Stratocaster Bridges

Stratocaster bridges come in two forms here: complete fixed hardtail bridges for a Stratocaster without a tremolo, and saddles you can use to refresh the bridge you already have. The fixed hardtail bridges are from Fender, Gotoh and Partsland, and the strings pass through the guitar body. Saddles are offered by Fender, Raw Vintage, Graph Tech and Partsland, in steel and also with String Saver material. You'll find complete tremolos for the Stratocaster in the Tremolo Systems category.

Which Stratocaster bridges should you choose: a fixed hardtail, or just new saddles?

A fixed hardtail bridge replaces the whole bridge on a Stratocaster without a tremolo. The strings run through the guitar body, and the bridge is screwed to the body. The Gotoh GTC101 has brass saddles and the Gotoh GTC102 has steel ones, both with 10.5 mm string spacing. Fender offers the Hardtail Classic/Standard bridge with six saddles and the American Hardtail Strat bridge for models from 1986 – 2007 with 52.4 mm (2 1/16") string spacing. The Partsland JPN is a fixed ST-type bridge in chrome or black.

If your guitar has a tremolo and you only want more accurate intonation or a different tonal character, replacing the saddles is enough. Saddles for Floyd Rose-type tremolos are in the Tremolo Saddles category.

How do you choose saddles that fit your bridge?

String spacing and the way the bridge is mounted decide it. Fender American and American Standard bridges from 1986 – 2007 have a spacing of 2 1/16" (52.4 mm). The Fender American Series '86-'07 set has offset intonation screws, so it does not fit vintage bridges. A vintage Stratocaster with 2 3/16" spacing and six screws needs vintage saddles.

• Vintage: Fender Pure Vintage Pat. Pend., Fender Road Worn with an aged finish, gold Fender American Vintage for '57 and '62 models, and Raw Vintage sets in Fender USA or Gotoh Japan size.
• Modern: the Fender American Series '86-'07 set and Fender American Deluxe saddles for American Deluxe Stratocaster models from 1986 onward.
• Single saddle: Partsland for ST-type guitars with a width of 10.8 mm, when you are missing one or one is damaged.

What do Graph Tech String Saver saddles bring?

Graph Tech String Saver saddles reduce string breakage and help hold tuning, because the String Saver material spreads the pressure over a wider area where the string touches the saddle. The String Saver Classics line has a steel body with a String Saver insert. The String Saver Originals line is made entirely of this material and, according to the manufacturer, sounds more balanced, without a sharp peak around 2 kHz. The PG-8000, PG-8001 and PS-8000 sets have 2 1/16" spacing and fit both Stratocaster and Telecaster. You'll find bridges for other guitars in the Bridges and Tailpieces category.