Guitarfetish:

[Cogs]

I just ordered one of their Strat-style tremolo bridges, the D42 (Solid Steel USA Spaced Vintage Tremolo). The trem block has shallow holes for the strings. I've known about this change in Fender spec for some time & always wanted a block made according to vintage spec. I'll let you know what I think if anyone is interested.

[melody]

I ordered one for them wouldn't fit so I send it back they send another still misaligned..Please do tell us your findings..

[ch willie]

I've heard similar stories about Guitar Fetish parts. But I bought a Tele boost from them that worked just fine.

[Cogs]

The bridge arrived today (fast!) & so far, so good. The holes line up & it looks to be correct in all respects. Only the springs to keep tension on the saddles are kind of thin & cheap looking. That's just fine as I plan to use the saddles & retaining springs that will come off the trem I'm replacing.
These saddles look good, though. If you are familiar w/aftermarket parts you might know that some saddles are pressed cheaply, & they look more like an inverted "V" than a "U". I find that this causes the screws for height adjustment to "wobble" & become unstable. These look right. The adj screws are snug in the saddles.

[ch willie]

Glad it worked out!

[FrankJohnson]

I don't have experience with the rems or blocks, but did use these saddles on my my Clap-toon strat - and have been VERY happy!

http://www.guitarfetish.com/Upgrade-...Six_p_773.html

[Old Ranger]

In the few parts that I've used from that company I've not been let down with what I've received. Glad that you had the same results. Never been much of a fan of their guitars though. Had several brought to me for repairs mostly in the electronics end.

[stratcat55]

I get stuff for my cigar box builds, bridges, necks, pickups. I build six stringers. The pickups are really nice for the money too. I've always been surprised at the quality for the little bit of money I spend. As far as the guitars go, those new Slick guitars look interesting. I really like cheap guitars as well as nice ones.

[Cogs]

NOT SO FAST- The new baseplate is 1/64" shorter than the old one. It may not sound like much but it is when you are talking about intonation. This is going to cause problems on this particular guitar, seeing that the retaining springs will now need to be trimmed up. Some of them are already fully compressed.

[Old Ranger]

Never used any of their bridges and such. Just a set or two of tuners and the like. And they went on low end instruments for replacements of broken and missing units. So I suppose, in then end you do get what you pay for then huh?

[Cogs]

I managed to get away with clipping the springs on three of the saddles, but it was definitely a hassle. Next time I'll buy the block separately.
It does sound different. I'm not going to use a bunch of buzz words for tonal characteristics, though. To my ears the guitar just sounds acoustically LOUDER, so I have to attribute that to the different block w/the shallow holes.

[Old Ranger]

Well sir, I'm glad you got it worked out. Over the years of doing custom builds, and loads of repairs and mods on instruments, I've found some parts were great and some that were lacking. When I built those custom one of a kind types I always used the very best parts that I could. And some parts I made myself where I couldn't find just the right one that was mass produced. My customers appreciated that as well. Now I'm too old and crippled up to build anything. Oh well. It was fun while it lasted.

[Cogs]

It's been a few years since I built a guitar. I'd like to get a couple more in before I'm "too old & crippled up" myself, lol

[Old Ranger]

Yes sir, I was doin' pretty good until a few years ago when I had a mild stroke. That just about put the right arm and hand out of action. I can hold stuff like my pistols with it now with some help from the left hand, but tools and such slip out of my grip. Not too good for one that used to build guitars from big lumps of wood and make 'em into something that folks admired. Hell, now when I'm playin' I drop picks all the time!

[phantomman]

Sin loi, Ranger. How about physical therapy......any chance that might help with your rehabilitation?

[Old Ranger]

Sin Loi!! Do I hear a fellow boonie rat?

Oh, as to PT for the arm and hand, the VA is kinda wishy-washy about that. They said that since the stroke was not service related that getting PT is not an option. So I'm doing it myself. Sorta... Working with weights to regain strength. Stretching and movement exercises to get back some control that was lost and such. Thus far it's getting better, but a while back I was running a circular saw making me a new pedal board and lost control of my right hand from the vibration. The saw jumped up and nearly took off my left forearm! Yikes!! Missed it by a couple of inches before I got my finger off the switch (trigger)..
That was a close one.

It's not that I'm totally shot, but if I had to put a number on it I'd say that I lost about 50% of my hand strength and coordination with it. Muscle memory from years of toting a sidearm and years of shooting and such is remarkably still intact. Guess some things don't change. Do OK with finger picking the guitar though. It's just that holding a pick is not always easy as it's light and hard to hold at times. I'll be playing just fine and then it's oops! Where's my pick? I don't even know I dropped it until the sound changes...
But hey, I'm an old Ranger, and we Rangers never give up!

[phantomman]

Former Army Aviator -- two tours in Vietnam, Republic Of. One with the 1st Inf Div, the other with MACV-HQ.

Hang tough, troop......every day that you don't see somebody standing over you with an E-tool in hand shaking his head is "numbah fawkeeng won", gee-aye.

[Old Ranger]

Copy that. Hotel Co. 75th Ranger Reg. For some silly reason I did three runs at that place, and then taught at "the little long distance school" at Benning when I rotated back to the land of the Big PX. Bolt actions with glass on top were our toys. Lots of fun messing with young troops there. Then, a black beanie meant something. Now they all wear one. Oh well....

Glad ya made it home brother....

[phantomman]

Don't even get me started on the whole black beret thing!



That's all I ever see when I go to the PX or the commissary.

"Gee......the whole damn post's filled with Rangers!"

NOT!

[TremoloKing]

I don't have experience with the rems or blocks, but did use these saddles on my my Clap-toon strat - and have been VERY happy!

http://www.guitarfetish.com/Upgrade-...Six_p_773.html

I have those GF saddles on two Strats. They are really nice. I think they only come for narrow string spacing. One of the Strats has a Mexican body and bridge so they fit great. The other has a standard spacing so there's a little gap between them. I thought that might be a problem but it has not.