Through-body or top-mount bridge? Help!

didato · June 22nd, 2008, 08:26 AM

Hi, I'm wondering whether changing the existing top-mount bridge on a Samick tele copy with a through-body one will provide the desired extra 'body' to its sound which with the current setup sounds somewhat tinny, thin and lacklustre when compared to my other swamp ash partscaster with its through-body Gotoh/Wilkinson WT3 setup - at least when played unplugged.

Has anyone some thoughts/experience with both and what would you advise. I realise there may be more at play here with regard to the sound of these different guitars, the Samisk tele copy seems to be made of some solid pine type wood with quite a tight grain, but I just thought changing the bridge setup would go a fair way to giving more meat/tone to the sound - for want of a better word.

andrenighthound · June 22nd, 2008, 08:46 AM

change the pickups

Southern ILL · June 22nd, 2008, 08:46 AM

My partscaster has a wilky bridge that I can both topload and string through....I topload it.

didato · June 22nd, 2008, 08:52 AM

"change the pickups".
That's a point too. Also on the list of to do. Thanks.

CodeBlue · June 22nd, 2008, 09:00 AM

I don't think there's anything wrong with toploaders. It might make some difference to go through the body but not a tremendous amount. After all, all those Gibsons that are acclaimed for sustain are toploaders.

andrenighthound · June 22nd, 2008, 09:11 AM

toploaders will make the string tention feel a little looser.

gibsons tunomatic bridge has a steeper angle than a tele toploader which result to greater string tention. you might get more sustain with a tighter string tention because it would allow the body to resonate better. it more pronounced with an achtop electric guitar.

BUT is has a smaller scale that would result in lesser string tention then a 25 1/2 scale of the tele.

bowlfreshener · June 22nd, 2008, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CodeBlue

I don't think there's anything wrong with toploaders. It might make some difference to go through the body but not a tremendous amount. After all, all those Gibsons that are acclaimed for sustain are toploaders.

I agree, I haven't heard or felt any noticeable differences between my top loading Tele and my non-top loading ones.

Tdot · June 22nd, 2008, 09:47 AM

Another vote for new pups. I have a Samick Tele but it's a string though. The guitar and hardware are great, but the pups are only fair.

Southern ILL · June 22nd, 2008, 10:47 AM

I don't hear much differance in top loading or string through.Maybe slightly more twang when scratching near the string barrel....I just prefer the action of toploading.

June 22nd, 2008, 08:26 AM	#1 (permalink)
didato TDPRI Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Sydney Australia Age: 49 Posts: 19	Through-body or top-mount bridge? Help! Hi, I'm wondering whether changing the existing top-mount bridge on a Samick tele copy with a through-body one will provide the desired extra 'body' to its sound which with the current setup sounds somewhat tinny, thin and lacklustre when compared to my other swamp ash partscaster with its through-body Gotoh/Wilkinson WT3 setup - at least when played unplugged. Has anyone some thoughts/experience with both and what would you advise. I realise there may be more at play here with regard to the sound of these different guitars, the Samisk tele copy seems to be made of some solid pine type wood with quite a tight grain, but I just thought changing the bridge setup would go a fair way to giving more meat/tone to the sound - for want of a better word.

June 22nd, 2008, 08:46 AM	#2 (permalink)
andrenighthound Tele-Meister Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Bronx NY Age: 32 Posts: 230	change the pickups __________________ "Blues in a doggy bag, is what I got to eat!" www.andreandthenighthounds.com

June 22nd, 2008, 09:00 AM	#5 (permalink)
CodeBlue Tele-Meister Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Hoosier Posts: 254	I don't think there's anything wrong with toploaders. It might make some difference to go through the body but not a tremendous amount. After all, all those Gibsons that are acclaimed for sustain are toploaders. __________________ Stratocasters Were Just A Stop-Over On The Way To Tele-Town! www.myspace.com/jppalive http://cdbaby.com/cd/codebluetunes

June 22nd, 2008, 09:11 AM	#6 (permalink)
andrenighthound Tele-Meister Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Bronx NY Age: 32 Posts: 230	toploaders will make the string tention feel a little looser. gibsons tunomatic bridge has a steeper angle than a tele toploader which result to greater string tention. you might get more sustain with a tighter string tention because it would allow the body to resonate better. it more pronounced with an achtop electric guitar. BUT is has a smaller scale that would result in lesser string tention then a 25 1/2 scale of the tele. __________________ "Blues in a doggy bag, is what I got to eat!" www.andreandthenighthounds.com

June 22nd, 2008, 09:47 AM	#8 (permalink)
Tdot Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Back of the Wasatch, UT Posts: 3,500 58 Photos	Another vote for new pups. I have a Samick Tele but it's a string though. The guitar and hardware are great, but the pups are only fair. __________________ And now for some feedback: EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

June 22nd, 2008, 08:46 AM	#3 (permalink)
Southern ILL Tele-Holic Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Illinois Age: 38 Posts: 887	My partscaster has a wilky bridge that I can both topload and string through....I topload it.

June 22nd, 2008, 08:52 AM	#4 (permalink)
didato TDPRI Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Sydney Australia Age: 49 Posts: 19	"change the pickups". That's a point too. Also on the list of to do. Thanks.

June 22nd, 2008, 10:47 AM	#9 (permalink)
Southern ILL Tele-Holic Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Illinois Age: 38 Posts: 887	I don't hear much differance in top loading or string through.Maybe slightly more twang when scratching near the string barrel....I just prefer the action of toploading.