Telecaster Saddles - 6 brass

lincolnblue · September 2023

I am soon (hopefully) going to be in the market for a Telecaster. I had a Lite Ash one a number of years back (bought from here but can't remember who from). It was great, but the intonation issues made me change the bridge to a 6-brass saddle on, which solved the issue but kept the tone.

There is lots of hype around the 3 brass saddles and the tonal "benefit" of them, but intonation is an issue. Ways around this seem to be strat-type saddles or 3 intonated saddles.

But I've always wondered by Fender don't use 6-brass saddle bridges like G&L do? I know someone with a lovely 70's Telecaster which has them but I never see them on new guitars.

Is there a reason for it? Some purists don't like the strat type saddles, so surely a good compromise would be 6-brass?

I'm OCD when it comes to intonation so when I am in the market I'm going to have to find one with 6-saddles or 3 intonated.

guitars4you · September 2023

I personally prefer brass saddles - I know some will say they prefer steel - I prefer the set of 3 but compensated accordingly and on that basis have no issue with them - Some call it the Danny Gatton set/style

I've not really noticed before until you mentioned a set of 6 brass - But I'm not a fan of the 70's style 6 step saddles - Always come across as fiddly and rattly to me with less substance about them, so not really noticed any replacement sets in brass

I know for a while Fender have run with 6 Strat style saddles on recent models - Nothing against this, but I just prefer brass and 3 sets, but as I said, compensated accordingly

PAL · September 2023

I think the old style ashtray thing is the Tele sound. I bought a Fender 70h Anniversary Esquier and fitted a set of brass
Gotoh "In Tune Brass" saddles they sound great the guitar is perfectly in tune they also keep the strings from moving sideways.
Hope this helps.

Kittyfrisk · September 2023

Sounds like you might be after something similar to my lovely old partscaster.
I believe it is a Mighty Mite.

SteveRobinson · September 2023

The stuff from Armadillo is really good.
https://www.armadilloguitar.com/product-category/guitar-bridge-plates-saddles/

These square saddles are so much more stable than the six barrel type

Boromedic · September 2023

I bought a set of 3 compensated brass ones from eBay for a Squier Tele, they're great tbh and keep the 3 saddle look too. Cost about £6 which is a bargain really as they're really well made.

ICBM · September 2023

I prefer the sound of steel saddles, but I don't mind six of them. I know purists won't agree, but in my opinion it's absolutely not true that you need either three saddles, or brass saddles, for the 'Tele sound'. Any Tele with a proper metal bridge that the pickup is mounted through and a good pickup will sound like a Telecaster. Even without the metal bridge/pickup mount they can sound close, although I think they lack something.

Most compensated saddle sets have an excessive stagger in my experience - it can sometimes be worse than uncompensated ones. The key with uncompensated saddles is to set each one for the sharper of the two strings - B, G and low E - and not halfway between the two correct positions, since a slightly flat string is much less noticeable than a slightly sharp one.

thermionic · September 2023

I recently took the compensated brass saddles off a Tele I’m selling and put the stock uncompensated saddles back on. I think the intonation was better with the uncompensated ones! So I think there’s something in what @ICBM says here. Although to be honest, the intonation I achieved on both angled and straight saddles were very close (and certainly close enough for rock and roll).

Plenty of replacement 6-saddle vintage style bridges seem to be available, e.g., https://www.axesrus.co.uk/Axesrus-Vintage-Bridge-w-Six-Brass-Saddles-p/arutb0406.htm

dazzajl · September 2023

thermionic said:……..

close enough for rock and roll

And there is the whole point of the telecaster.

lincolnblue · September 2023

thermionic said:

I recently took the compensated brass saddles off a Tele I’m selling and put the stock uncompensated saddles back on. I think the intonation was better with the uncompensated ones! So I think there’s something in what @ICBM says here. Although to be honest, the intonation I achieved on both angled and straight saddles were very close (and certainly close enough for rock and roll).

Plenty of replacement 6-saddle vintage style bridges seem to be available, e.g., https://www.axesrus.co.uk/Axesrus-Vintage-Bridge-w-Six-Brass-Saddles-p/arutb0406.htm

That's what I put on my old Tele and it was great.

Voxman · September 2023

I have a Wilkinson 3 piece brass compensated saddle set on my HB TE52NA Tele. The intonation is excellent and I like the tone difference too.

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Telecaster Saddles - 6 brass

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