6 saddle to 3 saddle on a player series tele

$ 14 each, from Darren Riley.
Pair with the slightly slanted brass saddles (also from Fender) at $ 20 per set; also from Darren.

I found the Wilkinson by Sung Il assemblies look cheap and are cheap and when you get into the shipping costs, you may as well just get something nice. The price is a wash.

 

There was a recent thread on this topic:
https://www.tdpri.com/threads/vintage-style-bridge-for-player-series-lefty.985489/

Oddly, the thread starter said a Wilkinson bridge wouldn't fit his Player Series. If that's true, a Fender plate won't fit, either.

And sorry, Boris, I gotta disagree with this:

I think, with its jagged edges and uneven bottom surface that has to be straightened or sanded to become flat, the Fender plate is the "cheap" one.

 

Can't say if it's a "direct swap" or not, but I've used several of the Wilkinson vintage-style bridges with compensated saddles, and I find the quality and appearance to be fantastic. I even used a "left handed" bridge on my latest right handed build, for the opposite pickup "slant".

 

Have you ever sanded one of these Wilkinson Sung Il plates flat?

Because if you haven't, please don't. All heck breaks loose - everything corrodes like crazy.

For whatever reason, I can butcher these Fender plates in all sorts of ways, but they stay stable. My sweat isn't bad I suppose. I don't need to worry about corrosion and that means everything to me.

+

I've asked the O.P. on that other thread to send us some images. Something is haywire. There's no reason any MIM with that signature 4 mount hole placement should be off template.

 

See, that's what I'm saying. I've bought two of the Wilkinsons, and I haven't needed to straighten or flatten them. Straight out of the package they sat perfectly flat on a granite table, but the one Fender plate I purchased (never again) rocked like a hobby horse. Plus, I had to file down the rough edges on the top. The Wilkinson plates don't have those.

I'm with you, but I haven't seen any information about the new Player series bridges except for the bent-steel saddle debacle. Either he did something wrong, or the new bridge plates have different specs from the old Standard plates.

 

I had no trouble with my Wilkinson by Sung Il I put on my MIM Standard. At first I was skeptical because I thought a original bridge would fit best. Well, I don't know about the original plate but the Wilkinson was a slam on, adjust saddles and done! No sanding or bending needed.
Perfect fit. I was considering a german made ABM bridge, wich was pretty expensive but since I had already a very good experience with one on my Strat that would have been my save option.

https://abm-guitarpartsshop.com/ABM...eplacement/ABM-3455:::256_92_190_191_192.html

But the Wilkinson was sooo dirt "cheap" I thought I'll give it a shot first. No regrets, only that I bought a nickel finished one instead of chrome.

For those curious about the Strat bridge:

https://abm-guitarpartsshop.com/ABM-GUITAR-PARTS/Tremolos/Vintage-Replacements/ABM-5050-M::247.html

I don't remember if it was exactly this one, I ordered it from Thomann and all I remember is that the description said: direct replacement for MIM and "fat" stainless steel block wich was what I was after.

 

I thought you were gonna tell me you've bought 20 of them.

It could be the one I bought was highly defective. Because yeah, the chrome plating on the front was bubbled when I got the package.

Or it could be your two were from a real nice batch.

 

Why would you sand flat the bottom of a bridge plate? It attaches with screws into wood--which is not flat--and it also compresses a bit. And the plate flexes anyway when the screws are snugged down. Sanding a stamped bridge plate is like polishing a cannonball before loading it into the barrel.

I do agree about the quality though; the Sung Il (Wilkinson) bridges are made far better than the Fender branded plates. The Wilky plate is thicker, the metal edges are properly finished after stamping, and the plating is worlds better. The Fender unit is stamped and thinly plated. The metal in the corners of the flange is especially ragged. C'mon, Fender! A little QC?

 

To eliminate a gap under the front of the bridge that allows the plate to vibrate in the air and make the pickup squeal.

 

I think that's unlikely. The two purchases were four years apart, so I assumed (uh-oh) that high quality was the rule rather than the exception.

 

I chuckled at this earlier and moved on, but what the heck...

I was a Field Artillery officer for a long time, so you chose the right audience for it.

Although cannonballs were rendered obsolete long ago, can you guess what happens when a nick, burr, or similar imperfection is discovered in a modern projectile's brass rotating band?

Yep, you already did.

 

In my experience, the compensation is excellent with .010-.046 strings, and very, very close with .011-.049 strings.

 

Just installed a Wilkinson by Sung Il compensated vintage 3-saddle to replace a modern 6-saddle and no issues with the Wilkinson at all. Intonated very well, much more twangy.

 

I went with a Joe Barden (vintage) plate then later changed to Rutters compensated saddles on my 15' Mexican standard. No problem with fitment, the Barden uses an additional two screws forward of the pickup but you don't have to install them.

https://jbepickups.com/bridge-assembly-vintage/

https://ruttersguitars.com/saddles