Anybody done the "Keef" brass bridge Tele mod?

lovestrat74

If so, what are your thoughts? Also what bridge did you go for?

Funkfingers

Decades ago, I installed a Mighty Mite USA brass bridge onto a Japanese T copy. 

Compared to Sir Keef's Micawber, the thing that I did not do was to mount the pickup directly to the body rather than through the conventional screw holes.

The best personal to elaborate further on this aspect is Ash @OilCityPickups ;

Ddigger

I read somewhere that it was a modern bridge that they dipped in acid to strip the chrome off.

I have wondered how much wood there is between the bottom of the neck pocket and the pickup rout.

OilCityPickups

Funkfingers said:

Decades ago, I installed a Mighty Mite USA brass bridge onto a Japanese T copy. 

Compared to Sir Keef's Micawber, the thing that I did not do was to mount the pickup directly to the body rather than through the conventional screw holes.

The best personal to elaborate further on this aspect is Ash @OilCityPickups ;;;

Keith's bridge pickup only has two screw holes (and about two thirds of a baseplate) and is screwed through onto a wood block.

spares below ... 
 

strtdv

The neck pickup in my custom shop Tele is direct mounted, can't say I notice a different over a pickguard mounted one. 

BobHillman

Would somebody be kind enough to explain what the

"Keef" brass bridge Tele mod

is?

lovestrat74

BobHillman said:

Would somebody be kind enough to explain what the

"Keef" brass bridge Tele mod

is?

Neilybob

lovestrat74 said:

BobHillman said:

Would somebody be kind enough to explain what the

"Keef" brass bridge Tele mod

is?

So it's literally a brass tele plate?

BillDL

@BobHillman The bridge has a brass baseplate rather than a steel one and has the "modern" individually adjustable saddles minus the low E because he plays on only 5 strings on that guitar.

pluckbuddy

I put a Gotoh brass bridge on a blackguard type partscaster once. I even went to the effort stripping the chrome, nickel and whatever else plating off to get a Macawber vibe going. Took ages so I don't recommend that. The Gotohs screw holes match up with a vintage style bridge though which is helpful. 

Tonewise, compared to a three saddle type, the brass bridge was mellower with less spank to the wound strings. It had loads of sustain but so does the vintage type. The neck pickup was too mellow sounding though so I went back to the original. 

Edited to clarify

OilCityPickups

strtdv said:

The neck pickup in my custom shop Tele is direct mounted, can't say I notice a different over a pickguard mounted one. 

Micawber's pickup wasn't mounted that way for tone ... it was done because the pickup isn't a conventional tele pickup so didn't have a full baseplate so couldn't be mounted securely from the bridge ashtray. 

Kittyfrisk

My own favourite tele has a brass bridge & saddles, as well as a mahogany body. Any, all or none of whch may or may not have an effect on 'tone'.  It is not a Fender & according to purists is all wrong, but sounds pretty damn good, which is sort of the point of a guitar
(None of this intentionally had anything whatsoever to do with Keith Richards).
It looks like this (crap grab shot):




I subsequently searched for, found & imported a brass Mighty Mite USA tele bridge about 15 years ago (hi @Funkfingers    )
Of course I still have it, as my brilliant project ideas always manage to massively outweigh my ability, skills & time to fulfil them...

It looks like this 

victorludorum

Check out Armadillo parts, if he's still going. He does a Keef bridge I believe.

Funkfingers

Kittyfrisk said:

I subsequently searched for, found & imported a brass Mighty Mite USA tele bridge about 15 years ago (hi, Funkfingers    )

My MM brass bridge was a six-saddle type, without the stamped/raised edges, dating back to approximately 1981 or 82. I have a horrible feeling that I may still have the remains of it, festering away in a parts drawer, almost black with corrosion. (Natural relic  = upcharge!) 

SteveRobinson

Not a "Keef" but I once made a replica Andy Summers Tele using a bridge from this guy, which was excellent quality
https://www.armadilloguitar.com/product/micawber-style-bridge-plate-w-keef-saddles/

NickB

OilCityPickups said:

strtdv said:

The neck pickup in my custom shop Tele is direct mounted, can't say I notice a different over a pickguard mounted one. 

Micawber's pickup wasn't mounted that way for tone ... it was done because the pickup isn't a conventional tele pickup so didn't have a full baseplate so couldn't be mounted securely from the bridge ashtray. 

My understanding is that the bridge PUPs in Keef’s Tele’s (Micawber & Malcolm) aren’t Tele PUPs but Fender lap steel PUPs from late 40s early 50s. 

OilCityPickups

NickB said:

OilCityPickups said:

strtdv said:

The neck pickup in my custom shop Tele is direct mounted, can't say I notice a different over a pickguard mounted one. 

Micawber's pickup wasn't mounted that way for tone ... it was done because the pickup isn't a conventional tele pickup so didn't have a full baseplate so couldn't be mounted securely from the bridge ashtray. 

My understanding is that the bridge PUPs in Keef’s Tele’s (Micawber & Malcolm) aren’t Tele PUPs but Fender lap steel PUPs from late 40s early 50s. 

Your understanding is part right and part wrong :-) The pickups are (or more correctly were) Lap steel pickups ... but not from the 40s or 50s. 

NickB

OilCityPickups said:

NickB said:

OilCityPickups said:

strtdv said:

The neck pickup in my custom shop Tele is direct mounted, can't say I notice a different over a pickguard mounted one. 

Micawber's pickup wasn't mounted that way for tone ... it was done because the pickup isn't a conventional tele pickup so didn't have a full baseplate so couldn't be mounted securely from the bridge ashtray. 

My understanding is that the bridge PUPs in Keef’s Tele’s (Micawber & Malcolm) aren’t Tele PUPs but Fender lap steel PUPs from late 40s early 50s. 

Your understanding is part right and part wrong :-) The pickups are (or more correctly were) Lap steel pickups ... but not from the 40s or 50s. 

I’m sure I read somewhere that Pierre DeBeauport, Keef’s tech had trouble sourcing sourcing old Fender lap steel pups from the 40s and 50s…. Happy to stand corrected.

btw I think half of Keef’s tone is from where he strikes the strings which is somewhere around where the neck meets the body.

OilCityPickups

NickB said:

OilCityPickups said:

NickB said:

OilCityPickups said:

strtdv said:

The neck pickup in my custom shop Tele is direct mounted, can't say I notice a different over a pickguard mounted one. 

Micawber's pickup wasn't mounted that way for tone ... it was done because the pickup isn't a conventional tele pickup so didn't have a full baseplate so couldn't be mounted securely from the bridge ashtray. 

My understanding is that the bridge PUPs in Keef’s Tele’s (Micawber & Malcolm) aren’t Tele PUPs but Fender lap steel PUPs from late 40s early 50s. 

Your understanding is part right and part wrong :-) The pickups are (or more correctly were) Lap steel pickups ... but not from the 40s or 50s. 

I’m sure I read somewhere that Pierre DeBeauport, Keef’s tech had trouble sourcing sourcing old Fender lap steel pups from the 40s and 50s…. Happy to stand corrected.

Some years ago Micawber's bridge pickup went dead before a gig in London and I dealt with Pierre and rewound Micawber's bridge pickup as well as supplying the copies seen in the image below. The pickup was as I said was a lap steel pickup but not of the age you describe.
 With the greatest respect, 'reading something somewhere' and having an iconic pickup on your bench to be measured and copied (along with being told a fair bit of its history) is a very different thing, :-)
It's Pierre de Beaufort not Beauport by the way. 

StuartMac290

NickB said:

OilCityPickups said:

NickB said:

OilCityPickups said:

strtdv said:

The neck pickup in my custom shop Tele is direct mounted, can't say I notice a different over a pickguard mounted one. 

Micawber's pickup wasn't mounted that way for tone ... it was done because the pickup isn't a conventional tele pickup so didn't have a full baseplate so couldn't be mounted securely from the bridge ashtray. 

My understanding is that the bridge PUPs in Keef’s Tele’s (Micawber & Malcolm) aren’t Tele PUPs but Fender lap steel PUPs from late 40s early 50s. 

Your understanding is part right and part wrong :-) The pickups are (or more correctly were) Lap steel pickups ... but not from the 40s or 50s. 

I’m sure I read somewhere that Pierre DeBeauport, Keef’s tech had trouble sourcing sourcing old Fender lap steel pups from the 40s and 50s…. Happy to stand corrected.

btw I think half of Keef’s tone is from where he strikes the strings which is somewhere around where the neck meets the body.

See also: Angus Young, Johnny Marr, pretty much every jazz player...

I'm forever trying to get guitarists to play nearer the neck when I'm producing them. It just sounds so much richer and fuller.

CasperCaster

ABM make an unplated flat plate/ six saddle bridge which Thomann sell.

https://www.thomann.de/gb/abm_custom_shop_tb_1hr_brass_relic.htm

I believe the Gotoh flat plate/six saddle Tele bridge is brass, (beneath the plating)  with either brass or steel saddles depending on the model.