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Help identifying bridge

jdcraignh

jdcraignh

Nov 2, 2018
542
920
#1
Hi all,

I am guessing this will be an easy one for you. I have this bridge on a very high end Fender custom shop prototype that was built by Jason Davis in the early 2000's. Looks very similar to a Hipshot A style to me, but I cannot find an exact match anywhere. I have no idea what it actually is, but would like to find another one somewhere. It's a great bridge and is just the right size for an upgrade project I am working on with another bass. I particularly like that it will cover the screw holes when the old crap bridge comes off. The current Hipshot products on their site are smaller and will not work for what I need.

Note that the saddles are locked down with Allen screws and that you adjust by hand. No spring covered screw. Very clean and elegant.

Any idea what this bridge actually is, or where I can find one?
IMG_6577.JPG
 
#7
Razman said:
Why would you want to run the strings through your body by choice, if you didn’t need to?
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I'm looking to put this same bridge on a Fender MIK Jazz 24. Prior owner two back upgraded the pre and pups. I know it's MIK, but there is something really special about this bass. Plays as well as any of my high end basses, and that's saying something, as I have quite a few. I want to see if I can make this one even better than it is. Already has ferrules and is strung through body. That's why. No better reason than that. Sounds great as is. I am trying to make it greater, if that makes any sense.
 
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#9
jdcraignh said:
I'm looking to put this same bridge on a Fender MIK Jazz 24. Prior owner two back upgraded the pre and pups. I know it's MIK, but there is something really special about this bass. Plays as well as any of my high end basses, and that's saying something, as I have quite a few. I want to see if I can make this one even better than it is. Already has ferrules and is strung through body. That's why. No better reason than that. Sounds great as is. I am trying to make it greater, if that makes any sense.
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Totally get the "make it better" thing - Doing that right now with my Chinese Douglas sixer (also see link in my sig). I haven't found an inexpensive instrument I felt was worthy of upgrades until this one came along.

I use thicker strings so the B string won't pass through the ferrules in mine. String-through-anything is simply a pain for me to deal with, so I avoid that whenever possible. I found an inexpensive bridge on Allpart's site that I am going to try that is of similar design (with locking saddles - no screws/springs) but with a 4-string that shouldn't be an issue (unless you go BEAD).

I've not found a similar design that allowed for S-T-B but best of luck on your search, and I hope it turns out great for you.

Raz
 
#12
JimmyM said:
May not hear? You're being kind :D There's no difference. Might be a cool bridge, but I agree with your first sentence.
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Having owned and worked on a bunch of basses, I do think upgrades make a difference, in two important ways. First, you CAN hear certain things. I had a chance to compare my upgraded Jazz 24 to one that was stock. The tonal difference was huge. The upgraded preamp and pickups gave it much more of that classic Fender growl. The tuner upgrade I am doing is actually necessary. The current tuners are the cheapie "Hipshot Lic". One of them rattles on occasion, I have tried everything to get rid of the rattle to no avail. I am putting "Hipshot USA" tuners on to replace them. Quality stuff is quality stuff. Bridge upgrades are also both functional and often audible. I have put Badass III's on two of my other J's. You can absolutely hear it. People describe it as more "sustain". I disagree. I hear it as more "zing", if that means anything. Yes, it's subtle, but if you have a good rig, you can clearly hear the difference before and after. I don't actually want that particular zing on this particular bass, but I do want a cleaner, higher quality bridge that is easy to adjust and will lock everything down to hold the intonation. The one that is on there now is again, a cheapie.

Second and more important, do not underestimate the cool factor. If an instrument is cool to look at, cool to hold, and cool to play, it makes you want to play more. THAT is the point.
 
#14
jdcraignh said:
Having owned and worked on a bunch of basses, I do think upgrades make a difference, in two important ways. First, you CAN hear certain things. I had a chance to compare my upgraded Jazz 24 to one that was stock. The tonal difference was huge. The upgraded preamp and pickups gave it much more of that classic Fender growl. The tuner upgrade I am doing is actually necessary. The current tuners are the cheapie "Hipshot Lic". One of them rattles on occasion, I have tried everything to get rid of the rattle to no avail. I am putting "Hipshot USA" tuners on to replace them. Quality stuff is quality stuff.
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Those upgrades I get entirely.

Bridge upgrades are also both functional and often audible. I have put Badass III's on two of my other J's. You can absolutely hear it. People describe it as more "sustain". I disagree. I hear it as more "zing", if that means anything. Yes, it's subtle, but if you have a good rig, you can clearly hear the difference before and after. I don't actually want that particular zing on this particular bass, but I do want a cleaner, higher quality bridge that is easy to adjust and will lock everything down to hold the intonation. The one that is on there now is again, a cheapie.

Second and more important, do not underestimate the cool factor. If an instrument is cool to look at, cool to hold, and cool to play, it makes you want to play more. THAT is the point.
Click to expand...
I get cool factor. Bigtime. And though I never hear differences in bridges unless they're aluminum, I get wanting a bridge that looks cool and locks down well. The thru-body stuff, though...I'm not seeing the gains in any of it when there are lots of other bridges you can get that give you both without drilling new holes in your bass and installing ferrules.

But I'm not here to tell anyone what to do or how to enjoy their instruments...just giving my opinion...lots of work for zero gain.
 
#15
JimmyM said:
Those upgrades I get entirely.


I get cool factor. Bigtime. And though I never hear differences in bridges unless they're aluminum, I get wanting a bridge that looks cool and locks down well. The thru-body stuff, though...I'm not seeing the gains in any of it when there are lots of other bridges you can get that give you both without drilling new holes in your bass and installing ferrules.

But I'm not here to tell anyone what to do or how to enjoy their instruments...just giving my opinion...lots of work for zero gain.
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Holes and ferrules are already there. It is currently string through and sounds great. I don't want to put a bridge on that limits that option.

So back to the original question....

Can anyone identify that particular bridge?
 
#17
jdcraignh said:
Holes and ferrules are already there. It is currently string through and sounds great. I don't want to put a bridge on that limits that option.

So back to the original question....

Can anyone identify that particular bridge?
Click to expand...
Oh shoot...for some reason I thought you were going to add them. Never mind.
 
#18
Totally off topic, but I notice a couple of you have "Supporting Member" or "Gold Supporting Member" under you name. What does that mean? Are you involved in running the forum? Is there an easy way to get additional information about that?
 
#19
jdcraignh said:
Totally off topic, but I notice a couple of you have "Supporting Member" or "Gold Supporting Member" under you name. What does that mean? Are you involved in running the forum? Is there an easy way to get additional information about that?
Click to expand...

I am gold. I pay a monthly fee to the website to have a 100% ad free browsing experience. There is also a lifetime single payment option.

It comes with some other bells and whistles like extra storage for PM, etc.

Supporting is similar. Don’t specifically recall the difference.

Edit: here you go

https://www.talkbass.com/account/upgrades
 

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