Need Advice Please.

[pbass64]

Am rebuilding my Fender Precision bass. Last winter I acquired a BadassII bridge for my restoration and the saddles were not grooved. my question is. Does it matter that they are grooved for the strings or not. Thank you for your time.

[Musiclogic]

Depends on how agressive you play, you can get by with a light touch, and they may not move, but just a very small notch with a needle file will keep em secure.

[Meatrus]

To me one of the great things you get with the BA is fixed saddles, (cant move up and down like standard ones can) which helps keep everything feeling tight. Having fixed saddles which are ungrooved would kind of defeat part of the object of owning the bridge (to me anyway), as the strings can move just like the saddles could on the standard bridge.

I was a little worried about notching them when I got my first BA a long while ago, but it really is quite easy, they dont have to be too deep or too tight as the tension will pull them down into the notches. Make sure you get them in the right place though, as they will be grey in colour, which would looks terrible on a gold or black bridge.

[loinmute]

after a few weeks, the strings create a small notch. Not big enough to hold the strings but it helps as a guide. I have yet to groove mine after 6 months No problems with strings moving on me yet

[darkstorm]

Never could understand why they sold those without string grooves. Makes no sense to me. Yes the grooves are important. They keep the strings from sliding around on top of the saddle and maintain proper string position relative to each other and the neck.

[slaphappychappy]

i used a very small file, worked out where the strings sit under tension, qipped it off and gave it a file, Just a few ml so the strings dont move about. I used a square file so it created a v notch, no idea if it is correct, but it worked for me.

[pbass64]

Thanks for the replies to my question. Good to hear from fellow bass players on this site.
Thanks again.

[walterw]

Originally Posted by darkstorm

Never could understand why they sold those without string grooves. Makes no sense to me.

because they had no control over what bass it ended up on.

the idea was to get the notches done with the right spacing for a particular bass.

the newer badass II² has multiple preformed grooves in the saddles; just lay the string in the one that's closest to the right spacing.

[walterw]

Originally Posted by pbass64

Am rebuilding my Fender Precision bass. Last winter I acquired a BadassII bridge for my restoration and the saddles were not grooved.

hell, at this point (and while it's still un-grooved) i'd sell it, get a nice bridge like a vintage threaded-rod fender, and put the likely $150 difference in my pocket!

[cataract]

I've owned a bass with an un-grooved Badass II bridge for over ten years..

I've had ZERO instances of the strings sliding around on the saddles.
They've always stayed right where I set them to be when changing the strings.
The tension will keep them in place. Just don't punish your instrument and you'll be fine.

I personally think the Badass II is a great bridge.. you should put it to good use!!

[bl2112]

I've had a Badass bridge on my Jazz for years and previously on a Ibanez. I am an EXTREMELY agressive player. I did not file grooves on the sattles. By doing so, the strings themselves make their own grooves and in a location they are being naturally pushed into and not forced into.

[walterw]

the badass will "work" without grooves added.

it will work better, and was the entire point of the design, to have those grooves put in, providing a clean witness point and smooth ramp for the strings.

this becomes obvious when you put one on a traditional jazz bass; if you leave it ungrooved, the strings will bunch up closer together than the pickup magnet spacing asks for.

only by putting in the smooth, carefully contoured grooves like the manufacturer tells you to can you get the string spacing to be exactly right and to stay that way.