Whammy

[red-hot-bassist]

adding a whammy bar to a bass bridge.....

has it been done before?do you know anyone who has done it?
would it be possible?
would you need a special bar?
could you just use a standard size bar?

thnaks for the input

Linsay the Red Hot Bassist (she wishes)

[ChaosGwar]

There have been a few threads in the past about this. From what I remember, it is an expensive process (like $500). It is possible, but it takes some extensive routing. I can't remember all that in entails. Try running a quick search.

[TitchM]

What ChaosGwar sed, it's expensive apparently. I've never seen it myself, but others have. Its just the money issue i suppose...

(Nice to see another scot in here, i think we're runnin thin here... )

[Gunnar Þór]

I think I saw on one of these threads that it was both expencive and impractical on a bass as it is supposed to damage the bridge or something like that.

[ChaosGwar]

This may help.

Bass Tremolo

[squeegeebrown]

I have had a Kahler bass tremelo on one of my basses since '84. It did require extensive routing, and to be honest I don't quite remember the cost.I use it frequently in Freebass, the improv, free jazz group I play in, but, for everyday playing I would say it is kind of impractical. As for adding a bar to an existing bridge, I would say even if possible it would be a pricey and extensive undertaking. My unit has big casters on the bottom of the bridge , to facilitate the movement of the bar. Hope this helps..

[red-hot-bassist]

thanks a bunch chums for the reply, i didnt realise it would be so expensive!! this is just somehting i thought might be cool to add to a bass.
thanks for the webling chaosgwar
and helloo to the guy who isvery proud of our history!

[98dvl]

Les Claypool's used a few trems... I think it was on a 4 string, but might have been on one of his 6 stingers.

I can't remember which album... But Sailing the Seas of Cheese comes to mind. I'll listen later today and see if I can pick out the tracks.

[DEVILMAN]

Iv'e seen Randy Coven use one quite effectively (he's still out there) & a friend of mine has one on his Mocking Bird (BC U.S.A.) tuned down to "A". IMO they sound better when used in the higher registers (frets&strings) with distortion & other fx and unless you solo a lot the $$$ to practibility is a waste. Give your guitarist a break! LOL!

later,
Satan

[red-hot-bassist]

thanks, um..satan, like i said, i ddint know it would be so expensive, but it is possible to fit a guitar tremlo onto a bass bridge??

Linsay(not satan)

[ChaosGwar]

Nope, you can't use a guitar tremolo on a bass because the primary part of the tremolo system is the bridge. Unless you converted a guitar bridge with trem, it's not possible. And that conversion is probably not possible either.

A cheaper alternative to the whammy bar is a wah pedal. Other effects pedals can be set up to sound like a trem.

[Andrew Noury]

I think one of the major problems is that there are so few tremolo bridge options for basses. I've only seen Kahler, the Steinberger TransTrem and the beautiful bridge that Jens Ritter makes for his custom made basses.

Of those, I think the Kahler is the only readily-available solution...

http://members.home.com/porkproducts/home.html

You might also want to look at a DigiTech Whammy pedal. I haven't tried one on a bass but some of the things you can do with them on a guitar are pretty darn cool...

http://www.digitech.com/products/productpgs/whammy.htm

Good luck!

[merlin]

Originally posted by TitchM


(Nice to see another scot in here, i think we're runnin thin here... )

You try being australian on here then! lol Hey i am part scottish too! woohooo..... can i have some money puhleese?



Merls

[red-hot-bassist]

merls, I aint giving you any money, and there are loads of australians on this site

my aunt is australian