Mike Eldred said they've used 1018CRS since day1. Go ask him.

Oh yeah both my VHR and AM DLX and Custom Classic use CRS. The fact that the deluxe and classic's are coated doesn't detract from that. just makes it harder to see. When you dismantle the thing and mill the top, you soon see it.
Callaham's a liar the majority of their claims are like their prices, extraordinary and outlandish. I strongly doubt the American Standard block is cast too. Powder coating and casting are not the same thing. In fact I'll be pulling the American Standard bridge off my partsocaster to have a look. I milled the block flat some time back but can't remember what it looked like.

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No no and no

So? Claims are one thing, proof is another. The original Fender blocks are even different in the hole size for the string balls. The originals only allowed the balls to go just below the surface, the newer blocks allow the ball way down inside the hole. So, in fact there is a big difference in the ones that they use now, and the originals, in both design and material. So to say that the blocks are "The same ones used from day one" is bullshit. It is a fact that Fender used softer steel in their blocks (hot rolled leaded "steel") to save on wear of the machining tools. As many have said on these forums, there is no doubt that simply changing the Fender block is an improvement in tone. There would be no tone difference if the blocks are the same.

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---> "The amp should be SWITCHED OFF AND UNPLUGGED before you do this!" <---

Por favor, disculpe mi español, no se llega a la práctica con mucha frecuencia.

Well, it is, Fender admits to it, and it is apparent just by looking at it. I have an 08 Am Std, I changed the cast block to a Callaham, which is like the originals. See the specs on link below. "A new bridge with improved bent-steel saddles and a copper-infused high-mass block for increased resonance and sustain." You don't "infuse" copper into a CRS machined block. So, they claim that a cast block has better sustain and tone than their machined blocks......? So much for using the same blocks from day one.

http://www.fender.com/products/search.php?partno=0110400700

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---> "The amp should be SWITCHED OFF AND UNPLUGGED before you do this!" <---

Por favor, disculpe mi español, no se llega a la práctica con mucha frecuencia.

Looks like CRS to me, definitely not cast. Milled the top and the underside myself. Notice the copper in the tremplate, not the block. BTW I said the tooling was the same as used from day 1. Theres pictures on the press somewhere. Fender Customshop posted one on their facebook photo's.



Here's one of the pictures, the saddle press. I can't find the one of the blocks being drilled.



Found here

http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?fbid=444822587843&set=a.419220877843.195157.75339382843

Like I said early on, I noticed an improvment over the cast MIM block. A bigger difference changing that to a £25 Wilkinson trem. That Standard trem went on because I was bored and had the thing lying around, and wanted to move the trem position back a couple of mil.

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No no and no

Keep in mind that the hot-rolled blocks also are machined, that doesn't indicate what they are made of. I believe that the cast blocks on the Am Std came in 08, not before, but they are cast, that is fact not opinion.

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---> "The amp should be SWITCHED OFF AND UNPLUGGED before you do this!" <---

Por favor, disculpe mi español, no se llega a la práctica con mucha frecuencia.

So let's see evidence of the facts eh? Where did you find this info Shim'?

That looks like rolled to me, not cast.

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No no and no

Cool, I apologize if I ruined your thread, it wasn't my intention to start a Callaham vs Fender debate But I appreciate everyone's input as it's helping me understand what's going on here...

To make it up to you I will test different saddles and report back the results I trust my ears more than I trust anything I read on the Internet or what one company or another claims...

I thought that I posted a link to the Fender product page about the copper infused block, check the specs at the link below. It was one of the improvements for the 08 models. I didn't see it as an improvement. Fender described that in the casting process there are normally voids in the metal, and the "copper infusing" was to better fill those voids for more mass, theoretically more sustain and tone. That is Fenders description of it, they haven't hidden the fact that these blocks are cast.

http://www.fender.com/products/search.php?partno=0110400700

And, on your picture, you mentioned that the plate had copper in it? So, obviously the plate isn't CRS either then. I didn't see any copper color on your block, which is what I'm referring to. The bottom of the block will have a beveled edge if it is the new copper infused block. You can even see the bumby surface on one side from the casting of the holes. See pics. Great idea to machine the surfaces yourself, that has to be an improvement. Cast, hot rolled, cold rolled, are all machined after manufacturing them, so I wouldn't say that machining is evidence of the type of block it is though. Your surface looks better than the factory job!

Also, I believe that the major changes to the original blocks happened around 71 when Fender used cast parts for their bridges, including the block and saddles, and continued til at least 80 or so when they used the stamped saddles again, albeit different steel, but the block at best was HR leaded steel. The only Fender Strat that I know of that uses a block anywhere close to the originals is the Eric Johnson, check out those blocks if you get the chance. Surely Mike wouldn't deny that in the 70s Fender used cast bridges.

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---> "The amp should be SWITCHED OFF AND UNPLUGGED before you do this!" <---

Por favor, disculpe mi español, no se llega a la práctica con mucha frecuencia.

The absolute best way to be and the only way to ensure you're own satisfaction. The re-design on strat saddles is neither new or revolutionary. Different people have done it for years.

I just can't help but look back to the 70's when everyone went brass mad. Brass nut's, brass bridges, claiming they improved sustain. Then in the 80's the exact opposite was proclaimed as the truth, that they hampered sustain.

I can't help but wonder how much of the so called improvments we see these days are going to suffer the same fate.

The only option other than the one I stated previously on block saddles giving a smoother attack. Is that well polished saddles will always sound better than worn, grooved ones. But anyone can do that with a bit of polish.

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No no and no

Ah, the antithesis of, "Infallible Web Dogma"; most refreshing!

BRAVO!!!

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You dig?

One clarification, one query:

Tremolo is variation in volume. Vibrato is variation in pitch. What we are all talking about here are vibrato units.

What do you experienced and knowlegeable pickers think of the (1) Bigsby (2) Gibson-Maestro and (3) Mosrite (unique) vibrato units?

Personally, not much. I feel they are EXTREMELY unreliable, inefficient units. YMMV.

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You dig?

Thought I'd give an update here... I had mentioned that the block saddle from my Dlx Strat improved the tone some on the low E. I tried a couple more saddles and the results were pretty much the same, a small improvement.

Something I forgot to mention was the strings I'm using. On both Strats I was using Fender Super Bullets 10-52. What I noticed was that the bullet ends on the Dlx are deep in the block but on the vintage steel block they're flush. Fender claims that these strings are great for Strats with a tremolo...

So after giving up on the saddles I decided to go back to D'Addario strings on the MIM just to see if it makes a difference. Problem solved! The string ends are no longer flush and the wound strings have a beautiful ring to 'em again! Not as beautiful as the Dlx but I'm happy The difference is noticeable on all strings not just the wound strings.

Not sure if anyone experienced this before but for some reason these Super Bullets did not work on the vintage block but sound great with the newer Dlx block.

I'll attempt to test the saddles one of these days... I have like 3 or 4 sets, including the Callaham.

There are so many little tweaks to truly make one's guitar(s) thoroughly enjoyable and personal. After all the tweaks are in place, its like discovering a new, superior instrument yet it was in your hands all along. Congratulations!!

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You dig?

Thanks Martian! Guess I'm spending more time tweaking than playing these days!

But this was more a problem than a tweak, my Strat shouldn't sound like that with just a change of strings. Gotta pay attention next time, springs were replaced the same time the bridge was...