Results 1 to 7 of 7

Thread: Set Me Straight on Callaham Parts

  1. #1
    Forum Member smitty_p's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2015
    Posts
    271

    Set Me Straight on Callaham Parts

    Okay, my current Strat is not a candidate for any mods whatsoever. It has only experienced an increase in string gauge.

    However, I do have inklings for another Strat and may even build my own. The question is, are the Callaham parts really worth the cost?

  2. #2
    Forum Member phantomman's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Ten miles from the Mexican Frontier, in Arizona
    Posts
    7,297

    Re: Set Me Straight on Callaham Parts

    I've installed several of Callaham's cold-rolled steel trem blocks in my clients' guitars, with excellent results. They are very good parts. Are they superior to Fender's own steel trem blocks? I cannot say. I've always the Fender blocks in my own instruments merely based on their lower cost. As for Callaham's string saddles and bridge plates, I cannot say because I have no experience with them.
    "When injustice becomes law then rebellion becomes duty."

  3. #3
    Forum Member Don's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2002
    Location
    Massachusetts
    Posts
    11,288

    Re: Set Me Straight on Callaham Parts

    I put a Callaham bridge on my Hwy1 Strat and like it a lot. The original had a die-cast and was just so-so. The Callaham gave the guitar a better acoustic tone and better definition plugged in. That bridge cost a lot less back then. I don't know if I'd buy one now.

  4. #4
    Forum Member melody's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2002
    Location
    The third coast..!
    Posts
    3,667

    Re: Set Me Straight on Callaham Parts

    I have the com SS saddle set on my tele love it!

  5. #5
    Forum Member Don's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2002
    Location
    Massachusetts
    Posts
    11,288

    Re: Set Me Straight on Callaham Parts

    I had a set of their compensated saddles on my Tele for a while. Then I won a Glendale Twang set in a raffle and used those for a while. The Callaham's were more traditional, the Glendale's more "fitted".

    I have CJ Tooling 5/16" cold rolled steel Blackguard saddles on it now. They've all been good but these are just right!

  6. #6
    Forum Member yankeerob's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Amongst the Pennine mills...
    Posts
    1,323

    Re: Set Me Straight on Callaham Parts

    I replaced the stock bridge on my '05 USA Std Tele with a Callaham compensated three piece (S/S saddles) and never looked back. Sounds more like a Tele than it ever did... I never even thought about whether it was worth the money...
    If I could find a road to get away it wouldn't be too soon....... Shipwreck Moon.......

  7. #7
    Forum Member Offshore Angler's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Location
    New York Finger Lakes Area
    Posts
    8,462

    Re: Set Me Straight on Callaham Parts

    I've had to revisit my opinion on the snake-oil effect of different steel alloys and their effect on sound.

    I deal a lot with foundries and castings and not too long ago we were looking an iron casting and wondering if t was ductile iron or grey iron. One of the foundrymen came up and whacked it with a hammer. It rang out and they all went "grey iron". I, being me, asked them to show me the difference. The guy proceeds to start waking around tapping castings with the hammer. The ductile iron ones didn't ring and the grey iron ones did. I could hear the difference.

    So AFAIC, the experiment showed that not only the chemistry, but the heat treatment of the metal can make it sound different.

    I can't wait to try it with A744 CF8M 316SS (common for guitar parts) before and after solution annealing.
    "No harmonic knowledge, no sense of time, a ghastly tone, unskilled vibrato, and so on. Chuck is one of the worst guitar players I know" -Gravity Jim

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •