The new Staytrem bridge arrived in the post – yay! Installing it is something I could have attempted, but I gave the job to a local guitar tech. He did an amazing job: installed the bridge, adjusted the action and truss rod, replaced the jack, and nailed the intonation.

Everything went smoothly, except for the new strings from Stringjoy; the high E (.026w) runs short of windings – only the very thin core reaches the tuner. This E string didn’t survive tuning and intonation (it snapped), so we had to replace it with a makeshift from Ernie Ball. So, for now, I’m playing with a mixed set of strings.

Even though I have a couple of spare sets from Stringjoy – since I ordered a pack of three – they’ll easily fit my UltraCure VI when I next change strings. (Presently, the UltraCure is strung happily with a set from La Bella.)

The mixed strings on the Squier are not really a problem for me; I’m an amateur, after all. But when it’s time for replacement strings, I’ll try the new Fender Bass VI kind. I ordered and received a pack from Amazon, and I can confirm the high E string is sufficiently long. Re-doing the intonation will be necessary because of differences in gauge, but this job will be a breeze on the new bridge.