Tele 5 saddle vs. 3 saddle: Can you call it? (sound clips)

[twotimingpete]

think you guys have revealed a problem that I didn't think about initially. I don't think the previous strings were old but they weren't new either. I may need to revisit the 3 saddle sample when the newness wears off of these strings in a few days. btw, it was A.

[DonK]

it's sophia bush, bitch!

Haha...I just looked her up on IMDB, and while I remember seeing John Tucker Must Die, I don't remember her. I must have been snoozing to have missed her (though I remember Brittany Snow well enough, lol).

[kayd_mon]

 

think you guys have revealed a problem that I didn't think about initially. I don't think the previous strings were old but they weren't new either. I may need to revisit the 3 saddle sample when the newness wears off of these strings in a few days. btw, it was A.

 

 

I wanted to guess A, simply because it sounded like new strings.

[DonK]

think you guys have revealed a problem that I didn't think about initially. I don't think the previous strings were old but they weren't new either. I may need to revisit the 3 saddle sample when the newness wears off of these strings in a few days. btw, it was A.

Wow, I hated that one. Of my three Tele's, only my favorite - an American Special - has brass saddles, so at least there's only one where I'll have to swap out the saddles.

[SPONGEBOB]

A,,, no doubt....

[twotimingpete]

here's a sound clip from today that's a work in progress, I've been putting the music together but still finalizing the vocal lines and lyrics. I think the mix is fairly good for once and I think I demonstrate a range of sounds the stock mim tele pickups can achieve. from twangy to fuzzy and meaty. very flexible.

 

http://www.scumvalley.com/misc/mdre.mp3

 

I love this guitar. it's just perfect. I think I've got the intonation with the 3 saddle pretty dang close to spot on now too.

[Rex Machete]

Aha I guessed right! but I think it had more to do with the new strings sounding very bright than a tonal difference with the bridge

[DaveGrima]

I was gonna guess B just because it sounded warmer to me. Is brass supposed to be warmer than steel? I have no idea. I prefer 3 brass-saddle tele bridges purely for aesthetic reasons. I think the difference in tone would come from whatever metal the saddles and bridge plate are made of, not the number of saddles.

[BB123]

Can't believe I picked right

[DonK]

 

I was gonna guess B just because it sounded warmer to me. Is brass supposed to be warmer than steel? I have no idea. I prefer 3 brass-saddle tele bridges purely for aesthetic reasons. I think the difference in tone would come from whatever metal the saddles and bridge plate are made of, not the number of saddles.

 

 

I picked B for the same reason. I also prefer the aesthetics of brass saddles. In the end, I had to listen very closely to discern any difference, and to get that far I found myself listening to only about 10 seconds of each clip, A/B'ing them several times in succession. Like I said, I'm not in the Eric Johnson "leave my trem springs alone" camp, so I'll be sticking with the existing bridge saddles in all my Teles. I have a project Tele in the works for which I've already bought brass saddles, and I'm going to stick with them.

[twotimingpete]

 

I picked B for the same reason. I also prefer the aesthetics of brass saddles. In the end, I had to listen very closely to discern any difference, and to get that far I found myself listening to only about 10 seconds of each clip, A/B'ing them several times in succession. Like I said, I'm not in the Eric Johnson "leave my trem springs alone" camp, so I'll be sticking with the existing bridge saddles in all my Teles. I have a project Tele in the works for which I've already bought brass saddles, and I'm going to stick with them.

 

 

I'm sticking with the 3 saddle because I just like it. I'm not convinced there's any significant difference in sound, but they look cool. there may be a *slight* handling difference, like they are a bit easier to get to break into that nasty tele twang, but it's something that's hard to measure or quantify. that said, I like them.

[DonK]

I'm sticking with the 3 saddle because I just like it. I'm not convinced there's any significant difference in sound, but they look cool. there may be a *slight* handling difference, like they are a bit easier to get to break into that nasty tele twang, but it's something that's hard to measure or quantify. that said, I like them.

 

I like the cool look myself. I have three Tele's, with a project in the works (it's gonna be nicer than any of the "real" Fenders when it's done). My first "real" guitar was a '71 Tele purchased new, and I probably owned a dozen other '70's Tele's (wish I'd known they were going to become valuable; you couldn't give '70's Fenders away in the '70's). I have a Lite Ash Tele I bought used (very slightly, looks new) for $400: figured birdseye neck w/ abalone dots, light body, SD pup's - sounds, looks and plays great but has modern saddles that are chrome plated. I've got a butterscotch American Deluxe Tele that most people mistake for a '52 reissue, until they see the six saddles, and I recently got an American Special in Oly White with brass saddles and a black pickguard that's a dead ringer for my original '71. I'll always go with brass given a choice, since I can't hear a difference, or at least I can't isolate any difference to the saddles.

 

And then there's Sophia Bush.

[caveman]

So put a weeks worth of wear and tear on the new strings and re-do the poll. I think I can still pick out the 3x bridge.

[twotimingpete]

So put a weeks worth of wear and tear on the new strings and re-do the poll. I think I can still pick out the 3x bridge.

 

 

I'll redo the clip after the strings are worn in, but I don't really want to swap back to the 6 saddle and wear the strings in again just for the full mystery experience!

[soundcreation]

I choose A and did it before I read the rest of your thread when you revealed the answer. If bonenut thinks I'm lying...well...I couldn't really give a {censored}.

 

I choose A just on the internet talk I heard about 3 saddle bridges being "brighter". My tele is six saddle and I've never owned a three. A for sure seemed the brightest. But really the difference, while enough to be noticeable, was not significant to any point of making a difference for me personally. Perhaps others would find that difference important and they wouldn't be wrong for that. I could see it being important for people who want every last possible snap of brightness in their tone.

 

Cool experiment thanks. Just proves to me there are differences...and just like the Ash vs Alder identical Fujigen guitar comparison I posted..the VAST majority of the people who voted heard a difference. And in this case the majority also picked the right one. I would suggest not revealing the answer quite so quickly next time. Hopefully the people who continue to vote don't cheat and look through the thread.

[twotimingpete]

thanks for the feedback -- I would have let it go on longer but I felt the contest was somewhat tainted because I realized the strings were too new on the 3 saddle, which contributes to a brighter sound thus muddying the experiment.

[caveman]

I'll redo the clip after the strings are worn in, but I don't really want to swap back to the 6 saddle and wear the strings in again just for the full mystery experience!

 

 

LOL, I wouldn't either. The original 6x clips should suffice.

[soundcreation]

 

thanks for the feedback -- I would have let it go on longer but I felt the contest was somewhat tainted because I realized the strings were too new on the 3 saddle, which contributes to a brighter sound thus muddying the experiment.

 

 

You used different strings on the 6 saddle? Or just the first time the new strings were played was on the 3 and then the same strings were used later on the 6?

 

If it's the latter I don't think that makes much of a difference. If it's the former than it most certainly might.

[diceman1000]

i would think that through a modeling program that this experiment is tainted anyway... modelers tend to take the guitars natural tone out of the equasion... that's why my daughters $50 Hannah Montanna Washburn sounds as good as my Swamp Ash LP Copy with BG Pure 90's in it through Amplitube:poke:

[DaveGrima]

I choose A just on the internet talk I heard about 3 saddle bridges being "brighter". QUOTE]

I think most of the brightness comes from the new strings.

[twotimingpete]

 

i would think that through a modeling program that this experiment is tainted anyway... modelers tend to take the guitars natural tone out of the equasion... that's why my daughters $50 Hannah Montanna Washburn sounds as good as my Swamp Ash LP Copy with BG Pure 90's in it through Amplitube:poke:

 

 

I don't know about amplitube or whatever, but using my pod studio and pod farm 2, different guitars sound *very* different from eachother, in fact, I think the pureness of the sound and the fact that your perception of it isn't being skewed by loudness and moving air ELEVATES subtle differences in tone between instruments.

[faberbz]

Good test. Thanks for that.

 

Tone differences aside, I just like the old three-saddle bridge because of the "ashtray." Good place to rest the hand when chicken pickin, at least how I play.

 

I'd be interested to hear the 6 brass saddle bridge, like on the James Burton Teles. There are those who say that the brightness of the 3 brass saddle bridge comes more from the increased pressure with two strings pushing down on each. I'm more inclined to think it's the brass. The three-saddle one is good enough for me, though.

[ashasha]

May have been the new strings like you said, but A definitely sounded brighter and the only one of the three that sounded significantly different to me. I like it too, I'm not one of those that buy into the 3 saddle bridge hype monster, but this thread has me thinking.

[diceman1000]

 

I don't know about amplitube or whatever, but using my pod studio and pod farm 2, different guitars sound *very* different from eachother, in fact, I think the pureness of the sound and the fact that your perception of it isn't being skewed by loudness and moving air ELEVATES subtle differences in tone between instruments.

 

 

well maybe Amplitube just sucks in that aspect:idk:... damnit, i need to check out pod farm now:facepalm:

[caveman]

i would think that through a modeling program that this experiment is tainted anyway... modelers tend to take the guitars natural tone out of the equasion... that's why my daughters $50 Hannah Montanna Washburn sounds as good as my Swamp Ash LP Copy with BG Pure 90's in it through Amplitube:poke:

 

 

 

Post clips of each and we'll see if we can tell which is which.