Tele bridge replacement

[Maguchi]

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.

View attachment 1402583

I recently replaced the 6 saddle bridge on my 2019 MiM Player Tele with a Gotoh BS-TCIS T-style bridge with compensated saddles https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/BSTC1SCR--gotoh-bs-tc1s-t-style-bridge-chrome and some Fender Classic Gear Tunng Machines, https://www.sweetwater.com/store/de...ssic-gear-machine-head-tuning-machines-chrome for a classic old school look. They both fit and work great on a MiM Tele. IMHO old school looks, but modern performance. All holes are in the right place. No drilling needed.

 

[BluesOwl]

@stevekolt
Wait!
Glendale glendaleguitars.com has the 3-saddle raised lip tele bridge plate you want. 3-hole mounting.

 

[BigPapa-53]

@stevekolt
Wait!
Glendale glendaleguitars.com has the 3-saddle raised lip tele bridge plate you want. 3-hole mounting.

His bridge is 4-hole.

@stevekolt , have you received your new bridge yet?

 

[stevekolt]

Alrighty, bridge delivered from SW today.
Fender 3 saddle American Vintage Telecaster Bridge Assembly is a direct replacement….Yay!!!

Gotoh compensated saddles ordered.

Very happy.
Big thanks to Scott A. at Sweetwater.

Thanks to all for the suggestions/help.

 

[John Stephen]

Glad you had a good outcome.

 

[John Stephen]

Alrighty, bridge delivered from SW today.
Fender 3 saddle American Vintage Telecaster Bridge Assembly is a direct replacement….Yay!!!

Gotoh compensated saddles ordered.

Very happy.
Big thanks to Scott A. at Sweetwater.

Thanks to all for the suggestions/help.

Steve, sometime when it's convenient, how 'bout a photo?

 

[BigPapa-53]

He got the one I posted in post #11. There are pics there.

 

[John Stephen]

OK thanks @BigPapa-53 . Looking back at your photos, I wouldn't have thought the replacement bridge, which is much shorter than your original bridge, could be a drop-in replacement. But I guess it can. I hadn't picked up on that, back when you posted your post.

 

[BigPapa-53]

The shorter, 3-barrel bridge was the original. I replaced it with the longer 6-saddle. @stevekolt is going the other way.

 

[John Stephen]

The shorter, 3-barrel bridge was the original. I replaced it with the longer 6-saddle. @stevekolt is going the other way.

Now I got it. Thanks.

 

[yegbert]

OK thanks @BigPapa-53 . Looking back at your photos, I wouldn't have thought the replacement bridge, which is much shorter than your original bridge, could be a drop-in replacement. But I guess it can. I hadn't picked up on that, back when you posted your post.

The length (of a seemingly longer flat block-saddled bridge like an MiM Standard, or the similar GOTOHs or Klusons) is misleading. It’s the footprint of the pickup hole, STB, and screw holes that matters. If that footprint matches, it fits. If that footprint doesn’t match, get out a drill or go home.

 

[John Stephen]

Right, that’s why I was never able to find a 3-saddle replacement bridge for my Bullet Tele, which has a 6-saddle. The holes didn’t match up. Also, because the 3-saddle bridges were all about 15 mm shorter, the screw holes at the back end of the bridge would have been uncovered and visible.

 

[BigPapa-53]

 

[Ron C]

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

View attachment 1401091


Wilkinson

View attachment 1401093

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

@stevekolt I'm really glad this worked out for you. Something was fishy about the original problem. I feared that your MIM Tele was actually a fake, since I've never seen a MIM Tele that couldn't be fitted (without drilling) with a vintage style, Fender-spec bridge*. Thankfully that's not the case!

Equally weird is that the Wilkinson bridge didn't fit -- I thought they were all standard-spec. Not so, I guess.

*Exception might be some really early MIM Standards...were they top loaders?

 

[yegbert]

Right, that’s why I was never able to find a 3-saddle replacement bridge for my Bullet Tele, which has a 6-saddle. The holes didn’t match up. Also, because the 3-saddle bridges were all about 15 mm shorter, the screw holes at the back end of the bridge would have been uncovered and visible.

I don’t know the specific measurements of the Bullet Tele, but the bridge that Fender shows on them online look enough like the [now discontinued] 2K and newer Squier Standards, that with some adaptation a Kluson hybrid for American Standard Tele might fit; if its STB holes are compatible, the bridgeplate or Tele body might mount.

 

[yegbert]

@stevekolt I'm really glad this worked out for you. Something was fishy about the original problem. I feared that your MIM Tele was actually a fake, since I've never seen a MIM Tele that couldn't be fitted (without drilling) with a vintage style, Fender-spec bridge*. Thankfully that's not the case!

Equally weird is that the Wilkinson bridge didn't fit -- I thought they were all standard-spec. Not so, I guess.

*Exception might be some really early MIM Standards...were they top loaders?

I think that early ‘90s MIM and Squier (except for some MIK ones) Standards were toploaders.

 

[John Stephen]

I don’t know the specific measurements of the Bullet Tele, but the bridge that Fender shows on them online look enough like the [now discontinued] 2K and newer Squier Standards, that with some adaptation a Kluson hybrid for American Standard Tele might fit; if its STB holes are compatible, the bridgeplate or Tele body might mount.
View attachment 1404595

View attachment 1404599

Thanks for that. Back when I was trying to do this, I looked a bunch of bridges online, but i can’t remember if I looked at this one. I will see if I can track down the dimensions of this one somewhere online.

 

[stevekolt]

Steve, sometime when it's convenient, how 'bout a photo?

John Stephen, here it is with my new replacement bridge, will restring when the compensated saddles get here. Should be Tuesday according to SW.

 

[John Stephen]

Looks good!