Hey guys I've been away for a few months but I'm curious as to why it is The vintage style saddles seem to be everywhere at the moment? what was so wrong with the Block saddles?

I ask because I really like the block saddles for not eating the bottom of my hand and they're more comfortable...
the vintage/stamped ones are retro yes but otherwise I cant see the appeal?

this is only a question so if for some reason you are upset or iritated by my post then please swallow the feeling and answer me calmly:D

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A painter paints pictures on canvas. But musicians paint their pictures on silence. ~Leopold Stokowski~

Having American Strat Standards with each saddle type, I prefer the traditional rolled, stamped saddles. I guess I'm old school. I really can't tell any difference in tone. It is purely aesthetics IMHO. Here is a pic of a 2008 white MIA Standard with traditional rolled saddles, and black MIA 2006 block saddles.

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http://www.youtube.com/user/gmlasam

Before I bought my Strat I practised playing without resting my hand on the bridge in anticipation of the tremolo. After playing for many years, it only took me a few months to change my style. So in answer to your question, it really doesn't matter to me now. I will lay my hand there lightly to play a some blues based jams, but it makes little difference which style saddles are there. Hope this helps.

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-Kirk

GUITARS
'12 Sonoran Acoustic - black (dated 10/31/12)
'13 Standard Strat
AMP
Vox ac4c1-bl
PEDALS
Compressor
Big Muff
Vox Stomplab 1G
Carbon Copy Delay

I always liked the vintage style saddles. That was one think I just didn't like about the Americans for the past several years. The milled block saddles change the tone of the guitar. It just seems to lose its brightness.
On a side note, I never had a problem with vintage saddles cutting into my hand. Are you saying the set screws are scraping your palm when you mute the bridge?

I agree. The block saddles feel smoother on the palm!

Probably less string breakage too.

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Member #26797
My other guitar is a Strat.

Yes I am talking about it digging into my hand when I'm muting, My intonation was set perfectly (I've fitted Graphite Saddles) and so is my friends currently and both of us experience the same trouble. I realise this could be fixed by resting lighter on the bridge. But I was finally comfortable with my positioning.

I'm not asking for the sake of resolving my troubles as its an easy fixed issue, I ask simply becuase I felt shocked that it had been used to replace the Blocks on the Am std

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A painter paints pictures on canvas. But musicians paint their pictures on silence. ~Leopold Stokowski~

I mute on my Strats all the time (they have vintage style saddles) and it's never torn my hand up or felt uncomfortable. And I like the way that both types of saddles look, so I'm perfectly happy with whatever type my guitars come with.

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Classicrock,

Do you press hard on your right hand to mute? I also use the traditional saddles, and have not torn up my right palm at all.

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http://www.youtube.com/user/gmlasam

Block- for comfort
Vintage - for looks

The conventional wisdom is that the block saddles give better "modern" sustain, while the bent steel ones have more "classic" Straty twang.

I don't really know if that's true, but at any rate I put block saddles with higher output pickups, bent steel ones with lower output "vintage" pickups.

Reality or superstition...?

BTW: if the screws are scratching the hand you can either file down their bottom ends to make them shorter, so's their tops are flush with the top of the saddle.
Or you can just buy shorter screws from aftermarket suppliers, sold for this very purpose.

Cheers - C

I have both and cant say i have a preference.I know alot of people didnt like the look of the block saddles, but they still use them in the American deluxe series.My new 08 American Standard seems to have more twang, but i dont know if its due to the saddles or the trem block upgrade they did.

I prefer the whole vintage system simply because I'm used to the way they look and feel and, I've never had a problem with them. I've owned a few Strats with the block saddles and the two point system too. With the block saddles though, I found that some of the 'usual' high end timbre was missing. And although I never had any problem with them either, they just didn't look right and there is a significant (at least to me) feel between the two systems. Placebo? Who knows and who cares. I'm sure this comes under the heading of, "old habits are hard to break" yet this my perspective. As always, YMMV.

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You dig?

Well i i have to agree with the Robin Trower video i just watched in another thread..On a Strat the vintage bridge i just the way it' suppose to be

I replaced the block saddles on my American Deluxe with Callaham bent stainless dealies and in conjunction with the Callaham tremolo block, the guitar has a lot clearer ring and stratier sound than the stock guitar did.

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60th Anniversary AD Strat, Deluxe Nashville Tele, Player's P Bass. Mesa/Boogie Mk IV combo, Marshall JCM800, 1960A cab, Genz Benz El Diablo 60, Genz 2x12" cab, too many neat little practice amps and kit projects!

Thats my plan too. I do hear a difference in sound between the two types of trem. I cant attribute it all to the saddles or all to the posts, theres a definite loss of twang with blocks though. I think i'm developing a problem with 22fretted 2 point tremmed strats. They just seem to be rather un-strat-like to me despite owning two of em. Must be the subliminal strat fashion messages invading my brain again.

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No no and no