Tele bridge plate, 2 top extra screws?

[javierj]

Hello everyone! Hope that you are all doing great out there!

I just recently placed an order for a in mint condition, used Fender Baja Telecaster, the one that is more 50's with maple fretboard.

I also ordered on the side, a set of Callaham enhanced vintage compensated brass saddles, the non slanted ones.

I am choosing to keep the stock Fender bridge plate and not get a thicker or more sustain one, since I feel that could give me a different sound than the one I want. Also I did not wanted to pay a lot more money for a complete bridge assembly, so I only got the compensated brass saddles separately.

Do you think it might be a good idea to try and drill the 2 extra holes on the stock Fender bridge plate, the ones of the top corners, closer to the neck? Could this make a more solid bridge plate and guitar top vibration transfer? Like maybe improve sustain a little bit, without compromising a nice Tele sound? Is there some sort of improvement on doing this mod, besides just avoiding possible loud volume microphonics?

I know that tone is subjective and I also think that it also helps a lot to ask around other peoples opinions, who may have tried a lot of this stuff already. I think is always good to know other people impressions on these things to help you get a bigger picture out of this.

Also I understand that some of this mods where not on the original Leo Fender designs and all the great music from the past that was recorded using Teles without some of these mods, but still that does not mean that they can not be an improvement of the original design.

Thoughts and opinions highly apreciated!

Regards,

Javier

 

[baiff]

No need to drill extra holes IMO. The design has lasted through the test of time and does not need any modifications. I have tried Rutters, Glendale, Callaham and the basic Fender stuff. I don't hear anything that would make me pay those prices for a piece of metal. The do look very nice and do the job but so does the $15 Fender bridge.

 

[boris bubbanov]

Javier, I wouldn't mess with the stock Fender bridge plate unless you're having problems with uncontrolled squeal.

The most important thing is that the body underneath is flat (no wires trapped under the plate) and the plate is dead flat.

Those two "front" screws are only necessary, sometimes, in really high gain situations.

+

But I have some bad news for you. At least, in terms of my approach to using and setting up a Baja. The saddles are supposed to be VERY high to make room for the picking fingers and so the bridge pickup can emerge more from under the plate. Bill Callaham's "enhanced" saddles are jewel like and just wonderful for a guitar with a low or "slammed" setup but once you hike them really high, the facet of the enhanced barrel may not address some strings properly. You'll get a secondary break point.

If you intent to keep the setup very low to the body, the Callahams will be fine. But if not, consider those slightly slant compensated Fender brass saddles from Darren Riley (North Carolina) or use the other saddle that Callaham has or choose the eccentric slotted saddles from Marc Rutters (So. California) or the slant compensated saddles from Dale Clark (Glendale Guitars, Texas).

You guys still have a substantial Impuesto, right? Have you though about getting some small hand tools, some 5/16ths brass rod stock, and making your own?

 

[heltershelton]

i thought about that but decided to leave mine as is.

 

[javierj]

Thanks a lot everyone for the input!

Yeah I will leave the stock Fender bridge plate as it is without the extra 2 holes. I never play with high gain and really loud volumes.

I do hope I can fit the $40 plus shipping Callaham enhanced vintage compensated saddles, without much problems like the ones metioned by Boris Bubbanov. I've never owed a Tele before so I will have to wait until I get it and install the Callaham saddles and see how it fits.

Thanks a lot again!

 

[javierj]

Javier, I wouldn't mess with the stock Fender bridge plate unless you're having problems with uncontrolled squeal.

The most important thing is that the body underneath is flat (no wires trapped under the plate) and the plate is dead flat.

When I receive the guitar I am going to replace the stock strings anyway and install the Callaham saddles. When I do this, should I try to re move the bridge plate to make sure it is as flat as possible?

 

[heltershelton]

When I receive the guitar I am going to replace the stock strings anyway and install the Callaham saddles. When I do this, should I try to re move the bridge plate to make sure it is as flat as possible?

it will be fine.

 

[javierj]

it will be fine.

Thanks a lot !

And what about the aftermarket Callaham brass saddles?

Those I can just remove the original ones and install the the Callaham, right?

Is because I did not understand what Boris Bubbanov said about something that may not work properly on my Baja Telecaster guitar and the Callaham enhanced vintage compensated brass saddles?

 

[javierj]

But I have some bad news for you. At least, in terms of my approach to using and setting up a Baja. The saddles are supposed to be VERY high to make room for the picking fingers and so the bridge pickup can emerge more from under the plate. Bill Callaham's "enhanced" saddles are jewel like and just wonderful for a guitar with a low or "slammed" setup but once you hike them really high, the facet of the enhanced barrel may not address some strings properly. You'll get a secondary break point.

If you intent to keep the setup very low to the body, the Callahams will be fine. But if not, consider those slightly slant compensated Fender brass saddles from Darren Riley (North Carolina) or use the other saddle that Callaham has or choose the eccentric slotted saddles from Marc Rutters (So. California) or the slant compensated saddles from Dale Clark (Glendale Guitars, Texas).

You guys still have a substantial Impuesto, right? Have you though about getting some small hand tools, some 5/16ths brass rod stock, and making your own?

When you mentioned about "setting the saddles high or low" do you mean about setting the action of the guitar? I like a normal action height, not to high, not to low.

I already had placed the order of the Callaham saddles, so I hope that I would be able to fit just fine on my Baja Tele.

We do have to pay more to get things down here to Costa Rica from the USA, but I guess by now we are used to it...

 

[heltershelton]

Thanks a lot !

And what about the aftermarket Callaham brass saddles?

Those I can just remove the original ones and install the the Callaham, right?

Is because I did not understand what Boris Bubbanov said about something that may not work properly on my Baja Telecaster guitar and the Callaham enhanced vintage compensated brass saddles?

ive never used callaham. i have gotoh in tune compensated saddles on mine.
but i do know callaham makes top notch stuff.

 

[javierj]

Yeah I just hope that the Callaham enhanced vintage compensated brass saddles end up being the right one for one of the best sound and intonation for my Tele Baja guitar.

 

[javierj]

Yeah I just hope that the Callaham enhanced vintage compensated brass saddles end up being the right one and great sound and intonation for my Tele Baja guitar. Since I already placed the order for the Callaham.

 

[Twang Guitars]

They will be just fine... or actually great...
Dont over think them.