A new bridge block for my 2006 MIA Strat? I went to my local Fender dealer here in Ontario Canada and they told me I can't just get the block. I have to order the whole bridge including saddles which is $110.00 plus taxes. I don't need a whole bridge though. I just need the block because my whammy bar and the whole in the bridge are stripped and I can't screw my whammy bar in. My instructor recommends getting a thick brass block for a thicker tone but I can't find one anywhere. I looked on e-bay and there is nothing. I basically just want the original Fender block that came with the 06's so I can use my whamy bar.
Any advice?

Thanks

Sounds like good excuse to buy another Strat to me... Never hurts to have a back up.

Be patient you will see them on Ebay or you might consider a Callaham bridge block. Check some of the online stores like Sweetwater or Musician's friend...

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I'm not slow... and I'm not fast... just sort of halffast...

Thanks for the advice. I just bought this Strat about 3 weeks ago used. It is in mint condition and the person I bought it from didn't use the whammy bar, and I know that for sure but Fender can't do anything about it because I bought it used and it is 3 years old.

Try Guitar Fetish. They may have what you need.
http://store.guitarfetish.com/tremelos.html

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The time has gone, the song is over, thought I'd something more to say.

I'm going to second the guitar fetish suggestion emphatically. Not sure, but doesn't the 2006 have the crappy epoxy/metal bridge block? That thing might as well be Silly Putty.

I replaced the entire tremelo in my 1996 American Standard with the GFS unit. Just 40 bucks. Yeah, I know, that's not enough money for good equipment is it? WRONG! Quality's great and the block is a solid piece of machined STEEL.

Remember, your current saddles are probably the crappy zinc ones. The GFS comes with stainless steel saddles.

Tone: MUCH better than stock. Changing out the tremelo gave me almost as much of a tone improvement as changing out the stock pickups. Also a definite increase in sustain...and let's face it, pedals and "amp sustain" are great, but there's no substitute for increasing sustain AT the guitar.

Next: Throw the stock tremelo as FAR AS YOU CAN. Then piss on it and bury it. Then dig it up and $@!& on it.

I never had any experience with GFS, but Ive put a Callaham on. He's right about the crappy zinc blocks. THe callaham is machined out of solid block of cold rolled steel, just like vintage strats were untill CBS took them over and bastardized the name. The machined block is soooo much better, it brings the whole guitar to life, even before you plu it in. I think Callaham charge $60, if the GFS is $40, and it's made the same way, Id go for that next time. But I cant stress it enough how important a quality block is. That should be the first thing changed on a strat, before pickups, or anything eles.

**+1 on the saddle thing too.

You can just get that upgrade block for the american tremolo that everyone talks about..

What is the upgrade block that everyone talks about and where can I get it. Sorry for the ignorance, this is my first American Strat.

Thanks

If im not wrong he's talking about the block from www.callaham.com

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It's a mix between Jazz and Funk, it's called "Junk"

Yeah exactly the callaham block , I have seen a lot of posts of people talking about how better the callaham block is than the original block that comes in the original fender bridges..... so it must be really good and their website is actually this one!!

http://www.callahamguitars.com/partsstr.htm

I'm curious about the machined brass blocks...any opinions or links ?

Thanks, I was just on their web site. I did a google search for it.
I checked the specs of my 2006 American Strat that Fender sent me a few weeks ago and the saddles are actually stainless steel so I wouldn't have to upgrade those. I just need to upgrade the block and the arm.

Thanks guys. So would you guys go with Callaham or guitar fetish?

I would go with the callaham just for kicks and their good reputation

Thanks. My guitar instructor recommended a brass bridge block. Does anybody know much of these and where to get one for an American Strat?