Trem for Telecaster?

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s_mcsleazy
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Re: Trem for Telecaster?

Post by s_mcsleazy » Mon Nov 09, 2015 8:04 pm

sookwinder wrote:Image
this is a tele i could rock all day.
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Re: Trem for Telecaster?

Post by MKR » Tue Nov 10, 2015 3:11 am

Telliot wrote:I suppose this parrots much of what Brad mentioned above, but thought I'd chime in:

Learning certain string bends, vibrato styles, and neck wiggling goes a long way to simulating a lot of what you can do with a vibrato system. If you're looking for more than that, I suppose you could do it, but a large part of the beauty of the Tele is the 3-barrel bridge (IMO), so putting a Mastery or some other floating type of bridge would change the sound, and subsequently, the character of the guitar quite a bit. Some people have modified the ashtray bridge by notching the lip behind the barrel saddles to allow for strings to pass through from a Bigsby, but I've never tried one myself to speak on its results.
that's exactly what i did and honestly it's been great. I would say i cannot hear a noticeable difference between the guitar before and after. I never recorded a before and after to compare, but my guitar still sounds exactly like a telecaster should.

Like i said, single best mod i could have done to that guitar (for my playing style).

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Re: Trem for Telecaster?

Post by noisepunk » Tue Nov 10, 2015 6:23 am

DesmondWafers wrote:I, for one, would love to hear a piano with a tremolo system.
Hell yeah. I'm picturing a giant strat trem sticking out the top of it.

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Re: Trem for Telecaster?

Post by shaggseb » Tue Nov 10, 2015 8:13 am

noisepunk wrote:
DesmondWafers wrote:I, for one, would love to hear a piano with a tremolo system.
Hell yeah. I'm picturing a giant strat trem sticking out the top of it.
Made me think of this video I saw a few years back !

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIdHQ7flYsU" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

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Re: Trem for Telecaster?

Post by Sid Nitzerglobin » Tue Nov 10, 2015 11:06 am

Vibramate has a few kind of ridiculously expensive solutions that will let you run a B5 w/ a 3 barrel w/ no new holes. I'm guessing you still may need to shim the neck (but that's probably the case w/ just about any vibrato save maybe a strat style). CME regularly has pre-notched Callaham bridgeplates too.

That being said, I went w/ a bar bridge and Vibrola when I vibrato'd my Thinline Deluxe and it's turned out great. Of the systems I've tried (Floyd, Jazzmaster, B3/5/7, Vibrola, G&L dual fulcrum), I think I like the action of the Vibrola the best. It feels more like a 3 barrel Tele to me and has more of the Tele bite and twang than when stock (probably equal parts ditching the stock MP-90s and cheap Strat hardtail bridge/plastic nut).
Image

Don't get me wrong, string through w/ a 3 barrel bridge is the essence of Tele for me and I'll always want to keep one in this configuration as much for the feel as the sound, but I don't agree that anything else isn't a Tele or that putting a vibrato on one necessarily makes it a less functional guitar.

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Re: Trem for Telecaster?

Post by noisepunk » Tue Nov 10, 2015 4:06 pm

shaggseb wrote:
noisepunk wrote:
DesmondWafers wrote:I, for one, would love to hear a piano with a tremolo system.
Hell yeah. I'm picturing a giant strat trem sticking out the top of it.
Made me think of this video I saw a few years back !

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIdHQ7flYsU" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Yeah, more or less what I was picturing :D

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Re: Trem for Telecaster?

Post by Telliot » Thu Nov 19, 2015 7:28 pm

On the other hand, if it's good enough for this guy, who the fuck am I to question its validity?? ;)

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Re: Trem for Telecaster?

Post by rexter » Fri Nov 20, 2015 1:14 am

Telliot wrote:On the other hand, if it's good enough for this guy, who the fuck am I to question its validity??

Image
Image
I have the same setup on my tele but for some reason tuning really is a problem in this case - and I am a Bigsby lover, not hater.
I want to keep the 3 barrel bridge (have Rutters intonated steel saddles - incredible btw - and a vibramate notched bridge plate) but the damn thing only returns to pitch properly if I smother all parts with graphite and then that only lasts about two minutes! Adding a JM trem and bridge seems a bit extreme for this guitar. But I can't build ANOTHER!!!

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Re: Trem for Telecaster?

Post by jimboyogi » Fri Nov 20, 2015 4:11 am

s_mcsleazy wrote:
sookwinder wrote:Image
this is a tele i could rock all day.
I've played it, it's pretty much perfect.

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Re: Trem for Telecaster?

Post by MKR » Fri Nov 20, 2015 7:06 am

rexter wrote: I have the same setup on my tele but for some reason tuning really is a problem in this case - and I am a Bigsby lover, not hater.
I want to keep the 3 barrel bridge (have Rutters intonated steel saddles - incredible btw - and a vibramate notched bridge plate) but the damn thing only returns to pitch properly if I smother all parts with graphite and then that only lasts about two minutes! Adding a JM trem and bridge seems a bit extreme for this guitar. But I can't build ANOTHER!!!
really? that's not been my experience. the only part of my guitar that i have put graphite (from a pencil) on the nut. Tuning has been absolutely fine for me.

I use threaded steel saddles.

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Re: Trem for Telecaster?

Post by rexter » Fri Nov 20, 2015 8:06 am

MKR wrote:
rexter wrote: I have the same setup on my tele but for some reason tuning really is a problem in this case - and I am a Bigsby lover, not hater.
I want to keep the 3 barrel bridge (have Rutters intonated steel saddles - incredible btw - and a vibramate notched bridge plate) but the damn thing only returns to pitch properly if I smother all parts with graphite and then that only lasts about two minutes! Adding a JM trem and bridge seems a bit extreme for this guitar. But I can't build ANOTHER!!!
really? that's not been my experience. the only part of my guitar that i have put graphite (from a pencil) on the nut. Tuning has been absolutely fine for me.

I use threaded steel saddles.
Right! I never had a problem with a bigsby before - pretty sure I have a tusq nut on their too so don't know what's at play. Maybe my action/neck angle is too low, but tbh I don't want to fuck with that it plays like a dream.

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Re: Trem for Telecaster?

Post by pj » Sat Dec 12, 2015 3:28 am

Danley wrote:Agreeing with the sentiment not to mess with it, buy another guitar.

But.

Image
Extremely cool!!

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Re: Trem for Telecaster?

Post by matthew a » Wed Dec 16, 2015 11:09 am

I really want a Tele, but I've learnt to loathe the Fender stop bridges. Toying with the idea of getting a Classic Vibe Tele, and if I can't get on with the bridge, look at modding with a jazzmaster tremolo & bridge. Or just stick it on the wall & enjoy how pretty it is.

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Re: Trem for Telecaster?

Post by Larry Mal » Wed Dec 16, 2015 11:49 am

Really? The Telecaster bridge, done well, is just about one of the best things I can think of. Someone once told me that the Telecaster was all about contact, and that heavy plate screwed into hard wood with the strings running through that body sure adds up to magic no matter what happens.

Telecasters are great. I like Telecasters.

I like good Telecaster bridges. I use Callaham on mine.
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Re: Trem for Telecaster?

Post by StevenO » Wed Dec 16, 2015 1:29 pm

I went out of my way to try out a bunch of Bigsby'd Teles and honestly... Not all Bigsby'd Teles are made equally, or, rather, not all Bigsby'd Teles are set up the same. You can have a variety of different manners of playability and feel with a bigsby on a Tele, depending on bridge used, floating or not floating, size/stiffness of spring, etc.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, if you do go through with modding a Tele for a Bigsby, be prepared to do some tinkering trying to get it right. In the end, it's worth it.

A well set up Tele with a well set up Bigsby can kind of bridge the gap between a Tele and a Jazzmaster/Gretsch. Personally, I suggest using a taller spring to get the best action/play out of the Bigsby.

Somewhat shocking is that the worst playing/sounding Bigsby'd Tele I ever played was a '70/71 Tele with a Factory Bigsby. Yet I've played Japanese Teles and even Squier Cabronita Teles that had Bigsbys and they played very well. If you can, try and find a few. A Bigsby on a Tele can be a really great thing. Though I don't think I'd have a Bigsby Tele as my main/only Tele.

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