This is the same unit as the Vintage kit but has been "De-Shined" by us and which goes really well with Road Worn, Closet Classic and medium aged guitars. The bridge plate, mounting screws, saddles and springs have been treated and is about half as shiny as a new plated unit.

This aging process is carried out buy us at Charles Guitars and is not the distressed finish from Callaham Guitars.

Bridge Plate:

Callaham use stainless steel screws for the intonation, saddle height, and top plate mounting screws. The 6 heat treated pivot screws are essential. The top plate is cold rolled carbon steel that is nickel plated.

The top plate on the Callaham bridge has an important detail that both original and current production Fender bridges have missed. The bevel on the bottom side of the plate which allows the bridge to pivot must not extend past the diameter of the pivot screw. Great care is taken in machining this angle as it allows the bridge to pivot along a single axis. The Fender bridge is not only crudely angled but extends well past the diameter of the pivot screws. This causes the bridge to try and pivot along 2 axis. The bridge slides down the screws instead of pivoting and then must slide back up on return. This creates unnecessary friction and inconsistent return to pitch.

Installation:

On vintage styled bridges the pivot screws need to be down almost to the top plate. I screw the screw down until it touches the plate and lifts the back off the body. Then back the screw off until the plate rests back down on the body. You should feel small movements, side to side and forward and back of the bridge. It pivots fully up and down.

Block:

All Callaham blocks are made of 1018 cold-rolled steel like the vintage originals, which contributes to the sustain and harmonic content that has made these guitars legendary. Replacing a block made of inferior materials (zinc, leaded steel, sintered steel) with one of Callaham's blocks will make a real improvement to your tone.

Enhanced Vintage Design:

The block is Callaham's Enhanced Vintage design, which utilizes a Delrin bushing in the arm hole, for the arm to bear against. This virtually eliminates broken arms.

Virtual Pop-In Arm:

While Callaham's arm is unthreaded where it bears against the Delrin bushing, it does have a few threads at the end. This allows you to push it in, then spin it once or twice to engage a couple of the threads. The threads are there simply to keep the user from inadvertently pulling the arm out during use. So the arm is "virtually" a pop-in design, but engaging a couple of threads is.

Specification:

• String Spacing:2-7/32" (2.219" / 56.4mm)
• Screw Spacing: 2-7/32" (2.219" / 56.4mm)
• Enhanced Vintage block, w/ 10-32 Thread
• Shipped as standard with '64 Virtual Pop-In arm.

YOU CAN DOWNLOAD OUR CALLAHAM BRIDGE COMPATABILITY DATA SHEET TO CHECK YOU HAVE THE CORRECT ITEM.

HERE IS A COPY FROM CALLAHAMS SITE OF THE STRATOCASTER BRIDGE COMPATABILITY SHEET