Owners of Boutik Bass:Do you miss Fender Bridge?

[slybass3000]

I DO.

What a pita to set up bass with these new bridges where you have to unlock the block,then move the block manually then restring to verify if you moved it perfectly. Then lock the bridge again but be careful not to move the block while locking it after loosen the string then restring again. And I'm not talking about setting up the height of the strings. As painful.

Can someone explain to me the benefit of that "new technology"?

I do miss "Fender" bridge style on hi-end bass.

Sly

[Darkstrike]

What bridge have you?


My high end stuff has Hipshots, simply wonderful bridges.

[James Hart]

it's Boutique

and maybe yours just has a crappy bridge. Mine are a dream to adjust.

[JehuJava]

No.

[slybass3000]

Originally Posted by James Hart

it's Boutique

and maybe yours just has a crappy bridge. Mine are a dream to adjust.

Thanks for the correction but it was intended. ;-)

When I say boutique I mean builders that design their own bridge with fancy ajustements that on paper looks great but in real life they are just too complicated and take much longer to adjust and at the end not more precise then a regular bridge IMO.

The best improvement I've seen on a Fender is the string-release which is a real update. Further then that,I don't know.

I'm talking about "Fender Style" bridge with one screw for adjusting the harmonics without having to pull out the strings and two screws for height adjustement. That's all. Why make it more complicated then it is?

[slybass3000]

Originally Posted by JehuJava

No.

Do you mean that you have a fancy bridge on your bass? What is it?
And if so, what do you like about it?

[ehque]

I'd much prefer my locking, string-spacing adjustable bridge over the fender bridge any day.

[slybass3000]

Don't you think it is a pita to adjust?

[ehque]

Adjusting the fender bridge is more of a pain. From the springs that don't hold the saddles in place, to having to pull the string through the bridge?

All i need to do is unlock, adjust, adjust, adjust, lock. And when i lock it, its not going anywhere.

[Rickett Customs]

In most cases, I do prefer the "locking saddles", just requires a little work, but once their locked down, they will remain there until you re-adjust. I don't usually change string sizes or brands and most likely, do not need further adjustment.

[Darkstrike]

Originally Posted by Alembicplyr

In most cases, I do prefer the "locking saddles", just requires a little work, but once their locked down, they will remain there until you re-adjust. I don't usually change string sizes or brands and most likely, do not need further adjustment.

Bingo.


My Fender has a locking bridge.


I've not needed to unlock it since I popped on my fave brand of strings, most of a year ago. Still in perfect intonation and action.

[slybass3000]

Originally Posted by ehque

Adjusting the fender bridge is more of a pain. From the springs that don't hold the saddles in place, to having to pull the string through the bridge?

All i need to do is unlock, adjust, adjust, adjust, lock. And when i lock it, its not going anywhere.

Don't you find that all the manual moves you have to make by moving the block plus the chance that the block will move a bit while locking it back adds to the unprecision of the tuning? I do. It takes me for ever to tune the harmonics and get a good balance between the strings. And even with good strings within the same brands and gauge you have to fine tune every time which to me makes the process not fun at all and time consumming too.

I want to hear more pros for these type of bridge but so far I'm not convinced at all.

[ehque]

I think you are thinking of a bridge where you unlock then physically move the saddle (as in, move it with your fingers).

I use a locking bridge which still uses a long screw to adjust intonation. The only difference is that it locks into place. The saddles don't move when you lock them, because what you are really locking is the intonation adjusting screw. I adjust my intonation with a tuner that's accurate to 0.02 cents. It doesn't show a change before and after i lock the saddles.

[slybass3000]

Originally Posted by ehque

I think you are thinking of a bridge where you unlock then physically move the saddle (as in, move it with your fingers).

I use a locking bridge which still uses a long screw to adjust intonation. The only difference is that it locks into place. The saddles don't move when you lock them, because what you are really locking is the intonation adjusting screw. I adjust my intonation with a tuner that's accurate to 0.02 cents. It doesn't show a change before and after i lock the saddles.

But that 's it. I love that. I have Ken Smith bridges,Badass,Hip Shot that to me are still Fender style bridge with an update with string release which is wonderful. Hip Shot are doing good bridges too and it has some sort of locking system that doesn't bother me. I'm talking about these new bridges that you need two kind of allen keys to unlock the front and then the side of the saddle. Then move the block with your hand for tuning the harmonics. To me the whole process is so flaky regarding precision because every part can move during the process of locking and unlocking. You can even loose some tiny parts of the bridge like on the Fodera NYC.

Does someone know what I'm talking about here?..........please.

Sly

[bassybeenz]

i think he means like the finger-style bridge pieces like on say, a peavey cirrus, i agree, they are a little annoying

[ehque]

Originally Posted by slybass3000

But that 's it. I love that. I have Ken Smith bridges,Badass,Hip Shot that to me are still Fender style bridge with an update with string release which is wonderful. Hip Shot are doing good bridges too and it has some sort of locking system that doesn't bother me. I'm talking about these new bridges that you need two kind of allen keys to unlock the front and then the side of the saddle. Then move the block with your hand for tuning the harmonics. To me the whole process is so flaky regarding precision because every part can move during the process of locking and unlocking. You can even loose some tiny parts of the bridge like on the Fodera NYC.

Does someone know what I'm talking about here?..........please.

Sly

As i said, the "block" which you move by hand, also called the saddle, is adjusted on my bass not by hand but by using a long intonation screw, as on many others. I cannot think of many brands of bridge where the saddle is adjusted into place by hand. The only difference here is that my intonation screw locks into place instead of using a spring to keep the saddle in the correct position.

The intonation (on my bass) also does not move during the process of unlocking or locking, and most importantly, does not move when in transport or when changing strings, which is more than i can say for the fender-style bridges i've used so far (single, non-locking intonation screw with spring)

You may have had some problems with some boutique bridges, but i can say most of them out there are a step up from fender.

[slybass3000]

Originally Posted by ehque

As i said, the "block" which you move by hand, also called the saddle, is adjusted on my bass not by hand but by using a long intonation screw, as on many others. I cannot think of many brands of bridge where the saddle is adjusted into place by hand. The only difference here is that my intonation screw locks into place instead of using a spring to keep the saddle in the correct position.

The intonation (on my bass) also does not move during the process of unlocking or locking, and most importantly, does not move when in transport or when changing strings, which is more than i can say for the fender-style bridges i've used so far (single, non-locking intonation screw with spring)

You may have had some problems with some boutique bridges, but i can say most of them out there are a step up from fender.

It is not that the bridge is faulty they just trying to reinvent the wheel when it does just fine.

Sly