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Post subject: Re: Tele Bass
Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2015 10:18 pm
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fenderfan wrote:
Just a matter of preference - for me, what makes a tele is the bridge. Not the shape of the body. A Tele with a Strat bridge is still technically a Tele and guess a Tele bridge on a Strat would still be a Strat. Just not one that I would like. Some people like to put tele necks on Strats and vice-versa too. Not for me but not going to argue with them - is their preference and they are welcome to it. If they like it that is all that counts.


Oh I totally agree that what is most important is what makes the player happy. But these teles with those bridges that you don't "prefer", are standard factory bridges used on specific factory Fender humbucker telecaster models for the past 40 years or so. I guess if you had one of them and it bothered you, you could get one of those tele bridges from china for like 5 bucks that have the plate and a cutout for a humbucker, but that would no longer be a factory tele...but a tele with an extra piece of metal around the humbucker. Either way still a tele.

I still find it kind of odd that you feel what makes a tele a tele is just the bridge and not the body shape considering the difference between the bridges are just a small plate of metal and the difference between the body shapes (and necks) are pretty drastic. I hear what you are saying about the necks. I am one of those that prefer my teles with strat necks because I like the shape of the strat neck better (looks less like a $@!&#) and I feel the extra mass is better for tone and sustain. But with the older ones I live with the tele neck because of resale value in keeping it as original as possible.

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Post subject: Re: Tele Bass
Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2015 12:22 am
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Guess to my way of thinking, that little piece of medal has more effect on tone than the shape the wood was cut into. I associate Teles with a Tele style bridge and want the twins theme on my Tele and Tele Bass to include the bridge.

Not saying my way of thinking is right but I want the twins to look as much alike as possible.


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Post subject: Re: Tele Bass
Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2015 11:05 am
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fenderfan wrote:
Guess to my way of thinking, that little piece of medal has more effect on tone than the shape the wood was cut into. I associate Teles with a Tele style bridge and want the twins theme on my Tele and Tele Bass to include the bridge.

Not saying my way of thinking is right but I want the twins to look as much alike as possible.


Well I agree if you want to have a conventional style tele guitar bridge on your tele bass for looks there is nothing wrong with that, but I can never agree that just the bridge on the tele makes more difference then the body shape. There are other factors as well such as pickups and pickup placement etc. The reason the hardtail bridge is used on all the factory teles with humbuckers is because it works better for that design. Granted there may be slight differences in sustain depending on the mass and size of the bridge it does not change the entire guitar into something else, that is just absurd. As a matter of fact there are some year teles that are not even a string through body design and still sound just like teles. And the Hardtail strats which are a string through still sound just like strats....not teles.

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Post subject: Re: Tele Bass
Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2015 1:59 pm
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Agreed.

But if I'm paying someone to build it for me I want it to be as close to what I want as he can get it. If I switch to a tele style bass bridge and don't like the tone I can always put the Schaller back in. If it sounds good it will be a better match with its tele twin and I can put the Schaller in another bass.


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Post subject: Re: Tele Bass
Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2015 2:50 pm
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fenderfan wrote:
Agreed.

But if I'm paying someone to build it for me I want it to be as close to what I want as he can get it. If I switch to a tele style bass bridge and don't like the tone I can always put the Schaller back in. If it sounds good it will be a better match with its tele twin and I can put the Schaller in another bass.


I thought you were going for a Tele guitar bridge (or style) to put on that bass? If so you are doing this you say to better match the appearance of your Tele guitar and that is kind of cool. However it seems no one makes any Tele bass bridge that is like a standard tele vintage guitar bridge so it will have to be custom built from scratch or done by modifying a vintage style tele guitar bridge. I really do not think it will effect the tone much if at all but it can effect sustain/playability/intonation/strings popping off the saddles/breaking strings etc if not done right.

What is more going to effect the tone is having a pup in that location. But as long as the original pup is still up where it should be could have a way to select some cool and different tones by blending them, kind of like a Jazz bass versatility, or set it to just the original position for the conventional tone of a tele bass.

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Post subject: Re: Tele Bass
Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2015 4:16 pm
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Has Fender N3's wired up Jazz Bass style.


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Post subject: Re: Tele Bass
Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2015 4:44 pm
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fenderfan wrote:
Has Fender N3's wired up Jazz Bass style.


Is the route for bottom pup in a location that will work with a tele guitar plate bridge? And wouldn't you want that bridge pup on an angle to match a tele? Or is it already angled? And aren't those N3 Jazz bass pups much wider then a tele guitar bridge? Sorry for so many questions but I eat up this type of stuff.

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Post subject: Re: Tele Bass
Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2015 8:34 pm
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The N3's are definitely wider than a standard tele bridge and no I wouldn't be rerouting for the angle. Guitar bridge pickups are angled for a reason and since I've never seen angled pickups on a bass I can only assume there is no reason for it. Had settled on a regular saddle and J bass setup till I saw what looked like a Tele Bass with a Tele style bridge in a post. That got me thinking about changing it up. I really am happy with it the way it is. But that doesn't mean changes can't be made. The tele is on its second time back to the builder to make changes I wish would have done in the beginning.

To be honest though - I hadn't even considered the width of the N3's. Looking at it now is easy to see that they are quite a bit wider than the bridge on it now.
Thanks for pointing that out!


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Post subject: Re: Tele Bass
Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2015 9:12 pm
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Well there are basses out there with tilted pickups but I don't think Fender has done this other then maybe in the modern player "rascal" bass granted the P-bass split pickups are really doing the same thing tonally as a tilt in a sense but more symmetrical.. But then again it seems they never put a tele style guitar bridge on a tele bass either. I guess if you really wanted to do this you won't go as far as changing the route so you would just need a bridge built wide enough to house the N3 and it would at least be "Tele-ish", but not sure how far you are willing to go to accomplish this or if it would look strange not having the tilt with that bridge.

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Post subject: Re: Tele Bass
Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2015 9:31 pm
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Playing it now and thinking that a tele style bridge wide enough to accommodate the N3's would just look wrong and I should keep it as is. Thanks for talking me through it!


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Post subject: Re: Tele Bass
Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2015 10:02 pm
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No problem. We all learn from each other here. A cat fight from time to time but push comes to shove we are all Fender people. I used to have an older Musicman Bass active EQ and all that which is a very well balanced bass, but once I got on a USA P-bass, there was no turning back. Also had my share of Jazz basses and deluxes but a simple P-bass with the split pup, one volume one tone does it for me. However with guitars I am still on a tone quest. Keep buying and selling Strats and Teles all kinds of years and parts. I will eventually hit one that is a keeper.

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Post subject: Re: Tele Bass
Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2015 11:09 pm
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I have a P Bass Plus with the Jazz pickup added. If I get another bass it will be straight P Bass. Thought the Plus would be a good thing but doesn't have the sound I expected. More like a Minus. After reading Brotherdave's explanation about circuit loading I understand why.

Like you said, we do learn stuff here!


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Post subject: Re: Tele Bass
Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2015 11:46 pm
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If you get a straight P-bass spend the extra for a USA. I have had many import and Mexi versions but something about a USA P-bass that is just so right...granted they are heavy. The one I have is a mid 90s but other then the tuners and bridge is very "vintagy" if that is a word. I had a 70s at one time and like an idiot sold it too cheap to one of my students who happened to be a hot chick lol. But at the time I did not realize what I had and did not mind parting with it only because I hated the color.

Ironically she played me a recording of her on the bass and I knew right then I made a big mistake selling it. :roll:

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Post subject: Re: Tele Bass
Posted: Tue Feb 24, 2015 1:00 am
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Hot chicks have a way of doing that!

I was thinking next MIA would be a another Tele and would get a Mexi P Bass but guess could do without a new Tele for awhile. Right now I'd be happy to get my Custom Tele back. Returned it to builder months ago to have piezos installed. Was supposed to be back last week. Was a major job but didn't think would take this long.


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Post subject: Re: Tele Bass
Posted: Tue Feb 24, 2015 9:20 am
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I was watching some demos yesterday with some old school Precisions (Tele bass, whatever) and one was the Squier and the other was an actually 1957 Precision. I have to say that Squier sounded pretty damned close to the '57 in tonality. Obviously, it's not going to be the same build, and playing something is a lot different to just watching a demo, but it was enough to consider checking this instrument out. Of course, I'd love to have the '57, but I'm sure that thing is probably at least 5 figures (I didn't check, though.) At least I'd be able to afford the Squier down the road after I get some stuff paid off. Unless I don't like that, maybe a Sting model, although they seemed to have discontinued that now.

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