1997 V-Series Strat - Bridge Splays Strings Too Widely? - FRETS.NET2024-03-29T11:00:54Zhttps://fretsnet.ning.com/forum/topics/1997-v-series-strat-bridge-splays-strings-too-widely?commentId=2177249%3AComment%3A169029&x=1&feed=yes&xn_auth=noweird saddle tilt aside, in r…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2017-05-05:2177249:Comment:1690292017-05-05T06:07:22.225ZWalter W Wrighthttps://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/WalterWWright
<p>weird saddle tilt aside, in reality the classic vintage strat layout does leave the E polepieces slightly inboard of the strings on the bridge pickup, that's normal. said pickup is at the widest spot in the string spread <span style="text-decoration: underline;">and</span> is tilted.</p>
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<p>the neck pickup however is pretty close to perfectly lined up under the strings. the suggested replacement bridges leave the strings kind of inboard of the…</p>
<p>weird saddle tilt aside, in reality the classic vintage strat layout does leave the E polepieces slightly inboard of the strings on the bridge pickup, that's normal. said pickup is at the widest spot in the string spread <span style="text-decoration: underline;">and</span> is tilted.</p>
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<p>the neck pickup however is pretty close to perfectly lined up under the strings. the suggested replacement bridges leave the strings kind of inboard of the <span style="text-decoration: underline;">neck</span> pickup magnets.</p>
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<p>this is as opposed to the vintage telecaster, where the same wider string spacing lines up perfectly with the bigger tele bridge pickup.</p>
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<p>my own tele has a strat neck pickup, and with its vintage bridge both pickup poles line up nicely under the strings.</p> Correcting the saddle tilt ma…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2017-05-05:2177249:Comment:1690262017-05-05T02:27:33.016ZRichard Baleshttps://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/RichardBales
<p>Correcting the saddle tilt may not correct the problem entirely, but it will go a substantial way in the right direction. Based on the photo supplied, and correcting to the degree possible (ignoring parallax) setting the saddles level would put the strings in the position of the red lines in this illustration. Not perfect, but a lot better.…</p>
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<p>Correcting the saddle tilt may not correct the problem entirely, but it will go a substantial way in the right direction. Based on the photo supplied, and correcting to the degree possible (ignoring parallax) setting the saddles level would put the strings in the position of the red lines in this illustration. Not perfect, but a lot better.</p>
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<p><img/></p> HI Guys,
The selection of the…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2017-05-04:2177249:Comment:1690252017-05-04T23:41:21.631ZRussell Vancehttps://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/RussellVance
<p>HI Guys,</p>
<p>The selection of the Hwy bridge over the Callaham is a matter of choice. The Callaham unit represents the peak in demonstrable quality and performance and is made in USA - this will suit Fender Vintage customers who wish to have their instrument improved while maintaining value. Alternatively, customers on a budget who just want their instrument to play properly will likely be satisfied with the made in Taiwan Hwy bridge. This is particular to this discussion as there…</p>
<p>HI Guys,</p>
<p>The selection of the Hwy bridge over the Callaham is a matter of choice. The Callaham unit represents the peak in demonstrable quality and performance and is made in USA - this will suit Fender Vintage customers who wish to have their instrument improved while maintaining value. Alternatively, customers on a budget who just want their instrument to play properly will likely be satisfied with the made in Taiwan Hwy bridge. This is particular to this discussion as there is a discernible difference in quality when the two units are stacked up.</p>
<p>The issue is black and white to me as I have seen way too much junk from Asia to bother about finding out what works and what doesn't - There is excellent Asian manufactured stuff out there and we use it according to its merits but practically I find customers lean towards known high quality items for more valuable instruments.</p>
<p>Hope that doesn't sound to wishywashy, it's just what we do and I hope it helps.</p>
<p>Rusty.</p>
<p> </p> I hear ya' Richard.
This is o…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2017-05-04:2177249:Comment:1690172017-05-04T13:57:09.622ZScott Supakhttps://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/ScottSupak
<p>I hear ya' Richard.</p>
<p>This is one of those little things that drives me nuts when guitars come in like that.</p>
<p>That and the G-B-E strings being wound backwards on a 3x3 head stock - still seeing both of these situations on a weekly basis.</p>
<p>Not sure if setting the saddles parallel to the bridge plate would have completely cured the spacing issue in this case, but it sure couldn't hurt.</p>
<p>I hear ya' Richard.</p>
<p>This is one of those little things that drives me nuts when guitars come in like that.</p>
<p>That and the G-B-E strings being wound backwards on a 3x3 head stock - still seeing both of these situations on a weekly basis.</p>
<p>Not sure if setting the saddles parallel to the bridge plate would have completely cured the spacing issue in this case, but it sure couldn't hurt.</p> Part of the problem here is t…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2017-05-04:2177249:Comment:1690162017-05-04T12:32:13.504ZRichard Baleshttps://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/RichardBales
<p>Part of the problem here is that the saddles are tilted and that is forcing the strings to a wider path than normal. This happens a lot when people confuse the advice that the saddles should follow the radius of the fingerboard. Yes they should, but not the <em>angle </em>of the fingerboard. The tops of the saddles should be level, with the <em>heights</em> following the radius.</p>
<p>Part of the problem here is that the saddles are tilted and that is forcing the strings to a wider path than normal. This happens a lot when people confuse the advice that the saddles should follow the radius of the fingerboard. Yes they should, but not the <em>angle </em>of the fingerboard. The tops of the saddles should be level, with the <em>heights</em> following the radius.</p> It had a steel block as I rec…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2017-05-04:2177249:Comment:1689592017-05-04T07:14:50.194ZLen Biglinhttps://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/LenBiglin
<p>It had a steel block as I recall , and bent saddles .</p>
<p>It had a steel block as I recall , and bent saddles .</p> sure, but the quality is nowh…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2017-05-04:2177249:Comment:1689582017-05-04T06:51:49.996ZWalter W Wrighthttps://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/WalterWWright
<p>sure, but the quality is nowhere near that of the callaham, or even the original USA vintage reissue bridge.</p>
<p>sure, but the quality is nowhere near that of the callaham, or even the original USA vintage reissue bridge.</p> Thanks for that info. Some cu…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2017-05-02:2177249:Comment:1689492017-05-02T21:00:53.502ZRobbie Collinshttps://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/RobbieCollins
<p>Thanks for that info. Some customers may find the price more palatable.</p>
<p>Thanks for that info. Some customers may find the price more palatable.</p> There is also a Fender bridge…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2017-05-02:2177249:Comment:1689432017-05-02T11:36:36.709ZLen Biglinhttps://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/LenBiglin
<p>There is also a Fender bridge which gets around this problem , it has the same mounting screw spacing , but narrower saddle spacing 2 1/16 ", 07-2290-000 bridge american special / hwy 1. price is $85 in Australia , but Darren Riley has it at about $40 .</p>
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<p>There is also a Fender bridge which gets around this problem , it has the same mounting screw spacing , but narrower saddle spacing 2 1/16 ", 07-2290-000 bridge american special / hwy 1. price is $85 in Australia , but Darren Riley has it at about $40 .</p>
<p></p> like russell vance says this…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2017-05-02:2177249:Comment:1687702017-05-02T03:13:46.104ZWalter W Wrighthttps://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/WalterWWright
<p>like russell vance says this is actually normal for vintage (and reissue) strats and one of their problems, the bridge spacing is really wide, leaving little margin for the E strings. the guitar in question is very likely all stock, and a pretty cool piece.</p>
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<p>the problem gets exaggerated if you try to put taller frets on the neck, the fret tops are that much narrower unless you go with a steeper end bevel.</p>
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<p>that callaham bridge is the best fix here. fender long ago…</p>
<p>like russell vance says this is actually normal for vintage (and reissue) strats and one of their problems, the bridge spacing is really wide, leaving little margin for the E strings. the guitar in question is very likely all stock, and a pretty cool piece.</p>
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<p>the problem gets exaggerated if you try to put taller frets on the neck, the fret tops are that much narrower unless you go with a steeper end bevel.</p>
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<p>that callaham bridge is the best fix here. fender long ago went with a narrower bridge spacing on their american standard series for just this reason.</p>