Callaham Question

SunburstYummy · November 3rd, 2009, 03:55 PM

Hi

I have a Fender 50s Classic Player Stratocaster. I thinking about getting a Callaham Bridge Upgrade kit but I don't know which one to get.

My Strat is made in Mexico but the bridge seems more like that of an American Strat.

Can anyone tell me whether I would need the American Upgrade Kit or the Mexican Upgrade Kit?

Thanks.

thaus · November 3rd, 2009, 04:01 PM

Get the American vintage one. The CP 50's has vintage Fender specs and string spacing.

Boris Bubbanov · November 3rd, 2009, 11:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SunburstYummy

Hi

I have a Fender 50s Classic Player Stratocaster. I thinking about getting a Callaham Bridge Upgrade kit but I don't know which one to get.

My Strat is made in Mexico but the bridge seems more like that of an American Strat.

Can anyone tell me whether I would need the American Upgrade Kit or the Mexican Upgrade Kit?

Thanks.

Re-read the entire Callaham website as many times as you can stand.

There are multiple USA choices, and multiple MIM choices.

You're in a sort of pickle, since the import CP bridge plate could be better. But Bill does not offer a two post plate. You might consider finding a 2008 or newer Am Std bridge plate on E-bay or something - make sure it is not an offset one. If you can't do that you might not be as impressed with the Callaham product as the rest of us will be on all the other models. My opinion.

If my neck/fretwork would permit it, I might do that AS to AV (2 post to 6 screw) conversion kit, then get the complete AV style bridge, entirely from Mr. Callaham. Not cheap, and if you dislike your strings closer to the edge ( for example if you have rolled your fret ends ) don't do it.

thaus · November 3rd, 2009, 11:17 PM

I have the conversion kit coming in the mail and will let you all know if it works with my CP50's. I did correspond with Mr. Callaham and as far as he knew, the neck on the CP50's would work pretty well...........I'll get back to when the kit arrives.

Outlier73 · November 4th, 2009, 07:26 AM

My guess would be the american, but measure the distance between the bridge mounting screws. (screws at the front of the bridge) I belive the mexican bridges are spaced closer together but it should indicate this on the callaham site.

I called when I ordered mine and asked the woman. I measured the screw spacing and she confirmed the US version would work for me.

SunburstYummy · November 4th, 2009, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boris Bubbanov

Re-read the entire Callaham website as many times as you can stand.

There are multiple USA choices, and multiple MIM choices.

You're in a sort of pickle, since the import CP bridge plate could be better. But Bill does not offer a two post plate. You might consider finding a 2008 or newer Am Std bridge plate on E-bay or something - make sure it is not an offset one. If you can't do that you might not be as impressed with the Callaham product as the rest of us will be on all the other models. My opinion.

If my neck/fretwork would permit it, I might do that AS to AV (2 post to 6 screw) conversion kit, then get the complete AV style bridge, entirely from Mr. Callaham. Not cheap, and if you dislike your strings closer to the edge ( for example if you have rolled your fret ends ) don't do it.

Ok thanks, this was a helpful post.

SunburstYummy · November 4th, 2009, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thaus

I have the conversion kit coming in the mail and will let you all know if it works with my CP50's. I did correspond with Mr. Callaham and as far as he knew, the neck on the CP50's would work pretty well...........I'll get back to when the kit arrives.

thanks. Can you tell me whether you have the American or Mexican Upgrade Kit?

thaus · November 4th, 2009, 11:32 AM

I think there is only one available at least that's what was intimated to me in the correspondence.

CeltRocka · November 4th, 2009, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thaus

Get the American vintage one. The CP 50's has vintage Fender specs and string spacing.

The CP50 has 2 - 1/16" string spacing . US Vintage is 2 - 7/32"

Goodkat · November 5th, 2009, 02:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thaus

... The CP 50's has vintage Fender specs and string spacing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CeltRocka

The CP50 has 2 - 1/16" string spacing . US Vintage is 2 - 7/32"

Sorry I'm a bit late with my reply (somehow I missed this thread

) but I'd really like it if we could make these things clear.

The string spacing on the CP '50s Strat shown on the picture at fender.com looks more like the vintage spacing (~56.3mm / 2 - 7/32"). After seeing this I thought that CP '50s Strat indeed uses that spacing. Then I looked at the picture of the CP '60s Strat (just to make sure) and the spacing pretty much looked the same. But ... I know my CP '60s Strat most definitely has the narrow string spacing and if I had to guess I would say that the '50s model uses the same bridge. So now I'm curious about the CP '50s Strat. Does it have a vintage spacing or the narrow one? Could it be that those older models that came with steel tremolo blocks also had the vintage spacing?

Quote:

Originally Posted by thaus

I have the conversion kit coming in the mail and will let you all know if it works with my CP50's. I did correspond with Mr. Callaham and as far as he knew, the neck on the CP50's would work pretty well...........I'll get back to when the kit arrives.

This is also strange. Mr C. wrote to me that the threads on his retrofit kit wont fit those two big brass post on my CP '60s Strat. Who knows...
In the end I ended up ordering the vintage trem (though I still haven't received a word from Mr C. whether the trem was sent to me but it's only been one day and I hope everything is alright). I'll have to drill the holes and everything but all of this makes sense to me.

thaus · November 5th, 2009, 06:56 AM

I will measure my CP50's bridge later today and see what I come up with.....I also have the CP60's so will do that one as well. I hope that Callaham is correct about the conversion kit working but if not, I have an American Std that will get the conversion so I think I'm ok. Yes, confusing indeed!!

Goodkat · November 5th, 2009, 07:00 AM

How do you think I feel: I still havent received the word from the big man confirming that he sent me the trem (along with some small parts).

thaus · November 5th, 2009, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SunburstYummy

thanks. Can you tell me whether you have the American or Mexican Upgrade Kit?

Sorry, my bad! I thought you were referring to the conversion kit found here:

Callaham Vintage Guitars and Parts (Am. Std. Retrofit kit)

thaus · November 5th, 2009, 09:21 AM

Ok, I took Boris' advice and reread the Callaham site. He has it all spelled out. My mistake was in my email to him, I asked about a Classic 50's MIM, when I meant to write Classic Player 50's......my mistake and his answer was correct! As per the Callaham site:

http://www.callahamguitars.com/blocks.htm (scroll down to Classic Player)

So that clears it up (for me anyhow). Boris and Celtrocka have it right. To the OP whose original question was which upgrade to get (remember, this is just the block), get the MEXICAN STANDARD UPGRADE.

CeltRocka · November 5th, 2009, 04:09 PM

You need to be careful when ordering Mex block from Callaham.The trem hole location is slightly different[enough not to fit ] There are 2 types:Thin zinc type[also fits Squiers-cv50] trem hole is drilled straight and about 1mm higher than the centre of the 3 screw holes and there,s the thick[sometimes steel] type with the trem hole in line with screw holes and hole drilled at angle [fits-CP50].A customer of mine emailed Callaham that he knew of difference and Callaham denies there are 2 types[most prob wants you to buy the whole trem assembly if it dont fit]

thaus · November 5th, 2009, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CeltRocka

You need to be careful when ordering Mex block from Callaham.The trem hole location is slightly different[enough not to fit ] There are 2 types:Thin zinc type[also fits Squiers-cv50] trem hole is drilled straight and about 1mm higher than the centre of the 3 screw holes and there,s the thick[sometimes steel] type with the trem hole in line with screw holes and hole drilled at angle [fits-CP50].A customer of mine emailed Callaham that he knew of difference and Callaham denies there are 2 types[most prob wants you to buy the whole trem assembly if it dont fit]

Good to know! Thanks for the details.........

still_fiddlin · November 5th, 2009, 05:15 PM

The Callaham block fit my 2000 MIM w/o problems. If there are 2 different plates (my reading of CeltRocka's post), then there should be multiple part numbers for the associated MIM blocks. I know there's the tapered and full size blocks, so posting part #s might be helpful. Of course, pictures of the 2 different plates would be best.