Obscure Measurement

[Jeff H]

For anyone who has any of the Vintage style bridges, such as the Hiway 1 or
any model with the string holes closest to the back of the bridge, ie string holes back of the screws that secure the bridge plate to the body...
What is the distance either from the fingerboard side of the face of the nut to the string hole centers in the body.. or if it is easier... from the center of the 12th fret to the center of the string holes in the body....

Project pending......

[David Collins]

One 2010 American Fender Tele in the shop right now, it measures 25.765". Haven't set it up or measured the fingerboard yet, but it appears the nut may be compensated about .020", bringing it to an actual relative scale length of 25.460. Either way, I probably would have gone toward 25.800".

[Jeff H]

I'm looking for the nut to holes in the body measurement....not the string scale...

purpose?.......

I have an American Standard.. this has the string holes in front of the bridge plate securing holes; same as the guitar you described.

The Am Std , and many if the modern Teles, have the narrow 2 1/16th string spacing
at the brdige. I simply cannot play this narrow width... so...
Considering that the "vintage" style bridges have a spacing of 2 1/8th,
2 3/16ths, or 2 7/16ths depending on where you read the specs ( even Fender Inc can't keep this straight) and is wide enough for me to actually fingerpick without banging into other strings...
The Vintage bridges have the string holes behind the hold down screws and closer to the back lip of the bridge plate....

I am considering the possibility of installing a vintage style bridge... and this would require some engineering ... so, with these figures I can determine whether or not it is feasible.,
Yes I realize that the string holes through the body are already fixed at ( the ridiculously narrow) 2 1/16ths inch.. but a slight tweaking spread over six strings may not be a big deal.

If this is not possible ... I will sell the instruments, as much as I like it other wise...
Had I been more careful when I first road tested the instrument and spent enough time with it to realize I simply can't play it without some dificulty, I never would have bought it.

The one selling feature was the wider 1 11/16ths nut which works ok.. I prefer 1 3/4, an option with G&L at a very minimal upcharge...

The only 2 guitars in the entire Telcaster range that have a 1 11/6ths nut and a wider
bridge spacing are the Hiway 1 and the Nashville.... the only two.

In the Strats.. there are NONE.

In checking with the actual makers of the after market bridges for the Am Std
NONE make a wider spacing, though the Barden sold by, and not made be Barden, lists theirs as 2 1/8th.. In talking with them and an actual smnaple in their hand it is not 2 1/8th.. it is 2 1/16th plus a scrid...
no where near their advertised 2 1/8th bridge spacing.

So after market is out of the question.

Too bad.. if I were going to buy one.. there is no question I would get a Callaham.

Thanks

[David Collins]

Right, the one I gave measurements from was a 3-saddle, stamped plate vintage style bridge. From the face of the nut, the screw holes are centered at 25.765", and the string holes (2_1/8th spacing) at about 26.095".

So yes, that would take a bit of re-engineering no doubt. I've done some similar repositioning (not on a Tele, some other cheap guitar I don't recall) by drilling holes to connect the new positions on the face with the existing string ferrules on the back, and lining them with brass tubing. I see this as the simpler route, as it demands less precision in the angles of the holes, which could be quite a challenge to line up to existing ferrules. Might sound like a cheap way out, but it is simply easier and more practical if you have a bit of room to fudge the holes and then set a smooth guide by a brass tube lining.

[Jeff H]

Davide...

Appreciate the info.

My conclusion is that to install a Vintage bridge... new string holes would have to be drilled.. this would allow relocating the bridge to a different position than the original..
and then that would cascade into other changes.

If this were a second hand MIM maybe... but this guitar is mint .. and since I have other preferences for the ideal guitar.. I think this one is going away.

Thanks

PS I see a niche market for making a bridge plate for retrofitting this modern bridge with
a wider spoaced unit.. small market but looking at the Callaham... this wouldk be a simple matter of drill the holes for the three saddle screws and slightly modded barrels..
maybe barrels with grooves.