Bridge with/without cavity

Chris K · #1 06-13-2010, 11:59 PM

On my G&L L2500 I have a bridge built into a bridge cavity. On other basses I play, the bridge mostly lies flat on the body.

The G&L has an enormous punch.

1. Do you guys know of other basses with bridges sticking into the body?
2. Can you tell something about possible differences in sound between those and basses with a flat bridge?

JTE · #2 06-14-2010, 07:51 AM

Chris- Leo designed that bridge so the boss on its bottom would transfer vibration into the grain of the wood. Or at least that was the advertising hype in 1981. Same reason he went back to the string-through-body of the original Precision on the StingRay and the Mustang Bass.

I'm not convinced it's the sole reason those early G&L basses sound so good, but they're the ony instruments I know of with that kind of bridge design.

John

joeyl · #3 06-14-2010, 11:51 AM

the enormous punch is probably due to those hot G&L pickups

Chris K · #4 06-14-2010, 11:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JTE

Chris- Leo designed that bridge so the boss on its bottom would transfer vibration into the grain of the wood. Or at least that was the advertising hype in 1981. Same reason he went back to the string-through-body of the original Precision on the StingRay and the Mustang Bass.

I'm not convinced it's the sole reason those early G&L basses sound so good, but they're the ony instruments I know of with that kind of bridge design.

John

Thanks John. more or less what I thought. Since you mention string through body... G, D and A are fine, but - E and B are too short (with all brands I tried - , Chromes, Roto's, TI jazz flats at the moment )

darkstorm · #5 06-15-2010, 12:57 PM

Ibanes sr300 has bridge also partly sunk into body. I dont think that affects the sound. Just makes replacement bridge harder to find if wanted.

JTE · #6 06-15-2010, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris K

Thanks John. more or less what I thought. Since you mention string through body... G, D and A are fine, but - E and B are too short (with all brands I tried - , Chromes, Roto's, TI jazz flats at the moment )

Hmm.. On your G&L? That's weird, but then I haven't paid attention to G&L at all since they came out with the Kramer guitar knock-offs in the mid-'80s.

John

jeffwo · #7 06-16-2010, 03:26 PM

Spectors have a recessed bridge, and I've often wondered if it contributes to the kick ass sustain of my NS2. I think it must help.

jumbodbassman · #8 06-16-2010, 03:37 PM

not a great picture but yes the spector basses in the 80's where recessed a little.

Deathblade Eric · #9 06-16-2010, 05:20 PM

A lot of the original Aria Pro IIs with the die-cast brass or alloy bridges have this feature:

My 1980 Sb-1000 Fretless conversion before & after I decided to recess the bridge a bit further:

Sustain? Yep. Punch? Yep. (Although these are probably more due to the through-neck & the 4-wire overwound hummers

)

My 1984 ZZB shares it too:

This sounds how it looks

Pete.

Chris K · #10 06-16-2010, 11:18 PM

I like guys who aren't afraid to do some experiments, but if that red and white rocket sounds the way it looks, I'm not coming to listen

.

I did something similar on (or: to

) my Dean Edge 4 fretless. Sustain is pretty good. but I also replaced the active Dean pu's and preamp with SD Bassline passive humbuckers and decent pots.

I have a hunch that also on my G&L sustain could still be better. The bridge sticks into the cavity, but it isn't locked there very tightly (2 tiny screws on top). If it isn't, how could it transfer its vibes to the body properly?

I'm going to refinish that bass (it's glossy sunburst without a scratch, but I grew to dislike it). I'll certainly try to squeeze that bridge tightly with some veneer or sandpaper.

JTE · #11 06-17-2010, 08:46 AM

Leo's intention was that the strings' tension would pull the bridge's boss into the wood, transmitting the vibrations into the body.

John

Chris K · #12 06-17-2010, 11:04 PM

John, many thanks for your input. If you knowmof any documentation on this, I'd appreciate if you let me know.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JTE

Leo's intention was that the strings' tension would pull the bridge's boss into the wood, transmitting the vibrations into the body.

John

Exactly what I wrote months ago to a guy who locktighted his G&L bridge to the body with nuts and bolts through the string-through holes. So I'l l have to figure out if the bridge really makes sufficient contact with the bottom of that cavity. It also rest on the body surface, so who says that huge heel really works the way it should?

FunkMetalBass · #13 06-17-2010, 11:18 PM

Spectors and Ibanez come to mind. It's mostly because they have contoured bodies and there's no other way to attach a flat metal bridge. In the case of the G&L, it's an easy solution of attaching a thick-bottomed, high-mass bridge without having to change neck contour or any other wood design to compensate for the increase in string height.

JTE · #14 06-18-2010, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris K

John, many thanks for your input. If you knowmof any documentation on this, I'd appreciate if you let me know.

Exactly what I wrote months ago to a guy who locktighted his G&L bridge to the body with nuts and bolts through the string-through holes. So I'l l have to figure out if the bridge really makes sufficient contact with the bottom of that cavity. It also rest on the body surface, so who says that huge heel really works the way it should?

I don't have any of the literature we got from G&L back in '81 when we became a dealer, but there was some literature showing the bridge and explaining that.

I'm really curious however. I've never seen a G&L with the boss on the bridge and string-through option. All the ones I'm familiar with were top-load ones. But, like I said, I gave up when Leo became only the figure head and they started selling instruments that had none of his unique design features...

John