Sorry for finding this a few months late, but if you still want input? I've had an original Les Trem on my 1981 Carvin DC-150 for 30 years, still works like new and it's seen a LOT of play. It's all completely original, same spring and everything. Stays in tune just fine too! My only gripe is that you can't pull up on it as it rests on the body.
I've had a Les Trem II on a Les Paul for a few years now and it's as good as the original. You can pull up on it about a step. The back sits a little above the body giving you that little bit of pull. The back has felt pads also, so you don't dig into the body at all. Plus you learn by feel how far you can go. I thought once about having a guitar shop rout out a small groove under it, but pulling up isn't that important to me. It's nothing I can't stretch the strings for. I don't play Dimebag, sooo...
Looking at the Stetsbar, it seems a little beefier and might be better? I have a 1951 Squier Strat that I might put a Stetsbar on? It's totally built like a Tele except it has a humbucker at the bridge and single coil at the neck. So I'll have to see if the Stets fits it or not? But it has the flat bolt-on tailpiece like a Tele (and a Tele neck). I guess they didn't use Trems on 51's?
Hope this helps?
Here is the original Les Trem, although I made this one myself, but it's a direct copy off a real Les trem;
Here is the 2008 Les Trem, I had to pull it off though because I didn't like the way it interfered with the different knob configuration;
And here's the Stetsbar I replaced the Les Trem with. Love it too, it's equivalent to the Floyd on my Pro/FX easily;
Since Les Trem is out of business now I'll be buying Stetsbars from now on. Eric Stets is great too. I was missing a few parts, emailed him and he fixed me right up, no problem!
