All I can say is WOW! Improved sustain, tone, feel, tuning stability, bar action, looks. The quality of this trem over the stock Ping unit is amazing. Solid, precision! Notes sustain longer, and sound clearer. The saddles are more solid. The vintage string spacing brought the classic Strat feel back - why they switched to narrow spacing I will never know.

Overall, worth every penny!

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'10 American Special Strat
'02 Les Paul R8
'08 Charvel US San Dimas
'85 Jackson Soloist

Splawn Quick Rod

I'm not trying to start a debate or anything, I'm asking this because I don't know the answer and would simply like to know. What are the stock bridges made of that dampens tone and sustain on the American Specials? Is it the material? Is the bridge on the Am Standard made from a different (better) material? And also, now that you've changed the string spacing, are the two E strings far enough away from the edge of the neck to play without any problems. Thanks.

Oh and congratulations on the new tremelo.

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"Damn Right I Got the Blues"

+1

And the strings are now centered over the pickup poles as well!

Rawk On!

Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY

Is the string spacing to vintage spec on vintage reissues?

I have a reissue and the e strings are slightly wider than the bridge pick up(in other words not directly over the pick up, like on my MIA Strat). I had planned to change to the more narrow bridge/tremolo to move the strings centered over the pick up. Am I wrong to think that that would be an improvement?

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98 MIA Strat, 07 MIM 60's Reissue Strat, Mustang l, Mustang lll

Yes. All is as it should be, as per St. Leo's beloved-and-original design.

Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY

Hi Ragtopp,

With the wide string spacing on the AVRI, look at how the E strings align with the pole pieces on the middle and neck pickups, just about centered. The slant on the bridge pickup is why those pole pieces don't line up with the strings, designed that way because the pickup is so close to the bridge. With the narrow string spacing on the Am Std, the pole pieces line up on the bridge pickup, but now the middle and neck pickup pole pieces don't.

If you want the narrow string spacing on your AVRI, you would have to get the bridge that has vintage mounting spacing, with narrow string spacing. Otherwise you would have to dowel and re-drill the mounting holes, and no one wants that. You may get better response for the E strings on the bridge pickup, but maybe at the expense of the other two pickups, possibly.

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

Por favor, disculpe mi español, no se llega a la práctica con mucha frecuencia.

Andy, pics, pics, pics...now! Sounds really interesting tho.

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2010 American Special HSS 3TSB
Marshall MG15FX

Here is a photo of the Callaham trem and the now-nicely aligned strings and pole pieces, and a full shot.

Now that I have a nickel plated trem, I must get nickel tuners - the chrome just doesn't cut it! Soon to come- Gotoh Kluson or, Gotoh locking Kluson tuners.

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'10 American Special Strat
'02 Les Paul R8
'08 Charvel US San Dimas
'85 Jackson Soloist

Splawn Quick Rod

Mighty schweet, Andy!

Arjay

_________________
"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY

Phuck yes, very nice!!!

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

Por favor, disculpe mi español, no se llega a la práctica con mucha frecuencia.

Looking good man!

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2010 American Special HSS 3TSB
Marshall MG15FX

Man oh man, that thing's a looker... what a wonderful neck, you lucked out on that one! At some point I'd like to upgrade the bridge assembly (or at the very least the block) in my MIM... I've had a Callaham bridge & block before and I really do think it makes a difference you can hear. Anyhow, sweet axe, glad you're getting it all dialed in to your liking. Cheers

I really did luck out with this guitar. Great tone, killer neck, reasonably light weight. Love the large frets, the Texas Specials. All it needs is a better set of hardware, and it becomes a retro American Standard that would have appeared in guitar stores in the late 60's!

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'10 American Special Strat
'02 Les Paul R8
'08 Charvel US San Dimas
'85 Jackson Soloist

Splawn Quick Rod

+1

It's pretty close in configuration to a '68 or a '69 model.

That's a gorgeous piece of maple!

Arjay

_________________
"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY