A Guide To Modern Strat Bridges

The Hipshot company has been around since 1982. Their tremolo units are easily recognized for their oval saddles. Builders choose these bridges for hardtail as they offer a decent selection for 7 & 8 string guitars. Their tuning machines are also cherished by players.

Recently they offer a quick-load block where you take the ball-end of the string and hook it on a slotted block from the top of the guitar

Its a superb modernized bridge for easy string change convenience. Starts at $200 for a standard unit with 4 types of finishes.

The Vega tremolo is very minimal and sleek but undeniably the most flexible of them all Its small size contains it within the borders of the tremolo route itself which means it can not be decked without a trem-stopper. 

It can be flexed both ways to the more extreme. It features a skeleton block which helps make it more flexible. You can get this for 2-point or 6-screw. Although the 6 Screw only features 4 Screws. The saddles reminds slightly of Hipshots. It also leaves a slight gap at the back in the tremolo route due to its compact size.

Many people love this tremolo, but it is a costly affair at $300 to get it. It exists in chrome, black and Gold, and they make em for lefty's to. They also made a Telecaster tremolo recently.

The Bladerunner is a very nice tremolo that keeps the look of a usual Fender units. I usually see it as the bigger brother of the Vega for some reason, although they are two different companies and tremolo's. 

It's system is such that it is installed into a elastic metal blade that it pivots on. So no friction to speak off, thus creating a nice smooth operation.

If you order on their site you can customise it fully with desired saddles like Highwoods or Graphtech, or 4 different material blocks.

Also for Squiers they offer Shorty blocks versions. The Super-Vee goes for around a tolerable $190 for the basic version. 

Babicz are more known for their unusual acoustics and their "Spider" patent. But they make high-end tremolo's too. Their FCH looks futuristic and they are building on the PRS / John Mann system of fenced saddles. Most noteworthy is their eCAM saddles that raise and lowers action with one screw. This patent also makes the tremolo quite tall in size. They do offer a classic vintage style with these style of saddles.

Prices from $200-250 for his bridges. Comes in gold, chrome, nickel and black and covers any mount type and spacing and shows love for Lefty's too.

John Mann is the inventer of the Fenced Saddle system. By that i mean the saddles are enclosed not to move around because it is machined out like a neck pocket like a cradle to fence in the saddles. This is to prevent them to move about.

John Mann made these for Paul Reed Smith of PRS Guitars, and has been a long term associate of Smit.

To me, they are a standard 6-screw classic trem with a "fence of metal" around the saddles. Nothing in terms of locking or fancy patented systems to find. They are stable tremolo's though and has later offered this to all styles of guitars. Although he has retained the Key-hole saddles to be a PRS featured product only. All others tremolo models features Block saddles. Mannmade retails for $250 each no matter model

Wilkinson has many bridges to select from. Their most famous one is the VS100 bridge which i myself once owned. But they offer a great deal of models to choose from.

Now "Wilkinson Direct" selection must not be mistaken from the cheap Asian M-Series bridges you see for $30. The products from their WilkinsonDirect site is a whole different class and price level and are better machined.

They also have had a long collaboration with Gotoh to make their bridges as well. These are simply labeled "Wilkinson by Gotoh" stamped on their bridges. These are all good stuff. Stable and well machined bridges.

Schaller has a long collaboration rep with Fender. The Standard tuners you find on their guitars today is originally designed by them. 

For Tremolo's, they actually call these their "Vintage line". But with block saddles and nut—fastening  arms i refuse to say that it is. Their Block saddles are marvelous with rollerball on it for smoother action. A well machined tremolo.

Schaller are more focused on Floyd Rose units which they sell more off but these units are great bridges. 

One cool thing they offer is length on their blocks. Which is unusual. If you struggle with Sustain, changing the block length can help or if you want these on a Squier.

They offer nothing for 6-screws but offer up to 5 different finishes on these.

Price is $160 which i believe are OK for what you get.

Like Wilkinson, Gotoh has a wide range of modern bridges to boot.

There is plenty of inovations from the Japanese. Most notably the FMT Block they use. Designed to eliminate one contact point at the block to trem-plate.

Recently they have made their own locking saddles like Wilkinson did a few years back.

The ever so popular FS510 FE1 (or FE2 for 6-screws) is always a solid choice.

Great machined units and affordable has been the Gotoh staple for long time.