My thought is that it's for a better break angle over the bridge, instead of giving the guitar a neck reset.you can see the bridge is all the way down and there ain't much angle, even with the B3.
I'm of the opinion that that particular model Chet will appreciate, and I think it will very fast, as soon as it's not made anymore. You will be bummed if you sell it.
Cool. Yep the Tex Mex pickups were designed for Jimmies signature Strat. I went the other way on most of my Guitars, I'm liking 9.5s on my Fenders nowadays, 10s on the Gibson's and Gretsch Jet, 11s on the hollows.