Replacement Bridge for Squier P-Bass

[angerbill]

I keep losing auctions for Badass II bridges and don't want to spend a lot on this bass. I picked one up for my Jazz for $14 a while back but i doubt I get that lucky again.
I remember reading in a thread search some other bridge suggestions from a guy. Some as cheap as $20 but I can't remember manufacturer. Tried another search but cannot find the article. Any suggestions?
What I dig about the Badass is not having round saddles and the extra mass. I truly believe I can hear the notes/pitches better without round saddles, or am I imagining this ?
Any other bridges without round saddles? Or is it maybe the cheap hardware in general on these Squiers I've been getting off Craig's List that I have a problem with ?
I got the "P" for free from a fellow tinkerer. He veneered over the truss rod access and put a wood nut on it. It is a heck of a lot of fun to play. Just want to improve performance a bit without much $$$. Worst case I spring for a BA II and change it out when I give this baby or sell to the next guy. TIA for any input , I always learn from this group !

[cessna928]

Gotoh, Hipshot, and Leo Quann are the only one's I've heard of. I have the same bass I think, if you decide to change out the split coil tell me how it goes. I've been thinking about doing some mod's to mine. Apparently the tuner's are notoriously prone to moving.

[RH434]

Pretty funny. I have a very similar situation.

I picked up a used Squire Jazz (Red, like your P, which caught my attention) and want to upgrade it a bit too. I bought a used Hipshot B bridge, used fender style tuners (since the Squire Jazz tuners are terrible looking and lose their tuning quickly) and used EMG pickups to drop in it. I also got a new pearl pickguard to put on it as well. The white is a little bright for me. Might be $120 in parts, with new strings. The classifieds here on TB rock.

The bridge might require drilling, which I am nervous about, but hey, it's not a real Fender, or a $600+ bass. I figured WTH and will give it a shot. The bridge will cover any extra holes anyway. Even thought about making it a string-thru body but didn't commit to that yet. Maybe on my other cheap Samick just for fun.

I'm going to build this up and try it out. Hopefully will drastically improve the sound. Like you said, you liked the feel. I felt the same way when I picked this one up. Take a cheap bass and fix it up? I'm in. Besides, practice makes perfect, right?

[cessna928]

Cool man, good luck with that, and more power to you for being ballsy enough to say wth and just for it. It sucks that hipshot only makes bridges with 4 screw holes, right. 90% of the basses I've handled are either 5 hole (Like squires and new fenders) or 3 hole (older fenders).

[therex]

gotoh 201 is just 30$ and is really great
i doubt the sound diference is about the shape, but more about stability of the bridge design

[joeyl]

Originally Posted by cessna928

Cool man, good luck with that, and more power to you for being ballsy enough to say wth and just for it. It sucks that hipshot only makes bridges with 4 screw holes, right. 90% of the basses I've handled are either 5 hole (Like squires) or 3 hole (all fenders).

hipshot A style bridge come with the 5 screw Fender mount now, but I have not seen it for sale except on the Hipshot site

[bassgod76]

Originally Posted by joeyl

hipshot A style bridge come with the 5 screw Fender mount now, but I have not seen it for sale except on the Hipshot site

They sell the drop-in Hipshot A bridge for 5 hole Fender on www.Basspartsresource.com