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Should I Upgrade My Telecaster Bridge Pickup?

Telecaster Bridge PickupThinking about upgrading your Telecaster bridge pickup? Here are a few things to consider.

Telecasters are great… probably my favorite guitar of all. But when your Tele is stock, chances are that it came loaded with vintage style pickups. Depending on your rig and your style of playing, this may translate to noise (i.e. the dreaded 60-cycle hum), or in the case of the bridge pickup, a somewhat brittle tone, and few options. Here is a list of areas to think through before you make your final decision on which Telecaster bridge pickup to choose.
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What Are The Best Telecaster Bridge Pickups?

What Are The Best Telecaster Bridge Pickups?Treat your Tele to the best bridge pickup possible.

Although Telecaster bridge pickups are best known for their famous “Twang,” more and more, guitarists are looking to coax an increased array of sounds out of their instrument. If you need to extend what your Telecaster can do, you’ll need to consider upgrading your bridge and neck pickups. Even if you simply want to improve the quality of your existing sound, an upgrade is usually the best bet. Below are links for the best Telecaster Bridge pickups on the market. Which one is right for you depends mostly on your needs as well as taste.
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Where Can I Find the Best Telecaster Guitar Parts?

Where Can I Find The Best Telecaster Guitar Parts?Telecaster Bodies, Telecaster Necks, Telecaster Hardware… Everything “Tele” links here.

If you are embarking on a project that involves upgrading or building a Telecaster, these links might help you to find some of the parts you need. All of these companies offer some pretty good stuff at fairly reasonable prices. Warmoth, for example, is probably best and offers the most options for bodies and necks, but of course, they are the most expensive.  In each case, though, be sure to explore all the options that the company offers and don’t be afraid to call them if you have any questions before you place your order.
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Reader Question: Strat Bridges and Claw Mounting Screws

Don’t concern yourself too much with claw mounting screws. Set them so that your string tension feels right, and then you can pretty much leave them alone.

Mark Writes:

Can you please tell me the what’s and hows of the screws on the tail of the bridge? That is, when you’re putting a screw in and the thread of the screw is facing the neck and the head of the guitar, and the head of the screw is facing the rear of the body. I have some adjusting to make with the action and need to adjust each string to the curvature of the neck. I have a pretty clear understanding of how to do this, but have not yet gotten the idea of the screws mentioned.  Continue reading “Reader Question: Strat Bridges and Claw Mounting Screws”

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How to Adjust Your Strat Bridge Angle

How to adjust your Strat bridge angleIf your Strat bridge is leaning too much towards or away from the neck, these simple steps will get you back to the right angle.

A reader recently asked how he could adjust the angle of the tremolo bridge on his Stratocaster. In his case, the bridge was leaning towards the neck. Adjusting this is a very simple process. The main thing to keep in mind is to not tighten the trem claw screws too much (covered in step # 3). Your goal is to have the perfect balance between the tension of the strings and the tension of the tremolo springs.
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