I put a steel block in my AVRI '57. It seems to have a little more sustain but it changed the sound and I'm not sure I like it. I found the block on ebay and bought it from a guy in the UK who makes 'em. It's nice and heavy(though not much heavier if any than the original). It looks to be of high quality steel. Very well made. Just not sure if I like the sound. Are Callaham blocks solid steel?

Also the original block that I took out, is painted. But I scratched the paint off of it and it's steel too. It's also heavy. I'm thinking this replacement isn't much better than the block that was already in it. Though acoustically it is louder with the new block.

I plan to order a Callaham for my Am Standard. I don't think the original blocks that come in the Standard are as good as the ones that come in the AVRI '57. Am I wrong about this? Acoustically, with both guitars original, the AVRI is much louder than the Am Standard. At least this is the case with these two that I have.



Oh and I might add that this forum is to credit for me learning to work on my own guitars. Before I found this place I knew nothing of setting up a guitar. I'm not the best at it. But I can do it well enough to suit myself and that's good enough for me. I learned to set my own intonation. Which is the reason I was always scared to do my own work. I hope this thing stays up and running. It's a really good forum.

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"Damn Right I Got the Blues"

Yeah, the original block in the AVRI is 100% US made cold-rolled steel. The newest Am. Standards have the cast copper infused bridge block which is also 100% metal. As for older Am. Standards I don't know that ^^

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I traded my car in for a microphone.

Hi bshane84: I'm curious to hear more about this. Is this the same chappie in Wales someone else alluded to on another thread recently? Care to give us more info on this please? I can't seem to track him down.


The Callaham block is also solid steel. I have a strong suspicion these are three very similar blocks: I don't really see the point in swapping between them.

Enough people find that swapping a steel block for the zinc one found on bridges in some guitars gives an improvement in tone that it arguably seems worth doing. But swapping steel for steel? Why?

Of course, there's always folks who want to talk about different types of steel. Well... maybe.


Yep, I expect that's the case.


Callaham's block is meant to replicate the ones in original '50s Strats. So it should be extremely close to those in the '57RI. Mike Eldred of the Custom Shop has expressed himself quietly doubtful about the superior claims made for the Callaham block.

The Callaham block is at any rate different to the copper infused one on the modern Am Std. Whether slightly different is any better...?

Still, there will be those here that are sure it is better, so... You pays your money, you takes your choice.

Cheers - C

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Hi Ceri. This is his ebay feedback page. I will look through my e-mails. I may still have his e-mail info.
http://myworld.ebay.com/kevinh3324/

About the block: It's very well made. Nice and heavy. It's an exact fit, only the screws that hold the block to the bridgeplate are threaded different so you will have to use the ones he provides, and he does include them in the order. They have a slightly different color fininsh on them than the originals though it's hardly noticeable. My trem arm screws right in to the new block, no problems. So the trem arm threads are an exact match. If you need to know anything else just let me know.

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"Damn Right I Got the Blues"

Ceri, You can contact the steel block guy from that feedback page. Just click on contact seller.

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"Damn Right I Got the Blues"

Oh, I see. I didn't read all the way down before I went to giving you info on this seller. I was under the impression you wanted one of these blocks.

From my experience changing these blocks did not make that much difference. It changed the sound though I'm not sure it made it sound "better". But this is an AVRI and I have now found out that they come with steel blocks already in them. I'm still gonna get a steel block for my Am. Standard. Just to see what, or how much, it will improve it. It may be all just a matter of each person's preference which I'm sure has alot to do with it all. But I won't know until I see for myself as I did with the AVRI. It's not too painfully expensive to change the blocks if a person does his own work.
I suppose some think Callaham and other replacements are overrated. It's just up to each individual's opinion i guess. Ultimately the sound is in the person playing the guitar and the talent he has.

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"Damn Right I Got the Blues"

Hi again: no, I don't want to buy a block - at the moment. But I'm always very interested in the people making stuff like that, so it's more info for the memory banks for when I or someone else needs it.

So thank you kindly for that!

Cheers man - C

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Changing Steel for Steel on a AVRI may not make much of a difference. I used the Callaham Steel block in a MIM Strat that had a cast metal type of block which was not all steel, and it did make a difference.

Perhaps if you could install your steel block on a MIM classic series type tremolo (with the cast metal mixture type block) you may have better results.

Yes I wasn't aware the AVRI already had a steel block until I took it out and was able to feel it's weight. I don't own a MIM but I plan to see what a Callaham will do for my Am Standard. I'm just curious to see. As I mentioned above. The AVRI is quite a bit louder acoustically than the Am Standard. I'm wondering if it's the block or just the quality difference of the wood or what. Playing the Am Standard and then playing the AVRI and comparing. The AVRI just feels like a more solid guitar. They are both great but there's a difference, I think. I suppose it could be just all in my head but I don't think so.

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"Damn Right I Got the Blues"

Mike Eldred - Fender Post subject: Posted: 25 Nov 2010 08:33


Fender Staff

Joined: 11 Jul 2007 17:01
Posts: 2158 Here's the deal.
That guy lies about FMIC, and the CS, and our bridges.
Our bridges are still hand made out of CRS 1018 the same material and the same way they were made in the 50's ON THE SAME MACHINES.

He sells snake oil.

You can buy the original trem from Fender for less than he charges.

We will delete any link that concerns him.

ME

I wouldn't replace a OEM block with steel anyways, a brass block would be superior.

ORC

F'Hop
Can you post a link to where Mike said that please. I'm just far too stupid/lazy (take your pick) to find it.
Theres a lot of info on that thread about Fender blocks, if I remember right.

Like I say, I abhor callaham's business practices of defaming and lying about other companies. Any product worth buying should stand or fall on it's own merits alone. The worst thing about it all it that the callaham tremolo arm/block coupling is a good improvment. 2nd only in my estimation to the American Deluxe tremolo arm/block coupling. Great positioning scope and zero arm wobble. Why they can't sell on that truth alone rather than making up nonsense, I'll never know.

Orcrist.
After everyone had a field day with brass everything in the 70's claiming it increased sustain. In the 80's they set about denouncing it saying it hampered sustain. Trust me mate, these fashion statements go in cycles. I really don't buy into either side.

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No no and no

Cheers,

All I know is all my previous trems have had steel blocks, the one I have with brass trumps them all and then some. The original FR's were steel with a brass blocks so Mr. Rose must have done that for some reason. /shrug



ORC

They sell titanium blocks that claim to own steel and brass at floydupgrades.com. Course they start around $400, but you can't put a price on awesome tone right? Personally I feel it's another one of those nitpicky things only guitarists tend to notice. I've never heard anybody at a concert say "He must have upgraded to a steel/brass/unobtanium block, the sustain is unbelievable." <_________<

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I traded my car in for a microphone.

If you noticed, Mike Eldred is referring to the Custom Shop Blocks specifically (this time ). I think that the inference that many people take is that somehow Fender uses the same blocks/material for all of their Strats. Of course this isn't true, my 08 Am Std, for example, had the "copper infused" cast block as a new "improvement" for that year. If the new cast block is an improvement, what was there before? It certainly has never been a cold rolled block. Maybe Fender is saying that a cast block is better than cold rolled steel? No, they are saying that the new cast block is better than the soft blocks that they normally use (I can believe that it is). Fender has explained that the cast blocks that they use have "voids" in the metal, and the copper was added to the cast blocks to better fill those voids. So Fender themselves have verified that they do indeed use cast blocks, and soft steel in their Am Strats. The best production blocks that Fender uses are soft steel, by Fenders own accounts the softer steel is easier on their machining tools (cost savings). Another clue is the description of "all metal" for the newer blocks. What metal? Well copper for one metal, and you don't "infuse" copper into a cold rolled steel block, it is cast with the other "metal".

I believe that Callaham has always referred to the Fender production blocks, NOT the Custom Shop blocks. AAMOF, he states that his blocks are made to be just like the original blocks (pre-CBS), before Fender started changing the material of the blocks. Does anyone doubt that Fender started using cast blocks and saddles in the 70s? The best test that we can do is to compare a Callaham block to one of Fenders better Strats blocks, like an Am RI block. Compare the weight, and try the "ping test" for both blocks. The difference is obvious, and should end any doubts that the Callaham is different than the best production block that Fender uses. I did these same test on my '62 AVRI, and the difference is definitely obvious, they aren't the same material, the Fender block had a duller sound when pinged. The only Fender production blocks that I haven't examined closely, are for the EJ Strat. That is the only block that even looks like an original design, and that particular block was specified by EJ, and is not like any other production blocks that I've seen (note the depth of the string ball holes).

Another plus with the Callaham block, is the end of the sloppiness in the trem arm hole that you have with the Fender and other blocks. Even if the Fender block was the same material (and it isn't), the fix for the trem arm hole would still make the Callaham better. I believe that the OP even stated that his new block (brand?) gave more sustain and was louder than the stock block. I think that if anyone does a little research, you can find a lot of info about the history of Fender blocks. And yes, I replaced the cast block in my Am Std to a Callaham, and it is a nice improvement in both tone and sustain. I have replaced the blocks in at least 7 Am and Mex Strats thus far with Callahams, 5 are my own. I am naturally skeptical about most any manufacturers claims, so I'm not easily swayed by any hype. It only took one listen, after installing the first Callaham block on my own Strat to convince me.

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---> "The amp should be SWITCHED OFF AND UNPLUGGED before you do this!" <---

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