bridge replacement, Carvin or Hipshot

[eastcoasteddie]

I've been thinking of replacing the bridges on my Dean Sledgehammer 5's. The existing bridges are OK with 18mm string spacing, but they can be better. They look like they're designed specifically for string-through-body, but being that the Sledge is 35" scale, it isn't a string-through-body bass. I think Dean could have gone with a better bridge, but decided to shave some corners a bit.
The string ferrules kind of latch down in the bridge saddles and hold steady, but it's a PITA to change strings because I have to break out the allen wrenches to remove 3 of the saddles in order to do so because of to saddle position/intonation settings.





So I was thinking of getting the Carvin SB5000 bridge as a replacement. It's relatively inexpensive, heavy duty and 19mm spacing (the bass can take an extra mm no problem)

http://www.carvinguitars.com/product...ct=BL5B&cid=89

But today, I just saw the HipShot TransTone bridge. Looks like a near-dropin replacement due to the square perimeter mounting, has 18mm spacing, and is about the same price as the Carvin.



anyone have more info? any experience?

[Bobster]

Hi Eddie,

Here's another source for the bridge Carvin sells. These guys have it for $31. Just as an FYI, this is a 19mm bridge.

http://www.guitarpartscentral.com/mo...ve-string.html

It's actually made in Korea by Sung-Il. http://www.sung-il.com/bass/bb_405.html

Brubaker also uses this bridge on their Brutes.

BTW, your sledgehammer looks great. Who routed in the J pickup?

Bob

[eastcoasteddie]

Cool! I knew I saw that bridge sold in the aftermarket somewhere, but couldn't find it this time around.
Funny because the existing bridge on the Dean is the BB-285...
http://www.sung-il.com/bass/bb_285.html

I took that bass to my local shop, Main Drag Music.
http://www.maindragmusic.com/md/

Their luthier Mark Dobbyn, who used to work for Sadowsky, did the routing job. It came out danng perfect.

Club Sadowsky (Part 17)

[jimkelly]

For the sledgehammer, I would say that the Transtone bridge looks like the best way to go. Because of the routing under the stock bridge and the location of the battery compartment, there isn't a lot of meat to anchor most other bridges. I have two 4 string sledgehammers and have experimented with three other bridges on one of them.

[BackToTheGroove]

I think the Trans Tone would be perfect for my '74 4001 Ric.
I'll never sell this bass (had it since '83), so using this bridge over the Hipshot Ric replacement (overpriced, and not much difference anyway - with the possibility of wobbling saddles) doesn't give me the horrors. Stock Ric bridges are flimsy, poured aluminum and poorly thought out for adjustment.