Tele bridge replacement

[stevekolt]

I want to replace the six saddle original bridge on my MIM Tele with a three saddle compensated bridge. The Wilkinson is too short, see pics

Original

Wilkinson

Sorry for the quick and dirty pics. Any help/suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[jvin248]

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If you have access to a good drill, drill press is best, and a center punch to keep the bit from wandering, you can do "The Bubba Mod" drilling three holes on the back of your original bridge.

Search tdpri for bubba mod and you'll find more info.

I put the new holes close to the bottom radius not centered or not high on the flange.

Otherwise order a fender three saddle bridge.


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[stevekolt]

.

If you have access to a good drill, drill press is best, and a center punch to keep the bit from wandering, you can do "The Bubba Mod" drilling three holes on the back of your original bridge.

Search tdpri for bubba mod and you'll find more info.

I put the new holes close to the bottom radius not centered or not high on the flange.

Otherwise order a fender three saddle bridge.


.

Thanks for the reply, will the Fender bridge be a direct replacement, no drilling?

 

[Caffiend]

Based on this thread, I think you need to be careful which replacement Fender bridge you get. I've never done this.

Replacing a Modern Bridge for a Vintage w/ 3 saddles

Hi all! About to be a MIM Tele owner and having played both the modern bridge and the vintage, I want to replace the one that comes with for a vintage. I'm worried, however, about the holes lining up, about having to drill etc. Does anyone mind talking me through the replacement process...

www.tdpri.com

 

[Tarkus60]

My 2 cents Hipshot

 

[John Stephen]

Thanks for the reply, will the Fender bridge be a direct replacement, no drilling?

I tried and tried to find a three-saddle bridge to fit my Squier (I know, yours is MIM). Couldn't find one. I don't have a drill that will drill holes in bridges, or I would just do it that way. This was a real rabbit-hole for me. I was never able to do it. Hopefully somebody here can provide you with more useful and more positive info. If it works out let us know!

 

[yegbert]

Are you trying this on a Fender Standard or a Performer, that came with a 4-screw-mounted bridge? I have a body that came from Fender with a 4-screw Standard, that I bought as a pull from Stratosphere. I have used it with Fender Standard block saddle bridge, GOTOH replacement block saddle bridge, Fender vintage style 3 barrel saddle, and a Wilkinson Sung-I’ll vintage style 3 barrel bridge, with no problems.

I’d remove the saddles and pickup from both yours (original and Wilky) to have the bridgeplates bare, and carefully lay the Wilkinson directly atop the original bridge. Look closeup straight, centered, and directly above the holes; take pictures if you want that show the bridge mounting, STB, and pickup holes are or are not compatible.

I have Squiers, MIK Protone from ‘97 with block saddles, Standards from the ‘90s that had barrel saddles, Standards from the 2Ks that had block saddles, and CVS with vintage style bridges. I know the pain of trying to make those Standards fit a vintage style bridge, and have done it with drilling bodies and bridgeplates, all now academic since CVs with vintage style bridges are available. If trying to get a vintage style bridge on a Protone or 2K Standard 3-screw mounted body with more forward located STB holes, the Kluson hybrid made for American standards at least has compatible STB holes, and one can drill the bridgeplate or body to get it mounted. Better yet, just start with a vintage style CV.

 

[Peegoo]

@stevekolt

You have the "modern" bridge on your guitar, and the body is drilled for that bridge. These bodies are not compatible with the vintage style three-saddle ashtray bridge.

 

[Peegoo]

You can drill your current bridge for three saddles:

 

[GilmourD]

Before you guys have poor @stevekolt drilling holes in his body...

I have questions.

This body is from an MIM Standard? The end of the fretboard I can see in your picture definitely tells me that the neck is not Fender at all.

The MIM Standard is drilled for an ashtray bridge but has a modern style bridge on it that uses the same mount. Gotoh actually makes the GTC201 for those that want a modern bridge to replace their ashtray.

If you take the shimmy the piece of paper that's protecting the plate from the height screws during shipping to expose the screw holes, do those line up?

 

[BigPapa-53]

My '18 MIM came with this bridge. It should mount right up if your modern bridge has four holes. I swapped it out for the modern 6-saddle. Direct swap, no drilling.

https://www.fender.com/products/3-saddle-american-vintage-telecaster-bridge-assembly-chrome

 

[stevekolt]

My '18 MIM came with this bridge. It should mount right up if your modern bridge has four holes. I swapped it out for the modern 6-saddle. Direct swap, no drilling.

https://www.fender.com/products/3-saddle-american-vintage-telecaster-bridge-assembly-chrome

View attachment 1401451
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View attachment 1401463

OK, will order and give this one a try. Checked WD, and Babicz also without luck.

 

[yegbert]

@stevekolt

You have the "modern" bridge on your guitar, and the body is drilled for that bridge. These bodies are not compatible with the vintage style three-saddle ashtray bridge.

I understand that the bridge you show isn’t compatible (and appreciate how you show their alignment, pickup holes aligned side by side), but from his description and picture the OP’s original bridge is apparently the Fender (MiM) Standard, not a Fender American Standard or Squier Standard (which incidentally looks like your left pic, 5 screw holes and STB holes more forward). So that Wilkinson (or other one made to Fender vintage Tele specs) should indeed fit that Tele.

 

[PI Mullard]

Not all Telecasters are the same. There are many different models and they typically don't share the same hardware configuration.

The first thing to remember when it comes to hardware, regardless of guitar, make and model and specific component; There is no such thing as a "drop-in replacement". When hardware (i.e bridge system or tuners) is replaced, the guitar has to be re-adjusted, i.e adapted/re-balanced, to accommodate a new and different hardware configuration. Then you'll find out if the replacement effort was an "upgrade" or not. (Maybe you are just interested in what the bridge looks like? then please move on.)

If you look on the back of the headstock of an old guitar, it's not unusual to find screw holes and other signs of retrofitted tuners. Apparently those tuner replacements didn't fit the original holes drilled in the headstock, but for some reason a previous owner decided to modify the guitar and drill more holes in the headstock. Some people think this is business as usual and don't care as long as the guitar got their tuners of choice. Others may curse (to no avail) the fact that not all tuners got the same spec and symmetry.

The tuners are anchoring the strings on one end, on the other end we find a bridge system of sorts. And just like tuners, not all bridges are the same; meaning you may have to drill more holes in the body to make it fit...

-Is it worth the effort? That depends on the outcome, if it turned out to be an upgrade or not. (fwiw, in no case would drilling additional holes in the guitar increase its value).

One may curse (to no avail) the fact that not all bridge systems got the same spec and symmetry. Thinking about it, some of them are different for a reason. Think twice about your purpose and remember that at the end of the day you'll have to re-balance the guitar, regardless.

 

[Caffiend]

@stevekolt

You have the "modern" bridge on your guitar, and the body is drilled for that bridge. These bodies are not compatible with the vintage style three-saddle ashtray bridge.

This is what I had always understood but from the thread I linked, it looked like there was a Fender bridge which fitted the 'modern' pattern but looked passably like a vintage bridge. It's not a rabbit hole I've been down, personally

 

[Peegoo]

This is what I had always understood but from the thread I linked, it looked like there was a Fender bridge which fitted the 'modern' pattern but looked passably like a vintage bridge. It's not a rabbit hole I've been down, personally

That's the general rule...but there are a few exceptions.

 

[Maguchi]

I know of a couple of 3 saddle replacement bridges for 6 saddle American standard bridges, however there may be more. Callaham makes a 3 barrel saddle bridge to replace a American Standard bridge. And I believe a Fender American Professional bridge should also fit.

 

[GilmourD]

I know of a couple of 3 saddle replacement bridges for 6 saddle American standard bridges, however there may be more. Callaham makes a 3 barrel saddle bridge to replace a American Standard bridge. And I believe a Fender American Professional bridge should also fit.

Yes, but my understanding is that @stevekolt's guitar is an MIM Standard Tele.

I've put both Fender '52RI and Wilkinson ashtray bridges on multiple MIM Standard Teles. The only thing I ever worried about is if the original plate left a visible imprint in the finish since it has a larger footprint than an ashtray.

The only guitars I've ever seen with the four mounting screws with string-through holes closer to the endpin that have had issues with a regular Ashtray dropping in have been Glarry Teles. For some reason the bridge pickup route isn't in quite the same spot and I had to route a tiny bit of wood out to make it work.

Heck, the string-through Affinity Teles with the belly carve take an ashtray bridge no problem! The only problem is that you can see a sliver of the bridge pickup route on the bass side of the plate, but my wife doesn't care all that much. I did have to cut the replacement pickguard out a touch around the neck and bridge cutouts to make that fit, but then even all the screw holes lined up.

 

[yegbert]

I know of a couple of 3 saddle replacement bridges for 6 saddle American standard bridges, however there may be more. Callaham makes a 3 barrel saddle bridge to replace a American Standard bridge. And I believe a Fender American Professional bridge should also fit.

IMO, this Kluson hybrid for American Standard Tele is a good one. It’s STB holes incidentally are compatible with bodies of 2k and newer Squier Standard Teles, but the screw holes are different, requiring drilling either the body or bridgeplate.

 

[Thadocaster]

The OP's guitar absolutely will not fit the modern bridge designed for American Std/Pro. The string thru holes and mounting holes are opposite like the vintage style bridge.

The important question is what year MIM Std that guitar is if they're not all laid out with vintage screw pattern. As mentioned but I don't see a response to is why the fretboard end is hard edged as that was not on any Fender Tele that I'm aware of.

I recently got a Player2 and swapped on a vintage bridge from the parts stash as soon as I got home. Installed no problem.