Gotoh trem GE1996T quality question. Is this normal?

[Dumple Stilzkin]

Gold version for comparison, there’s some on mine but nothing like yours.

Before anyone asks, I did not put gold hardware on this. It came to me like this and I just don’t have replacement hardware yet, same for the stupid white Strat knobs.

 

[MASS DEFECT]

Gold version for comparison, there’s some on mine but nothing like yours. View attachment 146675View attachment 146676
Before anyone asks, I did not put gold hardware on this. It came to me like this and I just don’t have replacement hardware yet, same for the stupid white Strat knobs.

I'm ok with some kind of pitting. I understand that sometimes, it can't be helped on areas where the metal bends like yours. Mine has very deep pitting and it is very rough.

 

[Nightside]

Yeah this is giving me the willies because I've been thinking about getting a black GE1996T-33-B and I don't want to pay good money and wind up with some half assed bullshit like this and hassle with sending them back and forth until I get a cleaner looking one.

 

[Seabeast2000]

Are these worst cases finish issues or casting issues? Like the metal didn't pour right or the mold had material in it.

 

[Nightside]

Are these worst cases finish issues or casting issues? Like the metal didn't pour right or the mold had material in it.

These aren't cast in a mold. It's a steel plate that's stamped out and then bent.

 

[Nightside]

 

[Drew]

Was my first thought actually. Upon further inspection, mine was a return sold as new. The bag for the screws was opened among other signs.

Even then, I'll stress I wouldn't be overly worried about the cosmetics, especially on the inside edges of the holes for the locking bolts like that. I'd instead be concerned that the plate might not be authentic, and it was a cheap and cheaply made knock-off that wouldn't wear nearly as well.

 

[jonsick]

I have installed a few of these for people. They do tend to show up in various states. I still don't see why this tremolo is held in such high regard; the Schaller is a better unit IMO.

That is definitely the worst of the 10s I've seen in the past few years. I would return it too/.

 

[Edika]

I have installed a few of these for people. They do tend to show up in various states. I still don't see why this tremolo is held in such high regard; the Schaller is a better unit IMO.

That is definitely the worst of the 10s I've seen in the past few years. I would return it too/.

Schallers are better finished for sure but the price fluctuates quite a bit. Their Lockmeister is basically an OFR. If I'd have to choose between the Gotoh and a Lockmeister, if the price is close, I'd get the Lockmeister.

But the Floyd II they make is a no go piece of crap and is a bit less expensive than the Gotoh. Between the two, I do go with the Gotoh and shorter screws, as I did for one of my guitars with a route for Floyd II. Plus I love how you can control the stiffness of the arm by screwing it a bit more and not have to deal with tightening a Floyd or changing plastic bushings on the Edge trems.

 

[Rubbishplayer]

These aren't cast in a mold. It's a steel plate that's stamped out and then bent.

While it is possible that top-price trem plates are stamped*, these flaws are typical of casting, which is a far cheaper way of turning out plates like this.

Stamping would not produce the roughness you see here: it would be a clean slice, even through steel full of cold-shuts.

No, these definitely look cast.

*I'd be surprised if any FR plates were stamped, as for the thickness of material, that's mightily expensive. While there is surprisingly little information out there about the manufacturing process, from a metal-working point of view, it seems more logical that the flat parts would be forged into shape from flat metal sheet then milled. This is consistent with what I've seen on top of the range FRs. Of course, forging is more expensive than casting, and when you can cast holes too, that removes the need for even more expensive milling, which requires either a trained tech with an expensive milling machine, or an even more expensive CNC mill, which is probably why Schaller got the first contract to make these.

No, if I was a Chinese cloner, looking to minimise cost and maximise margin by producing something that looks like a FR, or even a South Korean manufacturer trying to defend against cheap Chinese knock-offs, I'd cast as much as possible, including the base plate.

 

[Nightside]

While it is possible that top-price trem plates are stamped*, these flaws are typical of casting, which is a far cheaper way of turning out plates like this.

Stamping would not produce the roughness you see here: it would be a clean slice, even through steel full of cold-shuts.

No, these definitely look cast.

*I'd be surprised if any FR plates were stamped, as for the thickness of material, that's mightily expensive. While there is surprisingly little information out there about the manufacturing process, from a metal-working point of view, it seems more logical that the flat parts would be forged into shape from flat metal sheet then milled. This is consistent with what I've seen on top of the range FRs. Of course, forging is more expensive than casting, and when you can cast holes too, that removes the need for even more expensive milling, which requires either a trained tech with an expensive milling machine, or an even more expensive CNC mill, which is probably why Schaller got the first contract to make these.

No, if I was a Chinese cloner, looking to minimise cost and maximise margin by producing something that looks like a FR, or even a South Korean manufacturer trying to defend against cheap Chinese knock-offs, I'd cast as much as possible, including the base plate.

These are Japanese though.

They also could be torch cut from steel plate and then bent.

 

[Rubbishplayer]

These are Japanese though.

They also could be torch cut from steel plate and then bent.

So, maybe the Japanese are casting them too.

I'd be interested to learn the exact process, but purely on the basis of cost and efficiency, I'd be sceptical about them being torch cut.

 

[Rubbishplayer]

So, maybe the Japanese are casting them too.

I'd be interested to learn the exact process, but purely on the basis of cost and efficiency, I'd be sceptical about them being torch cut.

Or this is a fake?

It won't be the first time. I've seen fake Chinese Fender trems, so why not Gotohs?

And if Gotoh genuinely are casting bases, I would avoid them like the plague, as cast metal will never be as hard as forged steel. And remember, those knife edges, where the entire load of string tension is borne, are part of that baseplate.

As a point of reference, a quick look at their base plates supports Schaller's assertion that they CNC mill their parts (the best method), as you cannot get this level of precision from casting, stamping or forging...