3-saddle Bridge

The vintage Fender Telecaster had a unique 3-saddle bridge. This bridge offered three “saddles,” or bridge pieces, for the six strings to be strung across. The 3-saddle bridge served the basic function of allowing the strings to be properly positioned on the guitar, along with offering course intonation options, but was disliked by some players because it was not very adjustable. It was these complaints that, in part, led to the introduction of the superior Fender Stratocaster saddles and bridge. Today, third-party parts manufacturers still make exact vintage-style 3-saddle bridges, while others modernize the “classic” design with saddles that have been sculpted to allow for better intonation.