Tele pick-up overwound

[wicker]

Sounds interesting, but probably I won't get in Poland or anywhere in EU
Oh well, I'll probalby have to look for some modern bridges...or go back to 10s.

[skeezbo]

wicker, don't spend any money on parts until you take the tele to a qualified service tech. That guitar needs a set-up, pronto. Your neck could be out of whack, making the strings too high, which could cause them to play sharp. You bridge probably also needs adjustment, that is easy for an expert. The stock bridge has plenty of room to intonate properly with a set of 11s.

Skeep

[Structo]

Wicker, see if this helps at all.

First you want to adjust the bridge for string height off the fretboard.
These are the little Allen head screws on each saddle.
2mm-5mm from the bottom of the string to the 17 fret.
2mm-3mm or so on the treble strings.

Adjust the nut slots so that the strings are roughly .004-.005" above the first fret.
This can be tricky if you haven't done it before so a tech may be needed to adjust the nut.

In other words, if your frets are .045" tall, you would adjust the slot in the nut so the bottom of the slot is .048-.050"from the fretboard.
I use feeler gauges to set that depth and file down to the gauges, fool proof.

Adjust the truss rod so you have just a bit of relief in the neck.
Usually about .010-012" at the 8th fret. So .012" from the fret to the bottom of the string.
That is the curve you see in the neck.
Turn the truss rod nut clockwise to tighten the rod to straighten the neck and loosen it, counterclockwise to add relief or curve to the neck.
I should state that you don't ever want to turn the truss rod nut more than 1/4 turn, that is a big adjustment.
Usually try 1/8 turn and let it settle in for a day or two before deciding it needs more.

Then lastly, you intonate the strings by adjusting the long screw on the saddles so that the note you play at the 12th fret is the same as the 12th fret harmonic.
That is the simple explanation.
With a three saddle bridge you have to comprimise a little if the saddles are not compensated.

I have a cheap Wilkinson bridge on my tele that has compensated saddles and they work great.
I think I only paid $30 for it.

[img:711:400]http://www.axesrus.com/Hardware/Bridges ... eFront.jpg[/img]
http://www.axesrus.com/axecart.htm

Anyway, here is Fenders setup guide for the Telecaster.
Good luck!

http://www.fender.com/support/articles/ ... etup-guide

[overtone]

Thanks for this post Tom. It will certainly help me repair my thrown-together-tele which must have taken a fall while I was away. My fault for leaving it wedged between the GA-40 and a sofa...
Even though it was made from mostly junk and looks like dirt, it was my go-to six string. It sounded amazing + played way easier than any of my vintage guitars, which kind of made me think. The only decent parts on it are a SD Broadcaster pickup and Schaller tuners.

[wicker]

Thanks for all feedback, I'll try to set everything like said. The problem might be also in fact, that I like high strings action, I keep it like in accoustic.
I'll try to get that Wilkinson saddles (or whole bridge) that could be interesting.

[Structo]

Well there is nothing wrong with a higher action and as long as it isn't too high, you will get better tone, more sustain.

But if it is so high that when you press the string down and it causes it to go sharp then that's too high.

I think most Fenders, especially ones with the vintage 7 1/4" radius neck, sound better with the action on the high side.
Helps keep it from fretting out above the 12th and allows the strings to vibrate more freely.

Be sure to check the pickup height as well. Single coils can pull the strings if too close and cause problems, from wolf tones to sharp notes.

[wicker]

I think of going into modern Gotoh bridge:
http://www.warmoth.com/%2FGotoh-Standar ... -P599.aspx
anyone familiar?