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Post subject: Fixed Bridges - 3 V 5 Bolt?
Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2018 4:06 am
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Hi all.

I have an Indonesian Tele with a fixed bridge which is fixed to the body with 5 screws like this:
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I want to replace it with a better quality bridge, either a USA Fender model or a Hipshot / Schaller / Gotoh. USA made Teles use the hidden 3 screws and not all aftermarket makers offer this weird '5-bolt' version. To make matters worse, I'd need it in that 'Black Chrome' version.

Thoughts?


Last edited by TeleRatch on Mon Sep 24, 2018 5:04 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject: Re: Fixed Bridges - 3 V 6?
Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2018 6:17 am
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https://guitarpartscentral.com/products ... 7158860844

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Post subject: Re: Fixed Bridges - 3 V 6?
Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2018 6:23 am
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IMO it is a waste of money to invest in mod to Indonesian Guitar.

Want to mod, buy some better pickups first, not bridge


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Post subject: Re: Fixed Bridges - 3 V 6?
Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2018 8:01 am
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The OP says having problems with proper string alignment over the polepieces.

In his place I would return the guitar to the shop and purchase an all-black Custom FMT HH with EMGs. Not sure if he's a fan of active humbuckers.


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Post subject: Re: Fixed Bridges - 3 V 6?
Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2018 11:55 am
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The front holes don't really achieve anything (hence the MiA models not having them). If the spacing is correct, and the plate covers the front holes, you should be sound as a pound with a three hole bridge.

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Post subject: Re: Fixed Bridges - 3 V 6?
Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2018 12:13 pm
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chromeface wrote:
The OP says having problems with proper string alignment over the polepieces.

In his place I would return the guitar to the shop and purchase an all-black Custom FMT HH with EMGs. Not sure if he's a fan of active humbuckers.

He already did... the new one is better, but still not perfect.
Online photos of the same model taken by the vendors rather than Fender show the same issue.

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Post subject: Re: Fixed Bridges - 3 V 6?
Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2018 12:19 pm
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stratele52 wrote:
IMO it is a waste of money to invest in mod to Indonesian Guitar.

Want to mod, buy some better pickups first, not bridge


It's an FMT - sounds and looks great - just needs better hardware to round it off. It has Seymour Duncan 59' + Pearly Gates fitted and they sound great.

I've got some Schiller Ruthenium Locking Tuners to go on but this 5-bolt bridge is an issue. Gotoh make one in the same strange Black Nickel finish (not black) and I'd rather not drill for USA spec fixed bridge.

What I'm wondering is, how different can these far east and USA block-style bridges be? They're such a basic design. Gotoh offer them in Brass and Steel and are Made in Japan so can assume they're better than the $5 bridges Fender use.

Schaller have some very nice stuff too but again - no 5-Bolt.


Last edited by TeleRatch on Sun Sep 23, 2018 12:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject: Re: Fixed Bridges - 3 V 6?
Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2018 12:22 pm
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chromeface wrote:
The OP says having problems with proper string alignment over the polepieces.

In his place I would return the guitar to the shop and purchase an all-black Custom FMT HH with EMGs. Not sure if he's a fan of active humbuckers.


No to active and no to EMG for both sound and looks. Looks are critical.


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Post subject: Re: Fixed Bridges - 3 V 6?
Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2018 5:13 pm
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TeleRatch wrote:
It's an FMT - sounds and looks great - just needs better hardware to round it off.
Do you mind if I ask what is wrong with your existing bridge?
I see a reference to string alignment above but I don't see mention of it in your original post.
If you are indeed having issues with string alignment, perhaps you could specify exactly what those issues are.
In my experience it is not common to see saddles that move side to side while the strings are under tension.
Perhaps your issues could be solved with a slight tweak to the neck alignment?

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Post subject: Re: Fixed Bridges - 3 V 6?
Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2018 5:22 pm
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#1 - Remove the saddles and "top-load" the strings to see how they line up with the pickups.
If they line up better than they do now, then the bridge plate is fine, and the problem is as I originally suspected:
#2 - Replace the saddles with aftermarket saddles that have the intonation screws in the center. I stronly suspect that the hardware on the GPC link above is the same hardware you have now, but it may be worth a try to a different saddle design.

If they don't line up when top-loaded, then the bridge plate or pickups were not properly aligned when installed.
How is the string alignment on the neck? Centered, or offset toward the treble side? If aligned on the neck, then no bridge is going to correct the alignment over the pickup without hurting playability.

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Post subject: Re: Fixed Bridges - 3 V 6?
Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2018 1:39 am
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chromeface wrote:
The OP says having problems with proper string alignment over the polepieces.

In his place I would return the guitar to the shop and purchase an all-black Custom FMT HH with EMGs. Not sure if he's a fan of active humbuckers.


Where do you read that ?

OP write ;

Hi all.

I have an Indonesian Tele with a fixed bridge which is fixed to the body with 5 screws like this:
I want to replace it with a better quality bridge, either a USA Fender model or a Hipshot / Schaller / Gotoh. USA made Teles use the hidden 3 screws and not all aftermarket makers offer this weird '5-bolt' version. To make matters worse, I'd need it in that 'Black Chrome' version.

Thoughts? "


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Post subject: Re: Fixed Bridges - 3 V 6?
Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2018 2:01 am
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OP already posted about the problem here
https://forums.fender.com/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=110643


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Post subject: Re: Fixed Bridges - 3 V 6?
Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2018 2:14 am
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Hey all.

Checking alignment via the method mentioned above seems like a good idea.

Regarding 'upgrading' the bridge, it's not so much the poor alignment as cheaper far eastern guitars cut corners and for this particular model it must be the hardware as the woods, build and pickups are decent. The tuners feel cheap as does the bridge. The wiring looks very cheap.

I highly doubt Fender are fitting $50 Gotoh bridges to $700 Indonesian guitars. You can buy a version of that block saddle bridge for $5 on Amazon etc - and upwards of $50 for the Gotoh version which is solid brass and Japanese. I'll report back on the quality differences.


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Post subject: Re: Fixed Bridges - 3 V 6?
Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2018 2:17 am
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64Galaxie wrote:
OP already posted about the problem here
https://forums.fender.com/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=110643



Why starting another post with same subject ?


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Post subject: Re: Fixed Bridges - 3 V 6?
Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2018 4:00 am
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stratele52 wrote:
64Galaxie wrote:
OP already posted about the problem here
https://forums.fender.com/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=110643



Why starting another post with same subject ?


It's not the same subject at all - relax.


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