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is a Badass Bridge II really worth it?
- Thread starter ilikeindie
- Start date
A better way to say it is that the decay is less prevalant as the note goes on. Quick decay = thump, Long decay = modern. One isn't "better", just different sounds for what you need to do in the song.
I'd agree that *endless* sustain (or lack of note decay) would be hard to handle, but otherwise I find it just a matter of technique. In our band we have one song that has a) bass double-stops that need to sustain over two or three bars and b) funk-type 16ths patterns that don't want any sustain at all. For what I play, it's better to have the controllable sustain at hand when it's called for, and the BA bridge does help there (see previous post, #44).
Jaco, Dunn, Shannon, JPJ, and alot more didnt use em...junk in my book keep your cash.
No.
IME, if you've got a functional bridge- if it isn't broken or cracked, the saddles aren't drifting and it intonates- it's not much of an upgrade.
Around the turn of the century I thought it would be a good idea to "upgrade" my Jazz, so I picked up a Badass II. I didn't know what to expect- a certain 'zip' to the tone, or it would magically sound "better" and have so much "sustain" I wouldn't know what to do with it. I put it on, and I couldn't tell the difference.
On paper, it makes all the sense in the world. The larger footprint, the longer string traverse, the troughs to prevent saddle drift... it all adds up to a "better" bridge... on paper.
In practical application- the only difference is this big shiny block of a bridge on your bass. If you think that's an "upgrade," cool. Have at it.
For those of you that have changed bridges and have experienced a magnificent transformation of your sound- did you change strings when you did it? So you've got your new bridge with new strings... think for a second...
Over the past 8 years or so, I've switched bridges back and forth- sometimes kept the old strings on, sometimes changed strings when changing the bridge. I've notice NO appreciable difference- I don't even notice the couple of extra ounces over the stock bent piece of metal bridge.
The only reason I've used the Badass as long as I've used it is because I forked out the money for it. I currently have the stock bent piece of metal that has just as much "tone" and "sustain" as the Badass.
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IME, if you've got a functional bridge- if it isn't broken or cracked, the saddles aren't drifting and it intonates- it's not much of an upgrade.
Around the turn of the century I thought it would be a good idea to "upgrade" my Jazz, so I picked up a Badass II. I didn't know what to expect- a certain 'zip' to the tone, or it would magically sound "better" and have so much "sustain" I wouldn't know what to do with it. I put it on, and I couldn't tell the difference.
On paper, it makes all the sense in the world. The larger footprint, the longer string traverse, the troughs to prevent saddle drift... it all adds up to a "better" bridge... on paper.
In practical application- the only difference is this big shiny block of a bridge on your bass. If you think that's an "upgrade," cool. Have at it.
For those of you that have changed bridges and have experienced a magnificent transformation of your sound- did you change strings when you did it? So you've got your new bridge with new strings... think for a second...
Over the past 8 years or so, I've switched bridges back and forth- sometimes kept the old strings on, sometimes changed strings when changing the bridge. I've notice NO appreciable difference- I don't even notice the couple of extra ounces over the stock bent piece of metal bridge.
The only reason I've used the Badass as long as I've used it is because I forked out the money for it. I currently have the stock bent piece of metal that has just as much "tone" and "sustain" as the Badass.
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No doubt about it. Every incremental step adds up. I was able to play the bass with just the BAII bridge added before he upgraded the wiring, battery clip, and shielded the cavities. The bridge gave the bass more punch and clarity.
After he was done with the mods I must admit I actually prefer this MIM Active Jazz Deluxe 4 over my early 90s '62RI. Sacrilege I know
, but this MIM is one sweet Fender Jazz. I normally reach for it or the Highway One Jazz (also with a BAII bridge).
Sorry but this is wrong, the HipShot vintage top loading bridge IS a direct replacement for the stock Fender bridge, no need to drill anything. All five screws line line up perfectly.
Second, until you've tried a top loading bridge, you can't know how convenient and fast it is. I change from flat to round on my Precision all the time now, take's me maaaybe 60 seconds (90 when I'm drunk), something I wouldn't even consider doing before the bridge swap, just too much hassle.
Then there's the issue of look, I personally think the BadAss is butt ugly (maybe that how they got the name?), especially on a Fender. Granted, this one's just a matter of taste...
Uhm, well first, those are BENT Metal... lol. Which I don't think is comparable to what we're talking about here. Not that I would be adverse to using bent metal bridge, but really for the same money, and most cases, less money, I could own a BA II. Uhm, yeah, so I hardly see the depth in your claim. I mean, yeah, I stand corrected, but that is not something I would buy... at all.
Also, you can try to tell me you can change strings in 60 seconds, but I think that is greatly exaggerated, even for a top loader bridge. Especially when you consider tuning up. I think your dialogue has skewed the amount of time you think it takes. Also, being a person who owns a 3 Stratocasters, and even owned a Telecaster, string changing is just a nature of the beast. Not a big deal. Top loader, or through a hole... doesn't change my view of what I look for in a bass. Changing strings comes with the territory. Have you ever owned a Contra Bass, change strings on that mother, then tell me what you think. You get used to it and you do it.
Also, if you use Flatwounds, then you don't really need to swap out strings that often. So, that is pointless. But, if you're swapping out strings, going from round to flat, all the time, then just get a second bass. Seriously. The money you'd save on strings and more so on the time to do it... likely to be more rewarding. Even if it only going to shave off that 60 seconds... lol.
To be honest, "Looks" are not my first, biggest concern, since looks get usurped for functionality, tone, etc. Once, when I was young, this older guy I respected owned this great used guitar shop. He once pointed me to the old, ugly ass, bass. I looked at him cock-eyed, he looked at me and said, "seriously, try it." So I did, and f**king thing sounded amazing. I was blown away. I told him I loved the tone, but it was freakishly ugly. He said, "well, what is that you want... it has the tone. That's all that should matter." Later on that week, I went back and said, "You know what, I thought about it's really not that ugly, and I love that bass' tone way too much, do you still have it?" Nope, some other person bought it. That is when I learned, Ugly is not the deciding principal concept in which not to purchase something. Aesthetics are only part of the charm... but first comes quality.
I just took the Badass II off my P-bass and replaced it with a regular 'ol Fender bridge. Honestly, I don't hear a big difference. The Badass maybe sounded a hair more "zingy", but I get plenty of sustain with the Fender bridge. Anyway, I did it more for aesthetic reasons.. put a bridge cover on there, too, and now it looks cooler. 
I replaced my Fender Standard bridge with a Bad Ass II. I love it. Full, thick, fat everything it was supposed to give my bass. I love it.
Every bass I have where I swapped the bridge has either a Hipshot A or a Schaller Roller Bridge. My custom Conklin has an ABM, which is very similar to the Hipshot A. All three are (IMO) better than the Badass.
