Give me a reason to dislike L-shaped Tele bridges over ashtray bridges.

You’ve got it right. It’s purely aesthetic. There are sonic differences, but they’re subtle, and when I can tell the difference modern bridges actually sound better. They definitely intonate better. Unless you just have to have a historic recreation of something that didn’t work all that well to begin with, I’d go for the modern style most of the time. Of course, there are a lot crap, cheap, pot metal, modern style bridges. But if you’re buying a decent quality guitar the bridge should be fine.

 

I swapped my mid-00s MIM L-bridge for the tray and greatly prefer it. That rounded corner closest to me feels natural to the butt of my palm vs resting on the saddles for some reason. Also access to the twangy end of the strings isn't impeded, though I don't have a cover on mine if that's what you meant. They're tougher to snap the further back you go too. To get a really nice pop, the sweet spot for me is on the north side of the bridge pickup.

 

There are many vintage style bridges available that have a “cutaway” on the treble side. I believe Danny Gatton was the first to do it, but it’s a pretty common mod these days.

 

Something like this is kind of a best of both worlds approach.

NEW Gotoh BS-TC1S Steel Tele Bridge, Cut Down Sides, Brass Saddles - NICKEL
https://reverb.com/item/30726790-ne...are&utm_campaign=listing&utm_content=30726790

 

The vintage style is thin and magnetic, and there might be something to the shared-saddle thing. The modern style intonates properly, I think a good one would be brass, though I'm sure steel ones exist too.

Micawber's had one for ages, and it's probably one of the Tele-est sounding Teles on the planet.

I got a no-name body that came with the Mexican Standard modern style, I swapped it for a AVRI and some high-zoot angled brass saddles. I still can't play guitar.

 

Two things happen when people look at "ashtray" and "L-shaped" bridges. In the case of the MIM Standard/Player, you carry over the locations of the screw mount points and string through locations (and so either bridge concept works) but on the USA Standard and its progeny, that all changes. Personally, I don't mind the option of being able to switch back and forth, as the MIM model allows. In contrast, the USA model (even the more recent adaptations of the American Standard to use 3 barrels) have "bad" reference points and frankly, can only work with the L shaped bridge design. Which is fine if you strum chords or shred - but it is a problem if you like to fingerpick.

 

Hard to come up with one if it's a quality model, like the Gotoh modern.

You can even twang with them...though it's a subtly different twang. I doubt an audience would know the difference live or on record though.

Doesn't look traditional...there. How's that?

 

......

 

I used a flap wheel on an angle grinder to remove the lip on the bridge on my Esquire. I find it gets in the way sometimes when I'm picking near the saddles, but it keeps the more vintage look that I prefer and isn't too obvious unless you're a Tele expert.



During the work:

 

L shaped bridges have a microchip that controls you when you touch the strings. It makes that Cake by the Ocean song stick in your head when you are trying to focus.

 

I will give you no reason

 

Goldurned whippersnappers wit dem newfangled thingamabobs...
Really though, either will work for making music. Preferences are often not entirely based in rational thought.
Just find a good feeling guitar that sounds good for your needs. Don’t need to fix what ain’t broke.

 

I scrolled all the way through this, just to find out someone already gave my answer...

 

For 18 years I had the stock modern style bridge on my mexican standard tele. On every gig I broke at least one string. Since I swapped it for a classic three saddle bridge two years, I didn't broke a single string. So perhaps the modern saddles had sharp edges.

I never looked and prefer the vintage style bridge

 

This is exactly what I put on my 18 Player. Intonates well and you don't even notice the lip. The original player bridge had no lip this feels no different under the right hand

 

Those MIM standard saddles from back in the day were junk. I’m sure you had burrs and gouges in them. I’ve never seen one of those bridges that didn’t. I never understood why they didn’t just use better saddles. That metal was crap.