I'm having a hard time deciding on a bridge for a low-buck tele

[Bowen]

I'll start at the beginning. I had almost a complete guitar parts kit that I lost interest in, so I packaged it all up to sell on CL. Well, gathering all the parts together sparked my interest in this project again so I though I would put it all together and make it tele shaped.

 

Here is what I started out with on Friday: Solid western red cedar body, very light mahogany neck, bloodwood fingerboard, and some hardware.

 

 

I made the body mostly tele shaped and double bound it with cream binding. The cream color looked terrible against the cedar so I routed it off. To get all the binding off I had to use a pretty large roundover bit.

 

I decided on a set neck, got the neck done and stained (the neck stain matches the pickguard material pretty well) and sprayed the finish on.

Here is the guitar today:

 

 

Now getting to the point.

I have a humbucker and a single coil for this guitar. The single coil is going to drop in a pretty standard tele pickguard, and the HB in the usual spot.

 

I am considering 2 options (keep in mind this is a low buck project and the bucks for it are gone. I need to make a bridge)

 

Option 1: Make a trapeze tailpiece and make an archtop type bridge that just sits on the body. The humbucker would have a mounting ring.

 

Option 2: Make a tele looking bridge (string through) from cocobolo, using an acoustic style saddle.

 

Option 3: Just buy a tele bridge dammit! No buying stuff allowed. Plus I want something different, but not stupid hopefully.

 

Opinions?

[poolshark]

I don't know what your neck angle is like, but if it's anything like a normal Telecaster, you're going to have serious problems with a trapeze tailpiece. Not enough vertical room for the bridge, not enough downward pressure or break angle, etc.

 

Wooden bridge sounds cool, if you like the idea. I'd want some metal saddles beneath the strings on a tele, but it does sound interesting. If it was me, though, I'd go with a regular bridge - no muss, no fuss.

[Bowen]

I don't know what your neck angle is like, but if it's anything like a normal Telecaster, you're going to have serious problems with a trapeze tailpiece. Not enough vertical room for the bridge, not enough downward pressure or break angle, etc. Wooden bridge sounds cool, if you like the idea. I'd want some metal saddles beneath the strings on a tele, but it does sound interesting. If it was me, though, I'd go with a regular bridge - no muss, no fuss.

 

I can make enough neck angle for a trapeze, the neck is not glued in yet.

 

Regular bridge = for this guitar.

 

This guitar will not sound like a tele even if regular hardware is installed. The body and neck are both very light and warm sounding woods. I thought I'd keep it jazzy sounding with a wooden (extremely hard wood mind you) bridge.

[sfarfsky]

tune o matic if possible. I think you should drop that switch and use a 5 way instead. You could add phase options or use the switch to split the bucker or something

[poolshark]

I can make enough neck angle for a trapeze, the neck is not glued in yet. Regular bridge = for this guitar. This guitar will not sound like a tele even if regular hardware is installed. The body and neck are both very light and warm sounding woods. I thought I'd keep it jazzy sounding with a wooden (extremely hard wood mind you) bridge.

Sounds like good enough logic to me. Do it up.

[Bowen]

I think the body looks sexy with that rounded edge! In Fact - I think the whole guitar is looking very sexy!

 

Thanks!

 

So I decided on the bridge. I used some aluminum to make the bridge, humbucker ring, and the control plate.

 

The bridge is top loading and will have an aluminum saddle with a cocobolo foot to keep it in place. The aluminum saddle should be light enough to keep the warm and soft tone that I am after. I'll turn cocobolo knobs and switch tip to match the bridge foot.

 

I need to remake the pickguard to match the bridge configuration. I'll use the same material, although a flatter piece.

 

I should have this done in a couple of days.

 

[poolshark]

Cool. Looking forward to it.

[irishstu]

Holy crap. You are extremely talented.

[Sheik Yerbouti]

Did you bridgeport that bridge? Do you have access to a CNC or something?

[Bowen]

Did you bridgeport that bridge? Do you have access to a CNC or something?

No mill or CNC, just bandsaw, drillpress, files, buffer.

I tried the wood/aluminum bridge and it looked like ass, so I just made a regular tele type bridge from 3/8th aluminum rod and some 4-40 screws.
I got the routing done and added a abalone dot at the 12th fret. I just need to scrounge a couple more things and I'll HNGD myself.

Current pic:

[BryanMichael]

What is that pickguard material!? I LOVE it! Nice texture, but SUBTLE and warm looking. What is it?

GREAT LOOKING TELE brother!

[Chill Mike D]

I would say go with the trapeze tailpiece just because I've never seen a Telecaster with one of those.

[Bowen]

I would say go with the trapeze tailpiece just because I've never seen a Telecaster with one of those.

 

 

I ended up with using an aluminum tele style bridge.

 

Finished guitar thread here:

http://acapella.harmony-central.com/showthread.php?p=39438230