I noticed recently that the bridge saddle widths on my american standard are narrower than on my YJM! The standard came with the 2 point bridge, but, unusually, with bent steel saddles as opposed to the compressed stainless ones.

The YJM has the traditional width ones.

it means the outer 'E' strings are further from the edge of the board on the standard so less chance of slipping off with finger vibrato.

Interested to know when they introduced this?

It also means you have to be careful when buying replacement pickups, the strings on the wider one doesnt always match up with pole pices, especially on the bridge. I put an Area 61 in the bridge of a reissue with the wider string spacing, and the low E, A, and D dont line up right. The Low E doesnt even pass over the pole piece.

Hi adriandavidb: take a little tour around some of the sellers of aftermarket bridges on the internet. You're in the UK I believe: take a glance at wdmusic.co.uk, for example, and check the string spacing on various of their vibrato bridges. Check the widths of various of the replacement saddles available, too.

And then take care if you ever plan to replace a bridge on a Strat! Forewarned is forearmed...

Cheers - C

Thanks Ceri

I guess also, that if I ever want to chance the saddles for a different width, I'll also have to replace the bridge since the intonation screw spacing would also be different!