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Author
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Bluesgtr20
Registered: March 2003
Location: Rockwall, TX
Posts: 415
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Review Date: Thu May 29, 2003
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: Not Indicated
| Rating: 5
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Pros:
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Vintage tone for modern tele.
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Cons:
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Larry Fontana makes a great set of brass saddles for your american series/standard tele. He makes the steel saddles, standard brass and compensated brass. I purchased the compensated brass version.
All can say is that these saddles are unbelievable!! They totally tranformed my american series fat tele into a tone monster. The craftmanship of the brass barrels are pristine and they intonate perfectly.
There is definitely a tonal difference. There appears to be a much more pronounced midrange to my tone than before. Each saddle fits into the A, G, and E hole respectively so there is no need for any modification of any kind.
I am in no way affiliated with Larry but am just blown away by his product and his great personality.
Thanks to Fuzzy for the recomendation. And if anyone is looking for a great mod to there tele, this is he one.
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God Bless the Troops and the USA!!!
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Mark Heustis
Registered: May 2003
Location: California, USA
Posts: 1
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Review Date: Sat May 31, 2003
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: Not Indicated
| Rating: 5
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Pros:
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Retro Sound
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Cons:
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Had to reintonate
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I received a set of Larry Fontana's compensated brass bridge saddles as a gift. I mounted them on my 1990 AS Tele. The tone is slightly brighter and closer to the classic 50s Tele twang.
The intonation is very close for three-pair-type saddles. The only way I could get closer is to remount the individual saddles. Each string was 1/2 cent or less off.
I use size 11 strings and fairly high action.
Fit and finish are excellent and mounting them required no modification to the guitar or the saddles.
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MarkMM
Registered: April 2003
Location: Carlsbad, CA
Posts: 33
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Review Date: Tue June 10, 2003
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: $29.00
| Rating: 5
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Pros:
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Great setup!
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Cons:
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none
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I got these saddles from Larry about a week ago, and I have noticed a huge difference. I installed them on a new MIM 50s classic Tele. The original steel saddles gave a pronounced treble bite (and not in a good way). The brass really mellowed the tone out. Also, the compensated nature of the saddles makes setting the intonation very easy, and chords farther up the neck sound much better. Thanks a million!!!
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dave_esmond
Registered: May 2003
Location: stoughton, wisconsin
Posts: 224
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Review Date: Tue June 17, 2003
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: $30.00
| Rating: 5
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unitll i can build a b-bender to my specs i'm stuck using an american standard fender b-bender....i've learned to deal with everything except the bridge....the bridge and saddles on the american standards is too "perfect" sounding for me...it's too smooth and lacking in the twang that says tele to me....
so i figured i'd at least try larry's saddles....and they work....the tone is much rounder and bigger and just more "tele" to my ears.....a big move in the right direction.....
as a note i use a s.d. broadcaster bridge pickup....
time will tell if the b-bender and the brass saddles are goona be a problem...but even if i cut a slot in the saddle it's a fairly cheap fix to get another form larry....
my only problem is pretty minor....and that's looks....the 3 brass saddles on the american standard bridge plate look kinda goofy....but it's worth it for the sound....
thnaks larry!
d
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Johnny Isaacs
Registered: March 2003
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Posts: 1419
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Review Date: Sat June 28, 2003
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: $29.00
| Rating: 5
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I bought them, and got a call from Larry the same day. He went out of his way to answer any and all questions I had. Great guy and great saddles!
As soon as I put them on, the guitar seemed to come alive. Very resonant. Twang like you wouldn't believe. Those of you who know me, know I love steel saddles. Still do, but man these are really great!
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Myspace music page
I've never trusted a guitar player who hasn't licked a few 9volts...
Famous last words...... after this one, no new Tele's!
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auger
Registered: March 2003
Location: Uptown in penthouse #3
Posts: 363
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Review Date: Sat July 5, 2003
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: Not Indicated
| Rating: 5
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Pros:
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Solid quality build and materials
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Cons:
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none
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I just put a set of the intonated brass saddles on my MIJ bridge plate of my home made Tele, and it feels like an entirely different (much better) guitar now.
I had a set of the steel MIJs on there to start with, found them to be sorta 'plinky' sounding and the intonation bothered me when playing in the higher frets, so, I put on a six saddle '70s Fender bridge. Cured the intonation, but didn't do anything for the feel of the guitar, I slipped a piece of metal between the high 'E' and the side rail of the bridge and that helped but I still kept looking.
As soon as I got these on and dialed in I noticed a much more solid feel to the strings when picking, same 9s I've been using for almost a year now sounded bigger? I don't know how to describe it other than the guitar has more of a lively feel to the strings now, it rings.
The intonation is spot on for me with these 9s, infact when I compared the stagger of the six saddle bridge to these Larry sold me they are identical.
Big hefty adjustment screws for height and the intonation screws are hefty too, look like the originals I've seen in pictures from the 50s. The brass is nicely finished too, and the way the ends are angled to butt together is a nice touch. First rate im my book, very happy with them. auger
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I'd give my left arm to be ambidextrous
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The Actionman
Registered: June 2003
Location: Beautiful North Georgia!
Posts: 434
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Review Date: Mon July 7, 2003
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: Not Indicated
| Rating: 5
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Pros:
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Twang-city!
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Cons:
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E side screws a little high once adjusted
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Blazing Saddlez!!!
After a year of looking for a solution for the AmStand bridge on my B-Bender, I ran into these on eBay. Several emails later and I put my order in. They arrived early!
Installed and dialed in by my tech, he said the intonation was as good as he's ever seen, even if they looked a little strange. Everybody at the shop took turns on her until all they could say was "Wow"! What a change these have made on this guitar. (I knew there was more twang in there!)
Larry has been full of info and communicates like few in the business world. He obviously has pride in his product and workmanship - and he should! Smooth polished brass, no burrs anywhere and beautiful large screws (More contact = More sustain). My tech had even asked if Vintique made these for me! Also, showed up with perfect instructions for installation - not that you'd really need too much direction with these.
Sustain and ring/sing like you wouldn't believe! Twang-city! I have to admit they look strange on the guitar, but so did the vintage style stamped bridges the first time anybody saw them! Who needs looks when you got that tone? Besides, I think they're growing on me...(or is that just the bliss of good Tele-tone?)
The only real negative: The height adjustment screws on the E string ends are a little high once dialed in, but Larry has already assured me that he has a fix on the way.
All things said, these are great saddles that will lively-up any AmStand bridge and as inexpensive as they are, you might want to find out what you've been missing! IMOHO.
TWANG ON!
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Twang on!
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Rich Currier
Registered: March 2003
Location: Woodland Park, CO
Posts: 19
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Review Date: Tue July 15, 2003
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: $29.00
| Rating: 5
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Pros:
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Twangalicious
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Cons:
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I've played my sunburst '96 Am Std for several years with the original bridge and got a decent tone out of it. Yesterday, I put these brass saddles on (took me all of a half hour including the required cleaning & string change), adjusted intonation slightly and cranked it up. Big change in the tone. Now I'm getting that Olander twang and while they do look a little different on the newer bridge plate, the tone more than makes up for it. This will be a must have on any more American Standards I come across. I consider it a great value, especially since I was looking at a replacement bridge (Callaham/Barden/Vintique) for a lot more cash.
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Rich Currier
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Modlang
Registered: March 2003
Location: NY
Posts: 21
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Review Date: Tue July 22, 2003
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: Not Indicated
| Rating: 5
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Pros:
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Added twang!
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Cons:
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None
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I finally went ahead and put my Larry Fontana produced brass saddles on my American Standard Tele and...WOW!!
The whole installation process was a breeze as Larry labels the saddles on the ends as to which string they correspond to and he also e-mailed me clear, easy to follow directions as to which holes on the bridge plate the saddle screws go through. The overall improvement in sound is nothing short of amazing over the original steel saddles.
Larry's saddles are an incredible deal and gave me exactly what I was looking for sound-wise from my Tele.
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Primo Don
Registered: March 2003
Location: Orlando, FL
Posts: 381
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Review Date: Mon July 28, 2003
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: $29.00
| Rating: 5
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All I can do is reiterate all that everyone has said so far. My Telecaster has come ALIVE! It's like it's a whole new instrument. I just couldn't figure out why I wasn't getting the wire-y TWANG I heard in my head. Enter-Larry Fontana's saddles. I was turned on to them on the TDPRI and went to eBay and purchased mine that day. Larry's emails were prompt and courteous and when something came up with the shipping, he let me know quickly what was going on.
Thanks very much, Larry, for this great product!
Adam Isgitt
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Why yes, I do have a liberal arts degree...do you want fries with that?
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slauson slim
Registered: March 2003
Posts: 686
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Review Date: Mon August 4, 2003
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: $30.00
| Rating: 5
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Pros:
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Vast Tone Improvement
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Cons:
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None
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Slapped them on my '95 AmStd, w/ a new set of EB Slinky nickel .10s, did a set up and WOW! Am Std came alive - acoustically and electronically. Pickups came alive - seemed more pick responsive - and the axe also feels different. Twang and tone.
Larry's instructions were spot on and the saddles' fit and finish were pro quality all the way. Unlike other reviewers, I think they look very cool. Now.....I want to change out the pickups. I highly recommend these to anyone on a tone quest. Bravo to Larry for a well made and simple tone improvement.
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jrlp
Registered: March 2003
Location: Vancouver, B.C. Canada
Posts: 26
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Review Date: Tue August 12, 2003
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: Not Indicated
| Rating: 5
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Installed two sets: on a 98 Am Std and a 90s Thinline...
1. Service: outstanding, ordering and delivery (to Canada!) and communication throughout the whole process was a breeze...
2. Installation: the saddles were clearly marked
and with the aid of a hex wrench (provided!) and a screwdriver (for intonation) I set the action and intonation and was ready to roll.
3. Rational: God bless Vintique and Barden for providing a solution for Am Std owners, but for me in the end, the saddles were the key and I since I can live with the bridge, this was the perfect course of action.
4. Cost/ Effectiveness: as long as you're not hung up on the Ashtray Bridge (I don't blame you - it's cool) this is the ticket for Am Std bridge owners who desire the brass three saddle tone and look...very highly recommended...
and speaking of tone...THANKS LARRY!!!
Best,
Joel
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TeleDen
Registered: September 2003
Location: Amsterdam
Posts: 2
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Review Date: Wed September 24, 2003
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: $29.00
| Rating: 5
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Pros:
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Huge Tone !
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Cons:
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none
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I have installed the saddles on my ash Tele yesterday.
The difference is significant ! My Tele has come alive, gone is the thin shrill sound it had, the sound is full with a lot more definition, sustain is remarkable better and my G string that was dull and dead before sounds as it should. I would say with my original vintage pups and the saddles my Tele now sounds like a '52 RI.
Best and cheapest upgrade ever.
Thanks Larry.
Dennis Lichtenveldt
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Roy B. is the Tele Man !
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superreverb65
Registered: September 2003
Location: Chicago Il.
Posts: 118
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Review Date: Mon December 1, 2003
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: Not Indicated
| Rating: 5
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As soon as I put my Blazing Saddlez on my 97 American Standard Telecaster it came alive. I had upgraded the pickups but was still lacking the James Burton tone I desired. Now this guitar nails that tone.
I noticed a few posts up someone said the height screws stuck up to far. . .well I guess that's been upgraded because I do not have that problem. Also Larry was a class act to deal with and answered ALL of my questions.
I'm VERY satisfied.
Bill
www.the-knobs.com
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Vincent Caster
Registered: March 2003
Location: Peekskill, New York
Posts: 624
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Review Date: Tue September 14, 2004
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Would you recommend the product? No |
Price you paid?: Not Indicated
| Rating: 1
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Pros:
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None
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Cons:
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I never got tehm
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I sent a money order and never received the saddles.
I made several phone calls and never got a call back.
I spoke to Larry once and he said that he would send the saddles in a few days.
I never got them and he never returned any more of my phone calls.
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"Froggy went a courtin', he did ride...C...c...crambone!"
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Telecaster Guitar Forum
