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Babicz or Kickass or ? bridge for my build - input welcomed

bass bridge

  • babicz

    Votes: 29 40.3%

  • hipshot

    Votes: 26 36.1%

  • other (please specify in comments)

    Votes: 17 23.6%
  • Total voters
    72
bimple

bimple

Guest
Nov 16, 2017
129
68
#1
I am currently nearing the end of acquiring all of the hardware that I will need to finish building my 4 string Jazz bass guitar, and the only thing that is missing at this point is the bridge, and I haven't pulled the trigger yet because I keep flipping back and forth between a Babicz and a Hipshot kickass bridge. I have decided on a high-mass bridge for the most part, and I like the babicz because of the cam mechanism for raising and lowering the action, and I have read a lot of good things about it, but I am not a fan of their logo at the end of the bridge (but I can live with it) and I like the Hipshot Kickass bridge because it looks easy to adjust as well, and it also is lacking the obtrusive logo/branding of the old Kickass bridges (which is a plus), and I like that you have more control over the string spacing etc..

I was hoping that someone here could give me a good argument one way or the other regarding which bridge to get - and I am open to other brands etc too if anyone has any good input or ideas.

Here is what my build looks like so far:

Body: Alder (Jazz bass shape and control cavity)
Neck: Hard Rock Canadian maple, Ebony Rosewood fingerboard, 21 frets
Gold Tone Zero Glide Nut
Hardware:
(3) Hipshot HBT1 Tuners
Hipshot Bass Xtender with double-stop lever
Dunlop strap loks
----------------------
Electronics: (passive)
Pure Tone Output Jack
Custom bass harness with series/parallel
Lindy Fralin split jazz pickups
Strings: LaBella Deep Talkin' Bass Strings
 
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#2
I just installed a Hipshot SuperTone bridge on by Gibby SG. Excellent fit and finish, and drop-in replacement for the 3-point "oil rig" bridge. Really happy with it.

That said, when I replace the bridge on my Fender Jazz, I'll use the Babicz FCH-4. Why? It's a drop-in replacement. I don't think Hipshot have a drop-in 5-screw replacement bridge for the Jazz. The last thing I want to do is drill holes. Since you're building it yourself, that's not an issue.

I think it may come down more to price.

I got the Hipshot SuperTone on eBay for less than $71. Best price everywhere else was over $100. The Babicz bridge for the SG was twice the price. Couldn't justify the difference.
 
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#3
Thanks for your input, I wont say money is no object, but I the price difference between the babicz and the hipshot isn't a concern to me, I care more about tone, how easy it is to adjust, and durability, how it looks, etc.. I am not a fan of 3rd party logos all over my bass, I don't like that racecar look that some custom basses have, with brand names logos all over the place - unless they want to sponsor me, then we can talk, however I am not opposed to it if one is noticeably better than the other.
 
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#9
I’ve got a couple of Babicz bridges on a couple of MIM J basses, a couple of BA II bridges on a couple of Highway 1 J basses, a couple of Fender Pure Vintage threaded saddle bent plate bridges on a couple of MIM J basses and a Schaller machined locking bridge with top load on a J Plus.
The Schaller bridge is a model specific item made specifically for the Plus series and maybe the Stu Hamm sigs and whatever other dinky body J’s Fender produced back then but i’m not sure about that. Point being i’ve never seen one for sale by itself. It’s a shame because it’s a killer bridge, but it’s just not something you can order if you want one.
Of the theee other bridges in order of preference it’s Babicz, Pure Vintage, and BA II.
The BA came stock on the Highway 1 basses and it works but i wouldn’t buy one to replace an existing bridge, if i’m looking to upgrade a standard MIM bridge without spending a lot of money it’s gonna be the fender threaded saddle unit. It’s solid and lets you set string spacing so it’s a great bang for the buck. If you are seriously strapped you can pick up a set of saddles and use them with most any Fender bent plate but you may wind up with metric and standard hardware. Not a deal unless you lose a screw and need a new one or you are like me and you OCD won’t allow such disorder. Either way, there’s about ten bucks difference between the saddles and a complete unit so whatever blows your dress up in that regard.
All that said, i like my Babicz bridges better than any bridge i currently own and would go so far as to say i like them better than any bridge i have ever owned. I’m no expert so i can only describe my experience in terms that make sense to me. With most bent plates i tend to pull strings out of position, the saddles actually move on the plate. The threaded saddles help with this and the Schaller is machined in such a way to make it impossible but the strings and saddles can still move a bit when playing on all my bridges, except the Babicz. With the front lock screws on the Babicz my strings feel firmly planted and are always exactly were i left them. It has improved my right hand with the way it holds the strings and that’s no sales pitch. As for tone or sustain. I can’t say, people like what i do and that’s good enough for me. Intonation and height are easy and forever, or until you decide to change them and don’t rely on string pressure to hold their settings.
Yes, the logo puts some people off, but i’m so busy having fun i don’t even notice. A while back when the logo was a rather hot topic i took some CF decal sheet and covered the entire flat with the logo on it. It wouldn’t win a show bass competition but on stage in performance it would look enough like a piece of carbon fiber sheet nobody in the crowd would ever be the wiser. Or just get over it and play your bass.
I’d put a Babicz on any bass i’ve got except the Plus and only because it’s worth more as is.
 
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#13
bimple said:
maybe I should write to them and ask them how easy it would be to obliterate their logo :laugh:
Click to expand...
Easy!
explosion-clipart-animated-gif-6.gif
 
#15
I am honestly not THAT concerned about the babicz logo thing, I can always cover it with an ashtray if it really offends me, however I do like the fact that the Hipshot allows for side to side string adjustment, and the babicz does not, but in reality, how often does anyone really adjust that? I think the string height adjustment is more useful, and in that regard the Babicz is a clear winner. Here I go flip flopping back and forth again lol
 
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#16
bimple said:
I am honestly not THAT concerned about the babicz logo thing, I can always cover it with an ashtray if it really offends me, however I do like the fact that the Hipshot allows for side to side string adjustment, and the babicz does not, but in reality, how often does anyone really adjust that? I think the string height adjustment is more useful, and in that regard the Babicz is a clear winner. Here I go flip flopping back and forth again lol
Click to expand...
If I was buying for the lateral adjustment, it wouldn't be the Hipshot anyway; it would be the Schaller 3D. Hipshot's lateral movement is kind of iffy, the little saddle insert likes to move as you tighten it down.
 
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#17
FYI: I wrote to Babicz and asked them how their logo was affixed, and they said it was laser etched, and I did some research and found out that means it can be removed with 1500/2000 wet/dry sandpaper and then polished up
 
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#18
I would just put a solidly built bent plate bridge on it, maybe if you can find one that does quick release like the Hipshot B, that would be good. I don't think the bridge matters much at all unless you get aluminum. Now I haven't tried the Babicz, but I once tried a Hipshot aluminum A bridge, and it sucked all the balls out of my sound. Therefore I'll never get another one. But a decently made bent plate bridge made out of brass is lighter than these high mass bridges and works just as well as any of them.
 
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#19
JimmyM said:
I would just put a solidly built bent plate bridge on it, maybe if you can find one that does quick release like the Hipshot B, that would be good. I don't think the bridge matters much at all unless you get aluminum. Now I haven't tried the Babicz, but I once tried a Hipshot aluminum A bridge, and it sucked all the balls out of my sound. Therefore I'll never get another one. But a decently made bent plate bridge made out of brass is lighter than these high mass bridges and works just as well as any of them.
Click to expand...
That's all I use.
 
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#20
thanks for the insight JimmyM - I like high mass bridges because I get a richer tone with greater sustain with them, so I am pretty much set on them, but yeah I hear you, lots of basses with bent plate bridges sound great, it's just my preference
 
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