Fender vintage reissue saddles

[Simon Underwood]

Has anyone else encountered problems with the USA Vintage Reissue trem? I’ve got a Custom Shop 56 NOS Strat with gold hardware. I’m assuming that these guitars use exactly the same trem as the vintage reissues.

I’ve noticed, from time to time, that the B and top E strings will give a buzzing, almost sitar like tone. Not as pronounced as a sitar, but that’s the best description I can think of. Moving the string from side to side a few times on the saddle seems to cure this for a while, but it invariably comes back.

Looking on the Callaham website, I noticed an interesting thing about their replacement saddles. They’ve got a photo with one of their saddles, an old Fender one, and a Fender reissue saddle side by side. The string slot on the reissue saddle is noticeably shorter than the old one, which itself is shorter than the Callaham one.

One of the claims for this saddle, which seems to make sense, is that the string won’t touch the edge of the slot, and won’t decrease the break angle of the string over the saddle as a result, thereby maximising the pressure of the string on the business end of the saddle and improving the tone.

Callaham don’t do gold plated hardware, but I found a set from WD with the longer slots, which I’ve ordered. I’ll report back when I’ve fitted them.

Failing that, I’ll fit a Wilkinson VSV trem- not quite the vintage look, but I’ve got one on my Highway 1 Strat, and it really is the cat’s pyjamas, well worth considering if you want the vintage sound and type of construction, but without any of the problems that the Fender one has.

Simon

[51 Relic]

Hi I have the same problem with the top E saddle on my Musicman Albert Lee , I solved this by cleaning the saddle with WD 40 and using" NUT SAUCE " on the new strings at the saddle string break ( made by a company called" big bends " )also when new the action on the top E string was 1.5mm I raised this to 2mm with the rest of the strings and the problem has gone away . The Fender web site under the custom shop heading has a video showing nut and saddle care by John Cruz master builder

Cheers Nigel

[roger bayliss]

I have a Vintage reissue 57 strat and do not have problems with the E/B strings but the slots are shorter as you say. I notice that the string pulls across the trem plate first and then the slot so not sure if the longer slot would solve it. Try checking the 2 grub screws are adjusted so saddle is level and check the height of the action. I rarely suffer string breakages these days . The only thing that annoys me is getting the top E to ring out full tone on the bridge PU (its fine on neck and middle) . Might try a new bridge PU that is a bit hotter.

The bridge PU poles do not line up with the strings on a strat due to the slanted position ... is there a PU that deals with that problem ? Mine are 57/62s and the neck and mid are great but the bridge I think is wound the same and not so good in the bridge pos (they are all the same resistance some state 5.9 K ) I think I need one with around 6.5 K

So who can recommend a really good bridge PU for shads tone ?

[keithmantle]

Sliders Australia Rog