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Thread: Impact of the Bridgeplate

  1. #1
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    Impact of the Bridgeplate

    so.. how much difference does this component make? Vintage ash tray style. I know.... hard to say...Here is my deal..

    When I picked out my HWY 1 tele a few years ago, one of the reasons I selected it over other tele versions was the thickness of the bridgeplate. It is thicker than 'vintage' looking ash trays. It does not have that puckered corner look. The chrome is thicker too. The guitar has never blown me away with its tone and Ive worked with it and it has improved with pick up height adjustment and brass saddles, still has the stock pick ups. .10s on it, electrosocket, stock grease bucket.

    would I notice a bridgeplate swap?

    thanks,
    P e a c e KYC


    Strat or Tele out of a 5E3 .

  2. #2
    Forum Member chuckocaster's Avatar
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    Re: Impact of the Bridgeplate

    Maybe, maybe not. I know that's not a good answer but it depends on how well the bridge "couples" with the body. First thing I'd recommend is to enlarge the neck mounting holes in the body so the neck screws push through as opposed to screw threw it. Going from three points of contact to two can make a big difference in feel and sustain. If they already push through then leave it.

    As for the bridge; well, I personally prefer the thinner plates with compensated saddles. I "think" it sounds better, whether the audience can tell or not I don't care. I have to enjoy it, and in doing so I will play better. I've had really good results with Wilkinson Tele bridges, which can be had for around $30 complete with the best compensated saddles I've ever used for this type of bridge.

    I'm sure there's some scientific test we can run that would chart and graph the frequency response and tonal transfer of different designs and materials. But without getting into that, I can say that after trying a couple different brands and whatnot, I'm sold on the Wilkinson. AND it's the cheapest one out there to boot. Go figure, but I like it better than some of the really expensive ones I've tried! I think, for me at least, I just like the way Leo did it from the start, at least hardware wise. Not the prettiest or most elegant design, but I like the way those crappy bent steel bridge sound.
    "don't worry, i'm a professional!"

  3. #3
    Forum Member Don's Avatar
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    Re: Impact of the Bridgeplate

    I think this is the kind of thing that makes a good guitar slightly better rather than makes a bad guitar into a good one.

  4. #4
    Forum Member T2Strat's Avatar
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    Re: Impact of the Bridgeplate

    I think it does affect the tone. The vintage style plate with the three brass saddles does affect the tone. I think the shiny chrome bridges are made from another type and thickness of metal too. That, along with the type of metal (Copper or Steel) on the pickups bottom plate also has an affect on tone. The copper I think focus' the coils magnetic field from the pickup differently from the steel and has a better tone and attack.

    T2

  5. #5
    Forum Member Don's Avatar
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    Re: Impact of the Bridgeplate

    I don't think I've seen a Tele bridge pickup with a base plate made of copper, usually copper plated steel.

    Some Tele bridge plates are made of chrome plated brass. The does sound different than steel.
    Last edited by Don; 04-26-2015 at 07:12 AM.

  6. #6
    Forum Member Offshore Angler's Avatar
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    Re: Impact of the Bridgeplate

    Generally, and I mean as general rule since each guitar is unique unless you buy a Rainsong... in my experience the lighter the bridge plate the more zing, and the heavier the more acoustic, bell-like tone. I prefer the vintage stamped style with three saddles, and in decades of playing I've got along just fine without compensated saddles, as did all the old-timers on the recordings of yore. I figure if Gatton, Owens, Buchanon, Clapton, Hendrix, Collins, Kirchen, Townsend, Richards, Page... and all the others didn't need them they're probably unnecessary!

    I prefer a copper baseplates under the pup as mentioned, but it's probably the placebo effect. Any conductive material should perform the same. I made one out of brass one time and replaced an original and couldn't discern any difference. All my Teles/Esquire have been equipped with S.D.J.D.'s with copper.

    YIMHO, YMMV.
    "No harmonic knowledge, no sense of time, a ghastly tone, unskilled vibrato, and so on. Chuck is one of the worst guitar players I know" -Gravity Jim

  7. #7
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    Re: Impact of the Bridgeplate

    I swapped out the vintage bridge (top pic) on my Special Edition for a Gotoh modern with a thick bridge plate (bottom pic) and didn't notice a lick of tonal difference. I suspect that applies the other way around as well.




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