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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
#62
Turnaround said:
If you are after a high-mass bridge, the Babicz is not it. It comes in at 3.7 oz. whereas the Kickass is 8.7 oz.
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So, high mass bridge also refers to the weight, not just the look ? It seems obvious now that you clarify. I love my Babicz on my jazz bass. It took the overall weight down considerably. Plus, it looks cool.

I was looking at the top 5 bridges list of 2020 or 2021, I forget, but the Hipshot Kickass was #1 and the Babicz was surprisingly #5, in last place.
There is a video on Youtube of a Badass II vs Babicz and the Babicz. The video is of the bass alone. It seems so insignificant that a bridge can make a perceptible difference, though.

I still don't know if there is really a difference or we just want to believe there is.
 
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#65
Deleted member 268085 said:
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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I have both, I used to like the Hipshot a lot ( smaller & has many adjustments), But after installing the babicz, I Love it!! it seems really coupled to the bass getting better tone & feel! it just feels more grounded to the bass!
 
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#66
Yellow Bang66 said:
I have both, I used to like the Hipshot a lot ( smaller & has many adjustments), But after installing the babicz, I Love it!! it seems really coupled to the bass getting better tone & feel! it just feels more grounded to the bass!
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Thanks for the update, BassFace...I mean Yellow Bang66. :bassist:
 
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#68
Reviving as I'm planning a build. Can anyone give input on the feel between the kickass and babicz? I have a couple basses with the kickass and personally noticed a difference in how it feels compared to the stock regular fender bridges.

Asking because I'm thinking of changing it up but determining if it's down to pure aesthetics and price.

Edit: I'm also going to use a warmoth body here so I need to pick a bridge.
 
#69
I have a bass with a Hipshot Kickass-style bridge and a bass with the Babicz. I prefer the Babicz. Honestly, since I don't do any palm muting or playing with a pick with my hand anchored on the bridge, the only thing I really feel is the weight, and that's indirect. The Babicz is lighter. I also like the way the Babicz's saddles are locked down, and the ease of adjustment. And the looks.
 
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#70
I think a more reasonable comparison is Babicz vs Hipshot FM3 (Type A with Fender mounting holes) bridges. Probably the aluminum version of the Hipshot to compare more closely to the Babicz weight, though the brass version if someone insists on high-mass. The Kickass is a zinc-cast bridge like the original Badass and if its anything like the Badass I find it actually seems to scoop out some harmonics in the tone which I'm not a fan of. If you think about it the idea of "coupling" the strings with a hard solid wood body isn't really ideal- you're just dampening energy that is mostly coming from the more resonant neck wood IMO/IME. Its not like on an acoustic instrument where you have a thin top wood that needs to get moving to create tone. YMMV
 
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#71
BlueTalon said:
I have a bass with a Hipshot Kickass-style bridge and a bass with the Babicz. I prefer the Babicz. Honestly, since I don't do any palm muting or playing with a pick with my hand anchored on the bridge, the only thing I really feel is the weight, and that's indirect. The Babicz is lighter. I also like the way the Babicz's saddles are locked down, and the ease of adjustment. And the looks.
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Hey Talon, Do you find the Babicz gives you a scooped sound? All The Vid on YouTube seem to have a less punchy sound, loss of low mids with the Babicz. But as all things go on YouTube, you never can tell. What do you think?
 
#72
PhinDog said:
Hey Talon, Do you find the Babicz gives you a scooped sound? All The Vid on YouTube seem to have a less punchy sound, loss of low mids with the Babicz. But as all things go on YouTube, you never can tell. What do you think?
Click to expand...
Part of that answer would depend on what you are going to the Babicz from. In other words, what it the Babicz replacing? In my case, the Babicz replaced a standard bent-metal Fender bridge, and I can tell you with certainty that I did NOT notice a less punchy sound or loss of low mids when I plugged the bass in after the change. Or at any other time after that.

But unless it's really obvious, most things like that you probably wouldn't even be able to tell a difference unless you were paying attention at the moment you did the switch, and did a conscientious effort at an A/B comparison.

If I was putting a new bridge on a bass now, I'd probably use a Hipshot A or a Gotoh. I like having that instant change, not-having-to-string-the-string-through-the-bridge aspect. But then, I also like the ability to adjust the string spacing, so maybe the Hipshot or the Schaller. It's all a trade-off between which features you like.
 
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#73
BlueTalon said:
Part of that answer would depend on what you are going to the Babicz from. In other words, what it the Babicz replacing? In my case, the Babicz replaced a standard bent-metal Fender bridge, and I can tell you with certainty that I did NOT notice a less punchy sound or loss of low mids when I plugged the bass in after the change. Or at any other time after that.

But unless it's really obvious, most things like that you probably wouldn't even be able to tell a difference unless you were paying attention at the moment you did the switch, and did a conscientious effort at an A/B comparison.

If I was putting a new bridge on a bass now, I'd probably use a Hipshot A or a Gotoh. I like having that instant change, not-having-to-string-the-string-through-the-bridge aspect. But then, I also like the ability to adjust the string spacing, so maybe the Hipshot or the Schaller. It's all a trade-off between which features you like.
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Thanks! yeah I like the look of the A style. Looks similar to my Sandberg Bridge. Deciding between aluminum and brass. Might try to shave some weight.
It's going on a SBMM Ray4, so bent plate-ish. Thanks and that PU is sweet!
 
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#74
PhinDog said:
Thanks! yeah I like the look of the A style. Looks similar to my Sandberg Bridge. Deciding between aluminum and brass. Might try to shave some weight.
It's going on a SBMM Ray4, so bent plate-ish. Thanks and that PU is sweet!
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Glad you like the pickup! I can tell you that I have the aluminum Hipshot A on my Maruszczyk, and it sounds wonderful. I don't know if it would sound any different with the brass version, but at this point in my life, I can't imagine that the any tone benefit would offset the increase in weight (both would probably be miniscule anyway).
 
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#75
I have a Babicz on both my J basses. And for my new J build, a Babicz will be installed.
Hardware ready to go...
hardware2.jpg
 
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#76
PhinDog said:
Thanks! yeah I like the look of the A style. Looks similar to my Sandberg Bridge. Deciding between aluminum and brass. Might try to shave some weight.
It's going on a SBMM Ray4, so bent plate-ish. Thanks and that PU is sweet!
Click to expand...
I've used Hipshot Type A bridges on several basses now, in both brass and aluminum versions and would recommend the aluminum anytime you aren't trying to counter neck-dive. They are great bridges that do everything you want without any nonsense. I played around with the zinc-cast high-mass bridges for years (Badass, Schaller, etc) and my conclusion is that I often preferred the tone of basic bent-plate bridges when I actually did back to back testing- more clarity and punch, and of course less weight. The Hipshot aluminum bridges seem to do all that but in a much more solid and adjustable package (plus the quick-release string thing is a must to me as someone constantly swapping strings across basses). Never tried a Babicz, but based on my past bridge experimentations/comparisons I have a hard time buying the hype. I've found much better tonal improvements playing with mass on the headstock of basses than on the body like that, and far more yet from strings and pickups
 
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