Tele Mods

nick

So I bought the Squier so that I could mod the snot out of it and see what I end up with. It was heavily discounted and I wasnt that keen on building the guitar myself just modifying it.

So what we have to work with is:

First up is the bridge, its not the pass through like the original telecasters:

it looks like:

Which some of the new USA teles come from if Im seeing correctly from the pictures on fenders website (here)

Ebay has these:

Which is the exact same that is on Reinhards Squier Tele. How much of a mission would it be to fit this thing? Id have to make sure the new bridge covers the old bridges holes as I see have different mounting holes and then drill 6 holes through the body and fit some form of ferrule on the back. Alan did this with his Stratotelecaster.

Then its pickups, try fix the chip, upgrade tuners, nut etc. But starting with the bridge.

Opinions? Insults?

MikeM

You don't need mad tuners on a tele. Good nut, good pups and pots, 4 way switch, string through. Perhaps search for my taipai toneblock thread. A low wound P90 is also an option for the neck as I don't see the neck tone as being amazing.

It SHOULD be a drop in fit, however I am not sure. Get a Fender bridge plate, and then some decent compensated saddles (See Glendale, Callaham or cheaper versions, but they're usually pretty dam important)

I will ALWAYS recommend Wilde pups for a tele. The Keystones are basically holy grail pups for teles.

Otherwise, get a fret level + decent setup and you're ready to start twanging away ?

AlanRatcliffe

Replacing the bridge is not a difficult job to do at all.The fixing holes often line up, and even if they don't, it's not difficult to fill them and tap new ones. The string/ferrule holes are easy if you know how and have a drill press.

Otherwise you're on the right track, tuners, nut, electronics - the usual.

nick

A guy on ebay has the bridge and ferulles all genuine fender stuff and landed it'll be something like R200 ???

Will order that so long as with the festive season its probably going to be here late Jan 8)

nicovlogg

Just thought I'd revive this a bit as I've been wondering about the string-through as well. Mine is the same as Nick's here, would string-through construction give more sustain, and is it worth doing at all?

Gearhead

Your mileage may vary, if the strings pick up the body vibration would depend on the vibration of your guitar body. You certainly are in with a chance. It is worth doing if you like to do these things or if you have some money to spend on having a pro do it, don't think that you're going to sound great all of a sudden.

nick

My bridge arrived! will take a pic of it this evening and post.

While googling Jimmy Pages tele I came across a thread and found this pic:

And learnt that Jimmys tele used a bridge like this, it never had the through body with ferulle setup..?

This is some guys copy of it. Is that correct?

nick

My new bridge bought off ebay.

nick

Keith Richard's tele, different bridge but still looks to be a through body string mount.

AlanRatcliffe

I doubt it would be a toploader - it was an early Tele and AFAIK, toploaders only came in much later. I know he had B-Benders on a few of his Teles

FatBoy

Thats the one that got me onto the 5 string vibe!

nick

Alan Ratcliffe wrote I doubt it would be a toploader - it was an early Tele and AFAIK, toploaders only came in much later. I know he had B-Benders on a few of his Teles

Pages tele? All the internet experts say its a 58/59 which came with the toploader ashtray bridges. Hard to find a picture confirming this as theyre all screenshots from videos ☹