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Post subject: American Series / American Standard Bridge
Posted: Wed Feb 17, 2016 4:00 am
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Morning!

I've been looking for an American Series (2000-2007) Tele for a while now, specifically one in a natural finish. The problem is I'm not very patient and I've spotted an American Standard (2008) locally... I'm tempted.

I'm not a fan of the American Standard bridge though, and have always got on great with the American Series bridge. Looking at the two bridges, it's not gonna be a straight swap - does anyone know how much work would be required to swap the bridge out for an American Series bridge? Is there likely to be any negative affects of a bridge swap? Last one... Is there anything else that's different about the 2008 American Standard that I should be aware of?

Any help anyone can give will be greatly appreciated!

Cheers!


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Post subject: Re: American Series / American Standard Bridge
Posted: Wed Feb 17, 2016 8:43 am
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Hmm - the bridge plate is similar; I think that the easiest thing for you to do would be to find solid saddles that fit the current American Standard bridge (they would need the center adjustment screw; the American Series/original American Standard solid saddles have offset adjustment screws).


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Post subject: Re: American Series / American Standard Bridge
Posted: Wed Feb 17, 2016 11:43 am
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I'm not a fan of the bent steel bridge saddles either.
Stewart MacDonald has the bridge saddles John was discussing.

http://www.stewmac.com/Hardware_and_Par ... _of_6.html

http://www.stewmac.com/Hardware_and_Par ... ddles.html

I would also check out the Gotoh Modern Bridge for Tele at Stewart MacDonald.

http://www.stewmac.com/Hardware_and_Par ... _Tele.html

For about the same price as the saddles, you could probably do away with the entire 2008 original bridge and plate, which has the unnecessary and redundant Fender logo.
The four mounting screw holes on the Gotoh Modern Bridge have 2-9/16" (65.09mm) center-to-center spread, and it "may" be a direct replacement for the American Standard bridge plate.
If you chose to retain the stock Fender bridge plate, you would still have the block saddles with center adjustment screws, which should fit the original bridge plate.


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Post subject: Re: American Series / American Standard Bridge
Posted: Thu Feb 18, 2016 4:03 pm
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Superb, thanks for the info guys!

So is the bridge the only thing that got changed from American Series to American Standard? Pickups/electronics, tuners etc. all the same?

Cheers!


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Post subject: Re: American Series / American Standard Bridge
Posted: Fri Feb 19, 2016 3:17 am
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Fridge_Geezer wrote:
Morning!

I've been looking for an American Series (2000-2007) Tele for a while now, specifically one in a natural finish. The problem is I'm not very patient and I've spotted an American Standard (2008) locally... I'm tempted.


Cheers!


If you are looking for this guitar ( color ) don't wait another guy will buy it.
American Standard bridge are very good.


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Post subject: Re: American Series / American Standard Bridge
Posted: Fri Feb 19, 2016 7:52 am
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Fridge_Geezer wrote:
Superb, thanks for the info guys!

So is the bridge the only thing that got changed from American Series to American Standard? Pickups/electronics, tuners etc. all the same?

Cheers!


No, there were some other changes. They did reshape the neck slightly - they are both modern C but the 2008 and later have always felt a bit different to me, and for whatever reason the later ones felt better to me. If you read the specs carefully the 2008 and later necks are listed as 1.685" wide, while the older ones were listed as 1.6875" wide - it's a miniscule difference, but an indicator that they changed the neck carve program slightly. Fender's marketing for the 2008-revision listed other things, like a slightly thinner finish (but still urethane) and slightly different pickups - but in all honesty I never heard any difference in the American Series pickups and the American Standard pickups that were used from 2008 until February of 2012.

In March 2012 Fender did an update to the American Standard, changing the pickups to the Fender Custom Shop pickups - a "Twisted Tele" neck pickup and a Broadcaster bridge pickup. At that time they also added the back contour (the "tummy cut") to the body.


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Post subject: Re: American Series / American Standard Bridge
Posted: Fri Feb 19, 2016 8:01 am
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John C wrote:
No, there were some other changes. They did reshape the neck slightly - they are both modern C but the 2008 and later have always felt a bit different to me, and for whatever reason the later ones felt better to me.


From what I can tell, the necks have the same general shape, but the new ones are slightly thinner. Certainly not Wizard thin, but a tiny bit more shred-friendly and perhaps a tiny bit less blues friendly.

But with American/Mexican necks, there are always going to be individual variations too, as they still get the "human touch". Asian necks may be all machine, but even then there can be variations in the wood itself.


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Post subject: Re: American Series / American Standard Bridge
Posted: Fri Feb 19, 2016 11:28 am
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arth1 wrote:
John C wrote:
No, there were some other changes. They did reshape the neck slightly - they are both modern C but the 2008 and later have always felt a bit different to me, and for whatever reason the later ones felt better to me.


From what I can tell, the necks have the same general shape, but the new ones are slightly thinner. Certainly not Wizard thin, but a tiny bit more shred-friendly and perhaps a tiny bit less blues friendly.But with American/Mexican necks, there are always going to be individual variations too, as they still get the "human touch". Asian necks may be all machine, but even then there can be variations in the

wood itself.


I completely agree - I think one thing about the new shape is it might have less shoulder, so it feels thinner in your hand.


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Post subject: Re: American Series / American Standard Bridge
Posted: Mon Feb 22, 2016 4:27 am
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Thanks for all the info guys! I went for it in the end - figured there's enough options to sort the bridge and everything else is pretty much the same or better! She's a beauty!

Cheers!


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Post subject: Re: American Series / American Standard Bridge
Posted: Sun Feb 28, 2016 4:01 am
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Quick update, just in case anyone else is in the same mind about the newer American Standard bridge: I got my hands on an American Series bridge (fender still sell them as a stand alone part) and it fits perfectly with no modification whatsoever. It only makes use of the three screws under the saddles, but it covers the holes that the previous bridge used for mounting near the pickup - it looks like these were needed because the new American Standard bridge bends up a bit without them - the American Series bridge has no such problems :D


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