This Is Just Plain OUTSTANDING!!!!!!!!!! - Page 4

rrangler · July 4th, 2005, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elviscaster

Thanks Paul. I have been on this board for years and post occasionally. I have come to trust the judgment of many people here and I thank you for allowing their opinions because I have learned much about guitars and playing. When Bill H, Terry D and Redd V tells us that these saddles work, I believe them. I own Bill H's CD, Terry D's DVD on Roy N., and all of Reed V's works, except his DVD. That's many years of Tele playing for me and I'm going to order some for my Elviscaster, which I have decided to change to the 3 saddle bridge.

Thanks. Shel

My thoughts exactly. With this product being recommended by some guys with decades of playing and devastating credentials; that's more than enough to get my attention. My thanks too, Bill and everyone for sharing your experiences with it. That's what makes TDPRI such a great place to hang out.

Matt

Ron Garson · July 4th, 2005, 04:35 PM

and I put 'em on a '66 Tele. The original steel threaded saddles were a bit bright and ice picky on the top strings. Now I still have twang and bark on the bottom end, but the top has been smoothed out by the brass, resulting in a more balanced sound. Needless to say the intonation is also much better. I'm more than happy with them!

TeleFunker · July 7th, 2005, 04:23 PM

Any thoughts regarding magnetic or non-magnetic bridgeplates fron Glendale?
I finally figured out which saddle material to order only to realize I need still more info to decide which bridge...

Benefits?
Concerns?

TIA, TF

guitar_ed · July 7th, 2005, 08:43 PM

Hi,

I emailed Dale directly about the magnetic/non-magnetic question, and he said that he did not yet have an answer. But that as soon as he gets a set of each to play with, he will do so.

Guitar Ed

sanhozay · July 9th, 2005, 02:05 PM

My Glendale experience:

Rivals any purchase I've made for most efficient dealer, fastest turnaround and excellent packaging. Idiot savant boutique builders could learn a fast lesson mimicking Glendale's respect for those patronizing his wares. A+

The saddles are as smooth as silk, look fantastic, intonate better than ANYTHING I've used {so far} and sound tremendous. I wasn't born with dog ears and I possess marginal talent but I have to say this cost effective and simple upgrade improved my Tele markedly.

Good times.

:D

Bill Hullett · July 9th, 2005, 11:04 PM

That all of you who are dealing with Dale are having such a positive experience (both in his 1st rate treatment of customers and 2nd are finding his product as cool as I think it is!!!) I (like sanhosay,and the other folks) still grin ear to ear everytime I pick up the Tele and tune it....now if the rest of my electrics would tune as well as the teles!!!!!!!!!!

Bill Hullett

sean001 · July 10th, 2005, 01:30 PM

Installed a twang set on my 1983 52 ri on Wednesday. Did two gigs with them this weekend. They are as good as the best out there. I have tried Stew-Mac, MannMade, Vintique and Barden. Bardens and Glendales are the best. Glendales leave a little more room for the strings over the saddles. Dale has been personally available, which is beyond what anyone could reasonably expect. He has also responded to product feedback. Seems like he is working on perfecting his stuff in a fashion Leo himself would be proud of. Thanks Bill for bringing this fine product to our attention.

yegbert · July 10th, 2005, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sean001

I have tried Stew-Mac, MannMade, Vintique and Barden. Bardens and Glendales are the best. Glendales leave a little more room for the strings over the saddles.

sean001,
You're referring to the distance left by a different diameter screw, with the Glendale having a smaller one, right?

And if so, the point about the Glendales leaving more room was in comparison only to the Bardens, right? I've only tried the StewMac ones of those you listed, but those have a smaller screw than those on the the Fender vintage saddles, possibly about as small as the Glendales. From the pictures I've seen the Bardens' screws look about the size of the vintage Fender items.

sean001 · July 10th, 2005, 11:21 PM

Yes, the Glendale saddles have smaller diameter height adjustment screws. I think the diameter of the Barden height adjustment screws are pretty much the same as stock, Stew-Mac, and Vintique. I believe the MannMade saddles are the smaller, allen head screws like the Glendale. In any event, Yes, the Glendale height adjustment screws are of a smaller diameter and thus leave more room for the strings to pass over the saddles. I have had problems with all compensated saddles in this regard. The Glendale saddles seem to be the roomiest. I could still use the low E to be perhaps 1/16 wider but the Glendales represent an improvement over everything else I have tried.

The Stew-Macs I have may be smaller but not much smaller. It is possible that the Stew-Macs have changed since I bought mine 3 years ago or so. It is not unreasonable that they changed the size of the height adjustment screws. The Stew-Macs I have seem to have more or less the same diameter height adjusment screw size as stock saddles. Either way, at 13 bucks or so the Stew-Macs are a tremendous value.

Bill Hullett · July 11th, 2005, 03:26 AM

In re reading some of the posts here some of you guys mention the Stew~Mac saddles....I just went over and looked at them and while thats a great price for compensated saddles, I think they are not the same as Dales....the Stew Mac state that each saddle is drilled at an angle to improve intonation...Much like a Fender set of compensated...ala the Danny Gatton style saddles

But with Dales bridges he drills each piece at an angle thats independant from the others ....Three bridges three different angles....Thats where the difference (and superiority IMHO) is.....

Bill Hullett

BrianF · July 11th, 2005, 03:41 AM

is like a Fender's except Stew-Mac's are drilled at an angle. Th eangles on the 3 saddles are the same. The saddle in the middle is merely flipped compared to the outside 2. Also the Stew-Macs saddle ends are not angled. They do not fit together as the angled ends of the Glendale, and other saddles that do this as well. The Fenders are uncompensated plain straight barrels... That have been used for years! I still use 'em... I tried the Ste-Macs and they didn't do much for me...went back to straight and live with it.

Ron Garson · July 11th, 2005, 11:06 AM

But they're not on a guitar. The Glendales are on and will stay on!

Jean-Baptiste · July 19th, 2005, 02:24 PM

Well, just installed my saddles and I had to resurrect this thread to give a great big thanks to Paul & Chris for running a place where great guys like Bill share such precious info about other great guys like Dale.

Since I got the Strobostomp (and where'd you figure I heard about these?), my teles have been bugging me more & more. Dale nailed it. Problem solved.

Just a couple more things worth mentioning that I haven't noticed in this thread. The height adjustment screws are not only smaller in diameter, they're also shorter than the stock Fenders, as are the intonation adjustment screws. This means you can set the action low without having those little screws digging into your palm. Attention to small details go a long way in my books.

I also like the fact that no metal's been removed from the underside of the outer saddles, as I'm convinced that mass has alot to do with tone. The stock stainless saddles in my '69 thinline are very skinny compared to Dale's steel saddles so not only am I now finally in tune, but my tone is massive.

This type of saddle should come stock on all vintage style teles because it is just plain outstanding.

bcbeak · July 19th, 2005, 04:45 PM

I'm a sucker for new tele inventions .. and when I read this post .. I had to have them. Slapped em on my MIJ PP and voila perfect intonation. Intonating the tele has always been a mystery to me .. some strings work, some don't ... but this was easy and that low G chord that always bugged me is gone.

Funny, I was playing along last night with an instructional tele CD ... and when the instructor hit a G chord at the end of a scale lesson ... his guitar sounded sharp but mine sounded spot on.

Buckocaster51 · July 23rd, 2005, 02:38 PM

The Wide Intone Twang* Set for my Dikkers Surfocaster Custom. They'll be replacing a Stew-Mac set. Full report upon their arrival.

*one aluminum, two brass

Ignatius · July 27th, 2005, 01:02 PM

Okay, this will probably bug someone somewhere, but I'm going to jump on this bandwagon.

Let me qualify my statements by saying that a) I've never tried any other brand of compensated saddles, b) the old saddles, the original ones on my 94 52RI were in need of replacement anyway so I may have noticed some improvement no matter what saddles I replaced them with, and c) I don't have a strobe tuner to check intonation as accurately as I'd like to.

Having said that, I just installed these on my guitar, and it's almost as it has come to life. I hate it when people post reviews that merely echo what has already been said, but yes, the guitar does "seem" to have more sustain and a more bell-like quality to it. Different voicings of the same chord played around the neck sound, and I know this is subjective, more "pleasing" somehow. I also did notice, and appreciated the small details like the quality of the machining and the smaller diameter height adjustment screws. I'm very satisfied, and I can't wait to get a couple gigs behind these babies this weekend to see how they really perform. I ordered the Twang Plus set with the aluminum saddle, and I'm hoping that difference on the low end will complement my Bardens and Dr. Z Maz Jr very nicely.

There may be other very good replacement saddles on the market, but all I know is I ordered these, received them in a very short time, and I'm extremely pleased. Thanks for the heads up Bill!

fenderrookie · July 27th, 2005, 01:47 PM

I do not have one of these plates........................yet.
I like the steel saddles but I believe they would be too bright with the metalic bridge plate. Any ideas how they would be with the "non-magnetic" bridge plate? Could the non-mag plate even out the brightness of the saddles?

nasonm · July 27th, 2005, 02:15 PM

I stayed out of this thread until now...

I got a set of the Twang for my b-day and I love them. nuff said

T-bone Tone · July 28th, 2005, 11:08 AM

Is that Sssssnake oil I can smell? However did those great tele players from the 50's and 60's get by, hmmm?

I kinda think hardened liquorice could be the breakthrough all us poor tele players with bad sounding, hopelessly intoned guitars need!

Tim Armstrong · July 28th, 2005, 12:35 PM

Four pages of rave reviews, many by folks whose opinions I trust implicitly, lead me to believe there's no snake oil involved.

YMMV, etc.,

Tim

Wild Rice Chris · July 28th, 2005, 01:13 PM

I don't know about Snake Oil, I heard these saddles when I saw Redd Volkaert, my sets are in the mail...

telel6s · July 28th, 2005, 01:26 PM

I don't know about the snake oil, but using liquorice for saddles might not be a bad idea. If you end up playing an extra long set and can't get to the bar for a burger and fries, just take a nibble out of your saddles to get a little sugar in your bloodstream to make it through the set.

I can hear the crowd now:

Guy #1: "Did you see that guy playing with his teeth? That was amazing."
Guy #2: "He wasn't playing with his teeth; he was just getting a snack."

Of course, you'd have to reset the intonation after each bite.

Bill Hullett · July 28th, 2005, 02:58 PM

If you're smellin snake oil it's leaking out of the wagon that you're driving on the medicine show you work at!!!!

Think of all the things that didn't excist in 1950, that excist now, Do we put the label "snake oil" on those items? For Example.....

Microwave oven.......(late 70's)
Color Tv........(mid 60's)
Personal Video Camera.........(early 80's)
Chevrolet V8 engine.........(1955)
personal computer that you're reading this post from, for goodness sake!!!!!!!!

Just because someone got by without something doesn't negate the advantages of now having it.....If that were the case we'd all be living in non air conditioned homes without central heat strumming our acoustic guitars waiting for our left over dinner to reheat in the traditional oven listening to the radio and saving up for one of those new fangles 78rpm phonographs
Pleeeaaaaseeee.!

FWIW.....A strobe tuner didn't excist in the 50's either....But now they do , and it's easy to see that there are shortcomings in a three piece bridge in reguard to intonation....So I personally will climb out from under my rock into the sunlight and enjoy the many contributions to life that have been made in the last 50 years...

YMMV
Bill Hullett

rcrecelius · July 28th, 2005, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Hullett

If you're smellin snake oil it's leaking out of the wagon that you're driving on the medicine show you work at!!!!

Think of all the things that didn't excist in 1950, that excist now, Do we put the label "snake oil" on those items? For Example.....

Microwave oven.......(late 70's)
Color Tv........(mid 60's)
Personal Video Camera.........(early 80's)
Chevrolet V8 engine.........(1955)
personal computer that you're reading this post from, for goodness sake!!!!!!!!

Just because someone got by without something doesn't negate the advantages of now having it.....If that were the case we'd all be living in non air conditioned homes without central heat strumming our acoustic guitars waiting for our left over dinner to reheat in the traditional oven listening to the radio and saving up for one of those new fangles 78rpm phonographs
Pleeeaaaaseeee.!

Not to mention that years ago, we didnt have an internet or a forum like this to discuss/argue such topics with our peers...much less talk about such topics with the likes of Bill Hullet or Redd Volkeart!

July 4th, 2005, 04:35 PM	#122 (permalink)
Ron Garson Tele-Holic Join Date: May 2003 Location: UK Posts: 649 20 Photos	I got my "Twang" set last week, and I put 'em on a '66 Tele. The original steel threaded saddles were a bit bright and ice picky on the top strings. Now I still have twang and bark on the bottom end, but the top has been smoothed out by the brass, resulting in a more balanced sound. Needless to say the intonation is also much better. I'm more than happy with them!

July 7th, 2005, 04:23 PM	#123 (permalink)
TeleFunker NEW MEMBER! Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Blooming Grove, NY Posts: 4	Pt 2: Bridge Plates - Magnetic or Non? Any thoughts regarding magnetic or non-magnetic bridgeplates fron Glendale? I finally figured out which saddle material to order only to realize I need still more info to decide which bridge... Benefits? Concerns? TIA, TF

July 7th, 2005, 08:43 PM	#124 (permalink)
guitar_ed Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Bankrupt State of California Age: 47 Posts: 711 16 Photos	Hi, I emailed Dale directly about the magnetic/non-magnetic question, and he said that he did not yet have an answer. But that as soon as he gets a set of each to play with, he will do so. Guitar Ed __________________ Piss off a politician, register to vote. When you complain about the government, remember that you ARE the government. Voting is the ultimate act of civil dis-obediance. AIM - guitar_edg Skype - guitar_edg (had to change on 5/16/06)

July 9th, 2005, 11:04 PM	#126 (permalink)
Bill Hullett Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Nashville Tn. Posts: 1,217	I'm so Glad!!!!! That all of you who are dealing with Dale are having such a positive experience (both in his 1st rate treatment of customers and 2nd are finding his product as cool as I think it is!!!) I (like sanhosay,and the other folks) still grin ear to ear everytime I pick up the Tele and tune it....now if the rest of my electrics would tune as well as the teles!!!!!!!!!! Bill Hullett

July 10th, 2005, 01:30 PM	#127 (permalink)
sean001 Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Gilberts, Illinois Posts: 308	As good as the best Installed a twang set on my 1983 52 ri on Wednesday. Did two gigs with them this weekend. They are as good as the best out there. I have tried Stew-Mac, MannMade, Vintique and Barden. Bardens and Glendales are the best. Glendales leave a little more room for the strings over the saddles. Dale has been personally available, which is beyond what anyone could reasonably expect. He has also responded to product feedback. Seems like he is working on perfecting his stuff in a fashion Leo himself would be proud of. Thanks Bill for bringing this fine product to our attention. __________________ The more you drink, the less I stink...

July 9th, 2005, 02:05 PM	#125 (permalink)
sanhozay Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 188	My Glendale experience: Rivals any purchase I've made for most efficient dealer, fastest turnaround and excellent packaging. Idiot savant boutique builders could learn a fast lesson mimicking Glendale's respect for those patronizing his wares. A+ The saddles are as smooth as silk, look fantastic, intonate better than ANYTHING I've used {so far} and sound tremendous. I wasn't born with dog ears and I possess marginal talent but I have to say this cost effective and simple upgrade improved my Tele markedly. Good times. :D

July 10th, 2005, 11:21 PM	#129 (permalink)
sean001 Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Gilberts, Illinois Posts: 308	Yes, the Glendale saddles have smaller diameter height adjustment screws. I think the diameter of the Barden height adjustment screws are pretty much the same as stock, Stew-Mac, and Vintique. I believe the MannMade saddles are the smaller, allen head screws like the Glendale. In any event, Yes, the Glendale height adjustment screws are of a smaller diameter and thus leave more room for the strings to pass over the saddles. I have had problems with all compensated saddles in this regard. The Glendale saddles seem to be the roomiest. I could still use the low E to be perhaps 1/16 wider but the Glendales represent an improvement over everything else I have tried. The Stew-Macs I have may be smaller but not much smaller. It is possible that the Stew-Macs have changed since I bought mine 3 years ago or so. It is not unreasonable that they changed the size of the height adjustment screws. The Stew-Macs I have seem to have more or less the same diameter height adjusment screw size as stock saddles. Either way, at 13 bucks or so the Stew-Macs are a tremendous value. __________________ The more you drink, the less I stink...

July 11th, 2005, 03:26 AM	#130 (permalink)
Bill Hullett Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Nashville Tn. Posts: 1,217	To Clarify..... In re reading some of the posts here some of you guys mention the Stew~Mac saddles....I just went over and looked at them and while thats a great price for compensated saddles, I think they are not the same as Dales....the Stew Mac state that each saddle is drilled at an angle to improve intonation...Much like a Fender set of compensated...ala the Danny Gatton style saddles But with Dales bridges he drills each piece at an angle thats independant from the others ....Three bridges three different angles....Thats where the difference (and superiority IMHO) is..... Bill Hullett

July 11th, 2005, 03:41 AM	#131 (permalink)
BrianF Friend of Leo's Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Carlsbad, Ca Posts: 2,155 7 Photos	Stew Mac set is like a Fender's except Stew-Mac's are drilled at an angle. Th eangles on the 3 saddles are the same. The saddle in the middle is merely flipped compared to the outside 2. Also the Stew-Macs saddle ends are not angled. They do not fit together as the angled ends of the Glendale, and other saddles that do this as well. The Fenders are uncompensated plain straight barrels... That have been used for years! I still use 'em... I tried the Ste-Macs and they didn't do much for me...went back to straight and live with it.

July 11th, 2005, 11:06 AM	#132 (permalink)
Ron Garson Tele-Holic Join Date: May 2003 Location: UK Posts: 649 20 Photos	I got some Stew-Macs laying around somewhere. But they're not on a guitar. The Glendales are on and will stay on!

July 19th, 2005, 02:24 PM	#133 (permalink)
Jean-Baptiste Tele-Holic Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 633	Well, just installed my saddles and I had to resurrect this thread to give a great big thanks to Paul & Chris for running a place where great guys like Bill share such precious info about other great guys like Dale. Since I got the Strobostomp (and where'd you figure I heard about these?), my teles have been bugging me more & more. Dale nailed it. Problem solved. Just a couple more things worth mentioning that I haven't noticed in this thread. The height adjustment screws are not only smaller in diameter, they're also shorter than the stock Fenders, as are the intonation adjustment screws. This means you can set the action low without having those little screws digging into your palm. Attention to small details go a long way in my books. I also like the fact that no metal's been removed from the underside of the outer saddles, as I'm convinced that mass has alot to do with tone. The stock stainless saddles in my '69 thinline are very skinny compared to Dale's steel saddles so not only am I now finally in tune, but my tone is massive. This type of saddle should come stock on all vintage style teles because it is just plain outstanding.

July 19th, 2005, 04:45 PM	#134 (permalink)
bcbeak Tele-Meister Join Date: May 2003 Location: Newburyport, MA Posts: 208 8 Photos	Yup ... they are awesome I'm a sucker for new tele inventions .. and when I read this post .. I had to have them. Slapped em on my MIJ PP and voila perfect intonation. Intonating the tele has always been a mystery to me .. some strings work, some don't ... but this was easy and that low G chord that always bugged me is gone. Funny, I was playing along last night with an instructional tele CD ... and when the instructor hit a G chord at the end of a scale lesson ... his guitar sounded sharp but mine sounded spot on.

July 23rd, 2005, 02:38 PM	#135 (permalink)
Buckocaster51 Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Iowa USA Age: 57 Posts: 5,603 1 Photos	I just ordered The Wide Intone Twang* Set for my Dikkers Surfocaster Custom. They'll be replacing a Stew-Mac set. Full report upon their arrival. *one aluminum, two brass

July 27th, 2005, 01:02 PM	#136 (permalink)
Ignatius Tele-Holic Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 755 1 Photos	Okay, this will probably bug someone somewhere, but I'm going to jump on this bandwagon. Let me qualify my statements by saying that a) I've never tried any other brand of compensated saddles, b) the old saddles, the original ones on my 94 52RI were in need of replacement anyway so I may have noticed some improvement no matter what saddles I replaced them with, and c) I don't have a strobe tuner to check intonation as accurately as I'd like to. Having said that, I just installed these on my guitar, and it's almost as it has come to life. I hate it when people post reviews that merely echo what has already been said, but yes, the guitar does "seem" to have more sustain and a more bell-like quality to it. Different voicings of the same chord played around the neck sound, and I know this is subjective, more "pleasing" somehow. I also did notice, and appreciated the small details like the quality of the machining and the smaller diameter height adjustment screws. I'm very satisfied, and I can't wait to get a couple gigs behind these babies this weekend to see how they really perform. I ordered the Twang Plus set with the aluminum saddle, and I'm hoping that difference on the low end will complement my Bardens and Dr. Z Maz Jr very nicely. There may be other very good replacement saddles on the market, but all I know is I ordered these, received them in a very short time, and I'm extremely pleased. Thanks for the heads up Bill!

July 27th, 2005, 01:47 PM	#137 (permalink)
fenderrookie TDPRI Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Georgia Posts: 85	I do not have one of these plates........................yet. I like the steel saddles but I believe they would be too bright with the metalic bridge plate. Any ideas how they would be with the "non-magnetic" bridge plate? Could the non-mag plate even out the brightness of the saddles?

July 27th, 2005, 02:15 PM	#138 (permalink)
nasonm Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Bangor, Maine Age: 31 Posts: 1,713 16 Photos	I stayed out of this thread until now... I got a set of the Twang for my b-day and I love them. nuff said __________________ "i have learned to just grit my teeth, change the subject, consider their deep total ignorance, fondle the thumb picks in my pocket and go on my way" - bender-freak It's been lonely in the saddle since my horse died

July 28th, 2005, 11:08 AM	#139 (permalink)
T-bone Tone Banned Tele-Meister Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Newcastle, England Posts: 321	Is that Sssssnake oil I can smell? However did those great tele players from the 50's and 60's get by, hmmm? I kinda think hardened liquorice could be the breakthrough all us poor tele players with bad sounding, hopelessly intoned guitars need!

July 28th, 2005, 12:35 PM	#140 (permalink)
Tim Armstrong Moderator Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Berlin, Maryland, USA Age: 49 Posts: 9,720	Four pages of rave reviews, many by folks whose opinions I trust implicitly, lead me to believe there's no snake oil involved. YMMV, etc., Tim __________________ http://www.moodswingers.org

July 28th, 2005, 01:13 PM	#141 (permalink)
Wild Rice Chris Friend of Leo's Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Rice Custom Dungeon Posts: 2,867 27 Photos	I don't know about Snake Oil, I heard these saddles when I saw Redd Volkaert, my sets are in the mail... __________________ "The children need to learn how to build their own environment and make their own music that is inspired by their roots."--Eugene Hütz "All music turns out to be ethnic music."--Steve Reich Enjoy, and please visit my homepage.

July 28th, 2005, 01:26 PM	#142 (permalink)
telel6s Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 1,176 80 Photos	Mmmmm, liquorice I don't know about the snake oil, but using liquorice for saddles might not be a bad idea. If you end up playing an extra long set and can't get to the bar for a burger and fries, just take a nibble out of your saddles to get a little sugar in your bloodstream to make it through the set. I can hear the crowd now: Guy #1: "Did you see that guy playing with his teeth? That was amazing." Guy #2: "He wasn't playing with his teeth; he was just getting a snack." Of course, you'd have to reset the intonation after each bite. __________________ Mama always said, "A little tone is good for the soul."

July 28th, 2005, 02:58 PM	#143 (permalink)
Bill Hullett Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Nashville Tn. Posts: 1,217	Snake Oil...... If you're smellin snake oil it's leaking out of the wagon that you're driving on the medicine show you work at!!!! Think of all the things that didn't excist in 1950, that excist now, Do we put the label "snake oil" on those items? For Example..... Microwave oven.......(late 70's) Color Tv........(mid 60's) Personal Video Camera.........(early 80's) Chevrolet V8 engine.........(1955) personal computer that you're reading this post from, for goodness sake!!!!!!!! Just because someone got by without something doesn't negate the advantages of now having it.....If that were the case we'd all be living in non air conditioned homes without central heat strumming our acoustic guitars waiting for our left over dinner to reheat in the traditional oven listening to the radio and saving up for one of those new fangles 78rpm phonographs Pleeeaaaaseeee.! FWIW.....A strobe tuner didn't excist in the 50's either....But now they do , and it's easy to see that there are shortcomings in a three piece bridge in reguard to intonation....So I personally will climb out from under my rock into the sunlight and enjoy the many contributions to life that have been made in the last 50 years... YMMV Bill Hullett