3 to 6 saddle bridge swap on a Korean Fender Tele

neilg

I've been thinking about changing the 3 saddle bridge to a 6 saddle and was wondering if it was a straight swap, looking on Allparts at a Gotoh bridge and checking with some digital calipers out all the holes seem to line up, the only thing I wasn't sure on was whether the scale length would remain the same.

ICBM

neilg said:

I've been thinking about changing the 3 saddle bridge to a 6 saddle and was wondering if it was a straight swap, looking on Allparts at a Gotoh bridge and checking with some digital calipers out all the holes seem to line up, the only thing I wasn't sure on was whether the scale length would remain the same.

There should be enough adjustment range on the saddles to make it so, if all the screw holes and string holes line up correctly.

gavin_axecaster

If it's a Lite Ash Tele with the full length 22 fret neck (as opposed to the 22nd fret on an overhang) then the intonation screws may not be long enough as those tend to need the saddles about 1/4 inch further forward.

neilg

Yes, it's a lite ash tele, would longer screws solve that problem?

ICBM

gavin_axecaster said:

If it's a Lite Ash Tele with the full length 22 fret neck (as opposed to the 22nd fret on an overhang)

I haven't come across one of those... why on earth would they do that?! Bonkers. That makes it totally incompatible with any other Fender neck, and must have needed special tooling.

That said, yes longer intonation screws should fix it if there isn't enough length on the stock ones.

CasperCaster

gavin_axecaster said:

If it's a Lite Ash Tele with the full length 22 fret neck (as opposed to the 22nd fret on an overhang) then the intonation screws may not be long enough as those tend to need the saddles about 1/4 inch further forward.

I'm not 100% certain, but I think some of the Chinese made Modern Player series (Tele Plus?) have a similar neck i.e. 22 frets without a fingerboard overhang, so not readily compatible with standard Fender necks.

gavin_axecaster

Yes, no idea why Fender went with that spec on those or the first run Lite Ash.

I think the lite Ash were all standard 22 fret necks after the move to Indonesia. I don't know if any of the Korean made guitars went to the standard spec before the move.

FriskyDingo

Not the same, but I have a tele kit where I swapped out a 3 for 6 saddle Gotoh bridge and I had to widen a hole on the body slightly just so it fit in the same position. Otherwise all was fine

neilg

I've done the swap and didn't have any issues.