Let the Battle for the Best Bridge Begin!

[Blackjac97]

Hey everyone!

I have stripped down an old P bass knock off that is my first bass I ever had. (anyone with wiring advice, please feel free to comment here: Best Brands for New Pots and Wires) It is out of commission and I am revitalizing it into what will amount to a slightly nicer Fender MIM standard P. One thing I definitely want to upgrade when I reassemble it is the bridge.

I have looked and there are SO many different options. I may have gone straight for the Leo Quan if I hadn't looked first, but there are so many options that it would be a shame not to crowd source this one.

The ones in the pole look most appealing to me on first blush. I'm looking for something that's solid all around:
- good adjustability, nice sustain, clean look
- I want a bridge that will drop in on the Fender 5 or 7 hole mount.
- I'm slightly more partial to the vintage look, but I have no problems with the looks of the Badass, Fender High Mass, etc.
- I don't have string through... but I could mod if persuaded

If you have a bridge that you love that isn't on this list, please feel free to suggest it in the comments.

I look forward to your responses! Thanks!

 

[rico bass]

CTS pots and hipshot transtone bridge.

 

[Blackjac97]

Sorry, I should have specified - I want a bridge that will drop in on the Fender 5 hole mount. Looks like a solid choice though, will def consider for future builds.

CTS pots are in the shopping cart as we type

 

[petrus61]

Fender bent plate/threaded saddles. Not an option, but if I'm playing a Fender, that's the one I want.

 

[GIBrat51]

Sorry - I thought you meant a real Fender... 'cause my answer (other) would be "the bridge that's on it". I've had my '78 P-Bass for 28 years now, and have no complaints with the one it came with. But, for yours? My only experience with replacement bridges is with the Schaller 3D-4 - which I don't think fits your criteria. I guess, out of the ones on your list? The Babicz, probably... my P-Bass's bridge lives under the bridge cover (with the mute in it), anyway...

 

[shrigg]

Fender bent plate/threaded saddles. Not an option, but if I'm playing a Fender, that's the one I want.

Same here.

 

[LoveThatBass]

GOTOH 201B-4 Bridge. I have a BabicZ on another Fender Bass and really like it but I have found the Gotoh 201b-4 is really good and 1/3 the price. Good sound transfer and sustain

Chrome Bass Bridge by Gotoh 201B-4 Precision 4-String Jazz Bass Bridge | Reverb

 

[felixxx]

Fender bent plate with threaded saddles for me too.

 

[James Simonson]

Fender bent plate with threaded saddles is the best to bring out the classic Fender character.

Sometimes, when grip it all down you lose mojo and end up with a bland, even sound. IMO

High mass definitely works great on cheaper woods like basswood. You hear less of the cheaper body, and more of the stable bridge.

Getting it all to balance is key for me. Overbuilding it doesn't always get it right.

You could probably mount a Badass II with some EMGs to a dog turd and tough it out!

As far as a high mass bridge, I like the Musicman bridge the best. Good luck finding one.

 

[burl0029]

I put a Hipshot Vintage on my Jaguar. I love the easy string change openings and the nice extra bend that hides the ball ends of the strings. I mostly use D'Addarios and didn't want to see the rainbow ball ends.

 

[David Jayne]

Another vote for the hipshot vintage. Nice piece. I have a couple.

 

[Mr. Sound]

Wilkinson Vintage.. brass saddles, fits under the ash tray!

 

[beaglesandbass]

I've always been a fan of the Brooklyn Bridge.

I vote the badass 2

 

[Qlanq]

I have the Babacz on 2 of my basses. Pretty much perfect.
But the Badass on my Geddy Jazz has Philips head screws to set the intonation/string lengh.
So what? you might say.
It just makes it so much easier to to set the intonation with the bass around my neck with a Philips head screwdriver than a straight driver.
The Omega bridge looks pretty good to me.

 

[sissy kathy]

Another vote for the Fender bent plate. I'm of the opinion that a properly mounted bridge has more to do with the sound than who made the bridge, or its design. It's economical too.

 

[bassbully]

Fender bent plate/threaded saddles. Not an option, but if I'm playing a Fender, that's the one I want.

^^^^ here^^^^

 

[Callused Finger]

Standard, plain old, stock bent bridge.

 

[mapleglo]

Installed a Babicz and never looked back.

There's nothing wrong with the Hipshot "A" or Schaller roller bridges either. However, since I rest my hand on the bridge when I play with a pick, I find the standard Fender bridges and clones uncomfortable. Sonically, I don't think there's much difference between them.

 

[Hopkins]

Of the bridges listed, the Hipshot and Babicz options are the ones I would choose.

But I tend to agree with the recommendation of a threaded saddle Fender bridge. Or better yet, a set of threaded saddles on a Hipshot vintage bridge. That would give you the string spacing adjustments of the threaded saddles with much easier string changes.

 

[fhm555]

Never had anything but a stock P so i cab't say from personal experience. I do however have jazz basses with (OE) BA bridges, threaded saddle bent plate bridges, schaller locking bridge with top load option (also OE) and babicz FCH bridges.

In order of preference

Schaller
Babicz
BA
threaded saddle bent plate