Esquire Project - Bridge Issue/Question

[JDRNoPro]

I'm using the neck and body of an SX Tele copy for my Esquire project. Really nice neck and 3TSB body so I'm pleased with that. Only issue I've encountered is that the holes for the string thru are about 3/8" to 1/2" further forward on the body than on a Fender because of the particular bridge they use. For this project I'm using a vintage style bridge/3 brass saddles from GFS and want to mount it in the proper position to assure plenty of room for intonation and so it will look "right". To do this means that the string thru holes in the new bridge end up being about 3/8" behind the existing holes in the body. Fortunately the GFS vintage bridge has a additional set of holes in the back so it can be used as a top loader or string thru body setup.

Obviously I can use it as a top loader which is fine. I would also like to have the option of loading as string thru but the back of the body is really pretty and I don't want to drill new string thru holes all the way through the body and relocate the ferrules. One idea is to drill some new holes in the top of the body to line up with the bridge holes but angle them forward to meet the existing holes short of the ferrules. By doing this the strings would obviously take a slightly sharper bend passing through the bridge toward the saddles but the breakover angle at the saddles would be no different. I suppose feeding strings through the ferrules to the bridge might be a little more challenging. Other than that is there any reason that I should not try this approach? Thanks in advance!

[yegbert]

That method has served me well for several Squier Teles.

There is another method you might consider, the Darrell mod. TDPRI member Darrell devised that method to put a vintage spec bridge on an American Standard Tele. He drilled new holes in the bridge plate to match up with those in the body.

Especially if using Darrells's method, check for adequate room between the old string through holes and the 4 new mounting screws. My newer Squiers had string through holes the same size as the ferrule bodies, all the way through the guitar body, and they were very close to where those screws need to be. If I wasn't filling them completely but still using them for string through holes, I'd need to at least make them a more conservative size, so that there would be enough wood around the screw for it to be stable.

[JDRNoPro]

Thanks for your response, yegbert....so you've done this with Squiers. The Darrell mod is interesting but in my case proper positioning of the bridge locates the mounting screws very close to the existing string thru holes so redrilling the bridge is not a viable option for me. Plus, I think it is more important to assure a reasonable breakover angle across the saddles and allow plenty of room for intonation than worry about the sharper angle of the strings passing through the bridge. The latter angle should still be greater than 90 degrees so it wouldn't seem to be an issue. Thinking a bit more about the potential difficulties in threading strings through the new holes, one idea is to perhaps drill the new holes a little oversize and insert some small straws or tubes down to the ferrules to guide the strings to the bridge.

[yegbert]

Smoothness of the string hole throughout the body, especially where it turns and transitions from the old to the new, is my concern.

I have some holes that have some rough spots, and I sometimes have to wiggle the string to get it through. It seems to help some if I look through the passage first so I'm "aiming" for the light at the other end.

I found this one coffee stirrer "straw" that is the perfect size / strength as a restringing aid. I insert it from the top side until it barely pokes through the ferrule, stick the end of the string in from the bottom, then pull the straw back through. It works so well I can even restring with used strings, the ends of which I straighten a bit with needle nose pliers but they are still somewhat curled. Some folks here suggested using an empty ink refill tube from a ball point pen.

I understand the concern about a very steep string break angle if using the existing body string holes and redrilling the bridge to match them. But many folks make do just fine with those steep break angles. The stock Squier Standards and American Standards/Series saddles have almost that steep an angle stock, so do ones with the Glendale vintage/AmStd hybrid and the Darrell mod for AmStds. My primary concern with that is not the break angle, but rather the large string through holes like the Squiers have and their proximity to the screws. My secondary (very minor) concern is the cosmetics of a steep break angle.

If I try another vintage spec bridge on a Squier, I may just temporarily insert wooden dowels in those big string through holes and keep it a toploader, because I've come to like the loose feel of the strings on one I have toploaded now. Either that, or I'll try the Darrell mod.

[JDRNoPro]

Thanks for the followup, yegbert........so you've already used the straw trick!

I've never played a top loader so will want to try that for sure. In the past I've heard it stated that they have less sustain than thru body but I've also seen a few recent folks claiming otherwise. I'm a bit intrigued by the "looser" string fel as well.

[Darrell]

JD...those pics are gone...here is a better one...(the original Darrell modded guitar ha ha)

[JDRNoPro]

Pretty cool, Darrell - thanks!

Jim