what is the acrimony between Fender and Callaham that you always hear the latter given really dirty euphemistic names?

Just curious

Jason

Callahams claim that fender dont use cold rolled steel is a false claim. Though fender haven't sued yet so I'm not sure theres any bad feeling.

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No no and no

I don't think fender is worried about them, Most people love fender products, right out of the box.

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2012 American Vintage Telecaster 1958
09 Fender american deluxe strat.
97 Gibson les paul special P90's double-cut
65 Princeton reverb re-issue
2010 Guild Gad-F40e

What level of education do you have?

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Few men have virtue to withstand the highest bidder. George Washington
No picture = No equipment
Fender CD-60
Squier Deluxe Stratocaster
Squier VM Tele Thinline

AAS in psychology
2 years experience working in a scrap metal yard
4 years working on guitars
Currently Pursuing a degree in poltical science, hopefully to enter law.

You want to be a liar... errrr... a lawyer huh?

j/k bro

yea, one that specializes in advocacy for disabled students.

Back on topic, what is the acrimony?

Well this is a strange thread...

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Don't worry, Be happy.

I suspect if, as Nikininja claims, that Callaham is making spurious claims about Fender, it's likely that Callaham is just blowing smoke trying to sell product. Not a nice way to do business, that alone would make me suspect about buying their product, regardless of how well received their product is. As big as Fender is, I doubt they feel threatened, though.

Welcome to the Forum, gr! I looked at the website and it seemed harmless, they appear to be making replacement parts for Fender guitars. I haven't heard anything good or otherwise about Callaham.

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you can save the world with your guitar one love song at a time it's just better, more fun, easier with a fender solid body electric guitar or electric bass guitar.

I got the info from the 'Ask Mike Eldred' section of the forums. He seems adamant that fender have used 1018CRS since day one. I did mod my old MIM with a callaham block 18months ago. The effects on that guitar were startling. However the guitar had a zinc squire style block on it. I'm not going into it here but there is better or as good out there for a lot less money.

The one good (absolute winning) point of their systems is the way the trem arm fits into the block. Fender could do with adapting or making a variation of that system. The only guitar that has a equal trem arm fitting is the deluxe. Funnily enough thats the trem block callaham seem to focus on slating as not being cold steel because of the coating on it. I dunno about anyone else but I'd drop the untipped deluxe arm in favour of a tipped vintage looking one in a heartbeat. As long as it didnt cost me anything.

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No no and no

Let's go straight to the heart of the matter. Probably the most relevant copy from Callaham's site, direct quotes:

"Steel is the only material that should be used for the block. But not just any steel. The steel can not contain any lead. Lead dampens the frequency response and reduces both sustain and clarity. We are the only company machining all our blocks from a cold rolled non-leaded U.S.A. steel.

The only reason we have sold so many blocks is because the block is so superior to blocks that come standard on a factory guitar. Several years ago, I made the mistake of telling a fellow builder who used to work for the Fender Custom Shop what material we use for the block. He instantly told Fender and they immediately "claimed" they use the same material. This is just false. Claims now of even using original tooling to make blocks are ludicrous and deceptive.

If you have an import guitar, your block is more than likely zinc (pot metal). Zinc kills both sustain and clarity and your sound. If you have a U.S. made guitar, you may have a steel block but it is either a hot rolled leaded steel, or in the case of the American Standard bridges, a soft cast steel block.

We guarantee you will hear the improvement after installing our block in both sustain and clarity."

Mike Eldred has said on this forum that Callaham is selling "snake oil", infering that those claims are not to be taken seriously. There's not much more to it than that as far as I can tell.

But how are we guitarists supposed to evaluate claims about the content of metal in guitar parts? OK, after a while you can see the difference between alloys and steel, cheap chrome etc especially if you've ever worked with cars or motorcycles. But that doesn't get us too far. We have to use what I like to call The Ray Charles Test, based on his description of working in the studio as a blind man - does it sound good? then it's good. We're musicians, we gotta use our ears.

I have a 2002 US series Strat which I bought to replace an older (not vintage) one that was stolen. I love it, but I'd resigned myself to owning a modern strat that didn't give me the whole sound. My low E string always sounded a little dead, lacking in those bell like sustaining twangy notes I hear on old records. The guitar lacked a bit of zing and harmonics compared to older strats I'd played. But it's still a good guitar so I didn't worry too much. I figured I'd get the '69 pickups at some stage and it would come to life. When I read about the Callaham steel trem assembly it seemed to make sense, and I'd always been suspicious of the modern block saddles and their powdered look... So I took a risk and ordered the set. What can I say, it passes the Ray Charles Test. I know nothing about metal but my Strat sounds heaps better, more sustain, overtone harmonics, attack, brightness, depth. For the first time my Low E string will give me the bell and twang I missed. A snug fitting trem arm is a good idea too.

It makes me wonder if Fender blocks and saddles were always CRS then why have they just changed them to a 'high mass copper infused steel' with vintage style saddles on the American Strat? Why the change if there was nothing to improve. Like I say, I know nothing about metals, the difference between leaded steel, copper infused, who gets to call their steel 1018CRS and what that means is in the 'recipe'.... all I know is my Strat sounds a lot better now.

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"...Compared to the flowers and the birds and the trees, I am an Apeman."

nickbeatnik that was very well said . All I know is when there name comes up Mike Eldreds pressure does to.lol Everyone that has used one has posted nothing but good things about them. On the other hand I unlike Eric Johnson and some others do not have the hearing frequency of a dog and have never had a problem with any of my axes to where I would go through the trouble of making a change though I respect the posters who like them and believe there must be some slight change for the better. One thing I can say is Fender has always made a guitar that was just about bullet proof. I have dropped ,banged and knocked over enough only to find 90% of the time there was not even a scratch. Where some other companies that I am a fan of the slightest knock has left a dent or chip or have problems with stress cracks appearing over night in the neck joint. Maybe they use a stronger metal but no Fender parts ever broke off on me in 30 years.