Tele bridges, etc.

[spauldingrules]

Anyone know the reason for the significant price difference between the "Vintage Tele Style" bridges and the "Gotoh Standard Tele" bridge?  Is the Gotoh design really that much better?  Any reviews?  And has anyone seen the GE Smith Tele?  That looks pretty sweet - makes be want to build a 'moth just like it.  Any idea where to get a bridge that the GE Smith one?

Thanks!

TS

 

[jackthehack]

It's just $20... The Gotoh bridge is made of much thicker, heavier metal and has individual heavier Strat style bridge saddles; all the better for mo' sustain and worth another 20 bucks any day of the week to me....

 

[-CB-]

My feeling - spend the dough for a Fender USA vintage reissue 52 Tele bridge.  Bridge and saddles are about $30-35 on ebay.
Beware, there are other "non USA Fender bridges"  You want the one with PAT PEND on it, and angled lettering that follows the line of the pickup hole, not the perpendicular lettering.  And, you want the one where from pickup hole forward its polished out, while behind the pickup hole its chrome over sand blast.  If you must.... you can get the threaded thimble bridge sections.

 

[jackthehack]

I really like the Gotoh bridges like on the Warmoth site; is the plate itself as thick/heavy on the Fender 52RI?

 

[bpmorton777]

Im with Jack on this one. I think there is a reason that they've made changes to older bridge designs...because there were flaws in them. Ive heard that the org tele bridge was nasty for microphonic sqeal due to the plate rattling around and the unwaxed pickup. And i think they are ugly as sin.

Brian

 

[-CB-]

I personally have not had a squealing problem on my 52, or the three guitars I've done with 52 bridges.....  I know it was a @#$@#$ for the CBS tele's in the 70's though.

 

[Jwheeler]

As far as tele bridges go, with the bodies that are drilled for a tele bridge, could you use another string through hardtail and just drill your own holes?  Is there a reason that you'd have to use a tele bridge on a showcase body?

 

[jackthehack]

You might have issues with it lining up properly. You need to check the mechanical drawings on the Warmoth site against what you want to try to use. Might be better off ordering a body without holes and drill them yourself if the bridge you want to use doesn't line up with one of the bridges Warmoth sells and has machining set up for.

 

[Jwheeler]

I guess My question is would the string through holes line up correctly, so I could just make my own screw holes?

 

[jackthehack]

Read my last answer again carefully....