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GOTOH 404BO bridge vs Hipshot A?

#4
I have 404BO's on my two 32" scale Warmoth P basses and a Hipshot B on my 34" scale instrument. Never used the A. But I've studied the engineering drawings for the A and compared it with the Gotoh.

The Hipshot B is more similar to the Gotoh in terms of mounting location and intonation than the A is.

Turns out the Hipshot A won't work on my 32" scale basses. The don't have enough intonation adjustment range. I need the G string saddle to be 1 inch from the mounting screw. The Hipshot A comes up about 1/4 inch short of that. In similar fashion, I need the low E saddle to be about .4 inches from the mounting screw and the Hipshot A bottoms out on the sharp side of that.

BUT, all is not roses with the 404 either. The low E saddle intonation adjustment screw bottoms out too soon so I've had to shorten the screws on both of mine, and cut the low E tension spring in half. That has allowed me to get to where I need to be.

I like the weight of the 404BO. A heavy bridge is part of my anti-neck-dive solution. They top-load well and can support string-through (which I don't use).

Tone? Gee, I don't know. When I changed from the Fender bent plate to the Gotoh, I didn't notice a tone change. String changes are easier and the bass balances better.
 
#5
darwin-bass said:
I have 404BO's on my two 32" scale Warmoth P basses and a Hipshot B on my 34" scale instrument. Never used the A. But I've studied the engineering drawings for the A and compared it with the Gotoh.

The Hipshot B is more similar to the Gotoh in terms of mounting location and intonation than the A is.

Turns out the Hipshot A won't work on my 32" scale basses. The don't have enough intonation adjustment range. I need the G string saddle to be 1 inch from the mounting screw. The Hipshot A comes up about 1/4 inch short of that. In similar fashion, I need the low E saddle to be about .4 inches from the mounting screw and the Hipshot A bottoms out on the sharp side of that.

BUT, all is not roses with the 404 either. The low E saddle intonation adjustment screw bottoms out too soon so I've had to shorten the screws on both of mine, and cut the low E tension spring in half. That has allowed me to get to where I need to be.

I like the weight of the 404BO. A heavy bridge is part of my anti-neck-dive solution. They top-load well and can support string-through (which I don't use).

Tone? Gee, I don't know. When I changed from the Fender bent plate to the Gotoh, I didn't notice a tone change. String changes are easier and the bass balances better.
Click to expand...

I did get a Hipshot A for a different bass, but kept the Gotoh on my jazz. I will say that the Hipshot A has a lot of flexibility in terms of adjustment and string spacing. Love that aspect of it. It is an all brass thing (at least mine is), so it's heavier and does seem to flatten out the tone a little and make it less zingy compared to the 201B that it replaced.
 
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#8
Gotoh is much better you can hear the difference. The hip-hop brass is not even worth your money. It’s way too heavy to put on your bass and it’s hard to mount on your bass. The aluminum one just doesn’t give good resonance at all. The only sound you’re really getting is from those brass saddles which don’t sound good to me. I personally like steel saddles. The zinc is amazing on the gotoh and the steel saddles are great . They really think out musically how things are gonna be good at gotoh. IMHO
 
#9
PleyswethSqwerl said:
The zinc is amazing on the gotoh and the steel saddles are great .
Click to expand...
Saddles on the 404 are brass, not steel.
1746192743895.png
 
#14
Turnaround said:
I don't understand "playing schematics". Please elucidate.
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It’s pretty straightforward however because you have asked, I will assuage your request. In your first reply, you said the 404 is brass {emphasis added} you did not assert SJ or BO. You merely said the “404” this assertion could lead to the assumption that the 404 only comes in brass. Whether or not if he was talking about the BO or the SJ is largely “superfluous” as you left it open ended stating that the “404” is brass. You did not say the 404BO was brass until I replied. Thus it is merely schematics as to which one. As I was asserting I favor the steel saddles.

I hope this assuages your request.

Thanks.
 
#15
PleyswethSqwerl said:
It’s pretty straightforward however because you have asked, I will assuage your request. In your first reply, you said the 404 is brass {emphasis added} you did not assert SJ or BO. You merely said the “404” this assertion could lead to the assumption that the 404 only comes in brass. Whether or not if he was talking about the BO or the SJ is largely “superfluous” as you left it open ended stating that the “404” is brass. You did not say the 404BO was brass until I replied. Thus it is merely schematics as to which one. As I was asserting I favor the steel saddles.

I hope this assuages your request.

Thanks.
Click to expand...
I said the 404 was brass and included the specs for the 404BO. I thought that made it clear which one I was referring to.
But I still don’t understand what you mean by “playing schematics”.
 
#16
Turnaround said:
I said the 404 was brass and included the specs for the 404BO. I thought that made it clear which one I was referring to.
But I still don’t understand what you mean by “playing schematics”.
Click to expand...
When you say the “404” is brass. Then you send me the specs of the 404BO. This would leave one or others to the assumption that my assumptions were wrong as there is only one 404. I wholly understood your post. However you wrote back in opposition to my saying I like the steel saddles. Whether I misinterpreted your response as to simultaneously construe it “colloquially.” It was written as a “correction” or to be assumed as a correction.
 
#17
PleyswethSqwerl said:
When you say the “404” is brass. Then you send me the specs of the 404BO. This would leave one or others to the assumption that my assumptions were wrong as there is only one 404. I wholly understood your post. However you wrote back in opposition to my saying I like the steel saddles. Whether I misinterpreted your response as to simultaneously construe it “colloquially.” It was written as a “correction” or to be assumed as a correction.
Click to expand...
I totally understand that you expressed a preference for the SJ model. I'm just struggling with "playing schematics". Did you mean "semantics"? Or am I missing something you are trying to express?
 

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