I was showing this "all original" '79 Strat to someone when he said that the bridge was replaced with a non-correct one becauase the saddles didn't have 'Fender' stamped on them and the trem didn't fit. Not sure if anyone can help. These pictures may not show it, I'll add a better picture tonight.

Thanks.



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This, "someone" is incorrect. That is the OEM bridge and saddles.

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You dig?

Thank you.

That looks just like the OEM cast bridge on my 1974 Strat. It's good, your expert is mistaken.

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"Life is like eating jalapenos. What you do today may burn your arse tomorrow"

You're quite welcome.

You can also tell this, "expert" that the bridge saddles stamped, "Fender, Pat. Pend." were done away with in 1971 and from then through 1981, were of the cast metal type you have. Further, the tremolo block for this same 1971 through 1981 period was a one piece, solid mold which also incorporated the bridge plate.

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You dig?

You should send me that guitar for about a year and I,ll make sure everything is right.

No Problem, it is for sale...

That's the Fender correct syncrhroniized vintage tremelo bridge. The newer bridges are the 2 point fulcrum bridge (rather than the 6 screw) type, that their putting on the Fender Americans of today so maybe that's where your friend is getting a little bit confused. Most people still like the old synchronized bridge that you show in your picture because that was the original bridge used back in the day of all of our most famous players.

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Fender Natural reissue 70's Stratocaster!

'79 Strat saddles do not have Fender stamped on them and they have the number "027037" stamped on the bottom. A nice easy way to tell if they're original.

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Tune Low, Play Hard & Floor it!

you say it's for sale? How much are you hoping to get

The saddles are original. My 72 has the same thing. You can't stamp and F on them because they're cast and you'd crush them.

Has it been refinished or is it just the photo?

I have the identical 79 strat and need ot replace the tremolo bridge block (the inside threading is stripped). any ideas? I was told that it's a one-piece and the whole assembly needs to swapped...

I don't know guys, I had a 74 natural/maple and it had FENDER stamped on the saddles. Could this be a case of using up old stock? Actually I have them on my MIM Strat right now. The guy I sold it to wanted brass saddles and a brass nut so I kept them. On a side note, Robin Trower still appreciates a good mid-70s Strat. He signed a '75 for a guy after the show in Indianapolis last year and his eyes lit up like mine do when I see a wall of Strats.

If you are not the original owner of the 74 it's more likely a case of someone replacing the cast alloy saddles with the stamped steel ones. there was a perception that the cast saddles negatively impacted sustain.

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"Life is like eating jalapenos. What you do today may burn your arse tomorrow"

You can certainly discuss the guitar here, but no discussion of it being for sale, please. Thanks!

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Director at Fender. Guitarist & guitar collector. All views/opinions expressed here are my own and not Fender’s.

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