Telecaster Bridges - Effect on Pickup

BillDL · July 2023

I've wondered about this for a while, but I don't know much about the finer details of electronics other than how to solder up wiring harnesses, for example inductance, capacitance, etc.

On Telecaster style guitars that have the standard bridge plate with the integrated bridge pickup mounting hole (as opposed to ones with short Tele bridges and the bridge pickup mounted separately in its own ring or in the pickguard), what effect does the extra metal around the pickup have electronically on the bridge pickup, and is any effect on it sufficient to be audible in the signal?

I realise that the additional mass or area of metal in contact with the guitar body on a standard Telecaster bridge base plate will impart a slightly different tone than a short "hard tail" bridge, but I am more interested in the effect of the metal bridge base plate on the magnets and wire coils, and the electronic effects I assume it will have.

I have a Telecaster body cut out and decided to rout it for 2 x humbuckers this time, but rather than having the 70s Tele Deluxe layout with 4 pots and massive ugly pickguard with toggle switch on the upper bout (aesthetically unpleasing to me), I've decided to just use a standard Tele pickguard and a 3-way blade switch on a Tele control plate. I'm undecided about whether to use one of the bridges shown below or to use a Hipshot style short hard-tail bridge and have the bridge humbucker in its own mounting ring (chromed metal or plastic). I quite like the look of both and I have the parts, but was curious to know whether there would likely be a perceivable difference in the "electronic" sound over and above any physical "vibrational" sound/feel imparted by the different styles of bridge.

impmann · July 2023

I can't comment on the bridge in question - but can about Tele bridges and the effect on the electronic sound. I had a cheap £10 three-saddle bridge on one of my guitars; it was through body strung etc but it was very light weight/flimsy. The guitar had a really unpleasant 'clank' to the electric sound that was especially noticeable on the bridge pickup (Mojo 52).
I changed it out for a Fender one (still three saddle) and the clank was gone... and no, it wasn't pickup heights, as I measured them and replicated them.
So yes, it *can* make a big difference.

Roland · July 2023

@OilCityPickups has professional experience of the effect of bridge plates, and of pickup base plates.

BillDL · July 2023

Thank you @impmann ; That's the experience I've also had with budget and cheaply made bridges with thinner metal base plates. The chunkier ones give more sustain and a more "solid" sound unamplified and amplified.

Thank you @Roland.

OilCityPickups · July 2023

The quantity of ferrous metal both around and under the pickup will have an effect on the pickups inductance and on eddy currents around the fields. .
Much less effect however on a humbucker as you can't place an iron plate at one end of the magnetic field as you can with a single coil baseplate,

BillDL · July 2023

Thank you @OilCityPickups ; that's the expression I was trying to remember - "eddy currents". I assume from what you are saying that the effect of the metal bridge plate around a humbucker would be pretty negligible?

ICBM · July 2023

I think it still makes a difference with a humbucker because the bridgeplate vibrates - this might actually be the larger of the two effects. Usually the plate is only held down by a row of screws in front of the string holes (or sometimes behind) so the front end of the plate is not in tight contact with the body. Some bridges do also have a pair of screws at the front, and with these I think you can hear the difference when it's screwed down, or not.

BillDL · July 2023

Good point @ICBM. ; On all but one of the Tele type guitars I've had that didn't have screws at the front corners of the bridge plate I have drilled and screwed them down to prevent the vibration you speak of. On the one that I decided not to screw down the plate that was slightly raised, this actually seemed to help with the "twangy" nature of the sound on that guitar, but that was a single coil pickup. The Tele bridge with the humbucker ring that I have available does have screw holes at the front edge.

OilCityPickups · July 2023

ICBM said:

I think it still makes a difference with a humbucker because the bridgeplate vibrates - this might actually be the larger of the two effects. Usually the plate is only held down by a row of screws in front of the string holes (or sometimes behind) so the front end of the plate is not in tight contact with the body. Some bridges do also have a pair of screws at the front, and with these I think you can hear the difference when it's screwed down, or not.

This of course may be part of the unique sound of 'Micawber' as the bridge pickup only has half a baseplate under it and only two screws into the 'ashtray' with a block of wood holding the other end of the pickup stable to the body. I love a good bodge when I see one :-)

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Telecaster Bridges - Effect on Pickup

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