Need your advice on bridge/saddles

rockawayrocks · March 10th, 2007, 08:15 AM

I haven't had my Mex Standard a week yet, and already I want to hot rod it.

I'm not a serious player...not yet anyway....I don't gig, my amp is a meager 15 watter, and I plug it in only when the wife isn't around. At best, I'm a noodler. So far I prefer the sound of my Tele with just the bridge pick-up. To my novice and untrained ears, I hear more of the twang that way.

That said, after reading numerous posts here, it seems that one of the most common mods is replacing the bridge with a vintage barrel style. My teacher agrees that the better the bridge, the better the twang.

I'd like to consider this change.....can you recommend one in the $50 range? Is it a direct bolt-on? I'd like it to be "so easy a caveman can do it."

Thanks in advance

Tom

yegbert · March 10th, 2007, 09:59 AM

If your MIM Standard is one of the recent production ones with four screws holding the bridge plate to the body, then the position of all the relevant holes is per the vintage spec and you have plenty of choices.

But I'd suggest not rushing into making this modification. It really comes down to subjectivity which bridge seems better and your own perception whether you will even hear a difference.

For now, I'd try to focus on learning how to play; and secondarily, getting to know your Tele as it is stock. Ask your teacher to show you how to play to get more twang.

When you find opportunities to do so such as window shopping in a guitar store, try playing some other Teles with different bridges. Play a couple back to back, one with a bridge like yours and then one with a vintage style bridge like an AV '52 or '62 Tele, or a Classic Series '50s or '60s Tele.

blackbelt308 · March 10th, 2007, 10:16 AM

I have a MIM Standard Tele and have thought a lot about swapping a vintage bridge for the modern 6-saddle. So far I have not pulled the trigger, basically because I really like the tone as it is (I did replace the stock pups with a set of Bill Lawrence pups; awesome!). Also, I figure if I'm going to do it at some point, I'm going to go the whole nine yards with some high quality compensated saddles so that I don't take a big step backwards in the intonation department. So it won't be a cheap mod.

Also, buying an Esquire as a second guitar helped me get past the jones for a vintage bridge on my Tele!

Anyway, my advice would be to give it some more time, thought and research before you jump in on this one.

Ciao!
Rick

March 10th, 2007, 08:15 AM	#1 (permalink)
rockawayrocks Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: rockaway new jersey Age: 56 Posts: 204 1 Photos	Need your advice on bridge/saddles I haven't had my Mex Standard a week yet, and already I want to hot rod it. I'm not a serious player...not yet anyway....I don't gig, my amp is a meager 15 watter, and I plug it in only when the wife isn't around. At best, I'm a noodler. So far I prefer the sound of my Tele with just the bridge pick-up. To my novice and untrained ears, I hear more of the twang that way. That said, after reading numerous posts here, it seems that one of the most common mods is replacing the bridge with a vintage barrel style. My teacher agrees that the better the bridge, the better the twang. I'd like to consider this change.....can you recommend one in the $50 range? Is it a direct bolt-on? I'd like it to be "so easy a caveman can do it." Thanks in advance Tom

March 10th, 2007, 09:59 AM	#2 (permalink)
yegbert Friend of Leo's Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Clinton, Maryland (US) Age: 54 Posts: 4,852 85 Photos	If your MIM Standard is one of the recent production ones with four screws holding the bridge plate to the body, then the position of all the relevant holes is per the vintage spec and you have plenty of choices. But I'd suggest not rushing into making this modification. It really comes down to subjectivity which bridge seems better and your own perception whether you will even hear a difference. For now, I'd try to focus on learning how to play; and secondarily, getting to know your Tele as it is stock. Ask your teacher to show you how to play to get more twang. When you find opportunities to do so such as window shopping in a guitar store, try playing some other Teles with different bridges. Play a couple back to back, one with a bridge like yours and then one with a vintage style bridge like an AV '52 or '62 Tele, or a Classic Series '50s or '60s Tele.

March 10th, 2007, 10:16 AM	#3 (permalink)
blackbelt308 Tele-Meister Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: St. Louis, Missouri Age: 49 Posts: 162	I have a MIM Standard Tele and have thought a lot about swapping a vintage bridge for the modern 6-saddle. So far I have not pulled the trigger, basically because I really like the tone as it is (I did replace the stock pups with a set of Bill Lawrence pups; awesome!). Also, I figure if I'm going to do it at some point, I'm going to go the whole nine yards with some high quality compensated saddles so that I don't take a big step backwards in the intonation department. So it won't be a cheap mod. Also, buying an Esquire as a second guitar helped me get past the jones for a vintage bridge on my Tele! Anyway, my advice would be to give it some more time, thought and research before you jump in on this one. Ciao! Rick