Just put a Gotoh 201 on my Squier JB

[Quicksilver44]

Hello!

So, I just got a Gotoh 201 I bought from Warmoth and I put it on my Squier Fretless JB, and, to put it succinctly, it's not exactly giving me the the sound I was expecting.

I'm pretty sure the sustain is indeed much longer from the stock Squier bridge, but I really feel like I've lost a good deal of mid-range punch, which is very important to me, and the volume of the harmonics really seems to have gone down (especially near the 2nd, 3rd and 5th fret area)

On the stock bridge, I definitely remember those really high harmonics cutting through and getting a nicer mid-range punch than the new 201 I'm using.

Needless to say I'm a little disappointed! Most reviews of the bridge said harmonics sounded brighter on this it, but I'm starting to think the stock bridge sounded better in a few ways! And who the hell wants to change out a nice new, higher quality bridge for the old piece of junk!? I couldn't bring myself to do that!!

Anyway, does anybody have anything to share about this? Anything I can do?

Thanks very much!

[Quicksilver44]

you know what, I just tested the bass on a much bigger amp with much more volume and I take back what I said, everything is there, my amp just has no balls to give it all out! my bad!

well, disregarding my last post, the Gotoh 201 has put a ton of new life, resonance, presence and clarity into an otherwise cheap-o bass *which i already loved the sound of very much*. ...(along with the new Rotosounds )

[ProfGumby]

I wouldn't disregard either post. A great lesson there for lots of folks!

Also not mentioned at all was if you did a complete setup when swapping the bridge. I'd assume you did, but you would be amazed at how many folks don't do much more than tuning and maybe a half whack shot at intonation.

Glad to hear you liked the 201, i was really happy with the one on the P bass I used to have....I liked the 201 far better than the BAII!

[Quicksilver44]

Oh yes, I forgot to mention, I certainly did give it my full attention the moment I "saddled" up (bad-um pshh)... Getting the height equal and just right, intonation, the whole nine! I love the whole process to bits, even if it's a relatively simple one and I can easily get lost in spending hours perfecting it, just loving the sound.

I'm a total beginner in hardware and setup, really (and actually, on a side note, since the bridge plate is just slightly thicker than stock, my action was not quite what i wanted it to be, which forced me to learn how to do my first shim, which I got right on the money first try!)

But now I've learned my lesson. How could I possibly make a sound judgement without truly hearing the thing and its full characteristics? Bah, like I said, complete noob at hardware.

[darkstorm]

I'm liking the gotoh 201 bridge better then the hipshot I had gotten. It was only 3 hole for mounting screws isntead of 5 like the gotoh, and I think its tone a little better for me to. Rotosounds are great strings. The only strings I'm really willing to use other then the DR neons.