Need advice: Put wood filler in bridge- holes or new bridge?

blfrd · Post by **blfrd** » Fri Feb 29, 2008 10:42 pm

Just got my Callaham Vintage style strat bridge and it is awesome!

It's one of the limited ones that is spaced specifically for humbuckers, sort of.

Well, turns out that my USA Custom strat I bought has a strat bridge pre-routed for a modern strat bridge.

So the mounting holes for the bridge are the vintage style and the body's bridge mounting holes are for a more modern strat bridge.

Bottom line: They don't match up.

So I have three choices:

1. Put some kind of wood putty in the existing holes and hope I can drill new holes correctly.

2. Get USA Custom guitars to take my body back (I haven't done anything to it since I got it) and exchange it for a body with the correct mounting holes-spacing.

3. Exchange the Callaham bridge for a bridge that will fit the body.

I'm leaning towards #2, since this requires the least amount of work from me and considering how long it took to get the Callaham bridge.

Let meknow what you guys would do

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M. Hendrix · Post by **M. Hendrix** » Fri Feb 29, 2008 10:49 pm

Huh? Which is wrong? The body, or the bridge?

It's actually just me asking. I'd hate to buy anything from the company who got a standard completely wrong.

You can't use putty. Use wooden dowels, and redrill... uhh.. I mean send the bridge back.

I thought so. Boootique garbage?

M

blfrd · Post by **blfrd** » Fri Feb 29, 2008 11:04 pm

M. Hendrix wrote:Huh? Which is wrong? The body, or the bridge?

It's actually just me asking. I'd hate to buy anything from the company who got a standard completely wrong.

You can't use putty. Use wooden dowels, and redrill... uhh.. I mean send the bridge back.

I thought so. Boootique garbage?

M

Looks like the body was pre-drilled for a modern strat bridge and the bridge is made for a vintage mounting.

I emailed the body manufacterer (USA Custom) about what I should do.

Bill

M. Hendrix · Post by **M. Hendrix** » Fri Feb 29, 2008 11:21 pm

Oh, sorry! Yes, 6 screws vs 2 studs, I guess.

M

St August · Post by **St August** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 7:41 am

use small dowel rod and a lot of glue to fill the exsisting holes , leave them a little long and let them dry after sand them down even with the finish or use a sharp object to cut them off ( razor Blade or wood chisel) and you should have no problem after that drilling new holes..

blfrd · Post by **blfrd** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 8:26 am

M. Hendrix wrote:Oh, sorry! Yes, 6 screws vs 2 studs, I guess.

M

Nope. The body has six holes. The bridge has six mounting holes and screws.

MacGaden · Post by **MacGaden** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 8:34 am

blfrd wrote:
M. Hendrix wrote:Oh, sorry! Yes, 6 screws vs 2 studs, I guess.

M
Nope. The body has six holes. The bridge has six mounting holes and screws.

Something

blfrd · Post by **blfrd** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 9:20 am

MacGaden wrote:
blfrd wrote:
M. Hendrix wrote:Oh, sorry! Yes, 6 screws vs 2 studs, I guess.

M
Nope. The body has six holes. The bridge has six mounting holes and screws.
Something

Billy Batz · Post by **Billy Batz** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 10:48 am

Its got to be a Mexi bridge. I tried to put a stock vintage spaced bridge on a Mexi body before and found the bridge spacing was too big for the mexi mounting holes.
Now you have a guitar that definitely has 'standard' spacing and the bridge is too small.
Callaham sells both types. Maybe you ordered the wrong one or they gave you the wrong one by accident.

I dont get why Fender does shit like that. Just because you use cheap parts why change the dimensions?

blfrd · Post by **blfrd** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 11:21 am

Here's what I ordered:

1 Narrow spaced 2 1/16 string spaced bridge assembly
- V/N Model
- Std Fender 6' Tremolo arm length
- Parchment colored tip
- Virtual pop in arm

Here's the description on the callaham site:

There are 2 models:

Mexican Model: This is a complete assembly that is a direct replacement on Mexican Standard Guitars. It has a 2 1/16 string spacing and a 2 1/16 mounting spacing. And will work with any guitar with a 2 1/16 mounting spacing.

V/N Model: This is a complete assembly that has vintage 2 7/32 (56mm) mounting spacing but with the narrow 2 1/16 string spacing. It will fit any body with vintage mounting. It is specifically for those who have the E strings too close to the edge of the fretboard or use humbucking pickups. Your strings will now be better positioned on the neck and line up over the poles of humbucking pickups.

I'm thinking the bridge they sent is wrong.....

MacGaden · Post by **MacGaden** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 11:30 am

Sure looks like they sent you the wrong one...

We have guests in the house, so I have

blfrd · Post by **blfrd** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 8:51 am

JUst recieved this note from Callaham after I sent the pics:

No, it looks like we sent you the wrong bridge. You got a Mexican instead of a V/N. I'll send a V/N on Monday and if you would put the Mexican in the mail to me and I'll credit you for the shipping.

Very cool!

Bill

MacGaden · Post by **MacGaden** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 9:11 am

Good to hear it turned out well.

How do you like the USA Custom body ?

blfrd · Post by **blfrd** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 9:29 am

MacGaden wrote:Good to hear it turned out well.

How do you like the USA Custom body ?

I've only done one other build and that body was a warmoth. The USA Custom quality looks good.

I haven't put a neck on it yet either. So far so good.

M. Hendrix · Post by **M. Hendrix** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 5:26 pm

Uhoh! Someone didn't press one for English!

M