Gotoh 201 bass bridge review

darkstorm · #1 09-24-2010, 11:50 PM

Decided to go ahead and replace my warlocks stock chrome bridge with a black one for asthetics. Was a little bit of a hassle fitting it on. Cause none of the former bridges holes matched. So, plugged the old holes. Lined up new bridge where needed to go. Making sure had string saddles right via reg string streched up across the bridge saddle to nut for E & G string. Drilled starter holes for the middle 3 screws. Then took new bridge off and finished the starter holes for middle 3 screws. Let the glued plugged previous holes finish drying. Then put new gotoh 201 bridge back in place and did starter tap holes for the two outer screws. Removed bridge off body. Keep in mind removing is just lifting it off body. Cause hasnt attached it yet. Just getting the new holes in right place for it. Ok, finished the starter holes for the last 2 screws. Put bridge on, added the screws. Satisfied, I snugged the screws all the way down. Strung it up. Retweaked the saddle heights Id eyeballad to about right for best action with strings on it. Did final touch up paint around new bridge. For the graphic and tiny edge where on G side where needed little filler black from plugged prev bridges holes. The gotoh bridge plate is allmost 1/4 narrower width wise then the stock chrome bridge the bass came with.

So hows it sound compared to the stock one? String vibration thru the body is slightly stronger, easier to feel. Sustain is perhaps a tad longer. And it seems to have slightly more difinition to the low notes. I'm not sure what metal formula gotoh is useing for their std black bridge but performance wise it reminds me of the brass bridges Ive had one previous BC Rich basses. String spaceing is slighly closer then the stock bridges. Resulting in the low E and high G string not being quite centered over the pups pole peices. Just slightly closer in toward the A & D strings. No problem pup performance wise. I do like the new string positions for E & G string. With them slightly further in they retain same postion at end of neck as they do at the nut for distance to fretboard edge. Whereas with the stock bridge the G string was slightly closer to the fretboard edge at the end of the neck.

Looks wise it works fine. Now has black finish with all black hardware on body. Lol.

BTW the E string only looks closer to fretboard edge on pic cause of cam angle.

darkstorm · #2 09-26-2010, 12:52 AM

Now that Ive had it on the bass a little while longer. Id say it does add a little more detail in low notes and a little more clank to the sound via slightly extended treble and tad more note detail. This may be due to the stock bridge had somewhat looser fitting parts for saddle peices and adjustment screws. The gotoh is a bit tighter fitting for its parts. Though it is a little less massive via smaller base plate and rear bar that strings go thru. The stock bridge on my eagle has tighter fitting parts more like the gotoh. So the diff may well be the stock bridge on the warlock wasnt done as well even though they look to be the same.

I'll rate the gotoh a best buy for low budget bridges. And anyone who isnt going to go for a locking bridge with fast load stringing like the Hipshot A style.

jallenbass · #3 09-26-2010, 09:07 AM

Thanks for this. Just ordered one. $39.50 shipped to my door from Warmoth.

tracer03 · #4 09-26-2010, 11:05 AM

I have the Gotoh on all three of my Jazz basses, and I love them. I seem to get more sustain, better harmonics and definition, and the notes just 'feel' better.

Looks-wise, it's a solid 10.

I've owned basses in the past with Bada$$ 2 and Hipshot bridges, and I'm a convert. In my opinion, for the money (and even for a bit more money) there's no better bridge out there.

pbassnut · #5 09-26-2010, 11:20 AM

I have the Gotoh 201 on one of my basses and it works like a champ ... an excellent bridge for the money. However, I actually slightly prefer the Gotoh 203 bridge which I have on a couple of my basses. It is closer to the traditional look, feel and sound of a stock Fender bent plate type bridge only more solid with it's higher mass, bridge piece side to side movement locking and additional two mounting screws. It also has a lower profile which eliminates the need to do any additional shimming if the neck is thin at the heel from front to back and/or it sits low in the neck pocket.