Compensated Tele Saddles

heltershelton said:
i studied up a little on that model.
what i got from reading is people think the bridge pickup is "spikey", but blends well with the neck in the middle position. many say the neck pickup sounds great so they change out the bridge pickup with something like a lollar or sd antiquity. but maybe those saddles you put on will tame some of that spikeyness.
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I've been playing it a bunch. I think the bridge pickup is good for getting a great Tom Petty/Mike Campbell type of sound. It's best with the tone knob rolled off to about 9. It also does the middle position real well, as it sounds very full. But, just the neck pickup sounds like someone stuffed pillows in my speakers. Even when I roll the bass back on my amp, it still sounds dead. I'll have to see what else will work well with it. It's supposedly an Ash body, but gives both my Les Pauls a run for their money as to which is heavier. Hmmmm. At least I'm getting amazing sounds when I jump back on my ES-335.
 
SG John said:
I've been playing it a bunch. I think the bridge pickup is good for getting a great Tom Petty/Mike Campbell type of sound. It's best with the tone knob rolled off to about 9. It also does the middle position real well, as it sounds very full. But, just the neck pickup sounds like someone stuffed pillows in my speakers. Even when I roll the bass back on my amp, it still sounds dead. I'll have to see what else will work well with it. It's supposedly an Ash body, but gives both my Les Pauls a run for their money as to which is heavier. Hmmmm. At least I'm getting amazing sounds when I jump back on my ES-335.
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I am impressed you can discern the effct of the tone knob when moved 1 position. Even with my best linear pots, my ear is no good until around 5. How do you wire the tone control?

If you ever run into a deal, consider Tom Anderson tele pups. I really like them

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Tom Anderson TV1 True Vintage 'Tele' Style Electric Guitar Single-Coil Pickup
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Tom Anderson Pickup - TF1 - Telecaster Neck

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RVA said:
I am impressed you can discern the effct of the tone knob when moved 1 position. Even with my best linear pots, my ear is no good until around 5. How do you wire the tone control?

If you ever run into a deal, consider Tom Anderson tele pups. I really like them
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This has stock wiring. Maybe, I'm going to 8? I just know that if I roll the tone knob off of 10 just a little bit, it gets a slightly less sharp or brash sound.
 
Guys, I just got a set of fender compensated barrel saddles (brass), the solid barrel and flat bottom type. It's my very first set ever, so... what's your take on cutting guide slots on top for each string? Also, what's the best way to find out which is which for placing / arranging on the bridge plate? This is for a new tele project I am building for my son to take with him back to university.
 
SIx String Chef said:
Guys, I just got a set of fender compensated barrel saddles (brass), the solid barrel and flat bottom type. It's my very first set ever, so... what's your take on cutting guide slots on top for each string? Also, what's the best way to find out which is which for placing / arranging on the bridge plate? This is for a new tele project I am building for my son to take with him back to university.
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These are great parts that should have been standard equipment on Fenders years ago, IMHO
 
67plexi said:
Don't slot the saddles

View attachment 78535
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Ok,

A couple of things when I do Telecaster setups. Unless it is a rare or vintage instrument, I will often replace the bridge plate with a Gotoh GTC-ART-3, which already has the compensated 3 barrel saddles. This is a great product.

gi0snzlx1si7hml2gq10.jpg

It saves me time having to wrestle with corroded saddles and screws. It's easily reversible.

I also get rid of the "clamp style" string trees and use roller style trees and I generally shim the up with small pieces of square aluminum stock to get less tension across the nut because I set up for a lot of players who like to do the John-5-esque push-downs behind the nut.

I also use extra ball ends from the old strings to keep the winds from hanging on the holes in the bridge plate. This is not a problem on some Tele models, but it is a problem on others.

Now, I was setting up for a Country Ace Picker a while back and he kept snapping strings at the bridge. Several techs had looked at his guitar and couldn't figure out what the problem was.

I elongated the string holes in the bridge plate with a Dremel and a 3.5mm diamond burr until the string no longer rode the edge of the string hole in the plate, but instead broke over the brass barrel.

Problem solved.
 
JohnnyGoo said:
Ya i dont alot barrel saddles.No need.
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If you are setting up for a really wild Tele player, the slots are needed. On really steep bends, the string can skid sideways across the barrel and make a loud grating/scraping sound, then hang up and go sharp.

This is something that you'll encounter a lot working as an in-studio recording or live-support guitar tech, especially in drop tunings on a Telecaster....
 
I have used several types of compensated saddles. Some factory slotted. They all
worked well. I just like to match the radius of the neck to the saddles.

Then I found out about the Thorn Brass Knuckle. Ron Thorn makes them. He has
to sell them through a third party since he is now the head of the Fender CS
I think there are two different radius sizes.

They might look a little strange on a Tele. I don't care. I don't think I would ever go back.
to the 3 barrel saddles. I should mention these can be hard to find.
 

Attachments

I do like the ones that are actually angled.

I put a Wilkinson brass set (not angled) on the Squier CV 50's Tele I got recently.
Seems good enough, similar to @syscokid above, but cheap - like me.

I don't have an installed pic... I did notice one of the bridge screws is completely FUBAR - the phillips head screw slots are mostly gone.
The one at the low E string.

I can get it out if need be.
I gots tools and skilz....


20221231_133324-2.jpg
 
jtcnj said:
I do like the ones that are actually angled.

I put a Wilkinson brass set (not angled) on the Squier CV 50's Tele I got recently.
Seems good enough, similar to @syscokid above, but cheap - like me.

I don't have an installed pic... I did notice one of the bridge screws is completely FUBAR - the phillips head screw slots are mostly gone.
The one at the low E string.

I can get it out if need be.
I gots tools and skilz....


View attachment 88776
Click to expand...
Looks like a very good product. How Fender should have done it....
 
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