JM-style floating trem with tele bridge?

[ThurberMingus]

Title says it all. I have my bastard tele that was my first guitar, and seen 1000s of mods, but for my final trick I want to install a floating tremolo on it. I'm gonna buy a bridge like this and file down where the strings need to pass through:



My only question after that would involve determining where to route the trem cavity. Just measure straight back and route out the right shaped hole? Has anyone done this before?

[fever606]

That's pretty much it, with the emphasis on getting it straight... just a little kink and everything goes egg-shaped faster than you can say "vibrato"...

There are a couple of example of this on both TDPRI and OSG (I have not done it), some using the standard Tele bridge that's been cut down (as you are planning) and many with the Bigsby B5 plate - which has holes for mounting a JM-style floating bridge...

Some porn...





Good luck!

[ThurberMingus]

Thanks! I'm sure I'll need it! I spoke with my local guitar gurus and they said they could do it starting at around $40. I'd really like to do it myself but at the same time, I've gotten excited and half-assed a lot of guitar projects. Maybe I'll just talk to them. Pics when it's done!

[fever606]

That's not an unreasonable price... I paid similar to have a Blacktop Jaguar body routed for the vibrato, well worth it to me...

[DADGBD]

Cool plan. I'd contemplated doing something similar with my Deluxe.

It's all preference, of course...
but I tend to like the look and feel of these flat plates that allow you to use a separate mustang-style bridge.



Looking forward to seeing what you end up with. This config has always intrigued me and you don't see it a lot.

[fever606]

I withheld posting that Danocaster because all the blood rushes out of my head and hands when I look at it... But yeah, that's the Bigsby bridge plate, lurve that look..

[ThurberMingus]

I wanted to use a regular bridge to avoid having to shim the neckm. Also I like the regular bridges better. Viva la aesthetic!

[ThurberMingus]

Also all the guitars in this thread confirm my suspicion that this is the best idea I've ever had.

[colossus]

How's this going? I'm toying with a similar idea

[ThurberMingus]

Currently on the back-burner too much time/money tied up in other things. I will report back when I'm able to get it going again. I really need to sell my National.

[lefchr]

I so want one of these preferably in sonic blue or sea foam green