|  | | 
05-15-2009, 01:24 PM
| | | | Best Jazz Bridge?
Sign in to disble this ad
I have a MIM Fender Jazz which I love, but the bridge is constantly giving me problems. What is the best bridge to upgrade to? I want something that is stable, and will be an easy replacement. Thanks!  |
05-15-2009, 02:51 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Virginia Beach, VA | | | I know I sound like a broken record, but...
HipShot! Best product / service goin'.
Riis
__________________
"20% of the money will buy you 90% of the sound..another 30% of the money will buy you another 5% of the sound..you can't buy the remaining 5% of the sound because nobody can agree about what it is." |
05-15-2009, 02:53 PM
|  | OVER 9000?!
Midtown Guitars | | Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 810, Michigan | | | I like the BadAss II, but that's just me.
It had good sustain, and it a direct replacement. |
05-15-2009, 02:53 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Sac Area | | | Foamy's off to pop a bowl of corn and watch this from afar...
Hipsot
Leo Quan
Gotoh
Leo Quan
Goto
Hipshot
Hipshot
......
Don't forget the new Fender HMV (for string-through)
Edit: ...and the Ken Smith too! ;-)
__________________
Basses: Geddy Lee, Jaguar, Fender PB-551, Mark Hoppus Jazz, Michael Kelly Firefly
Head: Markbass LittleMark II
Cab: Markbass Traveler 102P x 2
Last edited by Foamy : 05-15-2009 at 10:41 PM.
|
05-15-2009, 02:56 PM
| | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Zooberwerx  I know I sound like a broken record, but...
HipShot! Best product / service goin'.
Riis | +1
This bridge is everything you described: http://www.basspartsresource.com/bridge_hipshot.htm
A Badass isn't necessarily an easy replacement. You may have to shim the neck or have the saddles worked on to get your action as low as you want. |
05-15-2009, 02:58 PM
|  | My favorite songs were never heard on the radio | | Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Tulsa, OK | | This (Gotoh 201): 
Really any high-mass bridge would be an improvement. |
05-15-2009, 06:11 PM
| | | | hey guys thanks for the advice! went with the hipshot, because I've heard good things and it seems like an easy switch. may have to check back in a couple days for some help swapping them haha. thanks again |
05-15-2009, 06:20 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Virginia Beach, VA | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Classical_Thump hey guys thanks for the advice! went with the hipshot, because I've heard good things and it seems like an easy switch. may have to check back in a couple days for some help swapping them haha. thanks again | Provided the holes line up, all you'll need is a PH screwdriver with a clean tip and bar of Ivory soap.
Riis
__________________
"20% of the money will buy you 90% of the sound..another 30% of the money will buy you another 5% of the sound..you can't buy the remaining 5% of the sound because nobody can agree about what it is." |
05-15-2009, 09:44 PM
| | | | just be sure to get the wide one, as the narrower versions (and that gotoh 201) won't line the strings up properly between the pickup magnets, just like the stock bridge doesn't.
__________________
Walter Wright
Guitar Repair Gnome
Alpha Music, VA Beach
|
05-15-2009, 09:53 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Michigan, Suburban Detroit | | | I've installed a Ken Smith IV more than 15 years ago on my Fender and it sounds better than anything else (I have other three, inc. a Marcus Mille (Badass bridge)).
I am not sure if it is available.
__________________
J stands for James, Jaco and Jackson, Anthony.
R stands for Rocco Rainey and Rufus.
|
05-17-2009, 09:32 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: D'Shaw | | I've tried many bridges and I keep going back to the original...'62 RI J bridge with threaded saddles. 
__________________
"It's a Crapshoot." The timbre is in the timber. It's a poor craftsman that blames his tools.
|
05-17-2009, 10:28 AM
| | | | One big advantage to those threaded saddles is you can put the E and G strings into outer threads that line the string up better over the polepieces. The strings kind of bend outward, toward the side of the fingerboard, and create some tension which presses the saddles in together laterally. This is hard to describe verbally.
The threaded rods are a crude but effective way to allow for a little lateral adjustment, with no moving parts. The saddles are very stable when set up this way, because the string tension is holding them down and together. Take care when you re-string to use the same slots. Players with heavy right hands might bounce the strings back into the "straight" grooves but I haven't heard much of that happening. |
05-17-2009, 11:35 PM
| | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Giraffe One big advantage to those threaded saddles is you can put the E and G strings into outer threads that line the string up better over the polepieces. The strings kind of bend outward, toward the side of the fingerboard, and create some tension which presses the saddles in together laterally. This is hard to describe verbally. | you describe it perfectly, and +1.
i really like the first generation fender american standard bass bridges for the same reasons: real steel saddles, and they fit right against each other, so when you spread the strings a little wider than the string holes like you're supposed to, the saddles get squeezed together, eliminating drift and rattling.
__________________
Walter Wright
Guitar Repair Gnome
Alpha Music, VA Beach
|
05-18-2009, 04:28 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Southern California | | I just ordered one of these nifty Schaller steel bridges for an old Ibanez bass of mine and will report back once the project is complete. It's a refinish job so be patient.  |
05-18-2009, 04:59 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Belgium | | Quote:
Originally Posted by testing1two I just ordered one of these nifty Schaller steel bridges for an old Ibanez bass of mine and will report back once the project is complete. It's a refinish job so be patient. | This one looks great.
Does it fit the 5 fender holes ?
__________________
Markbass LMII - TC electronic RS 212 - Sandberg PM 4
|
05-18-2009, 05:54 AM
|  | GOLD Supporting Member | | Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Sheboygan, WI | | Best Jazz Bridge.....'Have you Met Miss Jones' 
Seriously though, the Hipshot models are great, and will in up with the footprint of most stock J style bridges. I like the 'B' model, since it's close in vibe and design to the original bent plates, but has quick release and is very solid regarding the saddles and intonation adjustment. |
05-18-2009, 06:23 AM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: New Orleans, LA /El Paso TX | | | Hipshot Vintage is a direct replacement and has the quick release, which is a plus for me. The end covers the string balls nicely, important if you use D'Addarios with their multicolor ends
B style and A style now come with the Fender mount pattern. A is your modern bridge, adjustable string spacing, quick release and super heavy.
B is more like an updated vintage style |
05-18-2009, 04:04 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: New Orleans, LA /El Paso TX | | Quote:
Originally Posted by JulienJeff This one looks great.
Does it fit the 5 fender holes ? | according to the pdf it should,somebody please correct if wrong, I cannot measure my Fenders because I'm at work http://bass-machine-heads.com/upload...Bridge2000.pdf |
05-20-2009, 12:01 PM
| | | | Thanks for the help again guys! My hipshot arrived today, is this just a matter of unscrewing my old bridge and screwing in the new one? Looks that easy... |
05-20-2009, 12:21 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Mar 2000 Location: Houston, TX | | Quote:
Originally Posted by KJung Best Jazz Bridge.....'Have you Met Miss Jones' | You beat me to it, Ken!
__________________
Baby, did you forget to take your meds? | | Thread Tools | Search this Thread | | | | 
Posting Rules
| You may not post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts
HTML code is On | | | |
