with a unit. (please continue to spread these rumors, i want to get another 2001 as cheap as possible )
Obviously something must have been way off with the instruments you guys have tried. My instrument intonats perfectly, it sounds very good with tons of sustain. I rarely have to tune the damn thing, the setup is rock solid. 
The Shift 2001 if a maintenance free device. The only thing i do to keep it sunning is keeping it clean from sweat and dust.
Frankly i can´t seem to find week spots worth mentioning. The thing is just about 30 years old and it just works.

It is not like a floyd rose or Kahler, it has a different feel to it. The Shift 2001 is unique, and when set up correctly it adds features to your instrument. As i mentioned i used the archtop mounting base for the shift. It uses the original holes for the bridge and tail piece. Still i had to drill holes for the string lock on the headstock. But no routing or drilling in the body.

There might be a difference between the japanese version of the Shift 2001 made by Answer and the Washburn Wonderbar, i have never researched this as i only own the original. Perhaps washburn cut some corners in production, different alloy, who knows?



cheers

Jan9

jan9

And a few pics

jeztone2

John McGeoch had a Washburn T Type with 2 humbuckers fitted. I remember it from a PIL interview in 1987. But by 89 he was playing Carvins with Floyd Roses on. 

Here we are, is it a Tour 24?