So what's the big deal with BAII bridges?

[(b)Assman]

It seems everyone on TB raves about them? Is it a noticeable upgrade in the sound/sustain or has magic imbued in it or what?

[newbold]

more weight, more mass, more area, made of brass.

sounds very different. You'll get more sustain and attack. Play a marcus miller and then play a standard american Jazz - acoustically. you'll notice a difference.

[lowendgenerator]

I just think it's a better bridge. The saddles are SOLID, and ride in grooves in the base plate, unlike bent vintage style bridges where the only point of contact is the grub screws. Those tend to move around a bit, and I've actually had the Fender style bridges come apart on me. Never had a problem with a Badass bridge. They go on ALL my basses.

[JTE]

I put a lot of them on for customers when I managed a store (1977-1988) and while they changed the bass' sound, I never thought of them as an upgrade. They alter the sound. Maybe more sustain, and the let more highs come through (I don't believe the detractors who claim they rob the low end- I think they just bring more highs out of the string so it sounds brighter.

Comparing a Marcus Miller to US Jazz isn't going to eliminate enough variables to tell you what the bridge brings to the equation. That's the problem with these kinds of topics. You want to know what a BA will do? Put one on your bass. If you like it, it's an upgrade. If you don't like it, it's a learning experience. If we could have about two dozen basses and play them all with a stock Fender bridge, then play them all (with the same strings) with a BA, then we might be able to make conjecture about what they do to the sound. But wooden basses vary a lot even between seemingly "identical" instruments so I don't think it's valid comparison.

jte

[Pilgrim]

I've never found a problem with stock bridge on most basses. I don't know why people change them - I think that each bass has its own sound, and I consider the bridge the manufacturer puts on it to be part of that sound. I have no interest in changing them, and I figure that any change is a crapshoot - it could be better or it could be worse. I don't see any point in spending $80 or more to have a "different" bridge.

But - it is heavier than most bridges, so if the bass is just slightly neck-heavy, maybe a BA would help with the balance.

[walterw]

Originally Posted by (b)Assman

It seems everyone on TB raves about them?

as these responses perfectly illustrate, everyone on TB does not rave about them.

they work great mechanically, allowing for correct string spacing and eliminating rattles and saddle drift.

they might add a bit of sustain and evenness to the tone, at the expense of "warmth" or "woodiness". lots of arguments either way.

[MetroBass]

So Fender and Gibson make sh-tee bass bridges and put them on all their professional model basses (and they still haven’t figured out what's good after 40+ years). Right!! Go buy a BA bridge help the economy!

[JTE]

Originally Posted by MetroBass

So Fender and Gibson make sh-tee bass bridges and put them on all their professional model basses (and they still haven’t figured out what's good after 40+ years). Right!! Go buy a BA bridge help the economy!

Well, the original BA was designed to fix some severe problems with stock Gibson bridges. Gibson bass bridges had nylon saddles, and a rather flimsy mounting system. Leo Quann made the BA I to replace those.

For ME, the stock Fender bridge is fine. I've never had any desire to change it on a good sounding Fender. But there's so much vodoo, bad physics, subjectiveness about what a "good sound" is, and so many variables that it's really difficult to pin down exactly what effect a more massive bridge has, that it's easy to spin an advantage when there may or may not be one.

I've had bad sounding Fenders. And not wanting to drop the money on another bass, I stared "upgrading" it. Bridges, pickups, pots, strings, brass nut, the whole '70s she-bang. Nothing helped because the sound that I hated was the sound of that particular 1973 Precision- all attack and sustain, no warmth, no blossom.

Now I suspect that a lot of people have had bad sounding Fenders, and they put a BA on it. It may have sounded better, but it may just be that the process of having the bridge installed (which entails a set-up) and new strings the thought the bridge was the reason for the improvement.

And some people don't like the flimsy look of the stock bridge. Some Fender bridges, especially the ones without the threaded saddles, will tend to vibrate so the height screws fall downward, but on the rare occasions I've seen that problem I just used some non-permanent Lock-Tite.

Doesn't matter- the bottom line is that the only way to tell if it works for YOU on YOUR bass is to try it. But it's not a panacea for everything.

jte

[Rocky McDougall]

Someone on the Bass player forum ran a very complete and extensive A/B audio test with BA bridges vs. Fender brides on several basses and after many members listened to the blind test, no one could really say one sounded better, just slightly different. If you need a bridge, they are OK but for me, I will stick with the stock Fenders.

[Brad Johnson]

Originally Posted by JTE

Well, the original BA was designed to fix some severe problems with stock Gibson bridges. Gibson bass bridges had nylon saddles, and a rather flimsy mounting system. Leo Quann made the BA I to replace those.

For ME, the stock Fender bridge is fine. I've never had any desire to change it on a good sounding Fender. But there's so much vodoo, bad physics, subjectiveness about what a "good sound" is, and so many variables that it's really difficult to pin down exactly what effect a more massive bridge has, that it's easy to spin an advantage when there may or may not be one.

I've had bad sounding Fenders. And not wanting to drop the money on another bass, I stared "upgrading" it. Bridges, pickups, pots, strings, brass nut, the whole '70s she-bang. Nothing helped because the sound that I hated was the sound of that particular 1973 Precision- all attack and sustain, no warmth, no blossom.

Now I suspect that a lot of people have had bad sounding Fenders, and they put a BA on it. It may have sounded better, but it may just be that the process of having the bridge installed (which entails a set-up) and new strings the thought the bridge was the reason for the improvement.

And some people don't like the flimsy look of the stock bridge. Some Fender bridges, especially the ones without the threaded saddles, will tend to vibrate so the height screws fall downward, but on the rare occasions I've seen that problem I just used some non-permanent Lock-Tite.

Doesn't matter- the bottom line is that the only way to tell if it works for YOU on YOUR bass is to try it. But it's not a panacea for everything.

jte

Agreed. I love when people talk about the "flimsy" stock bridges on Fenders. I usually ask them to bend one

Mine have stayed where I adjusted them and that's basically what I want from a bridge... and if I'm already happy with the sound and playability, why mess with it?

There's a school of thought that any change is an "upgrade". Not IMO IME... sometimes a change is just a change.

[Kemet09]

Funny, I read an interview with Ralphe Armstrong where mentioned how much he thought Fender bridges were crap! They would always fall apart on him. Thats why he started playing Gibson basses because he thought they had much sturdier bridges!

[elBandito]

It doesn't take too much brain to figure out how to keep the bridge from falling apart... 'Falling apart' sounds way too exagerated.

Originally Posted by Kemet09

Funny, I read an interview with Ralphe Armstrong where mentioned how much he thought Fender bridges were crap! They would always fall apart on him. Thats why he started playing Gibson basses because he thought they had much sturdier bridges!

[arguijot]

OK folk's I look at it this way. If you are paying over $900.00 bucks for a bass and you start screwing with your bridge, Take it back. You baught the D$mn thing because you liked the sound and playability Right or wrong. If not, why did you buy the thing. If your Bass is an older model. then nothing has changed. I am so sick of these guys who say..
" I have a vintige 71 Fender P Bass" Big Deal I say. I have a late 80's slammer P bass body with a fender Jazz neck and Bassline P/U's and all electronic guts from a 70 Fender Mustang. I mounted a BA bridge. took it off with in first hour. installed a semore Duncan bridge. Bingo. Forget it. never had it so good. This thing Smokes my $1500 dollor musicman. Save your money or Buy a bass thats sounds the way you want it.. Best of luck!!!!!!!!

[smitcat]

I've got a geddy with it on it (like everyone else who has one) and personally, i feel like its the easiest bridge in my stable to make string changes and adjustments. I won't get into the sound argument, but out of everything I've had in the past few years this one is by far the easiest for me.

[Linkert]

I want a massive bridge that does not let the strings move from side to side at the bridge (yes the fender ones move a bit, don't know about thier new ones tho).

Anything with some stability, BAII is just the popular one, like Budwater.

[Brad Johnson]

Originally Posted by smitcat

I've got a geddy with it on it (like everyone else who has one) and personally, i feel like its the easiest bridge in my stable to make string changes and adjustments. I won't get into the sound argument, but out of everything I've had in the past few years this one is by far the easiest for me.

Every BAII bridge I've had required stringing through a hole in the bridge for each string. For ease of restringing and adjustments (like string spacing) there are much better options IME (like quick release Hipshot bridges). BAII's are no better than Fender in that regard.

Particularly when it comes to removing and reinstalling the same string. And adjusting spacing requires filing a slot in the saddles.

[lowendgenerator]

Why do people argue about opinions?

I like my BA bridges, and I don't care if you don't!

[Brad Johnson]

Who's arguing? Can't have two opinions in one thread without it being an argument?

[Sinclair]

So why do people put aluminium rims on their cars if they came stock with some made out of steel doing the same job?

No question to discuss about... imo
You'll always find people who care more about feel, some about the look or some about price. Sellers (should) know that.

Originally Posted by Brad Johnson

Every BAII bridge I've had required stringing through a hole in the bridge for each string. For ease of restringing and adjustments (like string spacing) there are much better options IME (like quick release Hipshot bridges). BAII's are no better than Fender in that regard.

Particularly when it comes to removing and reinstalling the same string. And adjusting spacing requires filing a slot in the saddles.

How's about string-through-bodys?

Live and let live..

[MatticusMania]

I was thinking about putting a BAII on my Squier P-special. Instead I went with the Gotoh 201, in black, mainly for aesthetic reasons, but I definitely feel like it has improved my bass' sustain, and it just looks good.