Can anyone tell me if it's possible to fit a bridge cover on a vintage style tremolo plate? The only way I can see is to modify the bridge cover itself (file?). I just wanted to do it for looks on one of my guitars.

I believe the Stratocaster originally came with a bridge cover. You should be able to order one to fit your vintage style bridge unless it's a metric spaced Asian import vintage style bridge.

Good luck!

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Zach

What I play:
Larrivee OM-03MH
2011 Fender CD-220SCE
1979 or '80 Fender F-35 (date has been hard to pin down)
Samick Greg Bennett D-2

The bridge cover snaps into position on any vintage-spec genuine Fender trem or hardtail bridge and is held in place via friction......



It is not necessary to "file" or modify the cover in order to fit.

Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY

Thanks for the clarification Retroverbial

Do the vintage style Strats still come with the bridge cover. I've never seen one in place on a display model in a store. Always wondered about that.

Cheers!

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Zach

What I play:
Larrivee OM-03MH
2011 Fender CD-220SCE
1979 or '80 Fender F-35 (date has been hard to pin down)
Samick Greg Bennett D-2

I'm pretty sure they're only included in the "case candy" package for the US-built AVRI's and some of the US-built signature models. Stores never install them on display guitars to keep klepto zit-poppers from "light-fingering" them when no one is around. You can also find the covers in Fender's stand-alone accessory line. Check Ebay -- around $12.00 for chrome, $20.00 for gold.

Arjay

_________________
"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY

Thanks everyone,
My guitars are a Classic 50's, and a Deluxe Powerhouse that have vintage style tremolos. They look like the one Retroverbial posted a picture of, but I don't see where the friction points are. They are on two sides at best unless the cover is pressing against the high E saddle. Both of my guitars have pick guards that come right up to the bridge plate so I'm thinking they will have to be cut to allow a space for the cover to slip between the guard and plate. Even then what would hold it on the tremolo bar side because of the lip on the plate for the tremolo bar? Another issue, the cover is not wide enough to fit alongside the edges of the bridge plate unless I bend it outwards. I just don't see how to make it fit, but can't help thinking it was made to fit somehow.

There aren't any specified friction points it just fits over the edge. I've heard that for some reason it only fits the American made vintage spec bridges and won't fit the ping unit that is on the Mex classic series

Not true -- the cover will fit any vintage-spec Fender trem or hardtail bridge, including those fitted to MIM and MIJ/CIJ instruments.

Arjay

_________________
"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY

Well thats what I originally thought but some people on strat-talk.com with MIM classics have reported that the bridge cover won't fit.

Strange.

I bought a new MIM Classic '50s Strat in 1999 and a subsequently-purchased bridge cover snapped on perfectly.

Likewise, a cover fit perfectly on my '06 Deluxe Powerhouse Strat.

Perhaps FMIC has tampered with the bridge's dimensional specs in the intervening years.

Arjay

_________________
"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY

I think things have changed. My Classic 50's and Powerhouse are not that old and they don't seem to fit, unlike the older models. The cover is too small for the plate and it doesn't have any indention to compensate for the lip that covers the tremolo arm. That's why I was thinking that I might be able to just cut a notch in the cover where it meets the part that covers the arm.

The cover doesn't fit over the entire plate -- it snaps on over the saddles.

Arjay

_________________
"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY

In that case, I could see how it would fit fine on 2 7/32" string spaced vintage bridges, but possibly not on narrower bridges such a 2 1/16" spacing.

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Bill

I have just purchased a Fender 'Vintage Cover' which fits all of my guitars with vintage bridges, whether MIA, MIM or MIJ. It doesn't work on my Classic Player, of course.

I think the CP has a 2 1/16" string spacing.

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Bill