Got my Callaham block upgrade...

Shredd6 · **Posted:** Sun Dec 27, 2009 7:44 am

And that would be a good experiment as well Big Jay. I'm not convinced that there's any difference there either. I've never understood the concept that by simply adding a 1/4" rosewood slab to a neck, a guitar overall all of the sudden becomes warmer in sound.

As each year goes by, I'm convinced more and more that there are a lot of placebo sciences in the guitar world.

bluzdawg · **Posted:** Sun Dec 27, 2009 9:21 am

Yes the Callaham made a huge difference for me. Granted, my upgrade was on two different MIM, not MIA strats. One was a special '95 with upgraded Tex-Mex pups and vintage tuners from the factory, the other just a stock '98 MIM. The '95 I first put in a Fender '62 RI block, sounded pretty good. Then I put a set of CS Texas Special pups in my '98 MIM and sounded great. I decided to put a Callaham block in and WOW what a difference. Just as an experiment I put the stock pups back in and it still sounded Great!. On my '95 special I decided to leave the '62 trem in but change the block, still WOW, great sustain unplugged!

Bottom line, if you do only one upgrade for sound improvement, I highly recommend a Callaham block! Try it, for $60 bucks it's well worth it. You don't have to do all the scientific study down to wave curves or whatever you call it, for me it made a very noticeable sound quality improvement!

Just do it! You could always sell it if you don't like it, trust me you'll Love it!

bluzdawg · **Posted:** Sun Dec 27, 2009 9:22 am

Yes the Callaham made a huge difference for me. Granted, my upgrade was on two different MIM, not MIA strats. One was a special '95 with upgraded Tex-Mex pups and vintage tuners from the factory, the other just a stock '98 MIM. The '95 I first put in a Fender '62 RI block, sounded pretty good. Then I put a set of CS Texas Special pups in my '98 MIM and sounded great. I decided to put a Callaham block in and WOW what a difference. Just as an experiment I put the stock pups back in and it still sounded Great!. On my '95 special I decided to leave the '62 trem in but change the block, still WOW, great sustain unplugged!

Bottom line, if you do only one upgrade for sound improvement, I highly recommend a Callaham block! Try it, for $60 bucks it's well worth it. You don't have to do all the scientific study down to wave curves or whatever you call it, for me it made a very noticeable sound quality improvement!

Just do it! You could always sell it if you don't like it, trust me you'll Love it!

CAFeathers · **Posted:** Sun Dec 27, 2009 9:41 am

BigJay wrote:

CAFeathers wrote:

Congrats on the Callaham. If you are concerned about the old strings versus new string making a difference why not change out the old ones first? I know it's kind of a waste of a set of strings, but that way you would get a truer test.

In fact, in the spirit of a true test I will send you 2 identical sets (Cleartone 9-42's) of strings to be used for the test.

Hi Chet. Thanks for the offer for the strings. But its unnecessary. I will get another set of strings for the test.

I have not tried Cleartones before. You like them? You like them for a test like this?

Any other suggestions? What about amp settings? Niki once mentioned turning the treble and bass way up and the mid-range way down. At least thats what I recall. Any thoughts about it?

I have not tried the Cleartone strings yet. I got them with a gift card after I completed an online survey for a music store.

I would suggest using your normal clean and dirty settings. You would be able to tell more from using settings you are used too.

nickbeatnik · **Posted:** Sun Dec 27, 2009 5:26 pm

BigJay wrote:

Thanks, Nick! Excellent feedback and yours is similar to many I've heard. In my experience the minority view is not impressed with the impact of that block. Im getting excited.

I'd like to start a whole new guitar-build, in fact two completely different builds, so I can swap parts back and forth to record the tonal impact. Necks, bodies, pups, saddles, etc.

I say again, IMO it would be very useful to have a catalog of such information available on these boards for all to use. Thinking of swapping to a rosewood neck? Here is the impact we found in a test, FWIW....

You're right BigJay... how many of us have searched youtube for a shootout between two amps we're considering and can't play in our local store, or read 20 Harmony Central reviews looking for the one that mentions how much bottom end a particular pedal has etc etc. Geez, if that stuff was all organized in one place, proper comparisons recorded with good and accurate audio - well 1. it would be a very popular and useful website, and 2. it would be a full time job!

stratoBobster · **Joined:** Wed Apr 23, 2008 11:21 am **Posts:** 959

BigJay wrote:

BMW-KTM wrote:

BigJay wrote:

The only issue might be that I'll have old strings on the guitar for the old block and new strings for the Callaham. Hopefully it wont be "the" difference.

Hoping won't be enough. There will be a difference due to the strings. The only way for an experiment like this to work is for absolutely every single parameter to be completely identical in all tests except that one parameter which you are testing. If you can't guarantee that then there's no point in trying to take a scientific approach to your study. Objective opinion is all you will really have. And really, does anything else matter except your opinion of it?

Love your appreciate of the scientific method. Youre right. I need to neutralize the impact of strings. I can hear the difference between new and old strings, so they obviously would impact such a study.

Of course our opinion matters most. But a preference needs to be based on some real information. I've never heard a Callaham block that Im aware of. I understand, conceptually, what their impact should be. I've ready many opinions from both people I respect and disrespect, that insist there is a huge difference. But can I have an opinion on the impact of something, like a Calaham, based on the opinions of others? Not me.

So, I'll swap out the strings. Good call.

Giving fair, acurate comparisons is tuff. I have two 2004 hardtail strats. Everything is identical down to the finish except for the fingerboards. Someday, I hope to post some audio clips for comparitive purposes. If I do I will string up the guitars with the same strings and adjust the actions as close as possible.

Yogi · **Joined:** Fri Jul 13, 2007 12:32 pm **Posts:** 701

I think it comes down to the individual guitar. I have two squiers ( '94 Bullet and CV 50s) that I changed the blocks on. Both had tiny Zinc blocks and received fullsize steel blocks from GFS. The 94 bullet seemed to gain an improvement in unplugged sustain and resonance, but nothing earth shattering. On the CV I didn't notice a change at all, but it sure did look cooler. I have never tried a Callaham block so I won't comment on his stuff, but you'd think even going from a small sized block to a big one would make a huge difference but in my experience it didn't.

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