9 Best Strat Bridges 2024

Stratocasters typically come equipped with their own signature tremolo systems. However, guitarists are known to have their own personal preferences regarding their gear.

No part of a guitar is exempt from the scrutiny of a guitarist. Sometimes, a replacement bridge is needed to satisfy the guitarist’s desires.

Here are some of the best Strat bridges you can find for your beloved guitar. These include full assemblies and standalone bridges.

Fender American Deluxe Stratocaster Bridge Assembly – Best Overall

Do you have a Stratocaster from the Ultra series or American Deluxe series? The Fender American Deluxe Stratocaster Bridge Assembly (see price on Amazon or Sweetwater) is the bridge for you. 

It can be a pain to find the right tremolo to correctly fit your guitar. However, if the Strat is from 1986 or newer, and from the aforementioned series, this bridge will fit no problem.

This assembly has everything you need for a complete tremolo assembly. Simply install everything and you’ll be ready to go.

In greater detail, this assembly features a bridge assembly made of polished steel. Attached to this bridge is a 6-string saddle, with block saddles featuring narrow string spacing. 

This bridge assembly is a 2-point tremolo system, which differs from the 6-point vintage tremolos.

These block saddles are quite unique and differ in look from the vintage-style bent steel saddles. However, they work in a similar way, with adjustment screws for height and intonation.

You’ll also get a claw screw, which sets the tension for the tremolo assembly itself. Attach the included claw to this screw, and then attach the tension springs to the claw and bridge.

After you’ve done this, you’ll essentially have installed the entire tremolo system. Of course, you will need to set the tension properly to ensure a proper float. 

Also included with this kit is a tremolo arm. Unlike vintage tremolos, this tremolo arm pops in to lock in place.

Overall, this is the best solution if you have a Stratocaster from the Ultra or American Deluxe Series. You likely wouldn’t want to trust any other bridge assemblies to get the job done.

Item Weight: 1.1 pounds

Package Dimensions: 11.42 x 7.48 x 3.54 inches

Fender American Vintage Chrome Strat Tremolo – Best Premium

If you’re looking for an entire tremolo assembly, you’re in luck. The Fender American Vintage Chrome Strat Tremolo (see price on Amazon or Sweetwater) is a great solution.

Vintage-style tremolos are perhaps some of the most common tremolo systems found on Stratocasters today. Guitarists seem to love these vintage designs, as they are certainly tried and true over a long period of time.

With this kit, you’ll have everything needed to get your Stratocaster primed for tremolo use. 

You’ll get a steel Stratocaster bridge assembly that is equipped with a 6-string saddle. Each nickel-plated saddle features 2 adjustment screws for string height and a horizontal screw for intonation.

This bridge assembly uses 6 screws to join the top of the guitar’s body. You’ll also find that the assembly has a mount spacing of 2.188”, which should fit most Fender Stratocasters.

Also included with this kit are all of the screws needed for assembly. This includes the screw that sets the tension for the tremolo itself.

Attached to this tension screw is a claw, which connects to the back of the bridge via tension springs. All of these are included with the American Vintage Chrome Strat Tremolo assembly. 

As you would expect, this assembly also comes equipped with a tremolo arm with a white-colored tip. A small spring comes included, which sits in the armhole and provides a locking function.

Also included is a small hex wrench for saddle adjustment and a string tree. 

Overall, this assembly is perfect for those who have a vintage Stratocaster. Those with vintage-spec Stratocasters will also find this to be a perfect fit.

Item Weight: 1.1 pounds

Package Dimensions: 11.42 x 7.48 x 3.54 inches

Musiclily Hardtail Bridge Assembly – Best Budget

Stratocasters typically do not have hardtail bridges, as the tremolo is a signature feature. However, there are some guitarists who prefer not to deal with the tremolo at all.

In these instances, something like the Musiclily Hardtail Bridge Assembly might be a viable option. This will essentially act as a standard hardtail bridge for a Stratocaster.

Do keep in mind that this bridge won’t be an exact replacement for a Stratocaster equipped with a tremolo. You will likely have to drill different holes and fill in the tremolo cavity.

However, aside from that, the Musiclily Hardtail Bridge Assembly can be a viable hardtail solution for a Strat. 

This bridge has rounded features, which can feel quite comfortable on the guitarist’s palm. Vintage-style tremolos tend to have sharper edges, which can impede the comfort of a playing session.

Like traditional Stratocaster bridges, this bridge from Musiclily features a 6-string saddle. These saddles are a sort of hybrid between the vintage bent-steel and the modern deluxe styles.

You’ll be able to adjust the string height quite easily with the 2 vertical screws. For intonation adjustments, simply adjust the horizontal screw. 

The string spacing of the bridge itself measures 2.0625” (52.5mm), with the bridge plate measuring 3.01 x 1.75”. 

This bridge supports a string-through-body design, so you won’t be able to top-load your strings. Because of this, the bridge makes a viable option for a Telecaster as well.

Also included with this bridge assembly is a hex key to adjust the string height on the saddles.

Keep in mind, this isn’t a Fender licensed product. However, it can be a viable budget option if you’re willing to do some work on your guitar.

Item Weight: 5.2 ounces 

Package Dimensions: 4.02 x 2.28 x 0.98 inches

Fender American Vintage Gold Strat Tremolo Bridge Assembly

Looking to spiff up the look of your Stratocaster in a major way? The Fender American Vintage Gold Strat Tremolo Bridge Assembly (see price on Amazon or Sweetwater) is perfect for you.

This tremolo assembly is specifically for Stratocasters that come from a Vintage-spec series. It contains everything you need to have a working tremolo on your guitar.

Specifically, the assembly features a steel vintage-style tremolo bridge with a 6-point anchoring attachment. On this bridge is a 6-string saddle with bent steel saddles.

As is tradition, these saddles feature the typical 2-screw adjustment for string height and the horizontal intonation adjustment. 

Also included with this assembly is the tension screw that goes into the back of the Stratocaster. You’ll attach the included tension claw, to which the tension springs attach to the bridge.

What makes this assembly so great? Well, all of the hardware is gold-colored, which adds a unique shine.

This gold color is featured on the bridge, anchor screws, and the tremolo arm itself. 

Also included with this assembly kit are a locking tremolo spring, a string tree, and a small hex wrench.

For reference, the mounting spacing of this bridge measures out to 2.187”. Do keep this in mind when measuring your own Stratocaster to ensure you have a proper fit.

Overall, this gold-colored vintage-style tremolo system is a great take on hardware that is traditionally in chrome. With the right guitar color, the gold hardware can really add a nice aesthetic touch.

This might not be the most ideal solution for a Stratocaster that doesn’t have vintage specifications. Be sure to measure your own guitar to see if it is compatible.

Item Weight: 1.25 pounds

Package Dimensions: 11.42 x 7.48 x 3.54 inches

Wilkinson 52.5mm Tremolo Bridge Assembly

Some guitarists have a strong aversion to tremolo systems designed by Fender. One solution that guitarists seek out is the Wilkinson 52.5mm Tremolo Bridge Assembly.

Wilkinson tremolos are typically not seen on Fender Stratocasters. However, the Yamaha Pacifica series uses Wilkinson tremolo systems exclusively.

As such, this assembly is suitable for most Fender guitars dated from 1987 to the present day. More specifically, the Professional and American Standard series seem to be the most compatible.

This assembly features a 2-point anchoring bridge that is more akin to a Fender Deluxe bridge. It has a 6-string saddle with block saddles. 

The bridge itself has a 56mm stud spacing, with the total string spacing measuring 52.5mm.

Like Fender designs, these saddles can be individually adjusted for both string height and intonation. Each saddle has a width of 10.5mm.

Also included with this assembly is a tension screw for the back of the guitar, to which a claw attaches. 3 tension springs are provided to connect the claw to the back of the bridge assembly.

One more thing to note here is that the tremolo arm pops into the collet, rather than screwing in. 

Overall, this can be an affordable and viable option for those looking for something different. However, if you’re playing a Squier Stratocaster, you’ll need to look elsewhere for your bridge solution.

Item Weight: 13.4 ounces

Package Dimensions: 6 x 4.2 x 1.5 inches

Fender Vintage-Style Standard Series Strat Tremolo (2006-Present)

Already have the pieces required for a tremolo, but missing a bridge? The Fender Vintage-Style Standard Series Strat Tremolo (2006-Present) (see price on Amazon or Sweetwater) might be what you need.

As its name would suggest, this tremolo bridge is suited for Fender Stratocasters dated from 2006 to the present day.

More specifically, this bridge has been given the official “okay” for models such as:

• Standard Stratocasters
• Lone Star Stratocasters
• Roadhouse Stratocasters
• Deluxe Stratocasters
• Blacktop Stratocasters

This die-cast steel bridge comes in the traditional 6-point vintage design. You’ll have a 6-string saddle with this bridge.

For the most part, this bridge is pretty par for the course amongst vintage-style bridges. Each saddle is a bent-steel style, with adjustment screws for the string height and intonation.

The bridge supports the usage of the standard 10-32 tremolo arm that comes with vintage-style Stratocasters. These are the versions that screw in, rather than popping in.

Overall, this bridge will get the job done if you have a model within the accepted model series and years. This assembly includes the bridge only and does not come with any of the other items involved with a tremolo.

For instance, you will not receive a tremolo arm, tension screws and springs, a claw, etc. You will need to seek these out yourself if going with this assembly.

Item Weight: 0.8 ounces

Package Dimensions: 7 x 3.75 x 2.5 inches

Fender Vintage-Style Stratocaster Bridge Assembly

If the aforementioned bridge doesn’t fit your Stratocaster, there’s no need to fret! The Fender Vintage-Style Stratocaster Bridge Assembly (see price on Amazon or Sweetwater) might be the cure to your ailing needs.

This bridge has been given the okay for Stratocasters that are both made in the USA as well as Mexico. A fairly broad range of models is officially supported here, including:

• Highway One Stratocasters before 2006
• Deluxe Fat Stratocasters
• Deluxe Players Stratocasters
• Double Fat Stratocasters 
• Classic Series Stratocasters from 2004 to the present day
• Antigua Stratocasters

You’ll also be able to use this bridge with a number of other Fender guitars, including models such as:

• Cyclones
• Pawn Shop Super-Sonic series guitars
• J5 Triple Telecaster Deluxe

If you don’t see your guitar model here, there is a fair chance that it may actually support this bridge. Generally, any guitar that can support a vintage-style tremolo can support this assembly.

One important thing to note here is that you won’t be able to use this bridge with imported Stratocasters. Japanese-made Stratocasters will need a different bridge.

What you’ll get with this assembly is a die-cast tremolo 6-point bridge with a chrome finish. It is equipped with a 6-string saddle, with each saddle featuring the bent steel design.

The mounting spacing of this bridge measures 2.1875”. 

As is customary with these bridges, adjusting the string height and the intonation is a breeze. Simply adjust the corresponding screws and you’re good to go.

This bridge accommodates the vintage-style 10-32 tremolo arm that screws into the collet.

Because this assembly only features the actual bridge itself, it does not come included with anything else. This makes it perfect for someone looking specifically for a bridge only.

Item Weight: 1 pound

Package Dimensions: 11.42 x 7.48 x 3.54 inches

Musiclily Pro 54mm Strat Tremolo Bridge Assembly

Are you on a tight budget but still looking for a tremolo assembly to get the job done? Be sure to check out the Musiclily Pro 54mm Strat Tremolo Bridge Assembly.

This is, by all measures, a budget assembly. However, it contains everything you need to have a working tremolo on your Stratocaster.

For starters, this assembly comes with a 6-point Aluminum-cast bridge with a 6-string saddle. These saddles are a sort of hybrid between the vintage-style and deluxe style Fender saddles.

As such, you’ll be able to make string height and intonation adjustments in the same way as a Fender bridge.

One thing to keep in mind with this bridge is that it has a width of 54mm from the low to high string. This means that a 52mm-spaced guitar will not accommodate this bridge. 

The depth of the bridge itself measures out to 40mm deep, with a width of 14mm. The saddles themselves have a 10.8 space between each string.

Also included with this assembly are: 

• Mounting screws for the bridge
• Tension screws
• 3 tension springs
• Tremolo arm
• Hex wrench for string height adjustment

Another thing to note is that this tremolo arm has a pop-in feature, as opposed to screwing in. This might not matter to some, but it must be stated for those who have a particular preference.

Overall, this might be appropriate for someone in need of a budget tremolo for a project guitar. It might not be the best for a high-grade Stratocaster.

Do your due diligence to ensure that the guitar you’re using this with can support the bridge. Despite its inexpensive price, it can still be a waste if you find you can’t use it.

Item Weight: 13.6 ounces

Package Dimensions: 6.8 x 5 x 1.6 inches

Wilkinson 52.5m Hardtail Stratocaster Bridge

Looking for a hardtail bridge solution for your Stratocaster? The Wilkinson 52.5m Hardtail Stratocaster Bridge is a viable budget option to check out.

This bridge is best suited for Mexican-made Stratocasters as well as those made by Squier. 

The bridge itself is made completely of steel. It has a 6-string saddle in the vintage bent steel design. It connects to the guitar with 3 screws, which come included with the bridge.

As such, you’ll be able to easily adjust the string height and intonation with the provided screws. Wilkinson has included a small hex wrench specifically for the string height adjustment.

This bridge measures 52.5mm from the edge of the low E saddle to the edge of the high E saddle. Each saddle has a measurement of 10.5mm. 

When using this bridge, you will continue to string your guitar in the string-through-body method. 

One important thing to note here is that bridge will likely not completely cover a tremolo hole in your Stratocaster. You’ll need to find a way to close the gap yourself, or just leave it as is with an opening. 

As far as the entire package goes, all you’ll receive is the bridge, the mounting screws, and the hex wrench. However, this is all you really need with a hardtail bridge solution.

Overall, it might be a bit of a deal-breaker that the bridge doesn’t completely cover the tremolo cavity. However, if you just need a bridge for a pinch solution, this Wilkinson hardtail certainly serves its purpose.

Do be extra mindful when screwing the bridge into the guitar. Some people have reported that the screws are fairly fragile and prone to breakage.

Item Weight: 3.52 ounces

Package Dimensions: 6.89 x 4.96 x 0.51 inches

Things To Keep In Mind When Buying A Strat Bridge

As with anything, there are some important points to keep in mind when it comes to buying a Stratocaster bridge. Giving these points special attention will ensure that you find the best bridge for your guitar.

Tremolo Size

The size of the tremolo matters greatly in determining if your guitar can accommodate it. Some Stratocasters have thinner bodies and the tremolo cavity measurements can differentiate. 

You’ll want to measure the size of the cavity to make sure the bridge is not too small or large. If in doubt, simply measure the dimensions of the bridge that you are replacing (if you can).

OEM Is Better

Generally, buying a bridge made by Fender will give you the best fit for your Fender Stratocaster. Some aftermarket bridges can be a great tool, but it can be a gamble as to whether it fits.

When in doubt, you should buy OEM parts directly from the manufacturer. Fender will generally give you a guideline as to what models are supported with each bridge.

This takes the guesswork out of the equation and makes the entire process much easier. 

Budget

Your budget will likely play a small factor in your purchasing decision. However, bridges and tremolo systems tend to not be very expensive (fortunately).

So, while it doesn’t cost much to buy a bridge, be sure the bridge you need doesn’t break the budget. If you can’t afford it, you’re better off saving up for the bridge you need for the long haul.

Purchasing a cheaper bridge to get you by might actually be more of a hassle. 

Be Mindful Of Any Work Necessary

Depending on the bridge, you might end up having to drill holes into your guitar. This can turn into an ugly situation quickly, especially if you are careless in the process.

You need to properly research the work necessary for your bridge of choice. If the tremolo system is exactly like the one being replaced, minimal work is needed.

However, anything that isn’t an exact fit will require you to do some work. Hardtail bridges especially will need to have the tremolo cavity filled and holes possibly drilled.

Best Brands For Strat Bridges

If you’re venturing to find a bridge, you’ll find that the following companies tend to produce the best products. When you’re looking for a Stratocaster bridge, be sure to seek these companies out.

Fender

Fender-made bridges and tremolos are going to be the best bridges for any Fender-made Stratocaster. Since 1954, Fender has been producing the Stratocaster, creating a guitar that is still modern by today’s standards. 

Wilkinson

Wilkinson guitar parts have been sought out by guitarists for an affordable solution for every need. With over 30 years of experience, Wilkinson makes everything from bridges to pickups and tuners.

Top Strat Bridges, Final Thoughts

Sometimes, the smallest change to a guitar can make all the difference in the world. It’s a blessing that guitarists have access to a wide range of replaceable guitar parts.

Even if you happen to come across a parts guitar, you can be sure you’ll find the components you need. Be sure to take your measurements to find the best-fitting bridge for your Stratocaster!