Whatever is most accommodating to a hunk of foam being tucked in there.
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High mass vs low mass bridge
- Thread starter ics1974
- Start date
I have a couple of MIJ Geddy Lee Jazz Basses. I bought a couple of bent plate bridges with the intent of switching out the hi mass Bad Ass II bridges that came on them but the basses sound so good I chose to leave them as they are.
I put Hipshot Kickass bridges on 2 of my passive PJ basses. The sound become more controlled/compressed.
I went back to Hipshot Vintage bridges on those basses and I like that more dynamic sound better than with the high mass bridges.
I went back to Hipshot Vintage bridges on those basses and I like that more dynamic sound better than with the high mass bridges.
Two things I've learned...
1) Many people will tell you not to buy a high-mass bridge.
2) Some people don't listen to what many people say.
1) Many people will tell you not to buy a high-mass bridge.
2) Some people don't listen to what many people say.
The arguement usually goes like this..."There is absolutley no difference in sound. I put one on and it sounded terrible so I yanked it off ASAP!" 
Hi folks 
I don't know how many old Fenders were mutilated (rooted) for a Badass(I) bridge,
that wasn't designed to be put on Fenders. (too high => rooting was necessary)
Thousands or tens of thousands? Of course all those bad sounding bent plates went into the garbage can.
If only half of these basses were all original before the mod,
it is still the biggest mass destruction (or high mass destruction?) of resale value ever achieved!
But that's not a biggy, because all those basses sound so much better than they did before!
They (at least some of them) sound more expensive!
Wise(b)ass
I don't know how many old Fenders were mutilated (rooted) for a Badass(I) bridge,
that wasn't designed to be put on Fenders. (too high => rooting was necessary)
Thousands or tens of thousands? Of course all those bad sounding bent plates went into the garbage can.
If only half of these basses were all original before the mod,
it is still the biggest mass destruction (or high mass destruction?
) of resale value ever achieved! But that's not a biggy, because all those basses sound so much better than they did before!
They (at least some of them) sound more expensive!
Wise(b)ass
All I know is too many amazing records have been made with low mass bridges on the bass for anyone to talk about worse or better. All my bases are premium with high mass but I played a 65 fender recently that put all of them in the shade.
perception and bass specific...either they work or dont...least we have the option to tinker around.
I used to be of the opinion that it didn't matter. Then I replaced my Ric bridge with a Hipshot (brass/heavy) bridge. I didn't give it any thought as I was so concerned about getting the hole drilling correct. And I didn't expect any change in tone. But from the very first time I played it I knew something was different. I kept looking at the string heights but they were the same. Everything was the same except for the new bridge. It was deeper, more sustain, it just wasn't the same as before. Call it what ya wanna but that's what happened. Yep.... surprised me too.
Never bothered to replace mine , and am glad now. That said I have replaced Gibson 3 point bridges with Hipshots. The Rics still have the stock bridge.
Low mass + solid brass custom made by dear ol' dad.
The ability to hear a difference in a blind test and pick which is which is the real question though. Then the next logical step is hearing it in a mix. Because physics is a thing of course, but the question here, and with the tonewood debates etc....is whether the difference is discernable. Extreme example is if you are playing along and a fly lands on your headstock, things have changed and the tone is impacted. But we'd all agree nobody could hear the difference. I did the same test a couple years ago and was biased going in. My roadworn P with the thin bent bridge was great, but I was 100% sure it would have even more sustain and have a better sound with a high mass bridge. So I bought 3 different ones and swapped them in and out and could hear no difference, even though I was 100% sure I would. I get it, just looking at them it seems obvious there would be a big difference in sound because they have like 3x the mass of the fender bent plate. No doubt the physics is different, but I couldn't hear it in my quiet music room, so no way would it make a difference in a real musical situation. And like I said, there was no question in my mind going in that I would get a different tone with a high mass. So the reality that it didn't change the tone in a way I could hear overcame a pretty significant bias I had going in.
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The difference in weight I though was very substantial, it just didn't change the sound I heard.
My Squier CV50s China came with a high mass bridge. I ordered a bent plate (since I wasn't going to drill the body to use a through bridge.
The Squier hi mass had different hole spacing than normal.
The only thing I despise in bridges is when the height adjusting screws require a flat blade driver instead of an allen wrench
The Squier hi mass had different hole spacing than normal.
The only thing I despise in bridges is when the height adjusting screws require a flat blade driver instead of an allen wrench
Bridges on basses do three things; they appeal to the eye of the buyer, they enable adjustment to the action and tuning of the strings and they transfer frequencies between the strings and the body of the bass, and back again.
One makes you happy, one keeps you in tune and, in the right circumstances, one can influence your sound.
Choose which is important to you.
One makes you happy, one keeps you in tune and, in the right circumstances, one can influence your sound.
Choose which is important to you.
Yes! The threaded saddle gives you some options re string spacing which the later version bent plate does not.
My USA Precision V has the Fender "High Mass Vintage" bridge which seems to work great.
My USA Dimension Deluxe 5 has the BA/Fender bridge which seems to work great.
My USA Dimension Deluxe 5 has the BA/Fender bridge which seems to work great.
