Another unnecessary bridge redesign

[markleton]

This time for Teles! Found this thread on the telecaster forum where someone has designed a new type of tele bridge. What was wrong with the old or new style i have no clue, but way to go transforming the worlds most basic guitar designs into something that looks like the Terminators asshole.

Pictures for the lazy and TDPRI phobic.

[robert(original)]

looks like a floyd peice or something.
i might dig it if it was all chrome.

[Bacchus]

Cool.

Nice to see something different.

We all complain that all guitars are starting to look the same, and that nothing brave ever happens anymore, then slag off this sort of thing.

Good to see, even if it does mean that innovation has become the realm of the bedroom enthusiast instead of the influential manufacturing giants.

[benecol]

Cool.

Nice to see something different.

We all complain that all guitars are starting to look the same, and that nothing brave ever happens anymore, then slag off this sort of thing.

Good to see, even if it does mean that innovation has become the realm of the bedroom enthusiast instead of the influential manufacturing giants.

Here here. Much as I think this bridge is an ugly fucker, this post reminds me why you're one of my favourite posters (after myself).

[kim]

i like how guitarcompanies are making guitars of teh futurez (hello gibson robo guitar)

but it's bull, old works fine, less is more etc that kinda crap
i think this thread needs




=)

i mean, look at at. <3

[Mike]

i like how guitarcompanies are making guitars of teh futurez (hello gibson robo guitar)

but it's bull, old works fine, less is more etc that kinda crap
i think this thread needs




=)

i mean, look at at. <3

+1

The bridge on my Baja Telecaster is a 3 saddle lipstick edge bridge with brass saddles. It intonates perfectly with 11s. It is spanky and lush.

I'm all for innovation, but it's generally a good idea to come up with a solution to an existing problem.
Telecaster bridges are not a problem, unless you're some idiot internet hyperbole person who reads more than they play.

[Reece]

I'm all for innovation, but it's generally a good idea to come up with a solution to an existing problem.

Hit the nail on the head.
It's like the fucking robot guitar, since when was tuning a problem for anyone? If you can't tune your own guitar you shouldn't be playing one.

Same with the VG strat, if you want substandard modelling sounds, buy a POD and be done with it. It also has a midi pickup and no fucking midi output, nicely done Fender.

[izodiak]

i like how guitarcompanies are making guitars of teh futurez (hello gibson robo guitar)

but it's bull, old works fine, less is more etc that kinda crap
i think this thread needs




=)

i mean, look at at. <3

And add an 'ashtray' over, and thats just all You need.
Love the look.
Black telecaster, white binding, ashtray.. <3

[euan]

A Telecaster needs a Telecaster bridge. Three saddle, brass saddles. With compensated Wilkinson saddles

Don't design a new bridge for the Telecaster, design a new guitar.

Innovate entirely, design and evolve don't just stick it on something old.

[Mike]

With compensated Wilkinson saddles

Not necessary. If I put comp'd saddles on my Tele it's intonation would be worse. It is currently spot on.

However if with your Tele and your gauge you're not getting close enough, then by all means try the Comp'd saddles. But they are not necessary as a rule.

[euan]

My 3 saddle wasn't spot on until I got the compensated saddles on. Did the biz and a half. The better quality saddles as well made a subtle improvement to the guitar.

[Nick]

I think it makes perfect sense. How necessary it is realistically and how aesthetically pleasing it is might be a different story, but here's what it looks like to me

1. The height adjustment screws under the saddles - more comfortable palm muting and no cutting up your hand on sharp screws sticking out. Also as far as I can see at least this way saddles can each be at an even height, I never got why height adjustment on a 6 saddle bridge needed 2 screws per saddle.

2. Pivoting saddles - the traditional tele/strat bridge "3 screw" design usually resulted in one or more screws not being even with the rest of the bridge, and usually with the pressure of the string on top of that. This sometimes results in screws bending over time, getting stripped during setups, and also screw movement during intensive playing, which can throw off intonation and string height over a period of time. This bridge looks like it allows the length screws to stay flush with the bridge while the saddle pivots to allow the height adjusters to also stay straight.

Now don't get me wrong, I think it's ugly and until I ever (probably never) get the chance to play one I won't say that my observations based on this picture hold true. But for guitar enthusiasts who want their guitar to have all the latest snooty gadgets to make it the most comfortable or versatile guitar evar, it fills a void.

[James]

Cool.

Nice to see something different.

We all complain that all guitars are starting to look the same, and that nothing brave ever happens anymore, then slag off this sort of thing.

Good to see, even if it does mean that innovation has become the realm of the bedroom enthusiast instead of the influential manufacturing giants.

Here here. Much as I think this bridge is an ugly fucker, this post reminds me why you're one of my favourite posters (after myself).

+1

Guitars are not perfect. This bridge (and the jazzmaster one) may look like a bag of spanners but it's nice people are trying to improve things.

It doesnt seem the best idea to be marketing this as a tele bridge though. It's funny how the guy at tdpri is saying that mayeb the reason he thinks it sounds great is that the saddles are on/nearer the wood when a lot of the character of a tele is the big chunk of metal that's normally there. Also, I don't think many teles will have neat enough bridge pickup routing to make use of it. Maybe they thought the hardtail strat market wasn't big enough and no guitars exist outside of strats and teles.

[Mike]

I think it makes perfect sense. How necessary it is realistically and how aesthetically pleasing it is might be a different story, but here's what it looks like to me

1. The height adjustment screws under the saddles - more comfortable palm muting and no cutting up your hand on sharp screws sticking out. Also as far as I can see at least this way saddles can each be at an even height, I never got why height adjustment on a 6 saddle bridge needed 2 screws per saddle.

2. Pivoting saddles - the traditional tele/strat bridge "3 screw" design usually resulted in one or more screws not being even with the rest of the bridge, and usually with the pressure of the string on top of that. This sometimes results in screws bending over time, getting stripped during setups, and also screw movement during intensive playing, which can throw off intonation and string height over a period of time. This bridge looks like it allows the length screws to stay flush with the bridge while the saddle pivots to allow the height adjusters to also stay straight.

Now don't get me wrong, I think it's ugly and until I ever (probably never) get the chance to play one I won't say that my observations based on this picture hold true. But for guitar enthusiasts who want their guitar to have all the latest snooty gadgets to make it the most comfortable or versatile guitar evar, it fills a void.

Never had any problems with my Telecaster bridge of that sort in a heavy of heavy use and heavy-handed playing.

[markleton]

My other picture doesn't seem to work, lets give this another try.



It's fugly on the guitar too. That pickup route is like an ugly face on a hot chick. Needs covered up.

[James]

Don't all tele bridge pickups attach to the bridge plate? I know some of the neck pickups scerw into the body under the pickguard. So this bridge will mean changing screwing the pickup into the body?

[euan]

Nah you can mount the pickup directly to the body like any guitar or the original neck pickup. But yeah that is the normal way of mounting the bridge pickup

[Nick]

My god that looks like shit.

[James]

Nah you can mount the pickup directly to the body like any guitar or the original neck pickup. But yeah that is the normal way of mounting the bridge pickup

Are you saying that tele bridge pickups come with the option to the mount them to the body, or that it's possible to purchase screws that will fit the screw holes o f the pickup and screw into the wood?

[euan]

I'm sure you can. I mean I've mounted the humbucker to the body of my Strat as I still don' have a guard.