I don't know why people hate on Fender bridges...

[Dark Horse]

It's pretty important on my P bass because I'm trying to get the sound of a vintage one.

Have you tried modifying a vintage style bent bridge to be a quick load ? It'd be easy enough to do....

 

[jmattbassplaya]

Because on modern bridges, you can remove the ball of the string out the top of the bridge. It is way quicker, no matter how fast you are at swapping strings with a Fender bridge.

Sure, I won't argue that. My Warwicks were cool in those regards, but that doesn't make the Fender bridge bad - just different.

 

[faulknersj]

The new Fender high mass bridges are the bees knees. Well constructed with higher mass while maintaining a vintage appearance. There are 4 slots on each saddle so that you can fine tune string spacing to your preference and the saddles are stable and easy to adjust. I am really digging the new Fender highmass bridge.

 

[Spencer!]

Sure, I won't argue that. My Warwicks were cool in those regards, but that doesn't make the Fender bridge bad - just different.

My Jerzy Drozd has a similar bridge and it's great - no ringing and quick string changes - but sometimes you just need that vintage sound and look.

 

[Spencer!]

Have you tried modifying a vintage style bent bridge to be a quick load ? It'd be easy enough to do....

Dave and I talked about that - he ultimately decided against it. He has a custom-designed Hipshot bridge that we're going to try. I might have him go that route for my P bass - I really need this A bridge off of here.

 

[Dark Horse]

Just slot a Fender bent bridge plate as shown in red.... easy to do, makes it so you can "quick load" it.

 

[electracoyote]

I don't mind Ric and Gibson bridges so much. They have their own system which takes its own approach.

However, I agree with OP on the simplicity and effectiveness of the standard bent-L Fender design. I'm not a believer in high mass bridges, and the bent-L has done very well by me over the years.

 

[Dark Horse]

Dave and I talked about that - he ultimately decided against it. He has a custom-designed Hipshot bridge that we're going to try. I might have him go that route for my P bass - I really need this A bridge off of here.

Cool - I attached a diagram (above) anyway so that anyone interested gets the idea of how it's done.

 

[Batmensch]

No matter how you slice it, it's faster to change strings with a quick-loading bridge.

And for most players, being able to change strings a few seconds faster is a non-issue.

 

[Rocky McDougall]

When the Fender bridge was first designed, no one ever dreamed someone would be switching strings from one song to another. My strings have been on for 6 years and I have no desire to replace them. I guess I am really out of the "modern" loop.
Rocky

 

[Batmensch]

Fender bridges are ugly and cheap.

Maybe in your opinion they are. Regardless, they WORK.

 

[georgestrings]

In 32 years of playing bass, I've never once "ruined" strings by loading them through the hole in a Fender bridge. Not once. If you're ruining strings, then you are doing something wrong. Load them straight through with the saddle flipped sideways, pull aside slightly, re-seat saddle, put string on saddle...pretty simple, takes mere seconds.

Exactly - some people certainly will make quite a stretch to slam Fender, though - it's almost comical...


- georgestrings

 

[georgestrings]

I have to switch between flats and rounds quickly in the studio - getting strings that are already wound to the pegheads in and out through that little whole is a huge pain.

Can't you bring more than 1 bass??? I don't see myself doing what you're describing, while in the studio - after all, I can imagine it causing tuning and setup complications...


- georgestrings

 

[georgestrings]

Fender bridges are ugly and cheap.

No offense, but Ric bridges are pretty fugly, too - only, they don't work as well as a Fender...


- georgestrings

 

[Spencer!]

Can't you bring more than 1 bass??? I don't see myself doing what you're describing, while in the studio - after all, I can imagine it causing tuning and setup complications...


- georgestrings

1 Bass is all I need. The neck on my P bass is rock solid - I change from standard gauge rounds to TI flats drop tuned a whole step without any change in setup. Anyway, it sucks to carry around more than 1 bass in NYC.

 

[georgestrings]

I don't get it either. The bridge is perfectly fine, and it's a lot better than a number of other ones out there.

Agreed - when you look at how much a Ric or Gibson bass costs, you'd think they could design a bridge that would be a bit more functional...


- georgestrings

 

[Spencer!]

And for most players, being able to change strings a few seconds faster is a non-issue.

Most players don't nitpick as much as me!

 

[georgestrings]

The new Fender high mass bridges are the bees knees. Well constructed with higher mass while maintaining a vintage appearance. There are 4 slots on each saddle so that you can fine tune string spacing to your preference and the saddles are stable and easy to adjust. I am really digging the new Fender highmass bridge.

Yeah, I like 'em, too...


- georgestrings

 

[Audiophage]

You're definitely doing something wrong if pulling the string through the bridge is damaging your strings.

 

[SolarMan]

Just like a P bass thread...

Many people simply refuse to believe that the Fender bass was the first and got it right. I can see the logic there and I used to be that guy who didn't want a Fender. I mean, how can the first generation of basses still be the best? Everything has been improved upon in the last 60 years, right?

Well, turns out - wrong.

Leo was a visionary, lets just face that fact. He took the most simple approach and it turns out that it is still the best. And I can see how that burns a lot of peoples britches - I mean, c'mon man! How can it still be the best?

It just is.