Would an ashtray bridge and pickguard cover a bridge route on a HH Tele?

lovestrat74

If you want to convert a HH Tele to custom config - S bridge and H neck - would the route be hiden by the bridge and pickguard?

Roland

Presumably you’d replace the full size HB bridge plate with a “normal” Telecaster bridge plate that has the same dimensions and screw holes, and keep the existing pick guard. So yes.

However, if it’s a short bridge plate, then you’d have to check that the existing neck pickup hole would be covered by the new full size plate.

DrBob

No, I think the "ears" of the humbucker route would stick out either side of the ashtray

lovestrat74

So it sounds like the height of humbucker route is greater than the ashtray bridge heght.. hmm...

WezV

DrBob said:

No, I think the "ears" of the humbucker route would stick out either side of the ashtray

This.  Humbucker bridge plates are noticeably wider

Funkfingers

DrBob said:

the "ears" of the humbucker route would stick out either side of the ashtray

This is correct for a vintage-style, stamped steel bridge.

A modern, machined from solid, single coil bridge might be broad enough to hide your embarrassment. 

I would retain the stock short hardtail bridge and hide the cavity in plain sight by using an adapter plate. Something like this. 

lovestrat74

Ok cheers guys!

ICBM

I would fit an Oil City Brassknuckle pickup with a splitting option and get both sounds while avoiding making it look like a halfway house.

It's like two Tele pickups on a humbucker baseplate...

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jboP7t8G6-s/UKUn0jdMPTI/AAAAAAAAAk0/2L-3JEnxCKU/s1600/ASH_0032.jpg

Split it to the coil nearer the neck and it sounds like a Tele, split it to the one nearer the bridge and it sounds like a Strat. I did exactly this for someone who had a Tele with a full humbucker bridgeplate recently, with the split to the Tele sound - it sounded fantastic.

It doesn't seem to be currently listed on the Oil City website but I'm sure if you drop Ash a line he could do something.