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Post subject: Graph Tech saddles on MIM strat, worth it?
Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2008 5:40 pm
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Hey guys,

Apologies if this question has been asked, I did a quick search and didn't find any good results. I have an 07 MIM Deluxe Players strat with the gold hardware. Its actually at a local luthier as I type this getting its first pro setup as well as a new bone nut.

My question is in a couple parts: Are graph tech saddles really worth it? Do they make that big of a difference in terms of tuning stability and string longevity? Also, do they make ones to fit the MIM strat? I assume so, but I wanted to check with the experts.

Since my guitar has gold hardware I'd prefer any new saddles to match, so would something like this work?

http://accessories.musiciansfriend.com/ ... D=80899621

Thanks guys and gals!


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Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2008 6:35 pm
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Awesome! That's the answer I was looking for man, thanks alot. I think I'll be buying a set soon then.


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Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2008 6:52 pm
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I installed a graphtech nut on my MIM 60's and it solved the tunning stability problem I had before.... :)


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Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2008 7:18 pm
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Sweet! I don't have too bad of a tuning stability issue (unless of course I use the tremolo heavily), but I could always use more stability, sustain and tone. I'm hoping the bone nut and professional setup will help significantly, and then adding the GraphTech saddles should make my Strat play like a dream! :)


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Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2008 8:02 pm
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When approached with issues such as this I always think the same thing.. Did Hendrix, Clapton, Gilmour, SRV, etc. Have to use the item in question?

I think that the Strat reached perfection by 1962. Consider the time that it would take to drive to the store, drive home, install and reset your guitar for graphtec saddles. You could learn a new song, new scale, find new tones with your current equipment and end up sounding better. For free!

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Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2008 8:24 pm
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If you listen to some live Hendrix, he absolutely went out of tune after heavy trem usage. If he could have put a graphite nut and saddles in his Strats, he would have. Why not have the best of what is at hand. It ain't 1969 anymore!!
The only issue I have heard about is getting a slight groove in the saddles of the wound strings from the wound portion wearing away the softer graphite material. This could possibly hinder smooth movement of the string thru the saddle during trem usage.
I very carefully deburr and lube all parts of the string path, and suffer no problems with string breakage and tuning instability. That is the best route, IMO.


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Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2008 6:33 am
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cwpainter wrote:
When approached with issues such as this I always think the same thing.. Did Hendrix, Clapton, Gilmour, SRV, etc. Have to use the item in question?

I think that the Strat reached perfection by 1962. Consider the time that it would take to drive to the store, drive home, install and reset your guitar for graphtec saddles. You could learn a new song, new scale, find new tones with your current equipment and end up sounding better. For free!


1)As the other member of the board already pointed out, Hendrix had SO MANY tuning problems that he asked several times one minute of silence to retune the guitar during his gigs. Clapton doesn't use the trem so it's not his problem, Gilmour, the same, but he also disagrees with you about the "perfection" of the Strat and placed a set of EMGs, SRV to reduce noise used a dummy coil.

2)The job requires 30 minutes, unless you're playing easy 12 bars blues you'll never learn a song like...the gates of Babylon in that time, and you will always be out of tune.

Ah, another Strat hero, a certain Ritchie Blackmore, use a graphite nut and a standard tremolo to keep the guitar in tune, I assume you consider him another time waster.


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Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2008 8:59 am
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cuthbert wrote:
cwpainter wrote:
When approached with issues such as this I always think the same thing.. Did Hendrix, Clapton, Gilmour, SRV, etc. Have to use the item in question?

I think that the Strat reached perfection by 1962. Consider the time that it would take to drive to the store, drive home, install and reset your guitar for graphtec saddles. You could learn a new song, new scale, find new tones with your current equipment and end up sounding better. For free!


1)As the other member of the board already pointed out, Hendrix had SO MANY tuning problems that he asked several times one minute of silence to retune the guitar during his gigs. Clapton doesn't use the trem so it's not his problem, Gilmour, the same, but he also disagrees with you about the "perfection" of the Strat and placed a set of EMGs, SRV to reduce noise used a dummy coil.

2)The job requires 30 minutes, unless you're playing easy 12 bars blues you'll never learn a song like...the gates of Babylon in that time, and you will always be out of tune.

Ah, another Strat hero, a certain Ritchie Blackmore, use a graphite nut and a standard tremolo to keep the guitar in tune, I assume you consider him another time waster.


You are correct except for Gilmour, he absolutley uses the trem.

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Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2008 9:19 am
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bruno690 wrote:
You are correct except for Gilmour, he absolutley uses the trem.


the last time I saw him using the tremolo was in video from 1973, but honestly he bores me therefore I may not have fresh informations about him.


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Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2008 11:51 am
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Hello,
i cannot account for the gold colour match but for sheer vintage Strat tone, you need to get genuine cold rolled steel saddles and trem block. No 2 ways about this. These are the REAL pre CBS materials used.

Visit Bill Callaham's website for details. I got a trem set and trem block from him. It made a world of a difference to what is already a good guitar.
Sustain, volume. Its not hype and not psychological. You can actually hear it.

The only advantage of graphite composite saddles are the smoother response and less string breakage but you can also achieve this on cold rolled steel if its done right.

You need the bridge, saddle, block to be as hard as possible for maximum vibration transfer. You do not need to be a guitar player to know this. Graphite is good for rackets not guitars because it's light. There has already been talk of titanium saddles which some folks swear by their increased sustain and clarity....

Btw i am not promoting any product nor am i affliated or employed by anyone selling guitar parts.

These are just my personal experiences. I have done my "experimentations" on various strats

peace


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Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2008 11:53 am
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my friend has graphtecs he has no regrets

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Post subject:
Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2008 5:14 pm
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That's all I was really trying to say.

I believe that it is the 'imperfections' that make the Strat perfect.


mangala wrote:
Hello,
i cannot account for the gold colour match but for sheer vintage Strat tone, you need to get genuine cold rolled steel saddles and trem block. No 2 ways about this. These are the REAL pre CBS materials used.

Visit Bill Callaham's website for details. I got a trem set and trem block from him. It made a world of a difference to what is already a good guitar.
Sustain, volume. Its not hype and not psychological. You can actually hear it.

The only advantage of graphite composite saddles are the smoother response and less string breakage but you can also achieve this on cold rolled steel if its done right.

You need the bridge, saddle, block to be as hard as possible for maximum vibration transfer. You do not need to be a guitar player to know this. Graphite is good for rackets not guitars because it's light. There has already been talk of titanium saddles which some folks swear by their increased sustain and clarity....

Btw i am not promoting any product nor am i affliated or employed by anyone selling guitar parts.

These are just my personal experiences. I have done my "experimentations" on various strats

peace

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Fulltone Clyde>Deja-Vibe>TS-808>TS-9>Boss Tuner


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Post subject: Re: Graph Tech saddles on MIM strat, worth it?
Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2008 7:33 pm
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pearldrummeryan wrote:
My question is in a couple parts: Are graph tech saddles really worth it? Do they make that big of a difference in terms of tuning stability and string longevity?


I put Graph Tech saddles on a couple of old guitars (whose saddles were "pitted" and scored and causing too much string breakage). They did the job of stopping the string breakage.

If your saddles are fairly new, they shouldn't be causing any breakage, so I suggest you might be able to wait until it's 20 years old and breaking a lot of strings before installing the GT saddles! :lol:

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Post subject:
Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 7:51 pm
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I was having string breakage problems on a former guitar and tried the graph tech saddles, it didn't help that guitar. Turns out it was the strings I was using I switched to GHS and quite breaking strings. I also didn't notice any improved sound with the graph tech saddles.

I currently have a MIM and HWY One Strat both with stock saddles and I've been using Fender strings and haven't had string break issues.

At $35 bucks or whatever they are its not a huge loss to try em though. You may find something I didn't.


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Posted: Sat Dec 20, 2008 10:25 am
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tonefight wrote:
I also didn't notice any improved sound with the graph tech saddles.

I currently have a MIM and HWY One Strat both with stock saddles and I've been using Fender strings and haven't had string break issues.


I didn't notice any improvement nor degradation in sound, so that's good a thing! (if you ask me)

You shouldn't have string breakage with new stock saddles. It's only when they get grooves and burrs that the string breakage problems start. Then you can take files or sand paper to them to smooth them out, but that only helps for so long.

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