Then again, anything that helps cut through, even just a little bit, is a good thing.
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Hello all!
I'm curious to hear the opinions of those here who switched their issued tuners for Hipshot Ultra Lights. I'm considering this, mainly for weight reasons.
If I understand correctly, there is no need to drill new holes? Did you notice a big weight change? Are these tuners more accurate? Were you happy with the switch?
Thanks so much!
I'm curious to hear the opinions of those here who switched their issued tuners for Hipshot Ultra Lights. I'm considering this, mainly for weight reasons.
If I understand correctly, there is no need to drill new holes? Did you notice a big weight change? Are these tuners more accurate? Were you happy with the switch?
Thanks so much!
You would almost certainly have to drill a screw hole, but the shaft might fit. I found an old thread on TB that suggested the G&L tuners weight about 1/2 oz more than the Hipshots, so you would save about 2 oz on the whole deal. Doesn't seem worth it to me for the cost but YMMV.
Is that half ounce difference in relation to the USA ultralights? If so, I imagine that there would be a bigger weight saving if replacing the tuners on a Tribute. Can anyone quantify?
I thought all the hardware on a Tribute was identical to the hardware on a USA?
I believe that at least one difference is the tuning machines. I'll be happy to be disabused of that notion.
I think you're right and that the Tribute doesn't have the G&L ultralights. I expect the headstock weight savings would be significant with either those or the Hipshot, assuming both are available.
One thing I know: USA and Tribs don't have the same tuners. They aren't interchangeable.
If it's any help here is a previous post of mine on the subject of tuner wights. There is 0.7 oz (about 20gm) difference between a Tribute tuner and a USA G&L stamped Ultralight. New mounting screw pilot holes need to be drilled.
"Here's how I snug that set screw on my G&Ls and the Spirit: I snug the set screw until I feel tension, then I use the thinnest feeler gauge in my set (available at any auto parts store) to see if the bridge saddles are all touching the ones next to them. If they are, I stop tightening. If they're not, I snug it a little more and repeat the process. Once the gauge tells me they're snug and secure, I stop"
no disrespect but what a wast of time.
this would be just pointless...
stick an allen key in the hole and tighten it, job done.
no disrespect but what a wast of time.
this would be just pointless...
stick an allen key in the hole and tighten it, job done.
I see your point, but I'll probably go ahead and waste 60 seconds to know I have it as right as it's gonna get. I truly don't know how much difference that set screw makes. Maybe using them at all is a waste of time. I mean, does Fender use them? Does Gibson use them? Those are the two most iconic bass and guitar companies in the world. My thought is, if it's there, it should work as well as it can be made to work. Kind of like cruise control on your car. You don't need it. Some cars don't even have it. But if it's there and if you have it working correctly, it makes your trip more comfortable. To quote Sly Stone (among others): "Different strokes for different folks."
Tribute or USA?
I installed a set of Hipshot (Not ultralights), the ones with the Stingray hole pattern, in my Trib L-2500, Had to re-drill mounting holes, and the bushings were also too small.
But I made it work.
I understand the concept and what it's designed to do. And I actually spend the extra minute to make that happen as perfectly as I possibly can on my G&Ls and especially on my Steinberger Spirit XT25 (without which the bridge saddles have only the string tension to hold them in place). But on my G&Ls, I do question how much good it realistically does. Has anybody tried this: Change your setting from where it usually is when you play with your band. In other words, if the saddlelock screw is usually tightened on your bass, take it out, or vice versa. Go to your next band rehearsal or gig and see if any of the members say your bass sounds different. If not, at the end you might even ask them if your bass sounded OK. Maybe this will prove we're all wasting our time worrying about it and that we should all just keep doing what we're doing in the way we're doing it because it's all good. The most played and copied basses in the world are the Fender Jazz & P basses. Unless it's happened fairly recently, as far as I know they have no saddlelock screw.
Hi Andyman001. I wasn't super clear. I apologize.
What I meant to say is that the tuner mechanism on the USAs will not fit on the Tribs. You would need to drill new holes to make the USAs fit in the Tribs. This has been confirmed by a few people.
So there are bass brands out there that use the saddlelock-style bridge and those that don't. Some say it makes a difference; obviously some brands don't feel it's an improvement. Maybe it's just a clever and inexpensive sales gimmick. But could it actually be a problem? If you're picking, say, your A string, could the fact that the vibration is traveling through the crammed-together bridge to all the other strings actually cause some slight but kind of weird harmonics? Acoustic guitars have a single bridge--bone or nylon or whatever, but not steel. I know a string's energy travels through that bridge on an acoustic, and they don't resonate at the extremely low frequencies that bass does, meaning that a bass string's vibration would seem to have more effect on other strings. Why not experiment? Find what you like. Play it. Have fun. If it sounds good, it is good.
Leo Fender invented the P, Jazz, Stingray and the G&L basses among a host of other gear. He was a brilliant engineer and constantly improved stuff. Just because "Fender" doesn't use it doesn't mean it isn't a solid idea. Leo thought it was, just as he thought the Jazz bass was an alternative to the P.
My favorite aspect of the G&L bridge is that if I put my hand on it it is comfortable. Cannot stand the BadAss II bridge for example.
My favorite aspect of the G&L bridge is that if I put my hand on it it is comfortable. Cannot stand the BadAss II bridge for example.
