Replacement saddles for Fender Mexican Strat?

[Rex_Rocker]

I hate the bent steel saddles on my Strat. They fit very loosely together, and the wiggle a lot. When I change the strings, the action on some of the strings seems to be off, and I have to readjust.

I tried to drop the brass saddles from my Gotoh Tele bridge in, but they were too big, and they didn't fit. I suppose it's because they're the same measurement as the American bridges?

So... is it 10.5 mm?

Also... if I want a little bit midrange punch/twang, brass is the way to go, right?

Thanks!

 

[ehdwuld]

Get sone roller saddles from GFS

 

[beaubrummels]

I used Graphtec in my MIM. i've never had to adjust the height after changing strings, and when I set the intonation, it stays where I put it. MIM are closer together, so can't use American width saddles. Also there are some with offset intonation screws, so you have to check if yours are centered through the back of the saddle or offset to one side.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

These are centered. I wanna get the Graphtech saddles as they're made close by, but at the same time I read they dull out the tone rather than make it edgier and more aggressive.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Get sone roller saddles from GFS

I like GFS, but being up north, I think it gets more expensive than what it's worth, sadly.

 

[Clint 55]

The guy wants brass and you knuckleheads immediately recommend different materials lol.

Yes, get brass, it has the tone.

If you don't want the saddle heights to move then use a tad of blue locktite on the screws. It'll keep them set but you can move them later if you need to.

 

[ehdwuld]

I dont understand how changing the strings affects the saddle height

Describe your string changing technique, please


Edit

Oh the floating trem and strings stretch

That should be a spring adjustment until it settles in

 

[Napthol]

Changing strings can affect saddle height. I never have been able to understand it either. But I have seen my saddles get lower on one side during a string change. It's like the tiny allen screws start to move and it throws off the saddle height.

 

[beaubrummels]

The guy wants brass and you knuckleheads immediately recommend different materials lol.

Yes, get brass, it has the tone.

If you don't want the saddle heights to move then use a tad of blue locktite on the screws. It'll keep them set but you can move them later if you need to.

He cited several problems and I cited what I did to solve them. Forum discussion, 101.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

I'm not sure what moves, but since the saddles are so loose against each other, a lot of things move every time I change the strings.

The trem is not floating. It's decked against the body with 5 springs and the claw screwed almost all the way in.

It's just the saddles are really bad. I'm not sure if the height screws are going bad or what, and the fact that they wiggle a lot because they don't fit snug doesn't help.

Then again, I'm sure it's not that the trem needs the American wider saddles and someone used the Mexican narrower saddles in it, because the Gotoh saddles I have did not fit. I doubt Gotoh would make saddles even wider than the American standards.

 

[Napthol]

Maybe it's a design flaw from Leo Fender?

 

[GuitarDoc]

Here's some solid brass saddles that will fit your bridge (10.5mm)...
https://www.amazon.com/KAISH-Guitar...ass+bridge+saddles&qid=1702218883&sr=8-6&th=1

If you will ever use your trem, then roller saddles are your best bet (I actually like roller saddles even for my fixed bridges)...
https://www.amazon.com/Guyker-Brass...ss+bridge+saddles&qid=1702219384&sr=8-38&th=1

You can find them cheaper, as low as $10-15. I'm not sure of their quality.

 

[Securb]

I have gone down this route. You change the saddles, then the block, then the new springs...I would suggest dropping in a new bridge if you are unhappy with the stock Fender.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

I have gone down this route. You change the saddles, then the block, then the new springs...I would suggest dropping in a new bridge if you are unhappy with the stock Fender.

I'm not, really. The bridge is OK. I don't use the trem. The baseplate is steel. The block is zinc, but meh. It's not like the guitar sounds bad as-is. It's just the saddles that keep moving.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Here's some solid brass saddles that will fit your bridge (10.5mm)...
https://www.amazon.com/KAISH-Guitar...ass+bridge+saddles&qid=1702218883&sr=8-6&th=1

If you will ever use your trem, then roller saddles are your best bet (I actually like roller saddles even for my fixed bridges)...
https://www.amazon.com/Guyker-Brass...ss+bridge+saddles&qid=1702219384&sr=8-38&th=1

You can find them cheaper, as low as $10-15. I'm not sure of their quality.

Thanks!

I had a Schaller roller bridge on my Les Paul, but I went back to the stock aluminum bridge on the Gibson. The rollers were great, but the rest of the bridge was pot metal and sounded... different... from the stock Al bridge.

 

[Explorer84]

I have the same problem when changing strings on my American Special Strat. I change them one at a time which kinda helps. I guess I'm going to have to go with the blue Loctite route on the next string change. I'll be looking for a set of block saddles since I'm not really a fan of bent steel saddles.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Brass saddles are in! These are MUCH better. Funny how the cheapie saddles off Amazon are much higher quality than the stock Fender-branded ones. Much less play and way sturdier adjustment screws.

Tonally, I noticed a VERY slight difference. Very. Perhaps a bit twangier? Perhaps a bit growlier? Like the zinginess went down to the higher mids and the chunk went up to the low mids. I like it, personally. Sounds a bit more Tele-ish... and well, Teles sounds better than Strats in stock form 90% of the time, anyways.

 

[esandes]

well done. good choice and Clint 55 knows. Leo perfected the bridge design at G&L. Fender bent steel saddles are an abomination. Fender custom shop shouldn't stop with the brass jazzmaster bridge option but branch out to other models.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

well done. good choice and Clint 55 knows. Leo perfected the bridge design at G&L. Fender bent steel saddles are an abomination. Fender custom shop shouldn't stop with the brass jazzmaster bridge option but branch out to other models.

So is the 6-screw trem, TBH. Luckily, I don't use mine.

But TBH, I could've possibly been happy with steel block saddles too, as long as they functioned as well as these. These do look kinda cool and add to the whole rat-rod vibe of the guitar being mismatched.