Bridge question............

J. Hayes · September 25th, 2006, 09:14 PM

I just traded a Strat I had for a Highway One Telecaster with a Warmouth neck and some other goodies. One of them is a Joe Barden bridge. It's the 3 piece unit which is slanted for better intonation. Two of the bridge pieces are brass and the one for the A & B strings is either polished steel or chrome. I wanted this guitar to install a Parsons/Green unit from HipShot into but I think I read somewhere that the string rubbing across a brass bridge would rub a groove into it. Also, the bridge pieces have no notchs on them at all and the string(s) just wrap over them after coming through the body. Would it be better to replace these with pieces made of steel and maybe ones that already have a notch in them? JH in Va.

gumbo · September 27th, 2006, 03:35 AM

Hi JH...
Would this not be a place for the GraphTech saddles?..or am I over-reacting again??...:-)
Gumbo

BrianF · September 27th, 2006, 04:12 AM

Hi Jerry...

Brass saddles can work but they are soft and a notch does form at the point the B string saws into the saddle. Some people live with it and just keep it lubricated. Recently I finally found my answer to saddles..just like whats on Clarence White's old Tele... 2 50's style straight steel saddles on the E-A and D-G and a grooved steel saddle on the B-E. Works great...has the tone I want and gets intonated close enough for me... The compensated steel saddles on the B-E will most likely flop around on you from side to side...not to mention drastic loss of tone from the shallow string angle on the B String. It may even get that funky 'sitar' tone. Grooved stainless steel is the way to go. The best ones are the ones Fender put on late 60's Tele's. The current 69 Re-Issue Thinline Tele has them and I see them on ebay alot..

J. Hayes · September 27th, 2006, 12:43 PM

you're the man with the correct info and I appreciate it.........JH in Va.

Hatchetjack · October 11th, 2006, 03:21 PM

Hey Jerry,
I have brass saddles with a P/W and while there is a small groove, it isn't too bad. I keep it lubricated with Chap Stick and it works pretty well. If you are interested, I have a set of Thinline saddles like Brian mentioned, if you'd like to swap.
Jack

kludge · October 12th, 2006, 03:23 PM

How about selling that fancy Barden bridge to recoup some cost, and replacing it with something far less expensive that you don't mind modifying or destroying?

J. Hayes · October 13th, 2006, 11:57 AM

to keep the bridge on this guitar. I've played it at a couple of gigs and it's one fine sounding instrument. I dont' think I'm going to install a bender on it after all as I'd like to have at least one "benderless" Tele. I have a '79 Tele that doesn't sound as good as this one so I think I'll do the bender thing with that one and change out the pickups in it........JH in Va....

September 25th, 2006, 09:14 PM	#1 (permalink)
J. Hayes Tele-Holic Join Date: May 2005 Location: Virginia Beach, Va. Posts: 974	Bridge question............ I just traded a Strat I had for a Highway One Telecaster with a Warmouth neck and some other goodies. One of them is a Joe Barden bridge. It's the 3 piece unit which is slanted for better intonation. Two of the bridge pieces are brass and the one for the A & B strings is either polished steel or chrome. I wanted this guitar to install a Parsons/Green unit from HipShot into but I think I read somewhere that the string rubbing across a brass bridge would rub a groove into it. Also, the bridge pieces have no notchs on them at all and the string(s) just wrap over them after coming through the body. Would it be better to replace these with pieces made of steel and maybe ones that already have a notch in them? JH in Va. __________________ Ralph Mooney rules!!

September 27th, 2006, 12:43 PM	#4 (permalink)
J. Hayes Tele-Holic Join Date: May 2005 Location: Virginia Beach, Va. Posts: 974	Thanks Brian.......... you're the man with the correct info and I appreciate it.........JH in Va. __________________ Ralph Mooney rules!!

October 11th, 2006, 03:21 PM	#5 (permalink)
Hatchetjack TDPRI Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Chesapeake, Va Posts: 14	Hey Jerry, I have brass saddles with a P/W and while there is a small groove, it isn't too bad. I keep it lubricated with Chap Stick and it works pretty well. If you are interested, I have a set of Thinline saddles like Brian mentioned, if you'd like to swap. Jack __________________ Whoever said money can't buy happiness never played a decent Tele.

October 13th, 2006, 11:57 AM	#7 (permalink)
J. Hayes Tele-Holic Join Date: May 2005 Location: Virginia Beach, Va. Posts: 974	After some thought I've decided............. to keep the bridge on this guitar. I've played it at a couple of gigs and it's one fine sounding instrument. I dont' think I'm going to install a bender on it after all as I'd like to have at least one "benderless" Tele. I have a '79 Tele that doesn't sound as good as this one so I think I'll do the bender thing with that one and change out the pickups in it........JH in Va.... __________________ Ralph Mooney rules!!

September 27th, 2006, 03:35 AM	#2 (permalink)
gumbo Tele-Meister Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: South Australia Age: 60 Posts: 165	Hi JH... Would this not be a place for the GraphTech saddles?..or am I over-reacting again??...:-) Gumbo

September 27th, 2006, 04:12 AM	#3 (permalink)
BrianF Friend of Leo's Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Carlsbad, Ca Posts: 2,155 7 Photos	Hi Jerry... Brass saddles can work but they are soft and a notch does form at the point the B string saws into the saddle. Some people live with it and just keep it lubricated. Recently I finally found my answer to saddles..just like whats on Clarence White's old Tele... 2 50's style straight steel saddles on the E-A and D-G and a grooved steel saddle on the B-E. Works great...has the tone I want and gets intonated close enough for me... The compensated steel saddles on the B-E will most likely flop around on you from side to side...not to mention drastic loss of tone from the shallow string angle on the B String. It may even get that funky 'sitar' tone. Grooved stainless steel is the way to go. The best ones are the ones Fender put on late 60's Tele's. The current 69 Re-Issue Thinline Tele has them and I see them on ebay alot..

October 12th, 2006, 03:23 PM	#6 (permalink)
kludge Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Minneapolis Age: 43 Posts: 1,025	How about selling that fancy Barden bridge to recoup some cost, and replacing it with something far less expensive that you don't mind modifying or destroying?