Isn't the Telecaster ashtray bridge the coolest thing you've ever seen?

[Marcelo R]

Some days ago I looked to my Telecaster and suddenly my eyes were caught by the sight of its unmistakeable "ashtray bridge". I thought it was the coolest thing I've ever seen, not only as a piece of the guitar but as a masterpiece of design - even as a little masterpiece of pure art. I'm talking about the whole thing, with the pickup and the strings included.

The whole set has the charme of a minimalist design, combined with the precision of a clockwork mechanism - those springs and bolts and the brass saddles. The slanted black pickup contrasts beautifully with the silver chrome plate. And then, with the strings on it, the set acquires a powerful and, in a way, menacing character - think of an electrified wire fence, for instance.

I kept watching the thing for a long while, like if I was hypnotized.

(I have to tell that this doesn't happens to me when I look, say, the Tune-O-Matic bridge of my beloved Les Paul).

Maybe I'm just losing my mind...

Any thoughts?

 

[hemingway]

Yep

 

[Smiff]

I’d say you need to join the stopping weed thread lol.

But I do the same with my Strat. Sometimes just spend time looking at the angle of the floating bridge plate and the angle of the saddles sat on it. It looks good now, it must have been amazing back in the 50’s. I do the same with the pickups; admiring how each one is a specific distance from the strings to optimise performance. It’s the sort of thing non guitar players don’t notice, but it’s all important.

 

[kookaburra]

I'm onboard. Compensated saddles on my ashtray model though. My other Tele has the 6 saddle flat plate.

Then again, I have lived in Australia, so I was standing upside down for some time also!

 

[Fiesta Red]

I don't know...I always put the covers on both my Tele and my Strat!

Fiesta Red's modified 1995 Hecho-en-Mexico Fender Telecaster Special

• Fiesta Red
• Oct 16, 2017

Added a Mighty Mite P-90 to.the neck position, added 4-way switch and Fender No-Load Tone Pot...

1992 Fender American Vintage 62 Stratocaster

• Fiesta Red
• Jan 15, 2018

Many modifications...
Changed pickguard, pickup covers, knobs, switch tip (cosmetic).
Changed...

 

[Minimalist518]

I agree wholeheartedly! The modern, six-saddle flat bridge plate does nothing for me. I’m also firmly in the string-through camp. I had two previous Tele’s that *didn’t* have the ashtray and, although there were many other (arguably better) reasons that I moved them on, the lack of the iconic bridge assembly was definitely a factor!
I can’t foresee my current guitar going anywhere though. I mean look at it; it just looks badass with the chrome ashtray, the DiMarzio ‘bucker and the compensated brass saddles. Dang! Right?

 

[Amby]

Totally agree with the OP. Many of us diehards appreciate the beauty and sound of the vintage bridge.

 

[etype]

I cannot disagree with how great and simple the original tele bridge looks, but I am also a fan of this G&L bridge and the Musicman bridge used on the St Vincent

image removed

 

[Mike Eskimo]

Vintage bridge is great /iconic and I never had a problem playing my Tele's that had one, but the side walls are not necessary for me (or Keef or Campilongo) anymore.



I have a friend who borrowed a Tele from me for an extended period of time and he swore that the side walls were key to "the Tele sound".

"It creates a resonance/reverb/thing !"

Uh...no.

Kudos to Leo for simple effective industrial design though !

 

[IronSchef]

I love the vintage tele bridge - dressed or undressed, its a wonder of beauty and function

 

[felis]

Isn't the Telecaster ashtray bridge the coolest thing you've ever seen?

Any thoughts?

I could agree on, a variation of it.

 

[Minimalist518]

I have to tell that this doesn't happens to me when I look, say, the Tune-O-Matic bridge of my beloved Les Paul.

View attachment 488532

I agree about the tune-o-matic/stop-tailpiece, and the Les Paul is probably my second all-round favorite guitar design. However, a bit of honest wear on the stop-tail where the plating gets burnished flat or worn entirely off by use goes a long way towards improving the aesthetic.
I do think that an old aftermarket Baddass bridge on an LP Jr. or SG Jr. looks very nearly as awesome – in a similar industrial grade, hyper-functional way – as an ashtray bridge does on a Tele.

 

[JL_LI]

Does anyone play finger style with the cover on? I'm thinking a cover might look good on mine, definitely better than the busy appearance of six individual saddles.

 

[RoyBGood]

I think the recessed jack socket on a Strat is rather nice too.

 

[theruley]

Close!

The prs wraparound bridge is about the closest thing to perfection that I have yet to come across...the tele vintage bridge is probably my second favourite though!

 

[Fiesta Red]

Does anyone play finger style with the cover on? I'm thinking a cover might look good on mine, definitely better than the busy appearance of six individual saddles.

Yep. I use a modified fingerstyle technique (Chet Atkins I ain't), and I rest the heel of my hand on the bridge cover...Works for me!

 

[JL_LI]

Close!

The prs wraparound bridge is about the closest thing to perfection that I have yet to come across...the tele vintage bridge is probably my second favourite though!

Simplicity, functionality, and elegance. I saw it on a PRS McCarty and loved it. The bridge also takes on a beautiful patina. I have the guitars I need for now but there may be a McCarty in my future if I cross paths with the right one.

 

[dkmw]

A year or two someone on here referenced the vintage Tele bridge as “tractor parts”. I thought that was genius but I didn’t save or bookmark the comment.

So I don’t know who to credit, but it’s a great description of the anachronistic charm and functionality.

 

[IronSchef]

I agree wholeheartedly! The modern, six-saddle flat bridge plate does nothing for me. I’m also firmly in the string-through camp. I had two previous Tele’s that *didn’t* have the ashtray and, although there were many other (arguably better) reasons that I moved them on, the lack of the iconic bridge assembly was definitely a factor!
I can’t foresee my current guitar going anywhere though. I mean look at it; it just looks badass with the chrome ashtray, the DiMarzio ‘bucker and the compensated brass saddles. Dang! Right?
View attachment 488537

That is one killer looking Tele - love everything about it!!

 

[BryanLB]

Sandpaper aged and clear coated wilkinson bridge.