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Need a bridge. What are some options, and how good are they?

S

steele

Jan 11, 2008
87
0
#1
So I'm going to be buying a new bridge but I don't have $90 or a $100 for a Leo Quan bridge. And I don't know if a no name $20 one off ebay is going to be a step down or affect being able to get a good set up on the bass or will it just be the same as the stock one the bass comes with? So are there any options out there as far as this problem goes?

Needs to fit Schecter Deluxe 4

example of what I mean by something off ebay: http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-BASS-BRIDGE-4-STR-HIGH-QUALITY-BLACK-BB012BK_W0QQitemZ370244584458QQcmdZViewItemQQptZGuitar_Accessories?hash=item56344c040a&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270443593922&fromMakeTrack=true&ssPageName=VIP:watchlink:top:en
 
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#4
'need'?

that's the reason youre gonna score lots of flak and make this thread more of a headache than you'd care for, steele.

Save money for a good bridge if you're gonna upgrade. I highly recommend looking for one with piezo. You might as well make it count.

At the very least make sure that it's rock solid and not just more massive.

Why not look at monosaddles?
 
#5
Please do not buy any replacement bridge unless you have a clear and specific idea of what is wrong with your existing bridge, and how the specific new replacement bridge will solve that problem.

For example, "I want more sustain" is not a description of something wrong with your existing bridge, and buying a new bridge may not do anything to help. "This bridge has crummy intonation screws, and it rattles" is a description of things that are wrong, and which can be fixed with a new bridge.
 
#6
I need a different bridge because I'm making all of the hardware black, and I've got chrome from the stock hardware. And I never said anything was wrong with it, that's jumping to a conclusion.
 
#10
steele said:
I need a different bridge because I'm making all of the hardware black, and I've got chrome from the stock hardware. And I never said anything was wrong with it, that's jumping to a conclusion.
Click to expand...
I didn't say there was anything wrong with it either! All I said was be sure to have a specific sensible reason to change. You want a new color, which is a specific sensible reason to change.
 
#11
I definitely vote for the Gotoh bridge. I've used Badass bridges on other basses, and I recently gave my MIJ Fender Jazz a full makeover. I replaced the stock bridge with a Gotoh 201 from Warmoth, and the sustain improvement is noticable. Not to mention that it looks great...

...and the price is about 1/2 what you'd pay for a Badass. After shipping, I think it came to $45. Money well spent - I don't think you could go wrong with one.
 
#12
I understand you are doing it for looks, I bought a hipshot for my MIM jazz, along with some Bartolini pups. I installed everything together and immediately I found the bass to be slightly dead with new strings.

I put the stock old flimsy MIM jazz bridge back on and the bass came back to life, sounds amazing. I was really bummed cause the Hipshot bridge looked fantastic on the bass.

If you can find a stock bridge in whatever color your going for, I would go with that, just my opinion. Or take it to a auto paint shop and have them paint it for ya, muriatic acid used for balancing pool water will remove chrome. I found that out the hard way when it took the chrome off of my bumper on my truck.
 
#13
I'm a very big fan of Hipshot A bridges, but since they are beyond your price point, maybe a Schaller roller bridge? I'm a very big fan of this bridge and it can be had for cheap off the 'bay. Here's mine on my project SX. It's chrome, but you can get black and gold as well. I got it NOS of e-Bay for something like $30 delivered...

bridge_pre.jpg
 
#14
I've been a fanatic for bridges with lock-down saddles (ABM, for example). I'm actually about to swap an ABM clone out for a Gotoh 201. My main reason to switch from the present one is that it doesn't look right. The Gotoh has the clean, classic look but should be every bit as solid. The Gotoh may be one of the best bridges for Fender-style replacement. Yeah, it takes some people longer than others to catch on.
 
#16
+1 on the Gotoh 201. I just put one on my Squier Jazz and immediately noticed better acoustic tone and better sustain. And it's a nice looking bridge too. The only issue I have is that the intonation machine screws are a bit too short. My G string is still a little flat but I'm out of screw. There's plenty more room on the bridge to move forward though so just getting a longer screw will fix the problem. Some people have complained about not being able to get their action low enough, that's not a problem on my bass.
 
#19
billoetjen said:
I've heard this solution to a similar problem on other bridges: pull the string off, slide a small nut all the way down to the ball-end and put the string back on. Probably fixes the intonation and no one can see the trick.
Click to expand...

Wait, I just realized that was stupid. The length of the string to be intonated won't be changed.... That fix is only if the ball-end wrap is too long for the bridge and interferes with the saddle when trying to intonate. :rollno:

Sorry.
 

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