Highwood saddles-Thoughts after 3 months use.

[Blix]

Got these in July, put them on and kept on playing. I was asked to review them back then, but I forgot all about it until today.
I guess most have seen them already but here are a few pictures of them mounted on a Wudtone Holy Grail. Mine are the reliced version.

I have to say these have been flawless, love the grooves that keeps the strings in place and the lack of protruding screws is just awesome.

As for tone, I have to say I didn't notice much of a difference from the stock Wudtone saddles really, which also are great quality in trad vintage bent format.
My strat still sounds like a strat! Plenty chime and "zing" in the top end, which is a must to me.

I recorded a quick, almost in tune ( ) noodle with a EJ-ish clean tone, starts on bridge/middle, neck pickup when I go single-note.
Pickups are Suhr V70's in all positions.



I also did a short Vai-inspired video thing with some gain, bridge pickup only:



I can't recommend these enough really, killer upgrade for any strat bridge.

 

[Soothsayer]

I love mine too!

 

[-The Wolf-]

What kind of trem is that? Looks like a Badass brigde for bass with that thick part.

 

[Blix]

What kind of trem is that? Looks like a Badass brigde for bass with that thick part.

It's a Wudtone Holy Grail.

Info here, a bit down on the page:
http://www.wudtone.com/wudtone-hardware/

 

[-The Wolf-]

Ah, okay thanks. I saw that in the first part of the thread but I thought that was the type of boutique strat you were using.

That thing looks nice!

Damn it, where's my wallet?!

 

[Member 193206]

They're brilliant.
I have them on my old Anderson Drop Top and my old PRS CE22.
They're also going to be on my new custom Strat when it arrives.
Great products and great people.

 

[Blix]

They're brilliant.
I have them on my old Anderson Drop Top and my old PRS CE22.
They're also going to be on my new custom Strat when it arrives.
Great products and great people.

Yeah brilliant they indeed are. Got to get around to order a set for my other strat as well.

 

[Fons]

Should be the new Industry standard IMO. Great Saddles all-round !

 

[Marcel]

Our USA Dealer Emerson Custom took time to shoot a short video to compare the Fender bent saddles and the Highwood Contoured bent saddles (Note: our Saddles shown here are the reliced version):

http://instey.com/media/BYeW5olgLLG

 

[football]

I'm enjoying these saddles as well. Do a ton of muting for clean rhythm sounds. Saddle screws sticking into my palm is nothing I'm willing to ever do again in my life. Yeah, there's ways around it with the old design but I find them a pain in the A and frustrating. Glad there's this design that makes it incredibly easy to remedy the situation. Hopefully a crapload of builders get on board. Crazy not to at least offer the option for potential customers who may want traditional style saddles but without having to ever think of saddle screw problems such as this, IMO.

 

[Blix]

Yeah, couldn't be happier. I have to order a set for my MIM strat soon, the screws poking out are annoying me.

 

[football]

Yeah, couldn't be happier. I have to order a set for my MIM strat soon, the screws poking out are annoying me.

Oh, do I hear you! By the way, love your playing in the video above. And awesome and interesting sort of arpeggiated riff played up high.

 

[jbp]

@Blix - You and I gave the exact same trem setup, minus the relic finish. It's a KILLER, vintage-voiced combo - love it.

I also have HW saddles on a Gotoh EV510, which is a 2 point modern trem not unlike a MannMade or a Hipshot. They sound and function flawlessly on it as well.

 

[football]

@Blix - You and I gave the exact same trem setup, minus the relic finish. It's a KILLER, vintage-voiced combo - love it.

I also have HW saddles on a Gotoh EV510, which is a 2 point modern trem not unlike a MannMade or a Hipshot. They sound and function flawlessly on it as well.

I'm intrigued by this Wudtone tremolo concept. Hadn't realized the uniqueness of it until today. Going to see if I can speak to someone over there about a two point tremolo upgrade and a vintage upgrade for a guitar that I might do a little further down the road.

 

[Blix]

@Blix - You and I gave the exact same trem setup, minus the relic finish. It's a KILLER, vintage-voiced combo - love it.

I also have HW saddles on a Gotoh EV510, which is a 2 point modern trem not unlike a MannMade or a Hipshot. They sound and function flawlessly on it as well.

Great minds thinks alike!

I'm intrigued by this Wudtone tremolo concept. Hadn't realized the uniqueness of it until today. Going to see if I can speak to someone over there about a two point tremolo upgrade and a vintage upgrade for a guitar that I might do a little further down the road.

I have Wudtone on two strats, totally sold, love them.

 

[football]

Great minds thinks alike!


I have Wudtone on two strats, totally sold, love them.

Researching the two point Wilkinson/Wudtone upgrade now. Apparently have to drill out some holes.

 

[football]

Great minds thinks alike!


I have Wudtone on two strats, totally sold, love them.

You have the "Holy Grail", right?

 

[Blix]

You have the "Holy Grail", right?

Yeah Holy grail on the Guitar Works strat and the vintage type on my MIM strat, both are awesome.

 

[football]

Ordered a Holy Grail and another set of Highwood saddles. Switching over from a Wilkinson VS100. Looking forward to trying it.

 

[Blix]

Ordered a Holy Grail and another set of Highwood saddles. Switching over from a Wilkinson VS100. Looking forward to trying it.

You'll love that setup. Best 6-screw bridge there is!