Haha... Seriously? The use of the word "worse" automatically makes your statement an opinion.
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Great Bridge Debate Revisited...
- Thread starter groucho
- Start date
Haha... Seriously? The use of the word "worse" automatically makes your statement an opinion.
Yes, but some finishes tend to isolate the body more from string vibration, in suppose in order to keep quality consistent across the board since now only the hardware and electronics are a factor.
Since the premise for the Babicz is having more contact to the plate, therefore more contact to the wood, it's understandable the effect is not much noticeable on an instrument finished in such a way. There was a good discussion about this on TB a couple of weeks ago.
It never ceases to amaze me at the level of passion with which this topic is debated.
Chicken head knobs? cool/not cool
active passive? cool/not cool
Change the bridge on my Fender? Cool/change it and go to hell after being partially consumed by a pack of feral cats. Your hair will fall out. Your mom will become a lady of the night. The world will tilt off it's axis and life as we know it will cease to exist.
If the Fender in question had some kind of historical significance then it would seem prudent from a value standpoint to leave it alone. Same if you have an old bass you are trying to maximize the collector value on, but if it's a modern bass, especially an MIM or Squire, and it's your daily player and you want to toss the L plate for some gaudy chunk of machined locking bridge, don't ask for permission, just pick the one you like the look/function of the best and slap that puppy on.
I'm one of the few players who because of my (non) playing style, needs more anchoring on the back end of my strings as I tend to drag the saddles out of position on your standard L plate no matter the type of saddles I have on it. I need something that depends on more than string pressure to hold my string break in it's proper place.
Oh ad BTW, the tone improvement, or lack thereof, that so many take to (incessant) task, is in my crude ears a moot point. If the bass is unplugged I can tell the difference in sustain, tone, etc, but plug that dog into an amp and all that goes out the window, or perhaps more accurately goes through a cable and into a very complicated electrical signal processor in which tone, sustain and all other sound parameters are adjustable, and I'm firmly in the school of A/B the bridges but don't ID which bridge is in which clip and I'd bet more than 99% of those who try would get it wrong and those who got it right made a lucky guess.
I build miniature race car chassis' so I'm well acquainted with the devil hiding in the smallest of details, but I also understand the vast differences in style of the many drivers who use my cars so I build to individual wants/needs rather than try to convince them that what I prefer for my driving style is what they should want.
Chicken head knobs? cool/not cool
active passive? cool/not cool
Change the bridge on my Fender? Cool/change it and go to hell after being partially consumed by a pack of feral cats. Your hair will fall out. Your mom will become a lady of the night. The world will tilt off it's axis and life as we know it will cease to exist.
If the Fender in question had some kind of historical significance then it would seem prudent from a value standpoint to leave it alone. Same if you have an old bass you are trying to maximize the collector value on, but if it's a modern bass, especially an MIM or Squire, and it's your daily player and you want to toss the L plate for some gaudy chunk of machined locking bridge, don't ask for permission, just pick the one you like the look/function of the best and slap that puppy on.
I'm one of the few players who because of my (non) playing style, needs more anchoring on the back end of my strings as I tend to drag the saddles out of position on your standard L plate no matter the type of saddles I have on it. I need something that depends on more than string pressure to hold my string break in it's proper place.
Oh ad BTW, the tone improvement, or lack thereof, that so many take to (incessant) task, is in my crude ears a moot point. If the bass is unplugged I can tell the difference in sustain, tone, etc, but plug that dog into an amp and all that goes out the window, or perhaps more accurately goes through a cable and into a very complicated electrical signal processor in which tone, sustain and all other sound parameters are adjustable, and I'm firmly in the school of A/B the bridges but don't ID which bridge is in which clip and I'd bet more than 99% of those who try would get it wrong and those who got it right made a lucky guess.
I build miniature race car chassis' so I'm well acquainted with the devil hiding in the smallest of details, but I also understand the vast differences in style of the many drivers who use my cars so I build to individual wants/needs rather than try to convince them that what I prefer for my driving style is what they should want.
Hopkins
Commercial User
The beauty of the Babicz bridge is not found in the tone it produces. The beauty of it, is how smooth adjustments are, and how everything locks down once it is adjusted. As far as, engineering and functionality goes, its the best bridge on the market.
As a babicz owner I'll say the above reasons make it the best bridge I've ever had. I really like mine.
Ok, I have to admit I jumped the gun on my reply. I thought this was about Hi-Mass bridges. Honestly I have zero experience with Babicz hardware and I have no opinion on their stuff at all.
But I will say I have used a Gotoh Hi-Mass bridge, a BAII, and a Fender Blacktop style bridge. The only bridge which was ok was the BAII, but it was definitely not "better" (especially for another Hundred bucks or so). The other two bridges made my bass sound like there was foam under the strings, they totally took the punch out of the sound. I heard it with my own ears and this is not based on third hand info.
And the BAII does lengthen the string a bit because the guide holes for the strings sit back about an inch further than a regular bent plate vintage Fender bridge.
So sorry, not trying to start a flameacre.
Well I have to change my opinion.
I'll make this as short as possible.
I always use flats, but recently acquired a Blacktop Precision with rounds. I like it.
So from my experience, I believe hi-mass bridges work better when combined with roundwound strings.
But if using flats I believe the standard vintage style bridge is best, and I only say this because I have used flats on both styles of bridges.
I hope this helps.
I'll make this as short as possible.
I always use flats, but recently acquired a Blacktop Precision with rounds. I like it.
So from my experience, I believe hi-mass bridges work better when combined with roundwound strings.
But if using flats I believe the standard vintage style bridge is best, and I only say this because I have used flats on both styles of bridges.
I hope this helps.
