Glendale bridge plate question

randysmojo · May 26th, 2008, 01:06 PM

I'm sure this has probably been covered before, but has anyone tried both the stainless steel and the cold rolled steel bridge plates from Glendale? If so, what did you see as the tonal differences?

rhinocaster · May 26th, 2008, 01:11 PM

I put the Stainless Steel saddles on my Glendale and was suddenly swimming is a very cool nasally, midrangey, twangy tone. It wasn't exactly what I was looking for so I went back to the brass.

I also experience major string slippage on the Stainless saddles. Even if I had preferred the tone of the Stainless saddles, they would have been un-useable without notching them to prevent string movement.

woodman · May 26th, 2008, 01:29 PM

as for the bridge plates, i've never tried either Glendale model, but i had a stainless Vintique bridge plate (yes, i ordered it and actually received it, but this was about nine years ago). great sustain, but wasn't twangy enough for me, so i went back to the ferrous Fender style. some folks say the ferrous plate (like the cold rolled steel) interacts with the pickup magnets to enhance harmonics.

Jim.Collins · May 27th, 2008, 10:39 AM

I have tried both. In fact, my two-pickup T-style (ash body, round lam rosewood board) has a Glendale non-magnetic stainless steel bridgeplate, and my one-pickup T-style (ash body, round lam maple board, with vintage style Esquire wiring) has a Glendale Blackguard bridgeplate (cold rolled steel).

The two-pickup guitar also has an aluminum saddle for the E/A, and heat-treated steel saddles for the D/G and B/E. The one-pickup guitar has an aluminum saddle for the E/A, and brass saddles for the D/G and B/E.

I have tried all combinations on both guitars. The stainless steel bridgeplate is brighter and twangier than the cold rolled steel bridgeplate. The heat-treated saddles are brighter than the brass saddles.

The two-pickup guitar really needed the extra brightness and twang of the stainless steel bridgeplate and the Bakersfield Twang saddles. With the cold rolled steel bridgeplate, it seemed to lack the twang that I wanted.

The one-pickup guitar was originally a two-pickup guitar, and it preferred a stainless steel bridgeplate. Once I converted that guitar to vintage Esquire wiring, the stainless steel bridgeplate was too bright. (I believe there really IS some truth to the stories that the neck pickup affects the tone, even when you don't use it.) The cold-rolled steel bridgeplate and Twang saddles tamed that extra brightness. That guitar is still beautifully bright, and twangs with the best of them.

May 26th, 2008, 01:06 PM	#1 (permalink)
randysmojo Tele-Meister Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Boerne, TX Age: 33 Posts: 376	Glendale bridge plate question I'm sure this has probably been covered before, but has anyone tried both the stainless steel and the cold rolled steel bridge plates from Glendale? If so, what did you see as the tonal differences?

May 26th, 2008, 01:11 PM	#2 (permalink)
rhinocaster Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Oregon Age: 44 Posts: 1,208	I put the Stainless Steel saddles on my Glendale and was suddenly swimming is a very cool nasally, midrangey, twangy tone. It wasn't exactly what I was looking for so I went back to the brass. I also experience major string slippage on the Stainless saddles. Even if I had preferred the tone of the Stainless saddles, they would have been un-useable without notching them to prevent string movement. __________________ Just because I "Don't" get it doesn't mean I "Won't" get it!

May 26th, 2008, 01:29 PM	#3 (permalink)
woodman Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Mint Hill, NC Age: 62 Posts: 5,801	as for the bridge plates, i've never tried either Glendale model, but i had a stainless Vintique bridge plate (yes, i ordered it and actually received it, but this was about nine years ago). great sustain, but wasn't twangy enough for me, so i went back to the ferrous Fender style. some folks say the ferrous plate (like the cold rolled steel) interacts with the pickup magnets to enhance harmonics. __________________ Truth is stranger than fact ... www.myspace.com/woodymitchellmusic BAND PAGES: www.myspace.com/stragglerswing (Stragglers - Western Swing) www.myspace.com/loafersgloryband (Loafers Glory - '70s country-rock)

May 27th, 2008, 10:39 AM	#4 (permalink)
Jim.Collins Tele-Meister Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Pleasanton, CA Age: 54 Posts: 444	I have tried both. In fact, my two-pickup T-style (ash body, round lam rosewood board) has a Glendale non-magnetic stainless steel bridgeplate, and my one-pickup T-style (ash body, round lam maple board, with vintage style Esquire wiring) has a Glendale Blackguard bridgeplate (cold rolled steel). The two-pickup guitar also has an aluminum saddle for the E/A, and heat-treated steel saddles for the D/G and B/E. The one-pickup guitar has an aluminum saddle for the E/A, and brass saddles for the D/G and B/E. I have tried all combinations on both guitars. The stainless steel bridgeplate is brighter and twangier than the cold rolled steel bridgeplate. The heat-treated saddles are brighter than the brass saddles. The two-pickup guitar really needed the extra brightness and twang of the stainless steel bridgeplate and the Bakersfield Twang saddles. With the cold rolled steel bridgeplate, it seemed to lack the twang that I wanted. The one-pickup guitar was originally a two-pickup guitar, and it preferred a stainless steel bridgeplate. Once I converted that guitar to vintage Esquire wiring, the stainless steel bridgeplate was too bright. (I believe there really IS some truth to the stories that the neck pickup affects the tone, even when you don't use it.) The cold-rolled steel bridgeplate and Twang saddles tamed that extra brightness. That guitar is still beautifully bright, and twangs with the best of them.