Badass Bass II?

skoti89 · #1 03-23-2006, 08:35 PM

Hey. I've been wanting to get a badass 2 bridge for my deluxe active jazz. I like a low action, but I hate fret buzz when playing punk with a pick. And it seem my E string has no punch or lowend to it, and the clarity or notes is poor.
I have heard that this bridge can fix all of these.

So, I guess my question is, does it really live up to what people are saying about it? Is it worth the 60 or so dollars?
ive heard from some people that it actually affects the sound, and then it take away fret buzz....etc..

So can ya just help me out by telling me your personal expirience? and how it affects your bass and sounds... thanks

rowyco · #2 03-23-2006, 08:57 PM

I added one of these to my Fender P-Bass Special and love the result. It didn't affect the sound but it does add a noticeable amount of sustain. The notes ring more clearly now. I would highly suggest installing one. Plus, it's such an easy modification. You won’t be disappointed.

fenderx55 · #3 03-23-2006, 08:57 PM

I don't have one (I kinda like my sound the way it is), but it's just a bridge, it essentially does the same thing your current bridge does, Fret buzz will still be there if you're playing punk with a low action.

the dead e-- new strings? The badass II is said to improve sustain and (maybe) add punch. But again, the results have been said to be minimal. I've never read a post that said, "OMG the bad ass II is the bridge of my dreams!" But correct me if there is one.

I haven't made that move (in case you were wondering) because I haven't had an issue with the bridge on my MIA jazz, and I converted my mim to fretless so I'm afraid of putting too much metal between the strings and the wood--I like my uprighty tone

.

There will probably be many ppl here telling you to go for it, it couldn't hurt... thought I'd be a post of middle ground.

lookjojoisplaid · #4 03-23-2006, 11:38 PM

I have the same bass as you and i did the same thing. Basically i didnt get anymore sustain i wouldnt say it gave me a punchy attack, and i wouldnt say the the bridge kept my bass in tune any better than before.

What is did do was give my bass an extremely sharp attack, I lost a ton of that growl in the midrange voices i like, and i lost enough string tension to make me wanna step up the gauge of my strings

Oh an lastly TRY SEARCHING FOR ALL OUR SAKE!!!!

Kcorren · #5 03-23-2006, 11:45 PM

I think the Original one is better.. More sustain
due to more mass...

They sell both models , but most of the cats
prefer the first model...

peace

orlfl · #6 03-24-2006, 05:14 AM

I think a lot of people notice an immediate difference when they put on a BA bridge... And I think it is because their strings have not been changed in a while. New strings, brighter sound, better sustain... must be the bridge.

Now, I do like BA bridges. I put them on a lot of things. I think they improve the clarity somewhat. But it is not a panacea. Mostly, it is because the BAII is a direct replacement for a 5 hole Fender bridge (version 1 is NOT) and you cut your own slots which allows you to slightly affect string alignment, which I have found useful.

But keep that in mind, you need to be willing and able to cut your own saddle slots if you are going to do it yourself. It is not hard, but I would recommend having the right files.

bazzanderson · #7 03-24-2006, 05:59 AM

new strings and a professional set-up and your dead E string problem will most likely go away.
-Bazz-

Mr Matt · #8 03-24-2006, 06:05 AM

I have use both the I & II on my Rickenbacker. The Badass II is on to stay with it's low action and it also improved the sustain. No modifications needed for the II.

abngourmet · #9 03-24-2006, 07:02 AM

I've used Badass II bridges on all my Fenders except my MIA Jazz Deluxe (I've also used them very successfully on Rickenbackers). Reason I did so is the older Fender Bridges plain sucked. The saddles were prone to moving left or right, and half the time the didn't stay adjusted.

They will not make the buzz go away, but I've noticed a huge change in the amount of sustain on my '73 Jazz Bass. Same goes for my '76 P-Bass. The BA II also is more solid than the stock bridges. I've noticed no effect on my tone, though I will defer to others here on that - each bass is different, and more than one thing affects tone.

I highly recommend one if for no other reason than to increase the sustain, and give you a little more control over string spacing and adjustments.

Pic is of my '73 Jazz with the Badass II affixed.

Alan

rekesbass · #10 03-24-2006, 07:08 AM

I installed one (badass 3)on my 51 R.I p-bass mostly for intonation reasons. I must say it is a 10x better bridge than the(very thin) 2 saddle bent plate factory bridge(which is a real turd)...on MY BASS there is a noticable difference sonically,sustain for days and added punch and articulation.not to mention the bass is in tune all the way up the neck..I'm very happy with it..

lug · #11 03-24-2006, 09:21 AM

To my ears the BAII added sustain and overtones are a bit more pronounced. The odd thing is I notice it more in the mix than with bass played alone. It seems to "focus" your sound for lack of a better term.

steve21 · #12 03-24-2006, 11:14 PM

I prefer my harmonics with my BA2.

And it looks cooler.

And looking cool is key. Pick up smoking while you're at it.

MysticMichael · #13 03-24-2006, 11:32 PM

I've replaced the stock Wilkinson and Hipshot bridges on all my Carvin basses with BadAss II bridges. I would say it's easily the single best permanent modification I've made to any of them, increasing the attack, sustain and clarity significantly.

This is a no-brainer. Get one...

MM

fender_mod · #14 03-24-2006, 11:33 PM

i like em, my bass sounds super sharp with the BA II, plus it says "BADASS BASS" right on it, perfectly describes my baby

bassist66 · #15 03-24-2006, 11:46 PM

I put one on my Fender MIM P because the saddles kept falling every five minutes and I got tired of fixing them. If you're having fret buzz due to dropping saddles, A Badass bridge will definatley help. Plus they look cool, IMO

4Mal · #16 03-25-2006, 12:09 AM

Fret buzz isn't likely to be cured as a result of a bridge swap. That takes a setup...

I like the BA II a lot. It is a direct replacement for the 5 screw Fender and the BA is not...

Do not set your action too low. (BA bridge or not) it creates fret buzz, rob's tone and invites overplaying ... get that action up to the point where it's comfotable AND you get decent note definition. Make sure that your thrash is coming from your right hand, not your left (assuming youlre a righty of course ... and assuming that you're acutally playing thrash...)

The Golden Boy · #17 03-26-2006, 09:49 PM

If you have a legitimate issue with your bridge (ie- won't intonate), by all means, the Badass is a wonderful bridge. However, as far as changing the "tone" or "sustain" of your bass... I never noticed a difference.

Somwhere around 5 years ago one of the height adjustment screws on one of my saddles fell out, so I figured rather than find a 35 year old replacement I decided to "upgrade" my bridge. (while I was installing the bridge I found the saddle screw for the stock bridge). I wanted to hear this amazing difference after "upgrading" my bridge. I didn't hear any difference- not in the attack, not in the sustain, not any magnificent depth to it- it just was a bridge that intonated well. Since that time I've put the stock bridge back on and switched back and forth quite a number of times- the Badass is still on there only because I paid the money for it and I don't want to lose any other saddle screws on a 40 year old bass...

I think a lot of people "hear with their eyes" as Les Paul said. You know you're "upgrading" your bass- the Badass is a good bridge, so obviously your bass is going to sound better, right? Yes, it makes sense that the larger footprint is going to impart more resonance to the body. Yes, it makes sense that the saddles are held in place by the "trough" on the bridge. Yes, it makes sense that you can control exactly where the strings lay on the pickups or the neck. Yes, the design allows more traverse for the saddle screws. On paper the Badass is the clearly superior bridge. Problem is, my experience hasn't proven that to be the case. In fact, I can find no subjective proof that the Badass is actually "better."

tadawson · #18 03-26-2006, 10:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassist66

I put one on my Fender MIM P because the saddles kept falling every five minutes and I got tired of fixing them. If you're having fret buzz due to dropping saddles, A Badass bridge will definatley help. Plus they look cool, IMO

While it won't change how it looks, a few cents worth of LockTite or clear nail polish, and you won't have to fix it again either, and for a whole lot less $$$ than a new bridge.

- Tim

Audiophage · #19 03-27-2006, 07:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Golden Boy

If you have a legitimate issue with your bridge (ie- won't intonate), by all means, the Badass is a wonderful bridge. However, as far as changing the "tone" or "sustain" of your bass... I never noticed a difference.

I definitely noticed a difference when I put a BAII on my Jazz Bass, just not a huge one. The upgrade was more for intonation because I had one of those horrible Fender bridges with no track for the saddles whatsoever.

The physical benefits of the BAII also are related to having a good bass in the first place. A Squier or even a lower end Fender really wouldn't be worth the upgrade. It definitely works with the natural characteristics of the wood.