Leo Quan Badass II bridges worth/value today?

[roller]

I'm familiar with the history of the Leo Quan Badass II bridges... how Fender bought them out... changed the name to the Omega Bass, etc.

Just curious as to if the worth of the old bridges that are stamped "Badass Bass II" are these days. They were semi-sought after a few years ago. And now? I don't know... which is why I'm asking. I don't see many Leo Quans being sold individually these days.

While we're at it, are the first-generation Leo Quan bridges (the I) worth much?

Thanks, folks!

 

[Jeff Scott]

Personally, I feel they are worth no more than face value for a new one and the typical dicount for a seconhand one. They are not anything collectible, IMO.

 

[sissy kathy]

Personally, I feel they are worth no more than face value for a new one and the typical dicount for a seconhand one. They are not anything collectible, IMO.

I agree and IMO they aren't even an especially innovative bridge. I think Babicz did a much better job of designing an after market bridge. If they would take that gaudy advertising off there, like they did for the Gibson 2018 SG Limited Edition, they'd really have something.

EDITED: To correct model.

 

[fhm555]

I agree and IMO they aren't even an especially innovative bridge. I think Babicz did a much better job of designing an after market bridge. If they would take that gaudy advertising off there, like they did for the Gibson SG Specials, they'd really have something.

Just out of curiosity i took some faux CF with a sticky back and covered the entire “shelf” on one of my Babicz bridges. If i ever have a lapse of reason i’m going to cut the tray off, drill and tap a couple holes in the upright piece, and shape a piece of figured wood to mount there. Or maybe just chop off the shelf and clean up the scar.
All that said, this anti Babicz advert thing is a mystery to me. When i think of how much money people pay for a (mounted) Fender decal and how much more they pay for a tiny USA addition to that decal, disliking advertising seems to fly in the face of the whole desire to own a “name” bass and especially the need to have proof it’s made in the USA.

 

[Slater]

There’s nothing special about the old ones, and now that Allparts owns Leo Quan, new ones are available.

Allparts® Expands Bass Guitar Parts with purchase of Leo Quan® Company

 

[Volker Kirstein]

It depends which side of the coin you're on.

I've noticed that sellers seem to expect to recoup the cost of non-stock replacement parts when selling a modded bass. I've been guilty of the same thing.

As a buyer, non-stock replacement parts are a great reason to expect to knock quite a few dollars off the asking price. Even if I would have performed the exact same mod(s) myself.

 

[cxcxcx]

The Badass bridge has been around a long time and was a big deal when there was no alternative but stock.

Badass 1 models are less often seen used than II or III models. They seem to command around $75 - $100 on Reverb and that's held steady for quite some time. No big price difference from the II model.

You can put a used II on a 70's player-grade Fender and it will still somewhat be period correct as far as a modded piece from that era goes.

 

[Gilmourisgod]

I bought one in the 80's, intending to put it on my Ric, like Geddy... And chickened out. It's still on my Warmoth fretless Frankenjazz. It 's a decent bridge, but nowadays nothing special. Like a lot of people, i bought the hype about increased sustain, and found it was exactly that... Hype. They sound 0% different than a Fender bent plate, but easier to adjust. The Omega is a direct copy, but there are better bridges out there now.

 

[rob4001va]

I bought one in the 80's, intending to put it on my Ric, like Geddy... And chickened out.

Ha...I did exactly the same thing around 1980 or so. Immediately took it off my '76 4001 as soon as I saw how much it ruined my action (even after adjusting). So I put it on my '76 Gibson G-3 and it's still there today...though I have the original bridge too. Been so long I can't remember whether it made the sustain improve or not!

 

[Bob_Ross]

this anti Babicz advert thing is a mystery to me. When i think of how much money people pay for a (mounted) Fender decal and how much more they pay for a tiny USA addition to that decal, disliking advertising seems to fly in the face of the whole desire to own a “name” bass and especially the need to have proof it’s made in the USA.

Oh, I completely get the anti Babicz advert thing. As I wrote elsewhere on TB:

Traditionally that's where logos go, on the headstock. But if I had a bass that also had a logo on the body -- other than a headless bass, they get a pass -- I would probably tape over that.

Plus, the headstock logo is the brand of the bass as a whole; imagine if every subcontractor involved in your bass build felt compelled to vie for ad space the way Babicz does? Your instrument would look like a NASCAR racer with logos all over the knobs and jackplates and pickguards etc. Heck, I think some pickup manufacturers come dangerously close to the same aesthetic faux pas I'm accusing Babicz of, but mercifully most of them keep their logos discreet.

In short, what bothers me is not so much that they deign to have a logo on their bridge, it's that their logo is SO HUGE. It calls attention to itself so relentlessly that it interferes with my appreciation of the instrument as a whole.

 

[fhm555]

Oh, I completely get the anti Babicz advert thing. As I wrote elsewhere on TB:

Odd, my Jazz Plus came from the factory with lace sensors and each one had the word Lace embossed and gold filled on them so they really jump out at you, and since I got it in 1990 i’ve never had anyone ask me about those pickups. They’ve asked me about the three stacked knobs that run parallel to the neck or the machined locking bridge, or the super skinny neck, but never the pickups. I’ve also got a couple J basses with Babitz bridges i use regularly and i have had plenty people tell me they really like the way my basses sound but as of yet not a single individual has even mentioned the Babitz bridge. I’ve had more than a few people notice the adjustable pole pieces on the Dimarzio Model J pickups in one of the Babicz equipped basses and ask me what kind they are, but so far not a single inquiry about the (compared to stock) big honking bridge with the giant Babicz logo etched in it.
oh and BTW, do you ever wear T shirts or hats with equipment logos on them?

 

[Bob_Ross]

do you ever wear T shirts or hats with equipment logos on them?

Sure, I wear the occasional t-shirt with an equipment logo on it...or the occasional hat with an equipment logo on it.
But y'know what I never wear? A t-shirt with an equipment logo on it and a hat with a different equipment logo on it at the same time.

 

[Arie X]

used -good for a cosmetically correct resto or new -a direct replacement, but it's still only worth about what someone is willing to pay for it. personally for a block of metal bridge i like the Schaller roller better.

i get it, it was the 70's, but imo if you have hardware on your bass that says "bad ass" then you had better play like one.