Strat Saddles

[rnolan]

My guitar student bought a Fernandes Strat recently but the saddles were too wide and the strings spacings etc. weren't working properly.  So he bought some saddles he liked (where the alan screws don't poke out the top) and we fitted them the other night.  Now all aligns as it should  .  He also liked that they have a v indent for the string.

[Dante]

I like those. I hate my strat bridges with their sharp little grub screws sticking out the top....always pissed me off. You pay that much for a Strat and you get a crappy bridge? Sheesh

[Iperfungus]

Are those Highwood saddles Rich?
I'm going to buy a set for an assembled Strat I'm working on, for the same reason.

[rnolan]

Hey Max, yes they are Highwood, he bought them from StewMac https://www.stewmac.com/parts-and-hardware/bridges-and-tailpieces/bridges-and-tailpieces-for-electric-guitar/highwood-contoured-vintage-saddles-for-strat---set-of-6.  Really well made saddles, albeit not cheap @$92 AUD. 

I like those. I hate my strat bridges with their sharp little grub screws sticking out the top....always pissed me off. You pay that much for a Strat and you get a crappy bridge? Sheesh

+1 :facepalm:

[Harley Hexxe]

There are shorter replacement allen screws for strat bridges. I may look for some of those.

[Iperfungus]

I like those. I hate my strat bridges with their sharp little grub screws sticking out the top....always pissed me off. You pay that much for a Strat and you get a crappy bridge? Sheesh

Go for a Callaham and you'll never fail!

[Harley Hexxe]

I like those. I hate my strat bridges with their sharp little grub screws sticking out the top....always pissed me off. You pay that much for a Strat and you get a crappy bridge? Sheesh

Go for a Callaham and you'll never fail!

I've been considering a block, bridge plate and arm for one of my Strats from them for my '57 RI, but I'll still use the original saddles.

[Iperfungus]

I like those. I hate my strat bridges with their sharp little grub screws sticking out the top....always pissed me off. You pay that much for a Strat and you get a crappy bridge? Sheesh

Go for a Callaham and you'll never fail!

I've been considering a block, bridge plate and arm for one of my Strats from them for my '57 RI, but I'll still use the original saddles.

This can be a big improvement, also mixing Callaham and Fender or Gotoh parts.
The plate and the virtual pop-in tremolo arm are the biggest part of that improvement.
I have been using Callaham products for a few years and would never go back.
They're a little expensive, I know....but quality is very high.

Now I'm curious to test those Highwood saddles...

[rnolan]

A good combination would be to combine those saddles with a Wilkinson trem, though now harder to get as Gotoh seems to have bought them...  I bought 2 Wilkinson trems for $40 AUD each, I think retail was $65 AUD, great value and the saddles are fine.  They have the push in trem with a grub screw and a decent sustain block. https://mrfabulous.com.au/product/wilkinson-steel-block-tremolo/ still have some.  Considering the saddles are around $90 AUD, that's twice the price I paid for a whole Wilkinson.  Also note the ovaloid holes for the 6 bridge screws (except the E6 hole) so the bridge fits a few of the narrower strats (e.g. fits great on my Squire Bullet Strat) but also probably other copies that are built in metric. 

The Highwood saddles are really well made.  Note: the Alan screws are completely recessed  :thumb-up: (I call it a Bazillion), the Alan Screws are completely boxed in (nice more mass more sustain  >:D ) and the v shape provides a nice string guide.  All with keeping the "vintage" look but a bit better....

[Harley Hexxe]

@ Max,

    Actually, there are two of my Strats that I'm considering the Callaham blocks for, the '57 RI, and the Seafoam Green one, but that has gold hardware, so I would only change the block. All of Callaham's parts are nickel plated only.

@ Richard,

    I've had several guitars over the years with Wilkinson bridges on them and didn't like them. They were just as finicky and unstable as the stock Fender ones. Just saying.

[rnolan]

Hey Harley, I hear you, but they are a very good bridge for the money IMHO, and way better than what you get on a cheap and cheerful e.g. my Squire bullet strat (a $300 AUD instrument).  Obviously you get what you pay for (mostly).  And after buying my Anderson all those years ago (1987(ish)), I have very little interest in buying a Fender strat at any price point.  Moreover, I didn't buy the Squire for myself, but when it was wasting away doing nothing, I changed all the hardware to at least make it a bit decent...

[Harley Hexxe]

Max,

You're the first person I've talked to about those bridges. I don't know anyone else who has tried them so I couldn't ask.

Obviously, if you ask the manufacturer, they will always tell you that you will never find a better one anywhere. Sales talk.