tele bridge sound on a strat

[Selsaral]

OK, obviously the two guitars are different, and you can't get all the way there. But if you wanted to take a standard stratocaster and get a typical single coil telecaster bridge sound out of it, how would you go about it?

[kludge]

You need a baseplate on the pickup, like a Tele. Several vendors make such beasts. The baseplate needs to be grounded.

[Selsaral]

I can accept that the baseplate is essential, but I am not convinced. The GE Smith tele famously has no baseplate.

I don't have nearly enough personal experience to tell.

If I were to install one however, it would replace the entire strat bridge, right?

[drod2045]

the baseplate goes under the bridge pickup. I think youre thinking of the 1/2 ashtray bridge that the GE Smith has.

[hk45acp]

I remember an interview with Jason Lollar where he was testing out different versions of his Tele bridge pickups and realized how much the metal plate contributes to the Tele sound.

[kludge]

I can accept that the baseplate is essential, but I am not convinced. The GE Smith tele famously has no baseplate.

I don't have nearly enough personal experience to tell.

If I were to install one however, it would replace the entire strat bridge, right?

I'm talking about a baseplate (http://www.tdpri.com/resourceBASEPLATE.htm)on the pickup, not the bridge. Traditional Tele bridge pickups have a metal plate on the bottom of the pickup that affects their tone, strengthening the magnets and shifting resonant frequencies.

[JUSTJOB]

If that is what I wanted to do then I would put a Tele Bridge pickup in the Strat, although, I like Strat singles in the bridge of my Strats. Actually, some people do choose to do this to their Strats. Perhaps someone will post a picture of their Tele modded Strat for you, I've seen some here before. I don't think a baseplate on your Strat pickup will get you to Tele bridge territory.

[Mark C]

I'd use a baseplate under the pickup, and I think I'd also hide a metal plate under the pickguard to surround the pickup, to mimic the effect of the ashtray bridge. Supposedly the bridge expands the magnetic field of the pickup. Additionally, you'd need a pickup wound more like a tele pickup, they seem to have a fatter coil than a typical strat pickup. Lastly, connect a tone control to the pickup.

[Selsaral]

I'm talking about a baseplate (http://www.tdpri.com/resourceBASEPLATE.htm)on the pickup, not the bridge. Traditional Tele bridge pickups have a metal plate on the bottom of the pickup that affects their tone, strengthening the magnets and shifting resonant frequencies.

Aha, now I see, thanks.

[Selsaral]

If that is what I wanted to do then I would put a Tele Bridge pickup in the Strat, although, I like Strat singles in the bridge of my Strats. Actually, some people do choose to do this to their Strats. Perhaps someone will post a picture of their Tele modded Strat for you, I've seen some here before. I don't think a baseplate on your Strat pickup will get you to Tele bridge territory.

Yeah it took me a while but I've really warmed up to the bridge single coil in my stock American strat. I had to play it with the band for a few months and record with it to get comfortable. I don't think I'd do this mod to this guitar, I think I'd get a beater strat to try it on.

Good advice tho, thanks.

[Selsaral]

I'd use a baseplate under the pickup, and I think I'd also hide a metal plate under the pickguard to surround the pickup, to mimic the effect of the ashtray bridge. Supposedly the bridge expands the magnetic field of the pickup. Additionally, you'd need a pickup wound more like a tele pickup, they seem to have a fatter coil than a typical strat pickup. Lastly, connect a tone control to the pickup.

Is there room in the cavity of most strats for the baseplate (no routing required)?

[Boris Bubbanov]

Is there room in the cavity of most strats for the baseplate (no routing required)?

Yes, plenty of room for a Fralin style Strat base plate.

The next step is of course the "Lowell George" solution. Enlarge bridge pup rout and install a base plated Tele pickup such as a CS No-Caster or Seymour Broadcaster in there, body mounted, then cut a new pickguard.

Not enough? Buy this "Chimemaster" bridge from Dale Clark (Glendale Guitars)

http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t25/Bubbanov/26DEC082008003.jpg

[GA20T]

+1 Install a Broadcaster/Nocaster. Can't think of a better way to do it. I hadn't thought of this, so thanks for (potentially) making me love the Stratocaster!

[ChazMania]

I recently had a 3 single coil Tyler done up with a Tele (and baseplate) bridge pickup, it sounds utterly incredible. While its not all Tele it does get a fair amount of that snarl and bite; plus the beauty of still having the quack in position 4, I love it.

[David Garner]

Based on my experience with the EJ Strat, you can get most of the way there by either decking or (preferably) blocking the trem (I use a tremol-no) and wiring the tone control to the bridge.

Not saying you won't get closer with a hotter bridge pickup with a plate, but I think you can get that basic tone with just those 2 functions. I use my Strat for nearly all my Tele tones now at rehearsals and it does a pretty good job. When you get down to it, the bigger and thicker body and heftier bridge, IMHO, contribute more to the Tele tone than the pickup. Wiring a tone control to it and stabilizing the bridge were the 2 things I noticed that closed the gap. One reason I liked the EJ is when I tested it, it already had the bridge wired to a tone knob and the trem decked. When I played country or blues on the bridge, it sounded more like a Tele than any Strat I've ever played.

[SLG]

You could try a Rio Grande Stelly pickup. It's Rio Grande's Telecaster bridge pickup wound on a Strat sized bobbin. It fits in a standard Strat mount (pickguard & body routing) The Stelly is close to a Broadcaster bridge tone.

[Zillie]

If i understand:
http://www.rabagast.no/tyler/mbsl.jpg
this guitar has this kind of baseplate (the different screw positions):
http://www.tdpri.com/gifs/RESOURCES_bridgePickupBACK.jpg

but if I'd use the Fralin baseplate, I could use a regular strat pickguard, right? Would it be the same result as with the one above? (cause it's smaller than the one in the pic)

[Selsaral]

You could try a Rio Grande Stelly pickup. It's Rio Grande's Telecaster bridge pickup wound on a Strat sized bobbin. It fits in a standard Strat mount (pickguard & body routing) The Stelly is close to a Broadcaster bridge tone.

Fascinating. This is probably the easiest thing to get started with. Thanks!

[McStrats]

The trem set up in a Strat, ie: saddles, springs, etc, are a big part of why a Strat can never sound like a Tele. Now, if we're talking hard tail strat then that's a different story. The truth of the matter is though, only a Tele can sound like a Tele, and it's not just ashtray, the baseplate, the wider pickup, hard tail bridge and brass saddles..so much as it is a combination of all. If we're just talking strictly pickups, then the Rio Grande Stelly wil get you closer than any, IMO.

[gkoelling]

Also put a big ol' FAT neck on it!:cool:

[SMark]

The Rio Grande Stelly is a nice pup. But I decided to go just a bit further than that...

http://marksmitchell4.home.mindspring.com/TeleStratPickguard.jpg

[JimmyR]

I've tried a Tele bridge pickup in a Strat. Still sounds like a Strat. Bigger and bitier, but still a Strat. As others have said, it's the whole combo of things, primarily the bridge type as well as the pickup. Strat bridges alter the tone considerably.

On a side note, I love the guitar tone Billy Gibbons gets on "Blue Jeans Blues". Apparently it was a hardtail Strat on the neck position pickup direct into the board. I can't get close to that tone with a trem Strat but get pretty close with a Tele on the neck pickup. Great sound!

[McStrats]

I've tried a Tele bridge pickup in a Strat. Still sounds like a Strat. Bigger and bitier, but still a Strat. As others have said, it's the whole combo of things, primarily the bridge type as well as the pickup. Strat bridges alter the tone considerably.



The spring assembley is like a reverb tank or something...it definitely impacts the sound and is a big part of "The Strat Sound". Swapping out the pu's, and even adding a base plate won't stop "The Strat sound"...it will only alter it a little.