Strat Tremolo In My Tele?

[The Ballzz]

Hey All,
I'm getting a wild hair up my butt and think I wanna do something goofy. I'm sure I will get replies telling me "Don't do it!" etc, etc, but I've got a great sounding Triple Tele that does pretty much everything my Strats can do, and more, as well as Tele stuff, all except for that beloved wiggle stick! This thread is not so much intended for "How to" questions and tips, but more for discussion about the pros/cons and possible comments from those who may have done it.

I guess the first question is: Should expect to lose all of that great Tele grunt and twang by putting a six saddle Fender tremolo in place of the three saddle plate bridge currently on there? I'm already expecting to make a new pick guard and mount the bridge pickup on that.

Second question: Is there anything I can do to preserve that Tele tone and still have the Strat style trem? Maybe modify the trem plate to accept three saddles, instead of the six?

Any & All Comments Appreciated,
Gene

 

[Mr. Lumbergh]

Add a Stetsbar trem. No routing required, nor any of the jinkyness a Bigs requires to work on a Tele.
If you're dead set on a Strat-style, I'd say check out the Glendale Chimemaster. It has the Tele-style 3 brass saddles.

 

[The Ballzz]

Aaahh,
Another poor soul without a gig on a Saturday night! I'm three fingers in, but we can likely still chat for a bit! Yeah I'm really happy and familiar with Strat style trems and all their care & feeding! That Chimemaster does not appear to be available any longer from Glendale, but goggle showed some pics and it looks pretty cool. It certainly looks as though it may be easy enough to modify a six saddle plate for three saddles, as I have many tools and am not afraid to use them! Any other source or a link would certainly be a help.
Thanks,
Gene

 

[The Ballzz]

Looking at more pics that I've found leads me to believe that "angled" compensated saddles may not be optimal for this application, as a heavy dive bomb could cause a displacement of the strings. The more I look, the more I think that simply modifying/drilling a standard Strat plate, with straight compensated saddles may work as well, if not better!
Thanks Again,
Gene

 

[Mr. Lumbergh]

Aaahh,
Another poor soul without a gig on a Saturday night! I'm three fingers in, but we can likely still chat for a bit! Yeah I'm really happy and familiar with Strat style trems and all their care & feeding! That Chimemaster does not appear to be available any longer from Glendale, but goggle showed some pics and it looks pretty cool. It certainly looks as though it may be easy enough to modify a six saddle plate for three saddles, as I have many tools and am not afraid to use them! Any other source or a link would certainly be a help.
Thanks,
Gene

I sang for 80's night last night at my friendly neighborhood watering hole. The taps were flowing and I've spent most of the day in recovery...
I still think the Stetsbar is the way to go for a Tele though.

 

[The Ballzz]

Yeah,
Last night we rehearsed/drank/jammed/drank/wrote parts for a few upcoming recordings and had a ball! Does that Stetsbar do dives and respond similarly to a Fender Trem?
Gene

 

[cyberglad]

I guess putting a Fender bridge on the Fender guitar is quite logical, isn't it?

 

[Thin69]

Gee, you'll have to tune it occasionally, lol.

 

[The Ballzz]

Gee, you'll have to tune it occasionally, lol.

Funny thing is that my wiggle stick Strats require fewer tuning "touch-ups" than any of my fixed bridge guitars! Whenever it's a little off, one bump on the stick and good to go!

Just Sayin'
Gene

 

[The Ballzz]

Here's a great pic of what I'm plannin' from our good friend and esteemed member Fezz:

Though I will likely try it with six bent steel saddles first, to see if anything gets lost and also play around with mounting the pup the way he did it, in addition to trying the pup mounted to an enlarged pick guard. Will probably try the pick guard mounting first, as it won't require any addition holes drilled, at least for testing purposes. Bridge plates are cheap, as is pick guard material! Pics will be forthcoming once the sawdust starts flyin'!
Thanks To All!
Gene

 

[ebb soul]

I think it's heracy myself, but if you need a wiggle stick...

 

[The Ballzz]

I think it's heracy myself, but if you need a wiggle stick...

Ya Know,
I always have tended to agree with that premise, but this guitar just comes so close to "doing it all" and was so generally inexpensive, that I'm gonna give it a try at having that unicorn/holy grail type of guitar! I've got a couple nice Strats that sound and play great for what they are (standard SSS Strats) that it just seems a shame and pain in the "A" to swap guitars for just a wiggle stick song here and there, not to mention losing that great Tele THANG for those particular songs!
Thanx 4 Sayin'
Gene

 

[ebb soul]

Gee, and I want a hardtail strat if anything..lol..

 

[ScribbleSomething]

Rondo use to sell them.

http://www.tdpri.com/threads/rondo-has-the-tremolo-equipped-furrians-back-in-stock.551723/

Maybe you can get a furian used and make sure you like it before you start carving things up.

Super bee makes a tele wiggle stick that required cutting.

I like the idea of the stetsbar. I had a friend that put one on his strat and he said it felt to much like a bigsby for him. I didn't play it and I don't think that feel would bother me.

 

[ebb soul]

See the Reverend Pete Anderson tele. It wiggles.

 

[Picton]

Ya Know,
I always have tended to agree with that premise, but this guitar just comes so close to "doing it all" and was so generally inexpensive, that I'm gonna give it a try at having that unicorn/holy grail type of guitar! I've got a couple nice Strats that sound and play great for what they are (standard SSS Strats) that it just seems a shame and pain in the "A" to swap guitars for just a wiggle stick song here and there, not to mention losing that great Tele THANG for those particular songs!
Thanx 4 Sayin'
Gene

I think there’s a reason people have multiple guitars. I would be very afraid of taking my “do it all” Tele and, well, ruining it. Just because you CAN do something...

In short, I’d use a Strat for Strat songs. What you’re proposing reminds me of folks who feel they can take mahogany stain, apply it to pine, and make it mahogany, which doesn’t work and which I’ve never understood. I’d just use mahogany instead.

 

[noah330]

You can do it. I had a Telecaster Deluxe with a Strat vibrato years ago. They're kind of rare but they did make them.

 

[The Ballzz]

I have two identical Triple Teles and my favorite home built Fubar Telesaster! The triples were cheap enough on a blowout sale that even If I pooched the body, I could either get my money back on the rest of the parts or end up with the neck, three "No-Caster" bridge pups and all the hardware/electronics for less than the cost of list price! On the other hand, I have a fair level of skills in my wood/guitar fabricating/repair shop, and am pretty confident that all will go as planned. The real question to be answered is whether or not I'll lose the great Tele part of this guitar's capabilities! I'm fairly certain it will retain the great Strat sounds, as well as it's convincing imitation of a humbucker equipped Les Paul! Just worried about losing that "Spank 'N' Twang THANG!" That's why I planning for the possibility of modifying/re-drilling the bridge plate for three saddles. Also wondering which is worth more, the $37 +shipping for a tremolo routing template set from StewMac or my time/labor to make my own templates.
Thanx 2 All,
Gene

 

[macatt]

I have a three pickup Tele with a Stetsbar.
Here's the lowdown:

* It is every bit if not more sensitive as a Strat trem. Lots of range up and down.
* The bridge and saddles slide forward and back on roller bearings as apposed to rocking up and down like a Strat trem.
* There is less friction than a traditional six point and it returns to pitch extremely well.
* There is little to no slop in the adjustable arm and it stays in whatever position you left it in.
* I requires no routing or drilling. No modification of the guitar and is totally reversible.
* The pickup mounts in a steel plate similar to a Tele so it's less likely to alter the classic Tele tone.

Things that some could consider negatives:

* It requires a neck shim because the bridge is higher off the body even when adjusted to it's lowest position.
* It's not real pretty but somewhat industrial looking.
* It's expensive.

None of those three things are really deal killers to me. I love the thing. It works great and my guitar still sounds like a Tele.

S Mac

 

[The Ballzz]

Yeah, but that Stesbar is butt fugly to my tastes. Not to mention, I don't think I'm much of a fan of the "rocking bridge" ala Jaguar/Jazzmaster! I know some love them, but I really like the Strat style tremolo and am not afraid of the outcome, as I have more than a dozen other, fully giggable guitars, including Teles, wiggle stick Strats and Les Pauls! I also don't relish the idea of needing to shim/raise the neck!

I'm now on the search for a routing template for 2 1/16" mounting, instead of the typical 2 3/16". Anyone got any ideas or have a set?

Thanks Folks,
Gene