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Post subject: Top load Telecaster?
Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 9:26 am
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Hello there!
First of all: I´m new to this forum so I still have a lot to discover! :)
I have a Telecaster (1999) which I bought as new back in -99 and I haven´t found any info about this model on the net. That´s why I reach out to you guys out here. Does anyone of you know anything about a Telecaster model which has a "top load bridge" (no string-through-body =STB here)? It´s black with white pickguard, maple neck with 21 frets and it says "Made in USA" on the headstock. It really is a good guitar, even if it seems to be some kind of low budget version... Oh, and I have no pics to show... sorry about that!
Anyway, I also have a new American Stratocaster that I got 2 months ago. So nowadays I´m playing my guitars more often than ever! :D


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Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 1:24 pm
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Most of the top loaders that I've seen have been MIMs. That is not a bad thing and there are probably USA models, but I just haven't seen any, but you will find many that will argue that a string-thru-body has more sustain than a top loader.

My feelings are that is just a myth, because there are so many other factors to consider what contributes to sustain. For example, how the neck is joined to the body, the woods of the guitar, the kind of metal that the bridge saddles are made of, string gauge and many more.

If someone tells me they'd like more sustain from a top loader bridge, I usually tell them to try different pups. You can better determine the tone and you won't need to mod the body of the guitar.

I know that it doesn't answer your original question, but hopefully it helps in some way. Good luck!

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Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 5:12 pm
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Hi Mike!
And thank you for your input! I appreciate it! :)


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Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 7:13 pm
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I haven't noticed any difference between my top loading Teles and my STB ones, but some Tele-folk just like to be picky :roll:

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Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2008 12:50 pm
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Hi bowlfreshener!
Thank you for your post! Appreciate it! :)
You had any problems with your top-load Teles? Cause mine is giving me some troubles lately... The high E-string saddle won´t stay in place, so to say. Maybe I´m strumming my guitar too hard... And the saddlescrew beneath the high E-string somtimes "unscrews" itself, so at the end of the gig the saddle is all wrong positioned...
Or maybe somebody else out there experienced this too? Let me know... :)


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Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2008 2:52 pm
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Sounds like the height screw for the saddle may be stripped or something...I would look into that first.

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Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 12:37 pm
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Hi and thanks again, bowlfreshener!
OK, I´ll check it out.
Are your topload-Teles MIA or MIM? On mine it says MIA but it seems kind of unusual...
Anyone out there converted their topload Telecaster into a STB?


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Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 2:43 pm
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My top-loader isn't a Fender (or Squier) so I can't help you on that question...sorry dude :(

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Posted: Thu Jul 31, 2008 11:12 am
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Well, thanks anyway, bowlfreshener!
Anyone else out there got a MIA topload Telecaster?


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Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2008 11:20 am
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I have have a $@! top loader and love it. I have a hot rail in the bridge and noiseless in the neck. Had the guitar for 12 years. I have seen American top loaders mostly "Crona" Tele's . The origional top loader was made in 1957-58. No one liked it.


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Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 1:31 pm
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I have a tele toploader USA- purchased it in 1983. From what I've found, Fender only made this style in 1983--maybe some into 1984...but not later. Mine is black, maple neck...love it...


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Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2008 12:51 pm
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I have 2 top loaders and 2 STB.

On my set-ups my top loaders the strings are a little looser feeling and can bend a little easier. One reason my main work Tele is my 94 MIM.
I use the same string gauges on all 4
.010-.012-.015-.024-.034-.044


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Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2008 12:54 pm
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I forgot one thing.

One guy I know that plays here in town has a 1991 MIM Tele. He didn't like the top load because he said the strings were too springy feeling so he converted it to a STB with a 70's style 6 saddle bridge


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Post subject: Re: Top load Telecaster?
Posted: Sun Apr 21, 2019 3:49 pm
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Greetings all,
Not sure if this will help. But I just had a question and two answered by Wikipedia .
Seems the snakehead was the prototype. Now if any of this comes back erroneous please let me know I also am a student of life’s studies . But anyway the way I read it is early 50’s the snakehead was introduced. About a year later the esquire is born. Sounds like about a season instead of years. So anyway the esquire is born. Because it now possesses a 3 way pickup selector. But there is only 1 bridge pickup . So the 3 way gets wired up for treble/bright
Middle a little more bassey/ and the neck position is pretty much by passing it all and being very dark sounding. Almost driven.But hey we are talking about string thru and top loading bridges. I have read that in the beginning just say 50’s they were possessing string thru capabilities but for reasons I do not know. A top loader bridge was introduced. I think somebody got lazy or experimental. Drilled 6 holes into the bridge and let it slide through.Remembering this is the age of fender guitars. So I believe everything would be cost savings related. Or maybe it could have been a million other things. So everything now may be running on blind faith or trial and error. Personally i would take a guess that he didn’t have a lot of help in the shop except for his good buddy George Fullerton,, Leo Fender is doing this pretty much by himself, could it be possible that when George Fullerton May have been meddling,,lol did I say helping yeah that’s the one. Lol. I don’t know for sure but the out come came with very mixed emotions. Easy to see how fast they were already catching on. Gotta think here these guitars were selling for $150.00 with a hard shelled case and case candy too. Could it be possible that these guitars were getting massive play time. Now with that being said the way I read it was saying it was no difference or even that it worsened the transfer of sound. Where as some affection ado’s said that it had made a very tonal impact. Tone,sustain,projection etc. so it was received with mixed emotions. But hey mojo is still mojo. And the awesome mojo that we all know and love today! Those baby’s played like harps. Now the very beginning they were made out of pine wood. Being switched out for ash and of course later Alder wood. I am still trying to find out when the rosewood fretboard was introduced. It may have been from the beginning. And maple just being the natural choice.
So I am working on a pine body esquire but finding an original vol/tone control with period correct caps and pots is turning out to be a bit of a challenge. The last one I saw was sold for a flat five \-hundred can’t imagine what it would be worth today! I hope I was able to help in some way. Cheers. God bless.


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Post subject: Re: Top load Telecaster?
Posted: Mon Apr 22, 2019 5:31 am
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Mr.Patrickk1 wrote:
Greetings all,
Not sure if this will help. But I just had a question and two answered by Wikipedia .
Seems the snakehead was the prototype. Now if any of this comes back erroneous please let me know I also am a student of life’s studies . But anyway the way I read it is early 50’s the snakehead was introduced. About a year later the esquire is born. Sounds like about a season instead of years. So anyway the esquire is born. Because it now possesses a 3 way pickup selector. But there is only 1 bridge pickup . So the 3 way gets wired up for treble/bright
Middle a little more bassey/ and the neck position is pretty much by passing it all and being very dark sounding. Almost driven.But hey we are talking about string thru and top loading bridges. I have read that in the beginning just say 50’s they were possessing string thru capabilities but for reasons I do not know. A top loader bridge was introduced. I think somebody got lazy or experimental. Drilled 6 holes into the bridge and let it slide through.Remembering this is the age of fender guitars. So I believe everything would be cost savings related. Or maybe it could have been a million other things. So everything now may be running on blind faith or trial and error. Personally i would take a guess that he didn’t have a lot of help in the shop except for his good buddy George Fullerton,, Leo Fender is doing this pretty much by himself, could it be possible that when George Fullerton May have been meddling,,lol did I say helping yeah that’s the one. Lol. I don’t know for sure but the out come came with very mixed emotions. Easy to see how fast they were already catching on. Gotta think here these guitars were selling for $150.00 with a hard shelled case and case candy too. Could it be possible that these guitars were getting massive play time. Now with that being said the way I read it was saying it was no difference or even that it worsened the transfer of sound. Where as some affection ado’s said that it had made a very tonal impact. Tone,sustain,projection etc. so it was received with mixed emotions. But hey mojo is still mojo. And the awesome mojo that we all know and love today! Those baby’s played like harps. Now the very beginning they were made out of pine wood. Being switched out for ash and of course later Alder wood. I am still trying to find out when the rosewood fretboard was introduced. It may have been from the beginning. And maple just being the natural choice.
So I am working on a pine body esquire but finding an original vol/tone control with period correct caps and pots is turning out to be a bit of a challenge. The last one I saw was sold for a flat five \-hundred can’t imagine what it would be worth today! I hope I was able to help in some way. Cheers. God bless.



Books by proper historians with reference to the people who were actually there might provide a more accurate insight than spurious web references. ;-)

Top loaders did go through a period of popularity where guitarists would drill conventional bridges to convert them into top loaders.

I have a MiM top loader and I'm not sold on it. I prefer lighter string gauges and these don't seem to give enough tension over the saddle to keep the saddle locked in position. My guitar originally had six saddles and these were a nightmare as you could end up with one of the two height adjustment screws floating. Converting to traditional three saddles was much better.

I think the main "advantage" of top loaders is in respect of bending. Because the contact over the saddle is so light you tend to bend the whole string from the anchor not just from the saddle break over. This gives a feel a bit like a decked Strat where there is a bit of relief with bigger bends.

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