How to fit a guitar bridge - Telecaster Partscaster

I'm making a telecaster out of parts I've picked up over the years and in this video I'll show you how to fit the bridge.
The main two things to consider are alignment and scale length: make sure you have a centre line so that the bridge is perfectly lined up to the neck and make sure you know the scale length of the instrument (you can work this out by measuring from the nut to the twelfth fret and doubling that measurement).
After fitting the bridge, put the strings on and get the guitar set up.
Below are amazon affiliate links for the parts I used to make this Telecaster Partscaster, meaning, at no cost to you, I will earn commission if you click through and make a purchase:
US:
Telecaster neck (Kmise) : amzn.to/2REQAwR
Wilkinson Zebra Humbuckers : amzn.to/2RBvDTu
IKN Full Size Type A pots 500k : amzn.to/2RFk9OF
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Hardtail bridge : amzn.to/2SMU8un
UK:
Telecaster neck (Kmise) : amzn.to/2yKk3dk
Wilkinson Zebra Humbuckers : amzn.to/2wUiTuD
Strat style machine heads : amzn.to/2R0SmEF
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3 way Chrome switch : amzn.to/2PdQYkR
Hardtail bridge : amzn.to/2yMe1ZH
Below are amazon affiliate links for some of the tools used to make this Telecaster Partscaster meaning, at no cost to you, I will earn commission if you click through and make a purchase:
US:
Makita Random Orbital Sander - amzn.to/2rTFuWp
Full Face Mask - amzn.to/2Cnc8FN
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Drum Sanding Kit : amzn.to/2ShRzk6
1-13mm HSS Drill bit set : amzn.to/2CtNbZw
Forstner bit set : amzn.to/2Maa6KM
Router guide bit set : amzn.to/2OvdlT1
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Panasonic HC V770 camcorder - amzn.to/2VHlVhy
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[@bebosdiary9079]

Thanks from Germany ❤️🇩🇪

[@craigbloxom8181]

Hallelujah Jesus, simple & to the point thank you. I tried to watch a few Yanks doing bridge installations and they go on and on with so much drivel I kept searching until I found you. Thanks for the straightforward lesson on how to install a bridge. You're a champion.

[@PherotoneStudios]

Thanks mate. Hope it helps. Let me know if you have any questions or ideas for other videos

[@johnstitt2615]

Unfortunately drivel is world-wide phenomenon. I have seen cases in Canada, the USA, the UK, etc. His lack of drivel does not have anything to do with this him being from the UK and not the USA. He is skilled and likes to get to the point.

[@craigbloxom8181]

@@johnstitt2615 Of course you're right John, I stand corrected thank you. I could only speak to my personal experience at the time. Best regards, Bloxy

[@joshemartinez2577]

Can you please, PLEASE make a video of how to install a telecaster bridge to a stratocaster body? Please, I have zero experience on this, and you're literally the only person that explains things perfectly

[@KODELINER]

Cheers for this, about to install my first hardtail string-through

[@pmayh3m]

OMG! Thank you! Simple, concise, straight to it.

[@12125545]

thank you very much for the tips sir

[@JOHNMINKA]

many thanks just doing one

[@bapakandeh5358]

tqvm sir! very short and easy to understand, straight to the point. cheers!!!

[@PherotoneStudios]

Thanks mate. Hope I helped yoy

[@bapakandeh5358]

@@PherotoneStudios a lot! thanks again

[@nadeemafzal8984]

Massive thanks 🙏🏽 for making it look so simple Onto the tele project ….

[@gergemall]

Thank you

[@OnTheFritz602]

Looks pretty simple, thanks!

[@wisemanscreekstudios1404]

Another great video man,your knowledge around guitar making and maintenance is extremely helpful.We have to tackle some repairs soon on some older instruments we have. Cheers mate

[@PherotoneStudios]

Thank you. If there’s anything you need to know how to do, please let me know and I’ll do a video on it. There’s quite a few guitar build videos coming up.

[@wisemanscreekstudios1404]

Thanks mate,nothing comes to mind immediately although I do have an old Ibanez Road-star bass which I love problem is I played it to death(well at least all the active wiring in the back came apart)As clunky and as heavy as it is I love it and started playing on it.Pickups seemed fine last time I played it a couple of years ago.Only thing is im not that technical as to tackle it myself and was going to take it to get repaired,Just haven't got around to it as yet,its probably as simple as getting the wiring diagram and breaking out the soldering iron I suspect Cheers mate.

[@BinarySecond]

Love that bridge so much more thsn the ash tray style

[@nimitz1739]

Smart way of doing this. You get a like from me mate! Don’t even know why I’m saying mate, I’m from the US.

[@Marsd30]

Awesome! Well done! I was trying to wrap my head around the ways to do it and searched everywhere. I'm replacing the bridge on my strat because the term weight is way too heavy.

[@alexsilencestalker875]

Amazing.. Thank you so much!

[@woozyjoe4703]

I'm 65 years old and barely hammered in a nail all my days. Now we're having another 6+ weeks of lockdown, I'm considering building a tele to save me going mad. Well I say building but I'm buying a body and a neck and fitting the bridge etc and wiring. One question. How would you mark up the lines on a body that already has a polyurethane finish? Tape on it and mark that? The nut is the thing I'm slightly worried about and the fret levelling but your video has inspired me so thank you for posting

[@haydenkelso2697]

I have a vintage style tele bridge with 3 saddles that I'm using for my build. When measuring my 25.5 inch scale length, where should I position the saddles to find my length from the nut? The degree of adjustment for these saddles is quite large, and I don't want to end up mounting the bridge ridiculously far down the body or too high up.

[@SiameseDream97]

Thanks, just what I needed

[@GuitarReviver]

Great video, thank you. One thing I struggle to understand is how should you set the intonation screws on the saddles before you take the measurement from the nut? From the video it looks like you have your intonation screws set at a pretty neutral position, halfway up each screw, I guess this is the best way to do it to give yourself maximum forward and backward adjustment potential for each saddle? Thanks

[@PherotoneStudios]

Yeah I just go in the middle so there’s plenty of adjustment each way. They only go maybe 2mm each side of the centre normally

[@GuitarReviver]

@@PherotoneStudios Thank you for clarifying!

[@miloellis191]

Your a fucking gem mate, straight to the point 🍻

[@PherotoneStudios]

Thanks mate

[@markd.ehrhart4014]

Thanks for the simplification some tips get long winded.

[@rossmurdoch9714]

Excuse my ignorance - is that a top loader bridge then? Looks like a through the body one...did you have to drill the holes for the strings after? Would love that guidance too. Thanks for the helpful vids!

[@mikolajmikolajj963]

Nice work. Good luck :)

[@PherotoneStudios]

Thank you

[@santiagoruygonzalez9894]

genial!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@fishaman1968shadow]

Great video buddy ,I've taken up building kit guitars as a hobby. I was wondering how would I go about putting a tuneamatic bridge on a telecaster? I Know Rick parfitt had a wraparound one on his tele. Something to think about.

[@t.skradde1686]

How do I make sure the neck is really in line? I will only find out when I put the strings on later? Are there other ways to double check the centerline? Thanks! Total noob here.

[@PherotoneStudios]

I run a straight edge up each side of the neck and mark that on the body. I think draw another centre line in the middle of those two lines in case it's not the same as the original centre line. You need to make sure the straight edge is on the top edge of the fretboard though (right next to the frets) and not the curved part of the rear of the neck

[@mcgruffallo]

Given the saddles shown can be adjusted anywhere within a range of 10mm, simply saying "measure to the front of the saddle" isn't much help...

[@ProteinCODM]

oh. hi. well done. also i have a question. how can i install strings on a fix bridge like that?

[@jake30966]

Can you tell me how to measure for a bridge replacement ? i want to get new bridge for my Yamaha ERG121 and don't know what the right size would be .

[@glytch5]

What would you recommend to draw the center line on a body that already has a gloss finish? Just marker?

[@brianandrews6273]

Sorry for a probably dumb question, with a bridge like this, do I need something to protect the wood on the top of the body? I have ferrule holes drilled on the back. It just seems that my stain may not be enough to stop the strings eroding into the wood over time.

[@PherotoneStudios]

The strings should be held between the ferrules and the holes in the bridge so shouldn’t wear your body.

[@brianandrews6273]

@@PherotoneStudios Thanks so much for your answer

[@spokes28]

Am I correct in thinking that the scale measurement of 25 1/2” should be located at the middle of the saddles adjustment range and the bridge should be mounted there?

[@PherotoneStudios]

Yes. That’s exactly what I do

[@galacticoasis]

Looks like a nice bridge. What make is it and is it good for palm muting? So I take it that there is no drilling through the body for the strings to anchor.

[@PherotoneStudios]

Morning. The make is Homyl and it's a cheap £6 bridge form amazon : www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07BLPWCZT/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 It's a through body bridge though so you can't run the strings through the back of it. Great for palm muting, which I do in pretty much every song at some point

[@MediaBelajarKita]

Iike how you describe..

[@bgm2465]

if I want a longer scale.. Can i adjust the bridge to 27" scale?.. instead of 25.5"?..thank You

[@PherotoneStudios]

You could but you’d need a 27” scale length neck or the frets will all be in the wrong place

[@bgm2465]

@@PherotoneStudios I see,, thank you very much..

[@gstube1]

Would be good to clarify how much travel distance is needed to intimate a guitar. About 3mm in both directions?

[@PherotoneStudios]

Good shout. It probably slightly more than that as Gibson bridges have about 3mm movement in each direction but they also have the saddles flipped half way down and the bridge isn’t set straight.

[@chonlanglais]

Hello thanks good video. just a question when you measure the distance to place the bridge do i screw the intonation screws to the middle?( To make shore i can set the intonation right) or unscrewed i don't know what set up i should put on the intonation screws before i measure the distance thanks

[@PherotoneStudios]

What type of guitar is it? Personally I put the saddles about half way along the intonation screws and then you have plenty of adjustment either way. Unless you’re fitting a scratch plate. Then see how the spacing works from there. I’m about to build a Tele and will use the scratch plate to determine where the bridge sits. Always double check that the scale length works though

[@chonlanglais]

@@PherotoneStudios its for a telecaster project ad a first build.ok thanks i will screw them to the middle and then measure the scale lenth that way i will have plenty a adjustment either way. Its a vintage style with 3 saddles at an angle the screws ar quite long so that should be ok. Wich side do i use for the measurement the low E or the high E? Thanks

[@PherotoneStudios]

I go straight down the centre. The saddles should only move a few mm from there

[@chonlanglais]

@@PherotoneStudios ok perfect thanks for your help

[@chonlanglais]

Hi im just measuring the scale lenth on the vintage 3 sadle bridge. Do i measure from the front face or from the middle of the sadle between the screws? Thank you

[@1976oswald]

do you think the bridge of a traditional les paul gibson will work with a 25" scale PSR ?

[@PherotoneStudios]

Any bridge should pretty much fit any guitar. One thing you need to be careful of though is that Gibson style bridges are higher from the body due to Gibson’s having an angled back neck, so the bridge is higher to compensate

[@AceBambam]

is that bridge string thru? cause the link says top loading, i'm confused

[@PherotoneStudios]

Hello. It’s a through-body Bridge

[@AceBambam]

@@PherotoneStudios thank you

[@jeffmilkey]

@@AceBambam and then you use the bridge as teh template to drill teh holes...unless you already did that...and pray it lines up.

[@anaphaxeton]

You forgot to drill for the strings

[@TJjjjjjjjjjj]

If your not sure of your scale measure from the inside of the nut to the 12th frett then just double it. Not sure what this blokes means when he said this measurement doesn’t really matter on “fenders” ? If you don’t get this bit right your intonation will be muffed period

[@PherotoneStudios]

On a fender style bridge you have about 2” of adjustment to get it right if it’s not bang on. On a Gibson you get one shot. That’s what I mean

[@TJjjjjjjjjjj]

Pherotone Studios adjustable saddles with ya .

[@PherotoneStudios]

Ah man they’re a life saver. I’ve had to adjust guitars for people where they’ve put the Gibson style tune-o-matic in the wrong place on several occasions so now I recommend that anyone wanting to make a guitar uses a hard tail fender style bridge. What’s funny about that is that I’ve ever seen one so far out of line that one of the strings was off the edge of the neck! Good times

[@TJjjjjjjjjjj]

Pherotone Studios hahahah my old man is a luthier and some of the stuff that comes through his workshop would make you cringe. Worst story ever a bloke who inherited his dads 59 LP replaced the original pickups himself and discarded them because he thought they were busted .........headdesk

[@PherotoneStudios]

Oh my god! They would have been worth a fortune! I’d love one of those old Les Paul’s especially if it was all beaten up

[@cmurduh1]

You aren’t making a “fender” telecaster unless you’re in the fender factory.