Fitting a Bigsby to a US Telemaster

moogie72

Hi that was because I was going for the full bigsby kit, but since then had seen what you had mentioned in post , never occurred to me to be the easiest option , go back to an ashtray bridge that has the back out for stringin straight to the bigsby , thus negating the need for filling and drilling at all, should have read your post again, anyway...think that’s the route I wanna take so was piping up again 

moogie72

As I wanted a flatter modern tele bridge, they are fatter than the stamped ones so was wondering about grinding out one, I don’t get along with the raised rim round the vintage tray tele bridge 

gavin_axecaster

moogie72 said:

Ok , I have a 4 screw bridge plate in , bigsby plates are 3 . I don’t really want to fill and redrill.
i know gotoh do a tray with 4 screws , and the back plate is cut back so strings can go over and on to the bigsby...the seem pretty rare.only found one in US and Spain

Gotoh don't make the bridge. Allparts sell a Bigsby-cut Tele bridge with Gotoh saddles, but the bridge plate is made in S.Korea and Allparts put the saddles on. I used to buy the bridge plates from Allparts and put the Gotoh saddles on but they refuse to sell me the plates alone now and it makes the bridge too expensive (I buy Gotoh saddles a lot cheaper than Allparts want to sell them to me for!)

https://www.allparts.com/TB-5134-001-Bridge-for-Telecasterreg-with-Gotoh-Saddles_p_5570.html

Gagaryn

moogie72 said:

As I wanted a flatter modern tele bridge, they are fatter than the stamped ones so was wondering about grinding out one, I don’t get along with the raised rim round the vintage tray tele bridge 

Grinding the side rim of the standard stamped tele bridge is a common mod and easily done.

I considered it when I was grinding the back for the strings but decided against it; I did however smooth out the top edge to get rid of the indentations they always have at the corner.

moogie72

gavin_axecaster said:

moogie72 said:

Ok , I have a 4 screw bridge plate in , bigsby plates are 3 . I don’t really want to fill and redrill.
i know gotoh do a tray with 4 screws , and the back plate is cut back so strings can go over and on to the bigsby...the seem pretty rare.only found one in US and Spain

Gotoh don't make the bridge. Allparts sell a Bigsby-cut Tele bridge with Gotoh saddles, but the bridge plate is made in S.Korea and Allparts put the saddles on. I used to buy the bridge plates from Allparts and put the Gotoh saddles on but they refuse to sell me the plates alone now and it makes the bridge too expensive (I buy Gotoh saddles a lot cheaper than Allparts want to sell them to me for!)

https://www.allparts.com/TB-5134-001-Bridge-for-Telecasterreg-with-Gotoh-Saddles_p_5570.html

Righto got you, is this one of yours?....

Cordier telecaster again 3x gotoh intune vintage saddle tele bridge adapted for bigsby https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/113286842334

I was was thinking of getting this , or as above a thicker gotoh and do the cuts and grinds 

moogie72

Gagaryn said:

moogie72 said:

As I wanted a flatter modern tele bridge, they are fatter than the stamped ones so was wondering about grinding out one, I don’t get along with the raised rim round the vintage tray tele bridge 

Grinding the side rim of the standard stamped tele bridge is a common mod and easily done.

I considered it when I was grinding the back for the strings but decided against it; I did however smooth out the top edge to get rid of the indentations they always have at the corner.

Great, thanks again. I’m good to grind then 

moogie72

So was going to slice into once of these, as the already have holes for stringing through and  change saddles

Gotoh Modern Telecaster Bridge with Compensated Brass Saddles https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/142660212028

Gagaryn

worth remembering the Gotoh bridge is longer by about 15 mm than a standard Tele bridge, the mounting holes are in the same place though I think but worth checking.

moogie72

It’s same specs as the six saddle one I have on already so yep good to go on that front thanks 

gavin_axecaster

moogie72 said:

gavin_axecaster said:

moogie72 said:

Ok , I have a 4 screw bridge plate in , bigsby plates are 3 . I don’t really want to fill and redrill.
i know gotoh do a tray with 4 screws , and the back plate is cut back so strings can go over and on to the bigsby...the seem pretty rare.only found one in US and Spain

Gotoh don't make the bridge. Allparts sell a Bigsby-cut Tele bridge with Gotoh saddles, but the bridge plate is made in S.Korea and Allparts put the saddles on. I used to buy the bridge plates from Allparts and put the Gotoh saddles on but they refuse to sell me the plates alone now and it makes the bridge too expensive (I buy Gotoh saddles a lot cheaper than Allparts want to sell them to me for!)

https://www.allparts.com/TB-5134-001-Bridge-for-Telecasterreg-with-Gotoh-Saddles_p_5570.html

Righto got you, is this one of yours?....

Cordier telecaster again 3x gotoh intune vintage saddle tele bridge adapted for bigsby https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/113286842334

I was was thinking of getting this , or as above a thicker gotoh and do the cuts and grinds 

Well it's the same Allparts bridge (see the product code on the listing description). Good bridges - slightly thicker steel than stander Fender Pat Pend plates.