Squier Affinity Tele tuner hole size and scale length?

[bmc2308]

Does anybody know what size the tuning machine holes are on the stock Squier Affinity tele neck and could anyone recommend any tuners I can install without having to modify the existing tuner holes? Eyeballing it with a ruler the holes look to be about 7/16".
Would these fit? http://store.guitarfetish.com/blsusmgost14.html

Scale length/Bridge location:
Looking around on the 'net it seems that the scale length should be 25.5" for Fender instruments. Does this mean that the saddles of the bridge need to be 12.5" from the 12th fret? FIY: I'm trying to install a Wilkinson compensated bridge onto an Affinity tele. When I try to get the saddles 12.5" from the 12th fret, the bridge pickup hits the front of the rout and prevents the bridge from moving far enough forward. Anyone have a link to a thread regarding a Squier --> wilkinson bridge conversion? I've found a couple threads, but they tend to gloss over the details.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

[hockey_head]

smaller than that, 3/8? the replacements like ping or schaller, grover etc. require a 10mm hole which is.395 in.

just go to the home center and get a 10mm drill. carefully drill about halfway thru in one direction, turn over and finsh from the other side. take it slow and go easy on the speed trigger.

[hockey_head]

I'm not sure of fender specs but doesn't the new bridge have to fit over the pickup hole? dude the twelth fret is 1/2 of 25 1/2 which is 12 1/4.
measure 25 1/2 from the nut and try it again. usually where the strings pass over the saddles is slightly longer than the scale length. This is why it's called a compensating saddle bridge. this adjustment allows for the small length in front of the saddle where the string vibration is hampered by the saddle itself, kind of like a dead spot.

The saddles should end up about 3/32 of an inch longer than the scale length,
when the saddles are positioned "midway" along the usable length of the string length adj screws. This way you can lengthen or shorten the string length for intonations and have enough spring pressure to hold this adjustment stable.

hope this gets you somewhere.

[aunchaki]

Originally Posted by bmc2308

Looking around on the 'net it seems that the scale length should be 25.5" for Fender instruments. Does this mean that the saddles of the bridge need to be 12.5" from the 12th fret?

Ideally, this might be so, but different string gauges need slightly more or less than the "perfect" amount to be properly intonated. When I put the Wilkinson on my Affinity, I did some basic measurements, like you. In the end, however, I installed it so the pickup fit in the route and the front edge of the bridge was square with the pickguard and about 2-3mm away from it. With that installed, I was able to tweak the three saddles to approximate intonation (I don't have a stroboscopic tuner for near-perfect intonation, but I'm happy).

You'll have to drill new mounting holes for the Wilkinson, and the shorter vintage bridge will leave the old holes exposed. I don't even notice them anymore (some fill them with dowels or wood putty). You can see a tiny bit of the pickup route peeking out from under one side of the bridge, but this also happens on high-end Fenders. It's part of the charm of the Tele.

There are tons of Affinity mod threads, many dealing with the bridge.

Good luck! If I find time later, I'll hunt up a few of those threads, but a search for "Affinity Wilkinson" should yield wonders.

[jwells393]

Originally Posted by hockey head

dude the twelth fret is 1/2 of 25 1/2 which is 12 1/4.

Originally Posted by bmc2308

Looking around on the 'net it seems that the scale length should be 25.5" for Fender instruments. Does this mean that the saddles of the bridge need to be 12.5" from the 12th fret?

C'mon guys ............. if you can't do the math in your head use a calculator. One half of 25 1/2 is 12 3/4.

[bmc2308]

Originally Posted by hockey head
dude the twelth fret is 1/2 of 25 1/2 which is 12 1/4.

Originally Posted by bmc2308
Looking around on the 'net it seems that the scale length should be 25.5" for Fender instruments. Does this mean that the saddles of the bridge need to be 12.5" from the 12th fret

Originally Posted by jwells393
C'mon guys ............. if you can't do the math in your head use a calculator. One half of 25 1/2 is 12 3/4.

My abacus must be out of tune...

I apologize for the error. Wrote the message in haste and on little sleep, but the good news is that the saddles now just a hair beyond 12 3/4in away from the 12th fret.

Originally posted by: hockey_head
just go to the home center and get a 10mm drill. carefully drill about halfway thru in one direction, turn over and finsh from the other side. take it slow and go easy on the speed trigger.

Any worry of mucking up the angle of the hole or is it fairly straight forward?

[jwells393]

Read the Terry Downs thread on enlarging tuner holes.

http://www.tdpri.com/forum/tele-tech...lacements.html

[EddieN]

Originally Posted by bmc2308

Does anybody know what size the tuning machine holes are on the stock Squier Affinity tele neck and could anyone recommend any tuners I can install without having to modify the existing tuner holes? Eyeballing it with a ruler the holes look to be about 7/16".
Would these fit? http://store.guitarfetish.com/blsusmgost14.html

Tuner holes on the Affinity are 10.5 mm.

[hockey_head]

oopsy poopsy duhhh