Telecasters: Three or Six...?

GlobalCooling · Post by **GlobalCooling** » Mon Oct 19, 2009 12:42 am

What do you guys think when it comes to the Tele bridge? Is the vintage three saddle bridge "better" than the newer six saddle bridges? I have two Telecasters, both with six saddles, but I've played some with three and I'm thinking about changing one of mine out...

Everyone's opinions?

Mages · Post by **Mages** » Mon Oct 19, 2009 12:44 am

neither are better than the other just different. 6 saddles are more adjustable but the 3 saddle still works very well and it gives you the classic tele sound.

GlobalCooling · Post by **GlobalCooling** » Mon Oct 19, 2009 12:48 am

Yeah, that's why I had to put better in quotation marks. Can you explain the sound from the three saddle bridge?

Haze · Post by **Haze** » Mon Oct 19, 2009 12:55 am

"explain the sound" sounds rather difficult to me. I had a 6 saddle on my MIM tele and it worked alright for me. I traded aen the 6 saddle for a 3 saddle because i wanted the looks and feel and he wanted the adjustability since he uses man strings.

mine intonates just fine with the 3 saddle plus i have an ashtray on mine 70% of the time.

dezb1 · Post by **dezb1** » Mon Oct 19, 2009 12:55 am

I'm a fan of the 3 saddle Tele, for extra Twang

Will · Post by **Will** » Mon Oct 19, 2009 1:05 am

Supposedly, 3 saddles "couple" the string vibration to the body better and the greater mass of the saddle gives more richness and sustain.

I just can't make them intonate well. Even with a wound 3rd and flats, the compensation should be a slant. 3 saddles can't do this - it's like trying to draw a circle with only straight lines. You can get close, but never exact.

But other people say they intonate perfectly, so go figure. I think it comes down to the quality of the strings and fretwork.

Or these:

dezb1 · Post by **dezb1** » Mon Oct 19, 2009 1:12 am

I string mine with 11s and have no intonation problems

Will · Post by **Will** » Mon Oct 19, 2009 1:35 am

dezb1 wrote:I string mine with 11s and have no intonation problems

SEE! Go figure.

I have the 3-saddle on My Duo-Sonic II. One set of 11-52 DMs intonate perfectly, next set in the same gauge and brand don't even get close. WTF?

paul_ · Post by **paul_** » Mon Oct 19, 2009 1:57 am

I think it's easy to get the intonation close enough, but with the D and G sharing a saddle it'll never be quite as accurate as a 6-saddle. I spend more time intonating my 3-saddle teles than any other electric guitars I own, looking for that happy middle ground.

Will · Post by **Will** » Mon Oct 19, 2009 2:17 am

Just give me 6 cast saddles or a slab of rosewood - nothing in between.

brandon. · Post by **brandon.** » Mon Oct 19, 2009 2:41 am

I use these from guitarfetish and I love them.

Stainless Steel Saddles

Mages · Post by **Mages** » Mon Oct 19, 2009 3:10 am

^ had 'em. didn't like 'em.

aen · Post by **aen** » Mon Oct 19, 2009 3:16 am

I prefer six saddles. there are tunings (such as Aenstandard) that will not intonate on a 3 saddle. the other thing that bugged me was the big lip on the bridge that i got banged up on all the time.

If you're rocking standard, and not super set in your strumming ways (or strum far from the bridge) I don't see much cause to avoid the 3 saddle, if it happens to be there. I don't hear any disadvantage in the six saddle though.

damienblair17 · Post by **damienblair17** » Mon Oct 19, 2009 4:54 am

how about a vintage style 6 saddle bridge?

Like this one.

aen · Post by **aen** » Mon Oct 19, 2009 5:14 am

damienblair17 wrote:how about a vintage style 6 saddle bridge?

Like this one.

HAET IT. I had string popping issues with one of those models, and they look like fucking shit. If you're going to have six goddamn saddles, have six goddamn good saddles, shit.

NJjoanjettfan · Post by **NJjoanjettfan** » Mon Feb 15, 2010 5:22 am

I have both, the three saddle on my N.Y. Pro Tele and asix saddle on the other Tele. The three are easier to intonate once "compensated saddles" are installed, though some guitars do NOT require that modification.

Will · Post by **Will** » Mon Feb 15, 2010 5:25 am

OH DEAR GOD STOP THE THREADCROMANCY

endsjustifymeans · Post by **endsjustifymeans** » Mon Feb 15, 2010 5:25 am

Dude, fucking lay off a bit please. This thread is from NOVEMBER.