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Badass Bridge II questions/noobie

Hutzbordello

Hutzbordello

Mar 18, 2010
1,476
41
Western Massachusetts, USA
#1
Hey everyone, the only hardware Ive ever replaced on a bass was the jack plate. Im wondering what the advantages of the Badass Bridge II are? I always hear people talking about them.

When I went to get my action lowered the tech said my everything on my saddle was pretty much moved all the way up, and he had to shim it. Does the Badass Bridge II have more room than a stock LTD bridge? thanks

Also Im thinking about getting a MIJ Fender Jaguar so thats what this would hypothetically be going on.
 
#3
If you get the JAG, it may not need it, likely it will be built properly so saddles won't be an issue. As for the ltd, a shim is fine. Only burn the cash on a BAII if you really, really want it. Personally I wouldn't bother but that's just my opinion, YMMV.
 
#4
Having one on my MIM jazz bass:
IMO Badass II are fine for precise intonation, it does not a "big" difference in the sound at all, compared to the stock fender bridge. It's just a bridge... But I prefer it to the stock fender, it's a great bridge, it's more stable, robust, plus the saddles won't move on one sides or the other...
On the other side, regarding the installation, the main bottom plate is thicker than the stock fender bridge and to get a low action the neck had to be shimmed...

I won't bother about the shim installed in your bass since it doesn't affect the sound or the look of the bass. And if you're planning to get a new bass and get rid of this one I wouldn't get an other bridge...

If still you want to try the badass to see how it sounds and feel, keep the old bridge as if you like it you can always keep it when selling the bass and put in in an other of your bass after...
 
#6
ha!

also, the MIJ jags have an excellent threaded-saddle vintage bridge, no need to change it.

if you're in the mood to upgrade the bass, lose the cheese pickups.
 
#10
I put a BadAss II on my MIM Jazz Classic. It's very accurate, looks incredibly cool, and functions really nice and easy.
It seems the mids and the attack have had a little boost from changing bridges. The threaded roller one, was ok, but not accurate in intonation. I'd say get a BA bridge. I play with a very low and fast action (max3mm all strings) and I didn't have to shim the neck yet. I also own a Marcus Miller JB with a slightly older version of the BAII bridge. But it works like a dream with the '77 JB, that the MM4 basically is. I replaced the clanky, rattling original pups of the MIM Jazzie with Seymour Duncan SB-1 vintage. With a set of HI-Beams, this bass now sounds really really good :-) And sure pups, strings and bridges matter! Of course they do.
 
#12
darkstorm said:
Baddass bridges add extra treble zingyness to the sound which I dont like. On the two basses I bought that had them, they got replaced with better bridges (that dont add treble zing)
Click to expand...

Bridges don't ADD - they detract from certain frequency ranges and channel that vibration into the sound's black hole - the wood.

If you take away the lows, you'll hear what may sound like MORE highs, but with the lows missing, all you hear is the highs.

To increase highs, you'd have to believe in reanimation of the strings from vibrations of the wood (fat chance of that happening) and then going back through the bridge (ha!) and shaking the strings (double ha!) to make them move again over the pickups.

Pure fantasy.

Bridges subtract and the wood kills. Simple.
 
#13
Everyone that I've ever known to install a Leo Quan usually prefers really high action. After having on installed on my MIM Jazz I would definitely recommend installing one as they are more precise than the traditional fender bridges and most importantly (for me at least) is that they don't move. Almost all Fender bridges move (the exception being the new HMV bridge on the Americans), the vintage threaded ones included so there is a benefit in upgrading the jag.

I don't agree with SurferJoe46 that the wood is a "Black Hole" for sound. If that was true then the entire argument for neck-thru designs would be mute. As far as I'm concerned the more vibration that makes it to the body the better.

To answer your question of does the BAII have more 'room' than a stock LTD bridge: most likely yes. Leo Quan's are the largest bridge I've ever come across. However you should not be moving the bridge pieces along the length of the string (ie closer to or further away from the nut) to try and lower the action as that will royally f*#k your intonation. And because the BAII is far thicker than your stock bridge your action wont be able to be adjusted as low as the standard hardware....
 
#14
SunburstJazz said:
Everyone that I've ever known to install a Leo Quan usually prefers really high action. After having on installed on my MIM Jazz I would definitely recommend installing one as they are more precise than the traditional fender bridges and most importantly (for me at least) is that they don't move. Almost all Fender bridges move (the exception being the new HMV bridge on the Americans), the vintage threaded ones included so there is a benefit in upgrading the jag.


....
Click to expand...

At least in my experience, that is not true. Not even "almost all" Fender bridges move. The only place I've ever heard that complaint is here on TB from a few players.
 
#15
Well that could be down to that fact that I pluck really REALLY hard... so hard that every time I pluck the A-string the bridge piece holding the E-string moves up. With that said you could argue that my right hand technique needs improvement... but that would be a smart thing to do wouldn't it? ;)
 
#17
I was not being rude. If anything that comment was a joke at myself and an admission that C.Linton had a good point. It seems that he was able to take it that way as well, or at the very least he completely disregarded my statement as is his right.

Apparently humor is not something you have a great deal of.
 

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