Hardtail Strat/Telecaster bridge compatibility?

[dudesweet157]

So I tried to like my Telecaster, really I did.  I love the way it sounds, but I just cannot get used to the way it hangs on a strap.  The neck is way out there and just not where it's supposed to be (longtime Strat guy). I also always find myself grabbing at thin air for the volume knob with my pinky and then knocking the pickup switch when I do find it.  It makes me a sad panda because I love the way it looks and sounds, but I have decided that Teles are not for me; however, I have devised an EVIL PLAN to have the best of both worlds!  INtroducing:

TA DA!!!  It's got the upper horn and controls of a strat with the pickups of a Telecaster.  I'M A GENIUS!!!!  However, I am a very cheap genius on a very limited budget that likes to see what he is ordering.  There is currently a hardtail Strat body in the showcase that I am coveting, but all Strat bodies are pre routed for the vintage Strat hardtail.  I know the mounting holes do not line up, but if I fill those, line up the string through holes and re-drill new mounting holes, will it intonate correctly?

Thanks in advance,
David

 

[Cagey]

I'm not sure if the string-through holes in the body will line up. But, for placing the bridge you just have to make sure the bridge saddles end up 25 1/2" away from the nut, and you're golden. Usually, you set the saddles about halfway on the bridge before you measure, so you have some room to set the intonation.

I suspect the holes won't be far off, if they're off at all. If they are, you can always swap out the intonation adjustment screws to something longer so you have a greater range of adjustment. That'll let you move the bridge plate to where you need it to be so the string holes line up.

 

[stubhead]

Usually, you set the saddles about halfway on the bridge before you measure, so you have some room to set the intonation.

Eeek! More caffeine, Cage... there is never ever ever an instance where the scale length of an intonated string is going to be any shorter than 25.5" (unless it's a gibson...). You can count on the treble string being just a little bit longer, and the low E string setting up around 1/4" longer than that. So you move the string saddle of the High E all the way forward, and set that at 25.5". There won't be intonation problems, if you put the bridge where, ummm, there won't be intonation problems. The hardcore tele guys over at TDPRI think that to really sound TELE you do need the big metal plate bridge, the plate under the pickup and the three saddle bridge (though these can be had with intonation-angles machined into the bars).

By the way, this isn't an original idea, or at least if it is original a whole bunch of other people have had it, as well as the idea to put three pickups on a Tele body wired like a Strat. There's even some custom shop Fenders that put the Telecaster bridge on a Jazzmaster body, or even this:

eek.

 

[tfarny]

You'd have to redrill everything - far better to order a custom one with the tele bridge rout already installed. And this has been done many times - Sonny Landreth played one when I saw him last year.

 

[Cagey]

I'm sure you're right, but it seems there should be some consideration for alternate tunings, string gauge and goofy ears that might leave you wanting some range beyond what would be considered technically correct.

 

[Jeremiah]

The standard pickguard presumably wouldn't fit around the Tele bridge plate, so you might have to get one custom made (or do it yourself) or get a rear routed body.

You might also find it awkward twiddling the Strat volume knob with your little finger if you have the vintage-style Tele bridge with raised edges.

 

[dudesweet157]

Hey guys, did a little more mathing, and figured out that the string through holes are in the wrong spot to slap a Telecaster bridge on there.  It sucks, but all is not lost.  I'm just going to use a regular bridge and one of these:

Thanks anyway,
David

 

[Kostas]

If the strat has a pickguard you can use a strat hardtail bridge and rout yourself the three holes for a bridge tele pickup.

 

[dudesweet157]

Getting the pickup mounted wasn't the problem.  The problem was/is that I am one of those that believes that having the tele bridge pickup mounted  to a huge chunk of steel with three brass saddles has a lot to do with the tone of a Telecaster.  I wanted to preserve that element if at all possible.