Metropoulos Forum

I just bought the callaham premium upgrade kit for my 05 american standard strat (block, saddles and whammy bar). I'm excited to see what it'll do. Sort've an impulse buy but its the last thing that needs upgrading on my strat so I figured I'd take the chance while my finances allow me to. I'm not expecting it to turn into some crazy beast but I expect it to increase volume, clarity and overall increase its strattyness.

Should be here by friday or monday and I'll let everyone know whats up with it when she's all set up and good to go!

You won't be disappointed!! I did that to my strat a few years ago, definitley makes a difference you can hear!

You're going to dig it. As soon as I get the scratch I'm going to get the bridge setup for my Hank Marvin strat. Phil

Guys I just installed it and put on new strings and played for about a half hour.

I'll be real with you......so far.............I'm not all that impressed. I hate to say it believe me, I spent 125 bucks on it so I hate to say it! Not all that impressed.

The craftsmanship is top notch, no questions, everything threads and screws smooth like butta. Its all great looking stuff, but again........meh.......not all its cracked up to be SO FAR.

I notice open chordings have a nice balance about them and sound good which could be from the custom shop 69's I installed a week ago, but single note playing sounds a bit poppier in a bad way and a little brighter which I dont exactly dig as a clean player. Higher gain this would prob be better, or maybe some country twang on a tele. So far I dont hear much of an improvement if any at all. I'll have to get used to it and give it time I guess.

I slept on it, woke up and played and still didn't like it.............enough to rip off the strings unbolt everything and put my old bridge/saddles back in and VIOLA my tone was back to where it should be.

Sounds crazy but the callaham stuff just plain old made my strat too bright and had this annoying sound if you played at normal intensity. It sounded fine playing quietly with just your fingers but the minute I'd dig in with a pick it made it sound like plastic and bright. I hate to say it because this was a 120 dollar lesson but I just really did not dig it. Perhaps because I use nickel/steel strings (brighter) with a stock bridge (duller).

Anyways I hope he accepts returns because I just did not like it......and his website GUARANTEES an improvement in tone, which in my case was not true. It just changed it for the worse in my personal opinion.

Its a shame because the stuff looks great, well machined threads etc. Well constructed without a doubt, but vintage tone? No sir, not to me anyway.

That's too bad it didn't work out for you. I hope he gives you a refund, he seems like a pretty good guy. The bottom line with anything is that it has to sound good to you. I can't believe how much stuff other people love that sounded like crap to me, but I really can't believe the stuff I think sucks that other people love! Phil

Sounds exactly like what I need. My late 90's US std is way dull sounding.

maybe the bridges from back then suffered more from this dilemma.

I'll sell it to you man PM me if you want it, but you better be quick otherwise this things goin back to callaham.

basile865 wrote:maybe the bridges from back then suffered more from this dilemma.

I'll sell it to you man PM me if you want it, but you better be quick otherwise this things goin back to callaham.

Darn, if it were for a lefty, I'd be all over it!

Called up callaham and he was nice about it. I returned it in the mail today. Sucks I lost 18 bucks shipping it to me and then back to him but, atleast Ill get back the 115 I spent on it.

When I put the callaham stuff on the strat I recently built from various parts I felt it was the equivalent of putting the pigtail on my r4. It just seemed to make it more vintage correct. Phil

So you are liking your Pigtail Phil?? I remember you asking about them, they are even more vintage correct, than vintage!! If such a thing is possible!
yngwie308

yngwie308 wrote:So you are liking your Pigtail Phil?? I remember you asking about them, they are even more vintage correct, than vintage!! If such a thing is possible!
yngwie308

I'm loving the pigtail, I really got that guitar dialed in. I got to compare it side to side with a real 54 and I'm pretty impressed. I just picked up a Malcolm Young Gretsch today, I've been out in the garage cranking it, I've just about got it dialed in. Phil

yeah the callaham stuff is well machined and made BUT it made my guitar sound bright and overly touchy, very peaky if you played with a pick. Live and learn. From now on I wont change a bridge ever again, but then again Im about certain every strat I buy from now on is going to be a custom shop 69 because they just have everything I want in stock form!