Tele Bridge Plates?

koss59

Has anyone here got any experience with swapping bridge plates on a Tele?
Ive just finished building a great partscaster and used a Gotoh bridge. When comparing this guitar to my Nocaster it's got more sustain/volume and note separation but seems to lack the warmth of the Nocaster. I'm wondering if the bridge plate has much to do with this? I've got a plan to try a Fender pat pend bridge on it but just seen on the road worn of @Panama_Jack666 that they seem thicker and don't have the same magnetism as my Nocaster bridge so Fender obviously make 2 types.
Any thoughts?

richardhomer

I believe the vintage style bridge diffuses the magnetic field of the pick-up which adds warmth/softens the tone. 

Bridgehouse

What saddles are in both? Eg, brass, plain, slotted, screw etc..?

koss59

Thanks, yes I had read that somewhere but it's definitely different acoustically too. Very strong piano like bottom E and note seperation. I guess it just sounds more modern.
Both guitars have the same pickups.

koss59

Both have brass saddles, the Gotoh has their fine tune Ines and the Fender has stock brass.

Panama_Jack666

I think what @Richardhomer said is interesting. Didn't know that, and there was a definite difference with how magnetic they were!

I want to compare them acoustically again now. New partscaster is definitely brighter than the Nocaster acoustically I reckon...

Panama_Jack666

Obviously this thread is useless without pictures...

http://i.imgur.com/4swXyc6.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/T1XkycR.jpg

gavin_axecaster

Pat Pend plate is 1.24mm thick.
Gotoh BS-TC1 is 1,26mm thick.
Both are steel and magnetic.
The plates themselves probably have negligible difference in tone/sustain/warmth.

EDIT>>you are talking about a Gotoh BS-TC1 (vintage) and not a Gotoh GC201 (modern 6 saddle)?

olafgarten

It's more likely the saddles or just the wood itself. 

Panama_Jack666

I initially said saddles... Not convinced now. Wood is a good call. I think lighter = brighter. And it is LIGHT!

koss59

Just using our eyes though my Nocaster bridge was the thinnest, the Gotoh next and then the pat Fender bridge on the road worn the thickest.
The Roadworns bridge also wasn't as magnetic so it's obviously a different metal so I'm trying to figure out if all the after market Fender Ines are like that or if I can get hold of the bridge like on my Nocaster.

Bloody January with not enough gigs.......any other month and I'd just be playing!

usedtobe

Was going to say something about too much time on your hands, but didn't want it to come across the wrong way.. Now, top loader or through body stringing?
  

koss59

Dry January too so sat in sober thinking about metal content in bridges!
Its through body stringing, I'm happy to accept that it's just going to sound different to my Nocaster but can't tick that off if I can't get hold of the same bridge. 
I can't be arsed taking my Nocaster to bits to put on this one to try.

menamestom

I've compared bridgeplates on my partscaster.  A Callaham compared to a Glendale the same material I believe but the Callaham was much thicker.   The Glendale sounded more classic tele, it has the Roy Buchanan cut, and add's an almost michrophonic quality to the sound.  You can get the classic Tele squawk, for want of a better word.  It's too much sometimes but nails the early 50's tele vibe.  Part of that is not being clamped down at the front like the Callaham.  It's almost like a tuning fork with one end free to vibrate a little, I've actually dampened mine with a small blob of clear silicone at the front end.

The Calaham, by comparison, had a bigger, rounder sound with more sustain.  Less snap and pop, a slower deeper attack as I remember.   I liked it but would have it on a different tele which wasn't going for the early 50's vibe.  It's more modern sounding.

So my conlusion on the matter, plate thickness alone makes a big difference in sound / response. Add bridge plate material and saddle material (I have brass and stainless steel for my Glendale) and you have a lot of factors to consider.

koss59

Thanks mate, that's what I'm experiencing between these too.
I might be better off leaving this one as a more modern Tele and my Nocaster as the vintage style one.

menamestom

koss59 said:

Thanks mate, that's what I'm experiencing between these too.
I might be better off leaving this one as a more modern Tele and my Nocaster as the vintage style one.

Yeah that's what I did, but never got round to getting / building the more modern Tele.  Not sure if it is of any interest but I posted this elsewhere, it's a clip of mine with the Glendale plate and Fender Nocaster pickups.  I think you can hear the sound of the plate as much as the pickups.



Although it's not a Fender bridge I would imagine the Glendale one is similar to the Fender vintage ones on the CS guitars.   

koss59

That sounds great! Classic Tele tone I'd say!

gavin_axecaster

koss59 said:

Just using our eyes though my Nocaster bridge was the thinnest, the Gotoh next and then the pat Fender bridge on the road worn the thickest.
The Roadworns bridge also wasn't as magnetic so it's obviously a different metal so I'm trying to figure out if all the after market Fender Ines are like that or if I can get hold of the bridge like on my Nocaster.

All the Fender plates with PAT Pend stamp are made at the US factory, on the original machines from Fullerton (Mike Eldred posted pics on TDPRI a few years ago) .
I doubt they would have different steel compositions for bridges going on different guitars. (This is of course assuming we are not talking about a genuine vintage Nocaster - I'm sure steel composition will be different today to 60 odd years ago!).

dchwhite

gavin_axecaster said:

koss59 said:

Just using our eyes though my Nocaster bridge was the thinnest, the Gotoh next and then the pat Fender bridge on the road worn the thickest.
The Roadworns bridge also wasn't as magnetic so it's obviously a different metal so I'm trying to figure out if all the after market Fender Ines are like that or if I can get hold of the bridge like on my Nocaster.

All the Fender plates with PAT Pend stamp are made at the US factory, on the original machines from Fullerton (Mike Eldred posted pics on TDPRI a few years ago) .
I doubt they would have different steel compositions for bridges going on different guitars. (This is of course assuming we are not talking about a genuine vintage Nocaster - I'm sure steel composition will be different today to 60 odd years ago!).

With apologies if I'm derailing at all - Gavin, are you getting the Fender modern 6 saddle bridge back in stock any time soon please? I've had one from you before but I don't think I've seen them on your site for a bit. 

gordiji

menamestom said:

I've compared bridgeplates on my partscaster.  A Callaham compared to a Glendale the same material I believe but the Callaham was much thicker.   The Glendale sounded more classic tele, it has the Roy Buchanan cut, and add's an almost michrophonic quality to the sound.  You can get the classic Tele squawk, for want of a better word.  It's too much sometimes but nails the early 50's tele vibe.  Part of that is not being clamped down at the front like the Callaham.  It's almost like a tuning fork with one end free to vibrate a little, I've actually dampened mine with a small blob of clear silicone at the front end.

The Calaham, by comparison, had a bigger, rounder sound with more sustain.  Less snap and pop, a slower deeper attack as I remember.   I liked it but would have it on a different tele which wasn't going for the early 50's vibe.  It's more modern sounding.

So my conlusion on the matter, plate thickness alone makes a big difference in sound / response. Add bridge plate material and saddle material (I have brass and stainless steel for my Glendale) and you have a lot of factors to consider.

This seems to be the consensus but for me i couldn't if possible have the raised lip like the glendale or period correct tele bridges. This was only to hold the ashtray cover, which is generally discarded now but the uncomfortable lip stays ?
I would use a callaham or similar flat plate and get a snappier tone with pick up choice. Comfort & playability first.

koss59

gavin_axecaster said:

koss59 said:

Just using our eyes though my Nocaster bridge was the thinnest, the Gotoh next and then the pat Fender bridge on the road worn the thickest.
The Roadworns bridge also wasn't as magnetic so it's obviously a different metal so I'm trying to figure out if all the after market Fender Ines are like that or if I can get hold of the bridge like on my Nocaster.

All the Fender plates with PAT Pend stamp are made at the US factory, on the original machines from Fullerton (Mike Eldred posted pics on TDPRI a few years ago) .
I doubt they would have different steel compositions for bridges going on different guitars. (This is of course assuming we are not talking about a genuine vintage Nocaster - I'm sure steel composition will be different today to 60 odd years ago!).

No this is a reissue Nocaster @Panama_Jack666 will vouch for the fact that the bridge on his road worn appears quite a bit thicker and didn't attract a magnet as much as the Nocaster one. You might even be able to see if you can zoom in on the photos enough?

I wonder if the plating could end up a different thickness in them?