Thank you Sam this showed me what I need to do to get that nasty finish off of my frets. I am not kissing butt but my guitars have never played better since I discovered the first video about how in most cases the nut was cut too high from the factory this video kicked off my love for working on guitars. I have since re-fretted a guitar, leveled crowned and polished a few guitars and my setups have gotten pretty good all thanks to mostly your channel. I really like that your channel shows people properly set up guitars are much more enjoyable to play and that even inexpensive guitars set up properly play fantastic.
You’re welcome Rob. It gives me great pleasure to pass on what I’ve learned - and, contrary to some people’s fears, this doesn’t result in less work; in fact it results in more work- and more of the kind of work I prefer too.
Hi Sam. Thank you for very interesting videos that you make😊 much appreciated .i was wondering what is that fret leveling system that you use ? And useally what kind of grit sand paper you use to from start to finish ?
Hi Joelmarkk... the method I use levels the frets with the all-important longitudinal compression at play. My eBook '5 Steps To Guitar Set Up Heaven' shows how to make an use this tool and do the entire set up with low-cost or DIY tools. ` More info here: facebook.com/relovedguitars/posts/pfbid02h5TkXfVqyKamrYib1hrZ7PcLshcUCsyY2ouivRPgMzxZVJH8STC9h2ZEHAvvye97l I also sell my Golden Bannana Pack - a prepped, ready-to-go US 'U-Channel' (stiffer) version of the levelling tool I call the 'Banana' (same as I use in my videos) along with the various little accessories to make it work. This pack includes exclusive invites to my bi-monthly live Zoom Q&A sessions focused entirely on this levelling technque; a place to check in with a small but growing community of people using this approach to share tips and ask technical questions. More info here: facebook.com/photo/?fbid=943593684436774&set=a.505742714888542 Hope that's useful, thanks for your interest
I have a player plus with the Pau Faro fretboard and there is no issue with gloss finish on/around the frets. A Rosewood fretboard might be better, but I'm quite satisfied with the Pau Faro. The neck is apparently set accurately because the strings align with the neck properly. The bridge anchor screws are counter sunk, so there saddles are still in perfect alighment/spacing following intonation. Maybe I was lucky/fortunate to get one that appears to have been assembled correctly but I'm very happy to have watched the set up. Thanks much!!
You're welcome. You got the Quality Controller on a good shift by the sound of it! Glad it wasn't a problem for you. By definition those that I see are going to be the 'less good' ones out of the bunch (being a guitar tech!)
@@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars Your video came on my TH-cam feed My first guitar is an 🇺🇸 strat. I just bought a 2018 fender player telecaster butterscotch in great condition for $350; and a trade in of a budget guitar. The tele is awesome and just amazing guitar.... I'm going to watch the video and see if I can get any good info. Personally I feel at home with Fender guitar necks
Thanks for the video, just had a look online at numerous photos of Player Telecasters and all have bridge screws in that position, looks like a great opportunity for someone to make a replacement plate kit ..
I keep seeing this disappointing level of engineering/craftsmanship from Fender. It's unacceptable specially for a guitar that's on the 1000£ mark. Prices are so high and keep increasing and the quality is far worse, I don't get it.
If you think fenders quality control is terrible wait until you see Gibsons, gibsons are way more overpriced and have an issue where the headstock breaks so easily. At least fenders aren’t as expensive as Gibson but yeah it’s still disappointing fenders quality control is getting worse. Their ultra series guitars are terrible then ultra guitars from the 90s and it’s so weird how it got to this point.
I have the same neck alignment issue on my Player Plus Strat. Pushing it. Sideways "frightens" me a little bit: couldn't it create a crack in the neck pocket ? Thank you for your videos, btw. Always interseting.
Hi Jean-Marie you can do it as long as there’s ‘wiggle room’ in the neck pocket. If you have to put it under a lot of pressure then it’s not ideal. If there’s no movement at all then you can create that ‘wiggle room’ with careful sanding or scraping in the neck pocket. If you don’t feel confident to do that, the only other alternative is to realign the strings over the saddle (there’s a high likelihood it will revert to the original positioning though) or to very slightly re-locate the bridge itself.
Had one the same fixed by moving the neck forward. That brought the whole intonation saddle position into the correct place. When you find a new guitar with a bad neck position, there is usually a reason for quality control letting it pass with an obvious fault.
Sidney, that IS a good alternative 'solution'. I've only once shaped a block and 'boosted' the neck outwards in a similar situation but it worked just fine and, as you pointed out, it dragged the tuners forward. In that case it brought the low E back into being 'intonate-able' and it and the A could have springs again. But it would be a workable way to get these grub screws off the anchor screws if only by 3-4mm.
@@SamDeeksRelovedGuitarsI was watching a two year old video of you setting up a Fender Tele Player series that would not play in your ballpark of low setups. The problem is caused by the uneven finish coat on the fretboard, the only way round it is to use the old leveling beam rather than a truss rod. You will come across a badly finished fender neck from time to time it is not the neck that is wrong but the spray job and polishing wheel that takes a good neck and turns it bad.
Just came across this video. Thank you, @Sam Deeks! I pulled out my Player Plus Tele to compare the bridge to my other Fender Select Tele and came to the conclusion that Fender must have changed designs! Haven't taken measures yet but it seems to me that with the Select Tele (made in USA) the plate screws are further down to the folding of the plate, where the saddles are adjusted.
@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars I think Fender used Gotoh as an OEM - I checked at Stewmac - the Gotoh bridge has the exact measures. The trouble begins, when you use 11-50s strings (like I do) - then the bridge saddles definitely get in the troubled zone..
100% an issue. I was helping a colleague get his first tele and he told me his E string was buzzing. It was exactly this screw having the saddle on top of it. He returned it and got an american pro II that was perfect.
They’ve been making that shape for 70 years. How can they regress in their decisions so wildly. The bridge screw is simply ridiculous. Just as well you’re around to resolve things.
Thanks for this excellent review. I am (was) considering a Telecaster Player Plus and your review made me reconsider this just in time. At least I now know what flaws to look at when I am in the shop. I was planning to buy it online but after having seen this video I decided to go to a shop so that I can take a careful look at the guitar myself. Especially the points that were mentioned in this vid. One thing that I am still wondering about: are these flaws general, or is the majority of the Player Plus Telecasters fine and was the guitar in this video just an exception?
Hi Jaycee - fairly common I'm afraid. It may be true that as a tech I probably don't see the very best guitars in any range and only see the ones with faults... But judging by comments from others I don't think that's the case. The best thing is to go to a real-world store if you can and look out for the issues I raised.
I have a player plus strat and the frets were quite uneven. So yeah I think this is quite common. I have since gotten it PLEKd and now it plays like a dream. Sound great too
Do you think it would be better to change the bridge to a traditional Fender Telecaster? Or maybe a Gotoh with brass frames and adjustable for perfect intonation? Would it fit there?
I don't have the guitar here to assess that Federico... The solution at the time was to replace the screws and live with the proximity of the screw tops to the saddle grub screws. Finding an alternative bridge in this kind of situation isn't straightforward; you are constrained first by the string-thru holes and the distance between those and the saddle apexes on a new bridge. If they're the same (or at least 'reachable' within the saddle travel of the new bridge) then it's a potential replacement. The problem is that not all bridges (surprisingly few actually!) will list that vital measurement on the listing. You can't afford to just buy and hope for the best because if the thru-holes in the new bridge plate are significantly further from the saddles than your original, you're going to have to push your new saddles way back or way forward to intonate.. It's surprising how quickly you can run out of saddle travel.
Couldn’t these issues occur on American made versions too? Do you think they’ve fixed this issue in 2024? I’ve been tempted to buy one but now…not so sure.
The problem with the saddle screws confirms my decision to build a custom Telecaster myself rather than buy a fender. The specs I wanted would easily have cost me $2000 at the Fender custom shop. I didn't spend more than $400 on the self-built including Seymour Duncan single coil neck pickup with humbucking dummy coil and Hotrail humbucker in the bridge position.
I'm considering building one too. Partially because I want to save money, and partially because it will be fun. What body and neck did you go with? And, how did it turn out?
Rob, I know it might not be the solution to the problem as I cannot see 100% from where I sit but have you considered flat top countersunk screws to replace those that attach the bridge plate? One problem it might solve is that the saddles won't be pushed to the sides and messing up the string spacing. That would also depend on how well the holes are drilled - if they are angled dead vertically - there is a chance you could get flat surface. To make it more interesting - you may try screws with not phillips head but either allen key or flat (you should be able to adjust it up to quarter turn).
Hi Sam, wish id seen this video 3mths ago, I have been battling the same bridge issues, i dont suppose you have a link to the flat head screws you sourced? Im also toying with the idea of grinding the width of the saddles to see if i can squeeze them together, or flipping the saddles over and filing new slots in them to bring in the 1st and 6th string.....its a feckin shambles from Fender. Id love your input on these ideas.
Hi - I'm sorry - I just went back through my Amazon and eBay order lists and can't find what I used. It may have been something I already had in stock somewhere that 'did the job'. To be fair, the screw needs to be chunky enough not to be loose in the original hole and importantly, be flush with (or fractionally below if it has to be) the plate surface. Ref the saddles - are you saying this because you find the overall spread too wide for the neck (near the heel area most of all)? If so, you can buy slightly narrower saddles but whether they will 'cluster' together any tighter is debatable. I've had customers in the past - not necessarily with Fenders - who have asked me to re-fret and bevel the frets taller / steeper to 'reclaim' another 1-2mm of overall playing width. That's a 'big' solution for a small problem - but for each individual it depends on how bad it bothers you.
haha thanks....@@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars i have the same issue as Luke? in the outer strings almost falling off the fretboeard. After i wrote the above, i experimented, and the saddles can be turned upside down. and there is room in the 1st and 6th saddles to put in your own notch to bring those strings in decent allighnment on the fretboard.....ive already been in touch with fender last week regarding all the work ive done on this guitar over the last 2mths. But none of the many small things were noticable on day One when i got the guitar, it was only when i looked closer wanting to make small adjustments to suit me that i started i started to see all these small issues mount up. im not going to go into all the details here. If yer man @greg_drc down below is correct about the vintage saddle is correct, i may just do that and be done with it, (i had my suspicians that that may be the case)
Not sure what you’re referring to. If you mean the fret levelling beam then it doesn’t have specific measurements. My ebook ‘5 steps to guitar set up heaven’ explains how to make and use that tool. There’s a link to the ebook under the description of this video (alternatively see the pinned post on the Reloved Guitars Facebook page).
Great video I was recently looking to buy a player plus tele buy was put of by the saddle and ended up buying a Vintera 60s Modified in Lake Placid blue .It's got the traditional 3 saddle ashtray bridge and love all the tones of the modified The 60s also comes without a truss rod adjustment hole in the headstock which i love .
It's funny how many people kind of 'defend' the positioning of the screws on these bridges (AND the domed heads). It's just not sensible design, period.
Here's a little tip for all those with a rattling thingy (plughole) and no gripping thingy to tighten it up (9:00): The backside of a wooden clothespin will do nicely. Good thing to add to your gigbag.
Hi, interesting video. Thank you. I just bought one of these and found the saddles cannot go back far enough to intonate on a couple strings. I was hoping you could recommend a good telecaster style guitar at a similar price, that tend to come out of the factory in better shape? Thanks for any info.
Hi Jay... I've always been a fan of the Squier Classic Vibe series... slightly better positioned bridge saddles / fixing screws too. I just noticed one on Amazon for under £300! tinyurl.com/4djw5z7m You'd have £500 left for upgrades of your choice... or a holiday somewhere nice. Apart from that take a look at the Vintage V52 www.jhs.co.uk/collections/vintage/products/vintage-v52-icon-electric-guitar-butterscotch or their V59, V62, V68 models. Ignore the prices on the JHS site they retail for less in the real world...
@@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars many thanks for the fast response and recommendation 🙏 I found it hard to wrap my head around the price difference between the CV and the PP and figured it would be too much of a downgrade. Only problem is that bridge, I prefer the modern 6 saddle and didn't fancy a DIY swap, however I am currently rethinking after your useful video and comments. Thanks again 👍
Tele's usually have the brass compensated bar saddles that dont work that great either for intonation. I would try and hide some flat wood screws under there and not ever tell anyone lol
Definitely going to Richie, Have ordered some. Will send on to customer who collected his guitar today on the way home from a few days down here in the tropical South west :)
The "amber residue" on the frets and the cheapo plastic nut is simply lacquer or tinted clear coat! Its due to production and costs. They fret the neck first and then get the finish on. After that, the frets are levelled. As they level the frets only and do not polish, you can notice scratching the strings while bending. .i noticed that on many mexican made Fenders. I even had that on the 1850 dollar Mike McCready Stratocaster! For me, that is an easy fix. Replacing the plastic nut with a bone one takes me one hour. Scratching off the paint on the frets and polish them including smoothening the fret ends another hour. If they would do it in the factory, the retail price would be 200 dollars plus.
That's right but one does wonder how the Chinese factories (for example where they make the Classic Vibe Squiers) manage to avoid this? From memory those guitars seemed to be finish first, frets 2nd.
@@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars I can imagine, that the chinese mask the frets before spraying the finish on. If they are painted first and then the frets pressed in, that may cause som cracks in the finish. I suppose, that the costs for manpower are just a fraction of the costs in Mexico or the US. Of course this is no excuse for a customer paying 1000 for a Player series guitar with that kind of poor finish.
I tried one of these in a local music shop today, and didn't notice the screws that held the bridge, but _did_ notice the string spacing becoming wider nearer the bridge; so much so, that at the dusty end they were almost falling off the sides. It looks to me like fender should have designed the bridge with slightly narrower string spacing. Apart from that, it seemed to be quite a good guitar.
The string spacing by definition always gets wider towards the bridge... but it *could* be that someone has fitted the wrong width saddles (this can happen on 2nd hand guitars). There are various saddle block widths out there from 10.5 (for 52.5mm e-to-e spacing), 10.8mm for 54mm and I think 11.4mm for 56mm spacing. The point being that a guitar with - for example - a 56mm e-to-e bridge spacing will have a correspondingly 'wide' neck at the heel but a guitar designed around a 52.5mm e-to-e saddle spacing is likely to have a slightly narrower neck at the heel... if someone then fits the saddles from a 54mm or 56mm bridge this will push the strings closer to the edge that neck.
@@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars This was a brand new guitar. The saddles were not splayed at all. I didn't measure them, and haven't found the specs online, but I suspect the spacing may be 56mm. I fitted a Gotoh bridge to my red Tele, with 54mm spacing and the strings align perfectly along the neck. Anyone know the string spacing on the Player Plus Tele? Please post it here.
I was really conflicted in choosing between a Player Plus and a made in Japan JV Modified Telecaster reissue for £100 more, before watching this. I think I put my faith in Japanese craftsmanship.
Hi - I'm sorry I can't remember. I checked my eBay purchase history (where I think I would have ordered from) but can't find any record. There are plenty of choices; you're looking for a countersunk Phillips screw about an inch long max. and 3-4mm width. The important thing is that the head has to sit as close to flush with the bridge plate as possible. Even then it's still not ideal if your saddle grub screws end up standing on one of these screws; but it's better than standing on a domed one or falling into the pit if the countersunk one you use leaves a gap because its too small.
A bit late watching this one. Well done with the jack socket tightening tool. I have something similar for doing engine tappets. When I first saw you holding up the bar it seemed obvious that it was intended to be used with a suitable socket. Presumably to be more adaptable and no doubt the maker assumed everyone would have a suitable socket set to hand. Just about to add a comment when I heard you rustling through your box of stuff and saw you'd came to the same realisation. Pity you needed to drill out the socket to fit but I guess that element of tool design is not standardised. Loving your work.
LOL it's funny that it would be obvious to anyone except me. I think I may have tried it a couple of years ago and given up because the tool wouldn't pass through the socket - so I probably told myself "No, that's NOT how it's supposed to work". IIRC there was little or no explanation with the tool (I could be wrong because StewMac are usually very good at that sort of thing) so I definitely blame 'operator laziness' more than the tool maker. So it's only taken me about 6 years to figure it out... that's speedy in my world ;-)
Thanks - no problem. Technically, it doesn't matter that much to me - I don't mean that glibly, just that my levelling technique 'respects' any / all radii even compound ones. It would be critical if I used radius blocks to level for example, but I don't. The place it matters is just in knowing whether it will make a low action + big bends on high E easy or harder...
I have one of these and the screws in the bridge are sunk down thank goodness. maybe quality control issues? same amateur fret levelling issues and so much of that amber finish on the frets and nut. guitar feels great though. do you know what pots come stock in this thing? i havent opened it up and am thinking of swapping out the pickups. wish you were in the US haha.
I don't offhand know what the pots are on these... but I've not experienced any issues with them. I am not convinced that there is any meaningful tonal improvements on 'upgrading' pots... there are improvements in solidity / longevity in better made, more premium-priced components though.
Here's what I don't like about Fender Teles... the gloss-finished maple USA and Mexico ones because they spray the finish OVER the frets. This encourages the finish to eventually flake and fall off especially if you ever need a re-fret; it's a mess. They do it that way to save money. The better way is how Fender & Squier does it in their Chinese and Indonesian factories: they spray and buff the board FIRST then press the frets. Looks better and means far, far less hassle for you (and guitar techs) in the future. I think for that reason that the Squier Classic Vibe series (China) are superb; as are the Vintage Modified ones (Indonesia). Buy a Classic Vibe and splash the difference on a set of top quality Lollar pickups or something like that.
I just got my player plus Tele and the intonation was way off. So I also had to move the saddles way back and even though the screws are there so a standard bridge can be installed if one desires they are still a problem for this bridge that comes installed my low E is backed all the way and it's just intonated. You can adjust the saddle screws that are on the bridge screws but it's just a pain. Other than that my high E was almost off the neck I had to loosen the neck to shift it over it's better but not perfect. The guitar plays and sounds great now just sad to see a new 1000 dollar guitar come like this.
No it’s not great that 1000 bucks leaves you having to put right basics like this. Of course if they got it right I’d have to do something else for a living ;-)
Hi @legend1143 - I charge £135 for my set up which includes Tusq nut, precision fret levelling, all aspects of the set up and new strings. End product is low, light action and rock solid tuning stability. You can reach me via email at samdeeks@gmail.com
Excellent upload and great channel Sir. So glad I found this video as I almost purchased a used Player plus tele until I saw your video. I must say though that I absolutely love this guitar, between the series pull, locking tuners and noiseless pickups BUT I cant buy this because of that bridge, it has really let me down. The guitar I was looking at had the low e saddle maxed out with some spring cut off and 4 saddle set screws were sitting on top of the bridge plate screws. I started to look around for alternate bridges with the idea of still buying this guitar and just swapping out the bride but I cannot find an alternative. I can find 4 hole bridges that look like they will fit - but here lies the problem.....original bridge shows strings and saddle set screws pretty much close to above the 4 bridge screws, and when I see alternate 4 hole bridges - the saddles are well forward of the 4 bridge plate screws which wouldn't work because the strings would be too short. Maybe I'm missing something but I feel that it cant be replaced without drilling new holes further back for a new bridge. I'm so disappointed as I really do love this guitar. Thank you for your insight and this awesome channel
I say this with no sense of joy - but WELCOME to my world. Actually I'm glad that you clearly see the sheer pain-in-the-a** scale of this problem that Fender has stupidly created :) The complication is that any replacement bridge you buy HAS to line up on the 'string thru holes' first and foremost. Only THEN can you look to see if - by luck - your bridge fixing screws (the ones going down into the guitar's body) come anywhere close to matching up. And of course, since you're trying to replace the bridge because the position of those same bridge fixing screws on THIS model is unworkable - you're looking for a bridge with string mounting screw holes well in front (or possibly behind) the area where your saddles will sit. Your problem is that (I think) you'll find that almost no sellers of replacement bridge plates will give you enough information / dimensional data to be confident in making a good decision - meaning that you may end up having to buy several bridges and return (or keep) all those that don't work. To be fair, placing a saddle grub screw on top of a FLAT topped counter-sunk fixing screw isn't the end of the world (the saddle isn't intended to move during playing after all).. but you'd need to experiment with a few different types of screw probably. Hope that helps!
@@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars Thank you so much for your reply, this helps very much. Here in Canada that guitar costs $1380.00 and today the idea of building my own tele with those appointments in the tele plus that I like has crossed my mind, so with pricing out some reputable non fender parts it came to $980.00 with Fender TexMex pickups, wilkinson compensated bridge and a 4 way control plate rather than a pull/push. I'm really starting to like this idea I must say........and I can reference your videos should I need guidance. Haha thank you again mate and have happy week Sir.
@@BobF67 That’s a good choice - fyi check out the pinned post on Reloved Guitars Facebook page; my ‘5 Steps to Guitars Set Up Heaven’ ebook covers my set up including how to make and use the legendary ‘Banana’ fret levelling tool to level frets with the guitar fully strung. You won’t regret building your own partscaster - the learning alone is worth $900 AND you’ll get a great guitar out of it too!
I went to check my fridge door was properly shut a couple of times before you mentioned the beeping noise and I realised it was in your workshop and not coming from my kitchen!! Regarding the neck alignment and need to adjust via the neck pocket, I've found I've needed to do that (to varying degrees) on most Fender and Squiers that I've worked on, though strangely the owners seldom raise it as an issue. But, at least a bolt on neck normally allows such misalignment to be fixed, unlike an Epiphone I recently acquired for myself where the bridge itself is clearly not positioned accurately. Love your videos by the way and I've learned a lot from them, especially in regard to your focus on and approach to 1st fret action.
Thanks David :-D I'm going to see my workshop landlord tomorrow with some rent... so I'm going to tell him about the beeping. Thank goodness my wife tracked it down to the electric socket-y-box-thing... I would never have located it otherwise!
The best option for the bridge is an expensive replacement by glendale in USA, it's a vintage look but for the spec's of the bridge you have. I have the same problem trying to find a replacement bridge 😠
One of the best Teles I think I ever played was a Classic Vibe one with a transparent light cream finish. Nearly perfectly set up out of the factory and for £350 new. After that you've got £650 left to spend on upgrades to your personal preferences! Or a very nice amp to go with it :-)
@@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars Thanks for the reply, Sam! I already have an awesome Westone Spectrum DX, MIM Strat, Les Paul Studio and the Boss Katana. I’m just looking for good Telecaster & have to stick to a budget as I’m unable to work due to disability & money is tight at the moment - but it’s a purchase to mark my 40th from my better half. I find with a radius of 9.5 & having small hands, I lose the highest 2 strings as they buzz against my hand - my hands are slightly puffier than most as I have lymphodaema. When I play the Les Paul or Westone, the buzz doesn’t happen & so I put it down to the flatter fretboards. I’m assuming the regular Player Telecaster has the same neck as the Strat measurements. But… I played a friend’s ‘93 American Tele and didn’t have the same problem, so neck shape has something to do with it as well as the radius. Anyway, that’s why I’m looking at the Player Plus or a secondhand American Standard. Though I see Fenders cheapest American range isn’t too much of a stretch financially, if my better half authorises it. Long story, but I’m trying some out today at Promenade Music in Morcambe and we will see. Cheers! X
My new 2022 player tele had all the issues. High frets, sharp fret ends, domed screw in the EXACT wrong spot for intonation and a bad output jack that had to be replaced. Still haven't sorted the domed screws but that's on my to do list. For the best part of $1000 bucks the lack of Fender quality is astonishing. Fender is more concerned with taking care of it's shareholders while throwing guitar players to the wolves. Fender's poor quality is across the board. Just bought a new genuine Fender pickguard for my mim strat that looks like it was cut out with a tree saw. Horrible quality. No way I'm buying another Fender anything anytime soon because the value for money just isn't there. Buyer beware. Cheers!
Yes, it's a shame. But seems like all great brands go through that phase. Do any of them ever recover to that point where they're rock solid quality and great value again? And were any of them ever that in the first place? I think Fender and Gibson's problem is that in 2023 there are SO many better-finished, more impressive quality guitars from less prestigious brands to put them to shame. Back in 1955 there wasn't much to compare them to and they were also innovative at that point.
Almost pulled the trigger on a Player Jaguar but was leery of Fenders QC issues so I hesitated and I'm glad I did. Just ordered a PRS SE CE24 currently on 20 percent discount. Will be my first PRS. Internet lore says PRS QC is top notch so looking forward to it. Should be interesting. Cheers! @@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars
I finally tracked it down some weird little electrical outlet box with a sensor of some kind in it. Some part of the sensor needed replacing and it was helpfully beeping to let me know. I removed it and the box carried on working fine... I've no idea what the site owner had it installed for or exactly what it was doing but it's now history. Thankfully - as it was driving me mad as well.
Fender quality is iffy. From design decisions through to assembly, test and inspection. Fender's iconic status allows them to be sloppy and still sell guitars. I returned my first Strat, and accepted the replacement, but it's not a patch on my PRS SE.
In the product photos that Fender takes, even the most inexpensive Squire has a master luthier quality fret job and polish. It’s kind of like the hamburger you receive at the shop never matches the one in the commercials. 😂
Manufacture is de skilled to keep the price down, thelevel of skilled work showed here would push the purchase price up by 50% at least, and it wouud not be anywhere near this good
Apologies, I've no idea.... It's relatively unimportant to me, my focus being on the set up rather than the appointments of any particular model. Of course I know it matters to people who are interested in that and other Fender models.
Often when I come across dopey things like this I doubt my judgment on it... 'C'mon' I tell myself 'they do this all day everyday, they're not going to make stupid basic mistakes...are they?' Eventually after looking at it from every possible answer I come to the conclusion that I can't find a good - or positive - reason why they did what they did. Just like with this placement. Look, Fender, leave your mounting screw hole there for sure, but then push the whole bridge back and drag the saddles forward to avoid conflict. Or just move the damned screw holes... One of the two!
You're completely correct. This design is defective. Fender are out to lunch with their Mexican stuff. They recently sent out a whole bunch of these with saddles that didn't have string openings far enough back so that you couldn't even restring the guitar with the saddles in place....
Hello, that's it. GOD is the one who creates both the sunrise and sunset in a very beautiful way. Even though I can't help but like it, just watching it gives me peace of mind. Thank you for liking and appreciating By the way, I like your work....cübbesiz ahmet
For me, the wonders of the natural laws of the universe that create the sunrises and sunsets that we enjoy are thrilling, humbling and deliciously intriguing. I don't believe in a god - in no small part because I was guided that way by the family environment I was brought up in, as I suspect you were in having a belief. I find that parallel fascinating; how easily I could have been a Catholic, Jew or Muslim if only I'd been born into such a family and culture. But it is as it is and I have no need for religion or belief in a supernatural creator. Unfortunately, all too often the need to tell me I'm wrong, that I DO need one (I just don't know it) comes hand-in-hand with others' belief systems. It's THAT I find divisive and annoying, not that someone else has a different story about the world and their place within it than I do.
THIS IS JUST SOOO STUPID!!! I just bought the player plus without seeing you video.. I ran in the same issue like you have here … American ultra have the screws more in the back… what a complete idiot designed this?!? Or is it on purpose so you buy the more “premium” guitar from their range … it just sucks
Sorry to hear this - although it does at least confirm that I'm not mad and that design IS idiotic. I hope you get it sorted out and can forget it and just enjoy the music part!
@@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars yes yes… your video was the first thing that appeared on TH-cam when searched this topic online … I just do not understand how some people on the player series (totally the same bridge) do not have this issue .. either they just do not bother to set up the intonation right or the neck must be few milimeters forward - I have no other thought about explaining this - also I had a thought about buying the vintage bridge (which fits the player plus) but that will not resolve the issues because you still have to have the saddles at the same spot to have a proper intonation 😅🤷🏻♂️
That's all pretty abysmal and shameful on a guitar costing as much as it does. I'd be embarrassed if I were Fender that something like that was leaving my factory and landing in the hands of a paying customer. If I were the customer I'd certainly not be a happy one. My cheapest T Style guitar is a humble Harley Benton TE-62DB (only a little more than a tenth of the price) and no such sloppiness existed in that budget instrument on arrival so there's no excuse for it. Sure it needed a little setup to suit me and I polished the frets and oiled the board but other than that it needed no work and was very well put together and finished. I'm obviously not claiming equivalent quality of parts in this statement, just pointing out that if a cheap model can be assembled properly and delivered in playable condition out of the box, Fender really need to address their minimum standards of both manufacturing and quality control and perhaps pay them far more attention and allocate them more investment than they do their marketing. Your diplomacy is admirable but unwarranted and not deserved in my opinion, although I appreciate some of your points on things such as fretwork and mass production which are fair and well made. However, If manufacturers like Sire can turn out a guitar such as the T7 at half the price one has to wonder if the name on the headstock means much in this day and age and how long companies like Fender can continue to exploit their heritage. It's a shame that mediocrity is excused and even celebrated nowadays. (Not just in the world of guitars).
Thanks Old Geezer, great comment. You're right - I started out being much less tolerant, and quicker-to-critque! I think what I see is that the larger these business are, the more unwieldy they become and the more they are forced to focus on reduction of costs in order to preserve tiny margins of profitability. I'm not apologising for them, but it does feel that everyone who (foolishly) gets into the guitar manufacturing game gets dragged down to the same level before too long, no matter how lofty their values started out being. The fastest way to profitability is to cut costs; the fastest way to cut costs is to reduce staff and / or automate... followed closely by using cheaper and cheaper parts and materials. Sadly. By that assessment even Sire will go the same way...it's just a matter of time.
@@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars Not to mention the ever ongoing quest for cheaper and cheaper labour and the constantly increasing costs involved in manufacturing and distribution, due to all manner of economic and financial factors. I agree entirely that human nature and free market pressures can and often do result in what you claim. It's a shame and the one remaining non cynical bone in my old body likes to believe it's not inevitable but you're probably closer to reality in your estimations overall. Then again, look at Japan and how it eventually took over the world by initially copying, refining and improving all manner of products from motorcycles and cars to electronics and musical instruments. It didn't last forever as nothing ever does, but considering they were once viewed as cheap and nasty knock offs of products from the USA and Europe, which they were at the outset back in the sixties, they went on to dominate many sectors. Even today, with regard to guitars, Japanese made instruments both past and present are still highly regarded - including Fender models that were and still are made in Japan. The same can be said for many nations' manufacturing rises and falls - Taiwan back in the day became the copycats and undercutters of the Japanese, starting out with a reputation for shoddy goods but gradually improving, then more and more far eastern factories that have entered the fray. People once poo pooed guitars made in Korea and now they're complaining about the move of many of those same guitar brands to Indonesia (both nations have and continue to produce some very fine instruments) and now of course China has become the place of choice to make really budget guitars - has to be said they've come a long way from the Chibson era and nowadays, with guitars at least, "Made in China" doesn't automatically translate to garbage as it did not so long ago - shame they can't or won't replicate that with so many other products that we now have to suffer. Despite all this, I still believe that all the competition is, generally speaking, a good thing for the customer - (not necessarily for the companies and their workers) and there is now a far larger choice of decent guitars available to even the most humble budgets than there has ever been in the past. Had you given a beginner most of these current cheap modern lesser known brands coming out of the Far East back in the 70's and 80's, they would have been astonished that anything electric that didn't say Fender or Gibson on the headstock could be anything other than a horrible third rate POS, let alone something that looked, felt and played as well as many of them now do. Maybe the Far East will eventually go the way of many before them and new, as yet unknown or even considered nations and markets will arise to replace them. I understand the concept of brand loyalty, considerations of depreciation and resale value, and even patriotic leanings but to my mind, the world of guitars has moved on and the name on the headstock is probably less important than it's ever been. At the same time, there will always be a demand for genuine, high quality craftsmanship even though it is becoming ever rarer. Ultimately, a good guitar is the one that you love playing and want to pick up - anything else is secondary in my humble opinion. With the number of years I've likely got remaining, even if all manufacturers decline in quality or disappear altogether, the second hand market isn't in danger of running dry before they put me in the ground 😄.
![The Perfect Stratocaster Trem / Vibrato Setup [Floating, Flat Or Blocked?]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/PjVXWyUGpwc/mqdefault.jpg)
Thank you Sam this showed me what I need to do to get that nasty finish off of my frets. I am not kissing butt but my guitars have never played better since I discovered the first video about how in most cases the nut was cut too high from the factory this video kicked off my love for working on guitars. I have since re-fretted a guitar, leveled crowned and polished a few guitars and my setups have gotten pretty good all thanks to mostly your channel. I really like that your channel shows people properly set up guitars are much more enjoyable to play and that even inexpensive guitars set up properly play fantastic.
You’re welcome Rob. It gives me great pleasure to pass on what I’ve learned - and, contrary to some people’s fears, this doesn’t result in less work; in fact it results in more work- and more of the kind of work I prefer too.
Hi Sam. Thank you for very interesting videos that you make😊 much appreciated .i was wondering what is that fret leveling system that you use ? And useally what kind of grit sand paper you use to from start to finish ?
Hi Joelmarkk... the method I use levels the frets with the all-important longitudinal compression at play. My eBook '5 Steps To Guitar Set Up Heaven' shows how to make an use this tool and do the entire set up with low-cost or DIY tools. `
More info here:
facebook.com/relovedguitars/posts/pfbid02h5TkXfVqyKamrYib1hrZ7PcLshcUCsyY2ouivRPgMzxZVJH8STC9h2ZEHAvvye97l
I also sell my Golden Bannana Pack - a prepped, ready-to-go US 'U-Channel' (stiffer) version of the levelling tool I call the 'Banana' (same as I use in my videos) along with the various little accessories to make it work. This pack includes exclusive invites to my bi-monthly live Zoom Q&A sessions focused entirely on this levelling technque; a place to check in with a small but growing community of people using this approach to share tips and ask technical questions.
More info here:
facebook.com/photo/?fbid=943593684436774&set=a.505742714888542
Hope that's useful, thanks for your interest
I have a player plus with the Pau Faro fretboard and there is no issue with gloss finish on/around the frets. A Rosewood fretboard might be better, but I'm quite satisfied with the Pau Faro. The neck is apparently set accurately because the strings align with the neck properly. The bridge anchor screws are counter sunk, so there saddles are still in perfect alighment/spacing following intonation. Maybe I was lucky/fortunate to get one that appears to have been assembled correctly but I'm very happy to have watched the set up. Thanks much!!
You're welcome. You got the Quality Controller on a good shift by the sound of it! Glad it wasn't a problem for you. By definition those that I see are going to be the 'less good' ones out of the bunch (being a guitar tech!)
I still like the standard tele , played one for 35 yrs , on all types of music , great guitar in the right hands .
I know what you mean… my primary guitar connection was and is the Strat.
@@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars
Your video came on my TH-cam feed
My first guitar is an 🇺🇸 strat. I just bought a 2018 fender player telecaster butterscotch in great condition for $350; and a trade in of a budget guitar. The tele is awesome and just amazing guitar.... I'm going to watch the video and see if I can get any good info.
Personally I feel at home with Fender guitar necks
Thanks for the video, just had a look online at numerous photos of Player Telecasters and all have bridge screws in that position, looks like a great opportunity for someone to make a replacement plate kit ..
I don't like Fender bridges. Replace with Gotoh or Wilkinson. My Strat is much better now.
Eagle eye , he spoted lots of bad things and still have diplomacy.Thats style.
Or just afraid to get sued.
I keep seeing this disappointing level of engineering/craftsmanship from Fender. It's unacceptable specially for a guitar that's on the 1000£ mark. Prices are so high and keep increasing and the quality is far worse, I don't get it.
My Am Ultra Tele had the same issues! Returned.
If you think fenders quality control is terrible wait until you see Gibsons, gibsons are way more overpriced and have an issue where the headstock breaks so easily. At least fenders aren’t as expensive as Gibson but yeah it’s still disappointing fenders quality control is getting worse. Their ultra series guitars are terrible then ultra guitars from the 90s and it’s so weird how it got to this point.
@@Zamn_daniel yes...definitely! I tested the new 80s explorer that cost around 2.5k and the quality was so bad...
I have one of these Teles and it’s flawless!
You got lucky. In my experience 50% of Fender guitars have issues.
I have the same neck alignment issue on my Player Plus Strat. Pushing it. Sideways "frightens" me a little bit: couldn't it create a crack in the neck pocket ? Thank you for your videos, btw. Always interseting.
Hi Jean-Marie you can do it as long as there’s ‘wiggle room’ in the neck pocket. If you have to put it under a lot of pressure then it’s not ideal. If there’s no movement at all then you can create that ‘wiggle room’ with careful sanding or scraping in the neck pocket. If you don’t feel confident to do that, the only other alternative is to realign the strings over the saddle (there’s a high likelihood it will revert to the original positioning though) or to very slightly re-locate the bridge itself.
Had one the same fixed by moving the neck forward. That brought the whole intonation saddle position into the correct place. When you find a new guitar with a bad neck position, there is usually a reason for quality control letting it pass with an obvious fault.
Sidney, that IS a good alternative 'solution'. I've only once shaped a block and 'boosted' the neck outwards in a similar situation but it worked just fine and, as you pointed out, it dragged the tuners forward. In that case it brought the low E back into being 'intonate-able' and it and the A could have springs again. But it would be a workable way to get these grub screws off the anchor screws if only by 3-4mm.
@@SamDeeksRelovedGuitarsI was watching a two year old video of you setting up a Fender Tele Player series that would not play in your ballpark of low setups. The problem is caused by the uneven finish coat on the fretboard, the only way round it is to use the old leveling beam rather than a truss rod. You will come across a badly finished fender neck from time to time it is not the neck that is wrong but the spray job and polishing wheel that takes a good neck and turns it bad.
Just came across this video. Thank you, @Sam Deeks! I pulled out my Player Plus Tele to compare the bridge to my other Fender Select Tele and came to the conclusion that Fender must have changed designs! Haven't taken measures yet but it seems to me that with the Select Tele (made in USA) the plate screws are further down to the folding of the plate, where the saddles are adjusted.
@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars I think Fender used Gotoh as an OEM - I checked at Stewmac - the Gotoh bridge has the exact measures. The trouble begins, when you use 11-50s strings (like I do) - then the bridge saddles definitely get in the troubled zone..
100% an issue. I was helping a colleague get his first tele and he told me his E string was buzzing. It was exactly this screw having the saddle on top of it. He returned it and got an american pro II that was perfect.
They’ve been making that shape for 70 years. How can they regress in their decisions so wildly. The bridge screw is simply ridiculous. Just as well you’re around to resolve things.
Thanks for this excellent review. I am (was) considering a Telecaster Player Plus and your review made me reconsider this just in time. At least I now know what flaws to look at when I am in the shop. I was planning to buy it online but after having seen this video I decided to go to a shop so that I can take a careful look at the guitar myself. Especially the points that were mentioned in this vid. One thing that I am still wondering about: are these flaws general, or is the majority of the Player Plus Telecasters fine and was the guitar in this video just an exception?
Hi Jaycee - fairly common I'm afraid. It may be true that as a tech I probably don't see the very best guitars in any range and only see the ones with faults... But judging by comments from others I don't think that's the case. The best thing is to go to a real-world store if you can and look out for the issues I raised.
I've got the Silver Smoke PP Tele. Mine was fine. I actually liked it better than the premium American ones.
I have a player plus strat and the frets were quite uneven. So yeah I think this is quite common. I have since gotten it PLEKd and now it plays like a dream. Sound great too
Do you think it would be better to change the bridge to a traditional Fender Telecaster? Or maybe a Gotoh with brass frames and adjustable for perfect intonation? Would it fit there?
I don't have the guitar here to assess that Federico... The solution at the time was to replace the screws and live with the proximity of the screw tops to the saddle grub screws. Finding an alternative bridge in this kind of situation isn't straightforward; you are constrained first by the string-thru holes and the distance between those and the saddle apexes on a new bridge. If they're the same (or at least 'reachable' within the saddle travel of the new bridge) then it's a potential replacement. The problem is that not all bridges (surprisingly few actually!) will list that vital measurement on the listing. You can't afford to just buy and hope for the best because if the thru-holes in the new bridge plate are significantly further from the saddles than your original, you're going to have to push your new saddles way back or way forward to intonate.. It's surprising how quickly you can run out of saddle travel.
Couldn’t these issues occur on American made versions too?
Do you think they’ve fixed this issue in 2024?
I’ve been tempted to buy one but now…not so sure.
Sorry for late reply... "I don't know" is the honest answer. I don't *think* I've run into that problem on a USA bridge before but you could be right.
The problem with the saddle screws confirms my decision to build a custom Telecaster myself rather than buy a fender.
The specs I wanted would easily have cost me $2000 at the Fender custom shop. I didn't spend more than $400 on the self-built including Seymour Duncan single coil neck pickup with humbucking dummy coil and Hotrail humbucker in the bridge position.
I'm considering building one too. Partially because I want to save money, and partially because it will be fun. What body and neck did you go with? And, how did it turn out?
I bought the exact same model, the saddle of the E string was already sitting on the screw without problem. The screws are sunk down
Definitely not sunk down on this particular model… they’re ‘dome shaped’ ie proud of the plate’s surface
Maybe they fixed the problem, anyway, mine has sunken screws
Rob, I know it might not be the solution to the problem as I cannot see 100% from where I sit but have you considered flat top countersunk screws to replace those that attach the bridge plate? One problem it might solve is that the saddles won't be pushed to the sides and messing up the string spacing. That would also depend on how well the holes are drilled - if they are angled dead vertically - there is a chance you could get flat surface. To make it more interesting - you may try screws with not phillips head but either allen key or flat (you should be able to adjust it up to quarter turn).
Hi Sam, wish id seen this video 3mths ago, I have been battling the same bridge issues, i dont suppose you have a link to the flat head screws you sourced? Im also toying with the idea of grinding the width of the saddles to see if i can squeeze them together, or flipping the saddles over and filing new slots in them to bring in the 1st and 6th string.....its a feckin shambles from Fender. Id love your input on these ideas.
Hi - I'm sorry - I just went back through my Amazon and eBay order lists and can't find what I used. It may have been something I already had in stock somewhere that 'did the job'. To be fair, the screw needs to be chunky enough not to be loose in the original hole and importantly, be flush with (or fractionally below if it has to be) the plate surface.
Ref the saddles - are you saying this because you find the overall spread too wide for the neck (near the heel area most of all)? If so, you can buy slightly narrower saddles but whether they will 'cluster' together any tighter is debatable. I've had customers in the past - not necessarily with Fenders - who have asked me to re-fret and bevel the frets taller / steeper to 'reclaim' another 1-2mm of overall playing width. That's a 'big' solution for a small problem - but for each individual it depends on how bad it bothers you.
haha thanks....@@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars i have the same issue as Luke? in the outer strings almost falling off the fretboeard. After i wrote the above, i experimented, and the saddles can be turned upside down. and there is room in the 1st and 6th saddles to put in your own notch to bring those strings in decent allighnment on the fretboard.....ive already been in touch with fender last week regarding all the work ive done on this guitar over the last 2mths. But none of the many small things were noticable on day One when i got the guitar, it was only when i looked closer wanting to make small adjustments to suit me that i started i started to see all these small issues mount up. im not going to go into all the details here. If yer man @greg_drc down below is correct about the vintage saddle is correct, i may just do that and be done with it, (i had my suspicians that that may be the case)
What is the measurement for the guitar neck tool ?
Not sure what you’re referring to. If you mean the fret levelling beam then it doesn’t have specific measurements. My ebook ‘5 steps to guitar set up heaven’ explains how to make and use that tool. There’s a link to the ebook under the description of this video (alternatively see the pinned post on the Reloved Guitars Facebook page).
Great video I was recently looking to buy a player plus tele buy was put of by the saddle and ended up buying a Vintera 60s Modified in Lake Placid blue .It's got the traditional 3 saddle ashtray bridge and love all the tones of the modified The 60s also comes without a truss rod adjustment hole in the headstock which i love .
It's funny how many people kind of 'defend' the positioning of the screws on these bridges (AND the domed heads). It's just not sensible design, period.
The push-pull pot throws the pickups into series, so you get a fatter sound. It's a great feature.
@@steven-v2x yep it’s my preferred switching mod over the almost-never-used ‘coil-split’
A 4-way blade also does the same. Very useful 4th position.
Here's a little tip for all those with a rattling thingy (plughole) and no gripping thingy to tighten it up (9:00): The backside of a wooden clothespin will do nicely. Good thing to add to your gigbag.
Hi, interesting video. Thank you. I just bought one of these and found the saddles cannot go back far enough to intonate on a couple strings. I was hoping you could recommend a good telecaster style guitar at a similar price, that tend to come out of the factory in better shape? Thanks for any info.
Hi Jay... I've always been a fan of the Squier Classic Vibe series... slightly better positioned bridge saddles / fixing screws too. I just noticed one on Amazon for under £300!
tinyurl.com/4djw5z7m
You'd have £500 left for upgrades of your choice... or a holiday somewhere nice.
Apart from that take a look at the Vintage V52
www.jhs.co.uk/collections/vintage/products/vintage-v52-icon-electric-guitar-butterscotch
or their V59, V62, V68 models. Ignore the prices on the JHS site they retail for less in the real world...
@@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars many thanks for the fast response and recommendation 🙏 I found it hard to wrap my head around the price difference between the CV and the PP and figured it would be too much of a downgrade. Only problem is that bridge, I prefer the modern 6 saddle and didn't fancy a DIY swap, however I am currently rethinking after your useful video and comments. Thanks again 👍
Tele's usually have the brass compensated bar saddles that dont work that great either for intonation. I would try and hide some flat wood screws under there and not ever tell anyone lol
Definitely going to Richie, Have ordered some. Will send on to customer who collected his guitar today on the way home from a few days down here in the tropical South west :)
The "amber residue" on the frets and the cheapo plastic nut is simply lacquer or tinted clear coat! Its due to production and costs. They fret the neck first and then get the finish on. After that, the frets are levelled. As they level the frets only and do not polish, you can notice scratching the strings while bending. .i noticed that on many mexican made Fenders. I even had that on the 1850 dollar Mike McCready Stratocaster! For me, that is an easy fix. Replacing the plastic nut with a bone one takes me one hour. Scratching off the paint on the frets and polish them including smoothening the fret ends another hour. If they would do it in the factory, the retail price would be 200 dollars plus.
That's right but one does wonder how the Chinese factories (for example where they make the Classic Vibe Squiers) manage to avoid this? From memory those guitars seemed to be finish first, frets 2nd.
@@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars I can imagine, that the chinese mask the frets before spraying the finish on. If they are painted first and then the frets pressed in, that may cause som cracks in the finish. I suppose, that the costs for manpower are just a fraction of the costs in Mexico or the US. Of course this is no excuse for a customer paying 1000 for a Player series guitar with that kind of poor finish.
I tried one of these in a local music shop today, and didn't notice the screws that held the bridge, but _did_ notice the string spacing becoming wider nearer the bridge; so much so, that at the dusty end they were almost falling off the sides. It looks to me like fender should have designed the bridge with slightly narrower string spacing. Apart from that, it seemed to be quite a good guitar.
The string spacing by definition always gets wider towards the bridge... but it *could* be that someone has fitted the wrong width saddles (this can happen on 2nd hand guitars). There are various saddle block widths out there from 10.5 (for 52.5mm e-to-e spacing), 10.8mm for 54mm and I think 11.4mm for 56mm spacing. The point being that a guitar with - for example - a 56mm e-to-e bridge spacing will have a correspondingly 'wide' neck at the heel but a guitar designed around a 52.5mm e-to-e saddle spacing is likely to have a slightly narrower neck at the heel... if someone then fits the saddles from a 54mm or 56mm bridge this will push the strings closer to the edge that neck.
@@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars This was a brand new guitar. The saddles were not splayed at all. I didn't measure them, and haven't found the specs online, but I suspect the spacing may be 56mm. I fitted a Gotoh bridge to my red Tele, with 54mm spacing and the strings align perfectly along the neck. Anyone know the string spacing on the Player Plus Tele? Please post it here.
I was really conflicted in choosing between a Player Plus and a made in Japan JV Modified Telecaster reissue for £100 more, before watching this. I think I put my faith in Japanese craftsmanship.
Indeed. I have a Japanese made Westone Strat copy from 1982, and it's better than my Fender Strat.
Hi Sam, what flat headed screws have you ordered as a replacement? Thanks.
Hi - I'm sorry I can't remember. I checked my eBay purchase history (where I think I would have ordered from) but can't find any record. There are plenty of choices; you're looking for a countersunk Phillips screw about an inch long max. and 3-4mm width. The important thing is that the head has to sit as close to flush with the bridge plate as possible. Even then it's still not ideal if your saddle grub screws end up standing on one of these screws; but it's better than standing on a domed one or falling into the pit if the countersunk one you use leaves a gap because its too small.
A bit late watching this one.
Well done with the jack socket tightening tool. I have something similar for doing engine tappets. When I first saw you holding up the bar it seemed obvious that it was intended to be used with a suitable socket. Presumably to be more adaptable and no doubt the maker assumed everyone would have a suitable socket set to hand. Just about to add a comment when I heard you rustling through your box of stuff and saw you'd came to the same realisation. Pity you needed to drill out the socket to fit but I guess that element of tool design is not standardised. Loving your work.
LOL it's funny that it would be obvious to anyone except me. I think I may have tried it a couple of years ago and given up because the tool wouldn't pass through the socket - so I probably told myself "No, that's NOT how it's supposed to work". IIRC there was little or no explanation with the tool (I could be wrong because StewMac are usually very good at that sort of thing) so I definitely blame 'operator laziness' more than the tool maker. So it's only taken me about 6 years to figure it out... that's speedy in my world ;-)
Player Plus should be 12" radius, not 9.5". Thanks for the great info.
Thanks - no problem. Technically, it doesn't matter that much to me - I don't mean that glibly, just that my levelling technique 'respects' any / all radii even compound ones. It would be critical if I used radius blocks to level for example, but I don't. The place it matters is just in knowing whether it will make a low action + big bends on high E easy or harder...
I have one of these and the screws in the bridge are sunk down thank goodness. maybe quality control issues? same amateur fret levelling issues and so much of that amber finish on the frets and nut. guitar feels great though. do you know what pots come stock in this thing? i havent opened it up and am thinking of swapping out the pickups. wish you were in the US haha.
I don't offhand know what the pots are on these... but I've not experienced any issues with them. I am not convinced that there is any meaningful tonal improvements on 'upgrading' pots... there are improvements in solidity / longevity in better made, more premium-priced components though.
I had that screw problem on my new Player. I took the screws out one at a time and ground them flat with my bench grinder.
Not a bad solution!
Im playing to buy a fender telecaster can you advise please?
Here's what I don't like about Fender Teles... the gloss-finished maple USA and Mexico ones because they spray the finish OVER the frets. This encourages the finish to eventually flake and fall off especially if you ever need a re-fret; it's a mess. They do it that way to save money. The better way is how Fender & Squier does it in their Chinese and Indonesian factories: they spray and buff the board FIRST then press the frets. Looks better and means far, far less hassle for you (and guitar techs) in the future.
I think for that reason that the Squier Classic Vibe series (China) are superb; as are the Vintage Modified ones (Indonesia). Buy a Classic Vibe and splash the difference on a set of top quality Lollar pickups or something like that.
@@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars thanks..
Best place to purchase?
I just got my player plus Tele and the intonation was way off. So I also had to move the saddles way back and even though the screws are there so a standard bridge can be installed if one desires they are still a problem for this bridge that comes installed my low E is backed all the way and it's just intonated. You can adjust the saddle screws that are on the bridge screws but it's just a pain. Other than that my high E was almost off the neck I had to loosen the neck to shift it over it's better but not perfect. The guitar plays and sounds great now just sad to see a new 1000 dollar guitar come like this.
No it’s not great that 1000 bucks leaves you having to put right basics like this. Of course if they got it right I’d have to do something else for a living ;-)
how much do you charge for this type of work on a guitar or where can i get this type of adjustment to a guitar!
Hi @legend1143 - I charge £135 for my set up which includes Tusq nut, precision fret levelling, all aspects of the set up and new strings. End product is low, light action and rock solid tuning stability. You can reach me via email at samdeeks@gmail.com
Excellent upload and great channel Sir. So glad I found this video as I almost purchased a used Player plus tele until I saw your video. I must say though that I absolutely love this guitar, between the series pull, locking tuners and noiseless pickups BUT I cant buy this because of that bridge, it has really let me down. The guitar I was looking at had the low e saddle maxed out with some spring cut off and 4 saddle set screws were sitting on top of the bridge plate screws. I started to look around for alternate bridges with the idea of still buying this guitar and just swapping out the bride but I cannot find an alternative. I can find 4 hole bridges that look like they will fit - but here lies the problem.....original bridge shows strings and saddle set screws pretty much close to above the 4 bridge screws, and when I see alternate 4 hole bridges - the saddles are well forward of the 4 bridge plate screws which wouldn't work because the strings would be too short. Maybe I'm missing something but I feel that it cant be replaced without drilling new holes further back for a new bridge. I'm so disappointed as I really do love this guitar. Thank you for your insight and this awesome channel
I say this with no sense of joy - but WELCOME to my world. Actually I'm glad that you clearly see the sheer pain-in-the-a** scale of this problem that Fender has stupidly created :) The complication is that any replacement bridge you buy HAS to line up on the 'string thru holes' first and foremost. Only THEN can you look to see if - by luck - your bridge fixing screws (the ones going down into the guitar's body) come anywhere close to matching up. And of course, since you're trying to replace the bridge because the position of those same bridge fixing screws on THIS model is unworkable - you're looking for a bridge with string mounting screw holes well in front (or possibly behind) the area where your saddles will sit. Your problem is that (I think) you'll find that almost no sellers of replacement bridge plates will give you enough information / dimensional data to be confident in making a good decision - meaning that you may end up having to buy several bridges and return (or keep) all those that don't work.
To be fair, placing a saddle grub screw on top of a FLAT topped counter-sunk fixing screw isn't the end of the world (the saddle isn't intended to move during playing after all).. but you'd need to experiment with a few different types of screw probably.
Hope that helps!
@@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars Thank you so much for your reply, this helps very much. Here in Canada that guitar costs $1380.00 and today the idea of building my own tele with those appointments in the tele plus that I like has crossed my mind, so with pricing out some reputable non fender parts it came to $980.00 with Fender TexMex pickups, wilkinson compensated bridge and a 4 way control plate rather than a pull/push. I'm really starting to like this idea I must say........and I can reference your videos should I need guidance. Haha thank you again mate and have happy week Sir.
@@BobF67 That’s a good choice - fyi check out the pinned post on Reloved Guitars Facebook page; my ‘5 Steps to Guitars Set Up Heaven’ ebook covers my set up including how to make and use the legendary ‘Banana’ fret levelling tool to level frets with the guitar fully strung.
You won’t regret building your own partscaster - the learning alone is worth $900 AND you’ll get a great guitar out of it too!
I went to check my fridge door was properly shut a couple of times before you mentioned the beeping noise and I realised it was in your workshop and not coming from my kitchen!! Regarding the neck alignment and need to adjust via the neck pocket, I've found I've needed to do that (to varying degrees) on most Fender and Squiers that I've worked on, though strangely the owners seldom raise it as an issue. But, at least a bolt on neck normally allows such misalignment to be fixed, unlike an Epiphone I recently acquired for myself where the bridge itself is clearly not positioned accurately. Love your videos by the way and I've learned a lot from them, especially in regard to your focus on and approach to 1st fret action.
Thanks David :-D I'm going to see my workshop landlord tomorrow with some rent... so I'm going to tell him about the beeping. Thank goodness my wife tracked it down to the electric socket-y-box-thing... I would never have located it otherwise!
The best option for the bridge is an expensive replacement by glendale in USA, it's a vintage look but for the spec's of the bridge you have. I have the same problem trying to find a replacement bridge 😠
Hello Sam ! If you would clean the window , the sundown would be even more beautiful! 😂
What's that got to with guitars? Eric? Yours truly, Eric.
You’re right Erics :)
@@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars Which one? Micromesh,
And fender charge best part of a grand for a guitar in that state. Unreal!
I'm not impressed with that either.
the rolled edges are factory , I wish I could get that result on my guitar 😊
If you were gonna spend £800-1000 on this, what would you buy instead?
One of the best Teles I think I ever played was a Classic Vibe one with a transparent light cream finish. Nearly perfectly set up out of the factory and for £350 new. After that you've got £650 left to spend on upgrades to your personal preferences! Or a very nice amp to go with it :-)
@@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars Thanks for the reply, Sam! I already have an awesome Westone Spectrum DX, MIM Strat, Les Paul Studio and the Boss Katana. I’m just looking for good Telecaster & have to stick to a budget as I’m unable to work due to disability & money is tight at the moment - but it’s a purchase to mark my 40th from my better half. I find with a radius of 9.5 & having small hands, I lose the highest 2 strings as they buzz against my hand - my hands are slightly puffier than most as I have lymphodaema. When I play the Les Paul or Westone, the buzz doesn’t happen & so I put it down to the flatter fretboards. I’m assuming the regular Player Telecaster has the same neck as the Strat measurements. But… I played a friend’s ‘93 American Tele and didn’t have the same problem, so neck shape has something to do with it as well as the radius. Anyway, that’s why I’m looking at the Player Plus or a secondhand American Standard. Though I see Fenders cheapest American range isn’t too much of a stretch financially, if my better half authorises it. Long story, but I’m trying some out today at Promenade Music in Morcambe and we will see. Cheers! X
@@kierri Enjoy the 'guitar shop time' :)
I’m not paying a $1000 for a guitar with this many issues.
I’m with you on that
My new 2022 player tele had all the issues. High frets, sharp fret ends, domed screw in the EXACT wrong spot for intonation and a bad output jack that had to be replaced. Still haven't sorted the domed screws but that's on my to do list. For the best part of $1000 bucks the lack of Fender quality is astonishing. Fender is more concerned with taking care of it's shareholders while throwing guitar players to the wolves. Fender's poor quality is across the board. Just bought a new genuine Fender pickguard for my mim strat that looks like it was cut out with a tree saw. Horrible quality. No way I'm buying another Fender anything anytime soon because the value for money just isn't there. Buyer beware. Cheers!
Yes, it's a shame. But seems like all great brands go through that phase. Do any of them ever recover to that point where they're rock solid quality and great value again? And were any of them ever that in the first place? I think Fender and Gibson's problem is that in 2023 there are SO many better-finished, more impressive quality guitars from less prestigious brands to put them to shame. Back in 1955 there wasn't much to compare them to and they were also innovative at that point.
Almost pulled the trigger on a Player Jaguar but was leery of Fenders QC issues so I hesitated and I'm glad I did. Just ordered a PRS SE CE24 currently on 20 percent discount. Will be my first PRS. Internet lore says PRS QC is top notch so looking forward to it. Should be interesting. Cheers! @@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars
Dude, WHAT is that beeping sound?
I finally tracked it down some weird little electrical outlet box with a sensor of some kind in it. Some part of the sensor needed replacing and it was helpfully beeping to let me know. I removed it and the box carried on working fine... I've no idea what the site owner had it installed for or exactly what it was doing but it's now history. Thankfully - as it was driving me mad as well.
😁😁 good stuff!
got knows why they did not use a flat head screw on the bridge!?!? Can’t be any difference in cost! 🤷♂️
Fender quality is iffy. From design decisions through to assembly, test and inspection. Fender's iconic status allows them to be sloppy and still sell guitars. I returned my first Strat, and accepted the replacement, but it's not a patch on my PRS SE.
In the product photos that Fender takes, even the most inexpensive Squire has a master luthier quality fret job and polish. It’s kind of like the hamburger you receive at the shop never matches the one in the commercials. 😂
Manufacture is de skilled to keep the price down, thelevel of skilled work showed here would push the purchase price up by 50% at least, and it wouud not be anywhere near this good
I thought the Fender logo was metalic, not black on all player plus Telecasters
Apologies, I've no idea.... It's relatively unimportant to me, my focus being on the set up rather than the appointments of any particular model. Of course I know it matters to people who are interested in that and other Fender models.
I hope fender watched this video for awakening..
Often when I come across dopey things like this I doubt my judgment on it... 'C'mon' I tell myself 'they do this all day everyday, they're not going to make stupid basic mistakes...are they?' Eventually after looking at it from every possible answer I come to the conclusion that I can't find a good - or positive - reason why they did what they did. Just like with this placement. Look, Fender, leave your mounting screw hole there for sure, but then push the whole bridge back and drag the saddles forward to avoid conflict. Or just move the damned screw holes... One of the two!
You're completely correct. This design is defective. Fender are out to lunch with their Mexican stuff. They recently sent out a whole bunch of these with saddles that didn't have string openings far enough back so that you couldn't even restring the guitar with the saddles in place....
Thanks for that affirmation Ian!
That's horrible. So many better alternatives out there now. My Squire paranormal offset tele is wonderful - but a few years old.
Your windows are as dirty as mine 😮
I’m afraid they’d fall out (or in) if I tried to clean them!
Hello, that's it. GOD is the one who creates both the sunrise and sunset in a very beautiful way. Even though I can't help but like it, just watching it gives me peace of mind. Thank you for liking and appreciating
By the way, I like your work....cübbesiz ahmet
For me, the wonders of the natural laws of the universe that create the sunrises and sunsets that we enjoy are thrilling, humbling and deliciously intriguing. I don't believe in a god - in no small part because I was guided that way by the family environment I was brought up in, as I suspect you were in having a belief. I find that parallel fascinating; how easily I could have been a Catholic, Jew or Muslim if only I'd been born into such a family and culture. But it is as it is and I have no need for religion or belief in a supernatural creator. Unfortunately, all too often the need to tell me I'm wrong, that I DO need one (I just don't know it) comes hand-in-hand with others' belief systems. It's THAT I find divisive and annoying, not that someone else has a different story about the world and their place within it than I do.
That is a b stock in my opinion, send it back
THIS IS JUST SOOO STUPID!!! I just bought the player plus without seeing you video.. I ran in the same issue like you have here … American ultra have the screws more in the back… what a complete idiot designed this?!? Or is it on purpose so you buy the more “premium” guitar from their range … it just sucks
Sorry to hear this - although it does at least confirm that I'm not mad and that design IS idiotic. I hope you get it sorted out and can forget it and just enjoy the music part!
@@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars yes yes… your video was the first thing that appeared on TH-cam when searched this topic online … I just do not understand how some people on the player series (totally the same bridge) do not have this issue .. either they just do not bother to set up the intonation right or the neck must be few milimeters forward - I have no other thought about explaining this - also I had a thought about buying the vintage bridge (which fits the player plus) but that will not resolve the issues because you still have to have the saddles at the same spot to have a proper intonation 😅🤷🏻♂️
It's really time for people to stop being so religious about a brand name and go to a store and buy the one that's actually the best for your budget.
Absolutely - or make one ;-)
That's all pretty abysmal and shameful on a guitar costing as much as it does. I'd be embarrassed if I were Fender that something like that was leaving my factory and landing in the hands of a paying customer. If I were the customer I'd certainly not be a happy one. My cheapest T Style guitar is a humble Harley Benton TE-62DB (only a little more than a tenth of the price) and no such sloppiness existed in that budget instrument on arrival so there's no excuse for it. Sure it needed a little setup to suit me and I polished the frets and oiled the board but other than that it needed no work and was very well put together and finished. I'm obviously not claiming equivalent quality of parts in this statement, just pointing out that if a cheap model can be assembled properly and delivered in playable condition out of the box, Fender really need to address their minimum standards of both manufacturing and quality control and perhaps pay them far more attention and allocate them more investment than they do their marketing.
Your diplomacy is admirable but unwarranted and not deserved in my opinion, although I appreciate some of your points on things such as fretwork and mass production which are fair and well made. However, If manufacturers like Sire can turn out a guitar such as the T7 at half the price one has to wonder if the name on the headstock means much in this day and age and how long companies like Fender can continue to exploit their heritage. It's a shame that mediocrity is excused and even celebrated nowadays. (Not just in the world of guitars).
Thanks Old Geezer, great comment. You're right - I started out being much less tolerant, and quicker-to-critque! I think what I see is that the larger these business are, the more unwieldy they become and the more they are forced to focus on reduction of costs in order to preserve tiny margins of profitability. I'm not apologising for them, but it does feel that everyone who (foolishly) gets into the guitar manufacturing game gets dragged down to the same level before too long, no matter how lofty their values started out being. The fastest way to profitability is to cut costs; the fastest way to cut costs is to reduce staff and / or automate... followed closely by using cheaper and cheaper parts and materials. Sadly. By that assessment even Sire will go the same way...it's just a matter of time.
@@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars Not to mention the ever ongoing quest for cheaper and cheaper labour and the constantly increasing costs involved in manufacturing and distribution, due to all manner of economic and financial factors.
I agree entirely that human nature and free market pressures can and often do result in what you claim. It's a shame and the one remaining non cynical bone in my old body likes to believe it's not inevitable but you're probably closer to reality in your estimations overall.
Then again, look at Japan and how it eventually took over the world by initially copying, refining and improving all manner of products from motorcycles and cars to electronics and musical instruments. It didn't last forever as nothing ever does, but considering they were once viewed as cheap and nasty knock offs of products from the USA and Europe, which they were at the outset back in the sixties, they went on to dominate many sectors. Even today, with regard to guitars, Japanese made instruments both past and present are still highly regarded - including Fender models that were and still are made in Japan. The same can be said for many nations' manufacturing rises and falls - Taiwan back in the day became the copycats and undercutters of the Japanese, starting out with a reputation for shoddy goods but gradually improving, then more and more far eastern factories that have entered the fray. People once poo pooed guitars made in Korea and now they're complaining about the move of many of those same guitar brands to Indonesia (both nations have and continue to produce some very fine instruments) and now of course China has become the place of choice to make really budget guitars - has to be said they've come a long way from the Chibson era and nowadays, with guitars at least, "Made in China" doesn't automatically translate to garbage as it did not so long ago - shame they can't or won't replicate that with so many other products that we now have to suffer.
Despite all this, I still believe that all the competition is, generally speaking, a good thing for the customer - (not necessarily for the companies and their workers) and there is now a far larger choice of decent guitars available to even the most humble budgets than there has ever been in the past. Had you given a beginner most of these current cheap modern lesser known brands coming out of the Far East back in the 70's and 80's, they would have been astonished that anything electric that didn't say Fender or Gibson on the headstock could be anything other than a horrible third rate POS, let alone something that looked, felt and played as well as many of them now do. Maybe the Far East will eventually go the way of many before them and new, as yet unknown or even considered nations and markets will arise to replace them.
I understand the concept of brand loyalty, considerations of depreciation and resale value, and even patriotic leanings but to my mind, the world of guitars has moved on and the name on the headstock is probably less important than it's ever been. At the same time, there will always be a demand for genuine, high quality craftsmanship even though it is becoming ever rarer.
Ultimately, a good guitar is the one that you love playing and want to pick up - anything else is secondary in my humble opinion. With the number of years I've likely got remaining, even if all manufacturers decline in quality or disappear altogether, the second hand market isn't in danger of running dry before they put me in the ground 😄.
"Made In Mexico."
Other than tequila and cartel killers, what comes to mind?
Don't tell me "Fine craftsmanship."