I ordered the Callaham Premium Upgrade kit last Saturday for my 2004 American Series Strat. Received the kit on Thursday demonstrating Callahams quick service. The kit consists of a new solid steel trem block and saddles. Took about 30-45 minutes to install it and restring, but I'm stll tweeking the setup adjustments on the saddles. The first thing I noticed is that guitar seems a little louder both unplugged and through an amp. I also think there is an increase in sustain of about 15-20%. I'm waiting for the new strings to break in a little before I make a judgement on overall improvement of tone. Right now there seems to be a little more of an edge when playing on the dirty channel. I ordered mine with the tremelo arm that is 3/4 of an inch shorter than the standard arm. I'm not really a tremelo guy, but I really like that length. Still easy to hold onto and play, looks cool, and is not in the way as much. The arm is made of high strength steel. Much better than a standard arm. The saddles look more vintage compared to the stainless steel saddles that came stock. So far I'm happy with the purchase.

_________________
"My mind is a raging torrent, flooded with rivulets of thought cascading into a waterfall of creative alternatives." Blazing Saddles...

LOL I am just thinking you might give Mike Eldred a stroke if he sees this. Every time someone mentions this guys name and his system it sends Mike into a fit and he goes snake oil nothing but snake oil.lol But this is the first time I am actually hearing bout it from one of us who actually installed one and is talking about it. Well you Randy really seem happy and that it is a vast improvement. Well let us know how everything is when it is 100% complete. I mean a 20% improvement in sustain is a big difference.

Thats because callaham incorrectly claim that fender dont use 1018(???) CRS. When infact fender have used it since conception except on some guitars which used a pot metal block.

If I were a part of FMIC callaham would be paying some money out as compensation.

_________________
No no and no

Okay I got the guitar setup done and have had some time to play with the new upgrade. I think the most noticable difference with the Callaham block and saddles is the sustain. I would say that when I strike a note and it would ring out for 5 seconds unplugged, I will get 6 - 6 1/2 seconds unplugged striking the note with equal force, appox 15-20% better than my original block & saddles. I realize it is not scientific, but giving an example. The guitar also sounds slightly louder with more clarity most noticable unplugged. I really like the slightly shorter tremelo bar. Overall I dont think thie differece in tone was huge on my particular guitar. I had a decent block & stainless saddles from the factory. These items may be different on yours. The biggest difference in the factory block and the Callaham on mine is the Fender block was tapered from about the middle and became narrower on one end. The Callaham is the same from end to end. More mass = more sustain? As most of know improvements in tone come in small increments on guitars, and for me this is the same way. Im still happy I did the upgrade, and for someone who started out with a lower quality block the difference may be huge on their guitar. For some others it may not be worth the cost. I will also note that originally I had 5 springs on the trem with the bridge sitting on the body. Now I have it set to float and still feel there is an improvement without the bridge against the body.

_________________
"My mind is a raging torrent, flooded with rivulets of thought cascading into a waterfall of creative alternatives." Blazing Saddles...

Big Jay, I feel the sustain had always been slightly better in the past with the bridge against the body, than floating. Now I can still notice better sustain with the bridge floating than I did before with the bridge against the body. In the past I gave up using the tremelo in order to get a little more sustain. Now I feel I get good enough sustain that I can once again make use of an operational tremelo. Hope that explains it a little better.

_________________
"My mind is a raging torrent, flooded with rivulets of thought cascading into a waterfall of creative alternatives." Blazing Saddles...