Help with an original BADA#$ bridge

SUNNyday r. · #1 02-01-2007, 02:31 PM

I ordered an original BA bridge for an Epiphone LP bass but realized due to the LP's body contour it wouldn't fit flush and the LP would require routing which is beyond my capabilities. I have put the LP aside for another day. I also have an Epiphone EB3 so I decided I would put the original BA on that since the body is flat and would be much easier. I removed the three point bridge and anchors(a cursed contraption if there ever was one) and measured the string grooves from the center point of the E to the G saddle which measured 2 inches. I then measured the original BA and the distance between the center point of each saddle equals 2 and 1/4 inches from the E to G. That would be a signifagant difference in spacing as compared to the three point bridge and the strings would be much farther apart over the EB3's fretboard. Do the slots have to be perfectly centered on the BA saddles or can they be cut farther inward to get string spacing like the three point? Would that cause some sort of intonation problem or undue stress on the strings? Sorry this was long!

SUNNyday r. · #2 02-02-2007, 12:22 AM

Bump. Help? Anyone?

MeYHymN · #3 02-02-2007, 07:14 AM

In reality you're only going to add less than 1/10 of an inch to the string spacing for each string gap (0.75" compared to 0.66"). It shouldn't be that noticeable to you, but it may be.
Me personally, I'd either install the BA and learn to deal w/ the new spacing, or buy another bridge with the same spacing. I wouldn't modify the BA, but that's just me.

MeYHymN · #4 02-02-2007, 07:21 AM

Ok, well I'm an idiot.
You have 17mm (narrow) spacing, but according to the documentation on the BA it works with either narrow or wide spacing. According to a review from Amazon on it:

Quote:

This is a high quality bridge which needs to be professionally installed and for whatever reason, this major detail is not obvious nor well advertised. Professional installation and filing is recommended, but not everyone lives near a convenient and affordable luthier and searching music forums can give you tips on filing string grooves on your own (many players don't file them at all). I filed my own grooves which was easy enough with some jewelers files; however another major issue I discovered is that the bridge causes your action to be so high that deeper grooves must be filed, which takes a while. Had I known all this, I wouldn't have purchased this bridge.

So it looks as if it will do narrow spacing fine, you just need to have the saddles filed appropriately.

SUNNyday r. · #5 02-03-2007, 01:39 AM

I think I will just order a Schaller Roller and throw the OG Badass on another bass. Can anyone chime in on the Schaller Rollers? I had a Peavey Dyna Bass(shouldn't have sold that one)that had a roller bridge on it which I guess may have been a Schaller and I thought it was about the coolest thing since cheese in a can! I didn't know about Schallers at the time.

lug · #6 02-03-2007, 01:23 PM

I have a BA I on my EBO since the 70's. Just file the bridge saddle slots where you want them, that's why they are left blank in the first place.

SUNNyday r. · #7 02-03-2007, 01:48 PM

Thanks for the tip lug. It seems strange to not have the grooves centered on the saddle. Now that I think about it,adjusting a roller type bridge to the far inside or outside would mean that the groove wasn't perfectly in the middle of the saddle either. Duh on my part. I cut a Badass II and it worked out quite well. I just wanted to get some advice before possibly ruining a $50 bridge. It is such a big,beutiful block of metal!

lug · #8 02-04-2007, 07:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SUNNyday r.

Thanks for the tip lug. It seems strange to not have the grooves centered on the saddle. Now that I think about it,adjusting a roller type bridge to the far inside or outside would mean that the groove wasn't perfectly in the middle of the saddle either. Duh on my part. I cut a Badass II and it worked out quite well. I just wanted to get some advice before possibly ruining a $50 bridge. It is such a big,beutiful block of metal!

If you realy want the strings to pull direct over the center, you could always mount the bridge at a slight angle with the treble side closer to the neck than the bass side, though I don't think there is any decernable difference by just aligning the saddle cut, myself.