cheap bridge?

[PsychoEric]

anyone know where i can get a cheap bridge...

the one that came with my bass broke in half today, and since I'm tight for cash right now, and just want one to keep me busy until I can get my adjustable bridge, if anyone knows where i can get a cheap one i'd appreciate it.

[Damon Rondeau]

Hey Psycho, I'm sure you know that getting a new bridge actually means having a skilled and experienced person -- ideally the person is a bass luthier -- custom-fit a bridge blank to your bass. No such thing as an off-the-shelf solution. Anyway, bridge blanks range in price (and even fine blanks aren't really "expensive" in my eye, but maybe not yours) but you're going to have to pay to get that skilled person to fit your new bridge to your bass. I'm no expert on prices -- especially American prices -- but I think it'll probably set you back $150 or so to have a good bridge fitted. If you have a cheap blank fitted, it ain't gonna be that much less -- you won't be saving much at all.

The only way to save anything significant is to do the job yourself. Even if you're a great woodworker, that first bridge you do isn't going to be anywhere close to as good as what a luthier can do for you.

Either way, without a bridge you can't play if you don't pay.

[Stan Haskins]

Originally Posted by Damon Rondeau

The only way to save anything significant is to do the job yourself. Even if you're a great woodworker, that first bridge you do isn't going to be anywhere close to as good as what a luthier can do for you.

+1

I had the same problem as you last year, and I got one of Bob Gollihur's adjustable bridges (available at ebay or through urbbob.com) The price was fairly low, and it came with instructions on how to fit the bridge yourself. Like Damon said, though, it probably won't come out as good as you want it to. Personally, mine was "good enough to practice on", and I was able to leave enough wood on the feet so that the bass's new owner can get it fitted more perfectly.

My advice: ask a luthier who's going to cut the bridge himself what it will cost, and ask the same guy what he would charge you to fit a bridge blank you bring in yourself. If you're trying to shave pennies on this, you can do it yourself, but you won't get it "right" on the first try - you know how lousy it is to play on a poorly set-up bass, right? . . .

Good luck!

[PsychoEric]

thanks. I guess y'all are right, I'll probably notice a hell of a difference with one fitted on there right, Hey, is there a thread on here that has Houston, TX luthiers...? I thought i saw one...thanx.

OH, and I loved this: "YOU CAN'T PLAY IF YOU DON'T PAY!"