Convert standard fender four saddle bridge to two saddle?

[slantedpanted]

Has anyone tried this? I like the old 51 pbass two saddle style, but its string through body, is it possible to take a standard toploader bridge and make it fit the two larger style barrels?

Are there any aftermarket options?

 

[FatStringsRule]

Your intonation will be more accurate with the four saddle..

 

[iiipopes]

If you want string through, Fender makes a 4-saddle combo bridge that might retrofit.

Remember that the only reason for the two-saddle bridge was to complete the emulation a double bass by using bakelite bridge saddles and the foam under the bridge cover.

So unless you're going to go all in, it defeats the purpose to just have two metal saddles. You get neither the double bass emulation, and you don't get proper intonation.

 

[walterw]

wilkinson used to make one. the saddles angled and locked, so intonation wasn't an issue.

you can at least get the saddles from allparts, and i suppose drill out and use a regular fender-style bridgeplate.

 

[iiipopes]

wilkinson used to make one. the saddles angled and locked, so intonation wasn't an issue. You can at least get the saddles from allparts, and i suppose drill out and use a regular fender-style bridgeplate.

Yes, if you must:

http://www.allparts.com/BP-2126-008-Bass-Swivel-Saddles_p_1058.html

 

[walterw]

Yes, if you must...

the angle that the saddles have to be held at for intonation really seems like a lot of twisting force gets put on the screws and the little locking hex bolt; it just doesn't seem very "robust" to me either.

i'm all about the 3-saddle tele guitar bridge, but this seems like a less awesome implementation of the idea.

gimme the threaded-rod 4-saddle, that's as "vintage" as i need to get with my bass bridge.

 

[iiipopes]

Gimme the threaded-rod 4-saddle, that's as "vintage" as i need to get with my bass bridge.

Yes. That's the one. To my ears, that is still the best bridge in terms of overall tone, sustain, and adjustability. In the late '70's, before Bass Player Magazine split off from Guitar Player Magazine, they did a bridge shootout with all the available bridges of the day, including brass, aluminum, the bolt-stock bridge, whatever Fender was using at the time, and a few others. The traditional vintage bolt-stock bridge was deemed to have the best sustain and the least coloration to the tone of any of them. So that is what I used, modified to fit the fanned frets, on my custom P/J.