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Callaham Guitars
Callaham Stratocaster Saddle Set, Vintage "CG" (2-7/32" Spacing)
Callaham Stratocaster Saddle Set, Vintage "CG" (2-7/32" Spacing)
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- Country of Manufacture: USA
- String Spacing: 2-7/32" (2.219" / 56.4mm)
- Nickel-plated steel
- Fits Fender '57 / '62 Reissue Stratocaster; Classic Series '50s Stratocaster; Classic Series '60s Stratocaster; Classic Series '70s Stratocaster; Crafted-In-Japan Reissue Stratocaster; Eric Johnson Stratocaster; Highway 1 Stratocaster - through 2005; Jimmie Vaughan Tex Mex Strat; Made-In-Japan Reissue Stratocaster; Road Worn Strat; Time Machine Series; Vintage Stratocaster 1954-1969
Callaham's saddles are designed from original pre-CBS saddles, with some improvements. Callaham has slightly lengthened the string slot as compared to pre-CBS saddles, so that the strings will not bind and bend against a sharp edge before going over the saddles, which reduces string breakage. Fender's current production saddles have their slots moved too far to the rear, causing string breakage and loss of downward pressure on the saddle, hurting both sustain and tone.
Callaham's saddles, like pre-CBS saddles, have threads running the entire height of the front skirt of the saddle. Fender's current production saddles have fewer threads and a shorter front skirt. Consequently, the Callaham height-adjustment screws are held more securely, with more thread contact, maintaining sustain and saddle stability.
There is a commonly-held belief that pre-CBS saddles were hardened, but Callaham states that every pre-CBS saddle they've tested measures on average only 50 Rockwell B. Callaham has chosen steel with a hardness of 95-98 Rockwell B for their saddles. Further, the steel work-hardens in the making of the saddle and is well over 115 Rockwell B where the string crosses.
Note that the Callaham saddles come with different spring lengths and height-adjustment screws, it's important that you install them in the right places:
- E: short spring, short screws
- A: long spring, long screws
- D: long spring, long screws
- G: short spring, long screws
- B: long spring, long screws
- E: long spring, short screws
Customer Reviews
These saddles are a good replacement.
Excellent 2 3/16" Strat saddles and adjustment screw lengths that comes with a slightly wider allan key width for adjustments.
✨👍✨
Hi, these saddles are 2-7/32'' spacing, not 2-3/16''. Fender has never used 2-3/16'' on USA or Mexican production, they've used 2-1/16'' and 2-7/32'' exclusively.
Of course, if you have a top plate that's truly drilled at 2-3/16'', then these saddles will work, and they'll self-align to this spacing, as it's the holes in the top plate that determine the spacing, not the saddles. But we just want to clarify that these are in fact designed for 2-7/32'' spacing, not 2-3/16'', as saying otherwise might create confusion for others who read this review. Thanks for the review!
Very nice saddles, bright and tight. Made a noticeable tone improvement and clarity. highly recommended.
The item was loosely packed despite the fact that saddles comes in pair as low,mid and high to match with the size of the strings but it has free shipping.
Installed on my American Original 60’s Strat with flat wound strings. Sure sounds nice. Have it a much richer tone.
I'm super impressed with the quality of these saddles! Sound fantastic and look great. My only wish that the whole set came with shorter Allen screws. Even thought I have my saddles raised to play slide, the long ones were way too long. I fortunately was able to use the Allen screws that I had filed down for my previous set and they are perfectly seated low enough to not be a problem with palm muting. I will still buy these in the future, but would prefer short screws for the whole set. 😎
Hi, glad you liked the product! Regarding the screws, the issue is that setscrews are generally available in 1/16'' increments, so the American Standard guitars used 1/4'' and 5/16'' screws, while the original vintage trems used 5/16'' and 3/8''. The consequence of this is that for a typical Fender radius of either 7.25'' or 9.5'', if the guitar is setup so that the E/D/G/E setscrews are flush with the tops of the saddles, then the screws on the A/B saddles will protrude slightly above the saddle tops. If you look at the images for this product you can see a frontal image of the saddles lined up on a table that illustrates this.
By the way, we always adjust the neck angle to get the tops of the E/D/G/E saddles flush with the saddle tops. This is a standard part of setup from our perspective, though it probably wouldn't occur to some consumers that the neck angle is just as adjustable as any other adjustment. But there are too many variables that affect the saddle setup on a trem-equipped guitar to not factor this in.
No way around this issue with the screw length except to have special screws made for the A/B saddles whose lengths would fall in the middle of the existing screw lengths. Fender could probably justify this (though they never have to our knowledge), but it would be prohibitively expensive for a small builder like Callaham to do it.
maestro
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