What is the stock MIM bridge plate made of?

[timmer114]

I am going nuts here over trying different bridge setups on my 2006 mim tele. I had the stock bridge plate and saddles, but it sounds kinda dead. I went to a Wikinson compensated vintage bridge, but it just didn't grow on me.

I want to go back to the stock bridge plate, but I think I need some different saddles to make it work. I figure that the stock saddles are some kind of pot metal, they sound hollow and on the weak side. I tried some generic bent strat saddles on this bridge, and it actually sounds decent. I have some stainless steel saddles I might try out, I like that ringing resonant brass sound of the vintage bridge, clear as a bell.. but at the same time, its too dark for my liking. I think stainless saddles might be the way to go, but if the stock bridge plate is pot metal, is it going to matter?

So my question is, what is the stock mim plate made of? Pot metal? Would I be better off going with the chrome covered brass Gotoh GTC-201? Is this a better bridge? I guess I want the best resonant tone I can get from my guitar while using a 6 saddle bridge. But, I want to make sure I am using a decent 6 saddle bridge, from the sounds of it, nobody much cares for the stock 6 saddle bridge, is it because of the matierial?

If it helps, I like a little twang, but I like chime also.

Thanks for any advice on this. (I am happy with the pickups, just want my guitar to ring out better)

[timmer114]

My apologies everyone, I did some deeper searching and I think I found my answer. Thanks!

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

[Fatmanstratman]

Don't expect to find any earth shattering improvements with WHATEVER bridge you fit - whilst I accept that the saddles can make a very slight difference to the tone, most of it will be in your mind because you WANT to hear it....

Your pickups or your amp - or both - are going to have WAY more effect on your tone than all the little nuances. Even your strings will change your tone more than the composition of your bridge plate.....

[sjtalon]

No one but you knows the tone your "going nuts" trying to find (welcome to the club).


You are changing the wrong parts....................ya need to find some different pickups !!

Discribe the kind of music you play and what Tele tone you want. MIM's are VERY fine guitars and it will be easy to get it right for you with the right pups.


Go Pack !

[boris bubbanov]

Timmer, the stock MIM Std plate is chromed steel.

Yeah, I wish we could find billet "brick" style brass saddles like the ones shown on Keef's guitar (are those from a Schecter?). The other "brass" ones are cast and could be better. Yeah the MIM Std. saddles are zinc rich pot metal, not too good, IMO. I'm not always a fan of the bent steel (depends on the guitar) but at least the steel is of sufficient quality.

Someday, someone will tool up and machine a good billet brass brick or block type saddle.

[timmer114]

Thanks for the reply Boris, the bent steel are just generic bent steel GFS saddles, but they sound pretty decent, they are open, have alot more ring and sustain than the zinc stockers.

Are you familiar with stainless saddles and how they would sound vs. the bent steel? I am intrested in these in particular.. http://store.guitarfetish.com/upststsafitr.html
I think I can live with the stock bridge plate for now, money is a bit tight for the Gotoh plate, but the saddles seem to make the biggest difference at the moment for me, and I can afford those.

Thanks,
Tim

[boris bubbanov]

GFS just isn't too particular, what they ship you.

I find that tiresome (and it has ALWAYS been like this). So, I was warned off and I stay warned off and have no special experience with that saddle choice. I would look at Callaham or maybe Raw Vintage.

[Fatmanstratman]

Originally Posted by boris bubbanov

GFS just isn't too particular, what they ship you.

I find that tiresome (and it has ALWAYS been like this).

Sorry to hear that - my own experience of GFS has been EXACTLY the opposite. Every single item I have received has been of good quality, exactly as described, at VERY reasonable prices, shipping all the way to the UK has been VERY reasonable - and always within just a few days.

Everyone I speak to here in the UK who has ordered from GFS has always been extremely happy with the service. What a pity that some of our stores over are nowhere near as good as GFS - they might get a bit more of my business.

I know that boris mentioned a long time ago that he had stopped using GFS, but I think I can say with some confidence that whatever problem boris encountered all that time ago must have been corrected shortly after.

I started using GFS over 5 years ago, and haven't had one single problem - couldn't be happier.

I guess it's like everything in life - we all have our different opinions, so it's probably best for you to form your own when it comes to individual guitar parts sellers....

[timmer114]

The other thought I am having is taking the flat plate, and drilling 3 holes in the back side and using 3 compensated barrells instead of 6 individual saddles. I don't mind the 3 saddle setup, as much as I mind the ashtray bridge. My hands just prefer the flat stock plate. I know theres alot of choices in matierial for the barrell style saddle.

GFS- I can't say I have had any bad experiences really. Some of the things I have ordered weren't what I was expecting in quality, but some things were way over my expectation in quality. I guess everyone has a story good and bad.. I liked the price of the saddles but that 7 dollar shipping for an 11 dollar part is kind of a turn off.

Hells I am just going to stick to the bent steels I have laying around. If I get brave, maybe I'll get out the drill press and make a hybrid bridge that is a flat plate and use my compensated brass saddles from my Wilkinson ashtray i'm not using. I have to remind myself it's just a guitar, more practice, less tinkering hehe.

=)