Tele bridge and saddles

dean111music

Hey guys

Im just wondering peoples opinion on this.

Im wanted a good quality tele bridge with compensated saddles. 

Options

USA made Fender Bridge Plate then get either callaham saddles or Glendale 

Or

Buy a Callaham bridge assemble with all the compensated saddles

My big question would be, Is the Fender Bridge Plate good quality and does it bend or lift at the front? The callaham has two extra screws at the front to hold it down.

Will the saddles from other companies fit the Fender bridge plate.

DrBob

I'm currently a big fan of this Gotoh bridge

http://www.axecaster.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=370

HPhillipsmusic

Never found a Fender bridge plate to lift or bend and I've got custom shop as well as mexican teles.
An American Fender bridge with compensated saddles is all I'd ever need!

WezV

I like the joe Barden bridge which also has two holes at the front edge.  Its a really nice bridge for most of its features.  The extra screw holes are really not needed so I rarely use them.

you do do occasionally get a microphonic plate.  A few drops of melted wax underneath works nicely... no need for additional screws

dean111music

HPhillipsmusic said:

Never found a Fender bridge plate to lift or bend and I've got custom shop as well as mexican teles.
An American Fender bridge with compensated saddles is all I'd ever need!

Any microphonic noise? 

dean111music

I had look at that before! The callaham one does look very well made but you can't complain about that gotoh price!

DrBob said:

I'm currently a big fan of this Gotoh bridge

http://www.axecaster.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=370

Yasawas

The USA Fender bridge with Callaham brass saddles is exactly the combo I went for on my Tele. Rock solid, no noise and it actually intonates now - no complaints at all.

(other than I do still hate Teles it turns out but not for the lack of trying)

dean111music

Yasawas said:

The USA Fender bridge with Callaham brass saddles is exactly the combo I went for on my Tele. Rock solid, no noise and it actually intonates now - no complaints at all.

(other than I do still hate Teles it turns out but not for the lack of trying)

Ok that looks to be a good choice then. 

Can anyone else compare the fender bridge v callaham?

My setup

Light swamp ash body, rosewood board, ss frets, Playing through a friedman dirty shirely 40 combo. The amp is marshall territory, I have to tame the bass very low, very smooth highs and mids.

Do you think brass or steal with the fender bridge or indeed with the callaham? Callaham sounds like it takes the highs off and bass up? Fender bridge is brighter again? 

gavin_axecaster

The Fender Pat Pend bridge plate is quite rustic and raw - only the section in front of the pickup is polished, the rest is satin. The corners where the plate is bent are not sanded down and the tooling marks are visible on the sides.

All of this is why a lot of people love them - they are made on the same machines now as in the 50s. (This is a photo of an original 50s plate and modern Pat Pend plate)
https://photos.app.goo.gl/6nCMjfdx9JYGIDPI2

Callaham bridge plates are thicker -  " made from .075 inch thick 1018 specially treated steel. This gives the plate an 80% increase in rigidity and dramatically improves sustain, volume, and note separation. It eliminates unwanted feedback. There is a noticeable increase in bass response and a taming of harsh high end.. "  I have no idea if any of that is true, however lots of people claim the material and thickness of the Fender plate plays a large part in the traditional Tele sound.

The Callaham plates are better finished but are also satin from all the pictures I have seen.

The Gotoh bridge linked above is the same thickness as the Fender plate but better finished, although still keeping the "front polished/rest satin" theme.

dean111music

Thanks for that gavin!

i guess the fender plate has been around for years and years and doesn't look like much has changed! 

Im definitely thinking fender plate now, would you say brass or steel saddles for my setup?

gavin_axecaster

I wouldn't be able to hear the (amplified) difference - I'm definitely not qualified to answer that one!

Gagaryn

dean111music said:

Thanks for that gavin!

i guess the fender plate has been around for years and years and doesn't look like much has changed! 

Im definitely thinking fender plate now, would you say brass or steel saddles for my setup?

The Fender plates tend to be sharp at the rear corners as you can see from @gavin_axecaster photos, I've often polished these burs off with a dremel. Brass saddles look cool but are soft so can notch leading to sitar like buzz - I'm leaning towards steel these days.

streethawk

dean111music said:

Thanks for that gavin!

i guess the fender plate has been around for years and years and doesn't look like much has changed! 

Im definitely thinking fender plate now, would you say brass or steel saddles for my setup?

http://www.amberguitar.com/telecaster-parts/221-fender-bridge-plate-for-vintage-tele.html
http://www.amberguitar.com/telecaster-parts/223-joe-barden-compensated-tele-saddles.html
http://www.amberguitar.com/telecaster-parts/222-joe-barden-custom-compensated-vintage-style-bridge-for-tele.html

Some options there if you want to mix and match.

I've never tried a Callaham set up but have heard good things. Glendale too. 

I'm intrigued by these German fellas' tele bridges:
http://en.t-tune.org/shop/?orderby=date

Also these from the States:
http://www.cjguitartooling.com/

loads to choose from!

dean111music

Cj guitar tooling looks the best! Looks more authentic than callaham. Full sides but better made than the fender. Slightly lower walls than fender like the callaham?

streethawk

dean111music said:

Cj guitar tooling looks the best! Looks more authentic than callaham. Full sides but better made than the fender. Slightly lower walls than fender like the callaham?

I'm not sure. It's one of the thicker plates which is either a good or bad thing depending on what you're after.

Be interested to hear what you think if you purchase one.

RandallFlagg

Stock Fender bridge plate and Glendale brass saddles on my AV52 and it's just fine.