Need Opinions on High Mass Bridges

[bluesblaster]

I dont know of any emperical science proving more metal equates to better tone or resonance as it relates to electric basses, personally I think its more about the electronics.... but I digress, I would buy a bridge based on what it can do such as quick release strings , or the quality of the saddle and movement of said saddle. Leo Fenders bridges were pretty basic but they worked just fine, today you have a lot of refinements which are nice , but do they make it a better "sounding" bridge if they have more mass, I dont know, you couldnt prove it by me.

 

[GravyGoodness]

No comment on a high mass improving tone, not my jam.

I like a nice piece of machine work too, including how it's finished. The Babicz is nicely made, well designed, and looks the part. I have a couple and like them a lot.

On the basis of looks, in the high mass dept, I like Fender's Big Block bridge. It's just beautiful.

View attachment 3839592

Ooh, that's a good point. I REALLY like the Fender RSD bridges, they look sleeker but would still jive with the vintage astetic.

Only problem is that they are harder to find than hand sanitizer is right now.

 

[JW56789]

I think you have the best reason . . . . it certainly is fascinating looking from a tool room perspective, and if that makes a difference for you, that's good enough.

In my younger days, I though some high-tech high-mass bridge would just have to make a difference. I agree that a new bridge can be great in terms of adjustable string spacing or other features you may gain in the process, and I've had some bridges where part of it could snag your hand in an unfortunate way, a real pain . . . in the hand. And sometimes, a new one just does a better job: I have a Squier Precision Five, and the bridge they used simply doesn't have enough travel on the saddle for the B to use any string choice I might have, so it's gotta go. But that's a mechanical choice and not tone related: Aside from a slightly muffled B, it sounds great as-is.

I've had everything from the crudest bent metal bridges to high-tech machinist nightmare wonders, and I can't honestly say I could hear a bridge. If anything, as I look back, the most simple bridges seemed to be on my best basses tone wise and sustain wise, but that's strictly a subjective impression by me.

 

[DigitalMan]

I like nicely crafted bridges. I don’t think they make much of a difference on tone. I didn’t like the Babicz as I found it to be a PITA to adjust. I prefer the Fender HM, Fender GL, and the BAII over the Babicz. But I admit the Babicz is a damn good looking bridge.

 

[crankypants]

I like to keep things stock, in general.

But, hey, you do you!

 

[2112]

Here's a recent t TB hread that might add to your research:

Why Do High Mass Bridges Get All The Innovation Love?

What I posted there was:

I recently switched from gigging Badass-equipped Jazzes to bent-plate P's. Feels 5-6 pounds lighter in my two-bass bag. Ever since, my beautiful wife insists on carrying it in and out of the venue... she never did that when I was schlepping those J's around.

 

[Slater]

I really want to buy a Babicz bridge ONLY because it looks awesome.

Probably the best reason to get one.

 

[TrustRod]

Is a high mass bridge worth the cost?

I really want to buy a Babicz bridge

A Babicz weighs 3.7oz. A Hipshot vintage weighs 4.4oz. A Babicz isn't a high mass bridge

 

[equalizin]

I like them but would only have one if the came on the bass originally. A geddy lee or something. I'm not going to gamble on my American P if its going to be a drop in or need to have the neck shimmed. If the bass sounded like crap its getting sold. I'm not spending more money on a crap bass.

 

[Sid Fang]

Bridge mass? Let me tell you. I've got a Yamaha SG-2000 guitar - the two-horned Les Paul killer that people like Carlos Santata played in the 1980s. Fantastic guitar. The Yamaha designers went to engineer in every bit of sustain they could. So it's a 3-ply composite through-neck design (on a production guitar from 1976). And it has the "sustain plate". The sustain plate is a goddam block of brass that's embedded in the body (the neck, really, as it's thru). The bridge is mounted onto the sustain block. That guitar weighs a ton, but OhEmmEffGee does it have sustain (and a really sweet tone). I read somewhere that Alembic did something similar at one point. So yeah, I think more mass is better for sustain, but a slightly heavier bridge may not move the needle much.

 

[ad9000]

Every bass is different. You won’t know until you string it up.

I used to think high mass bridges were more effective on heavier bodied basses and lighter bridges were better with lighter bodies, but based on my experience swapping out bridges on the many basses I've owned over the years I've found that isn't universally true. I tend to favor Badass bridges, even though from a design standpoint they are inferior to some of the more technically evolved bridges that have come along in recent years.

I have a very lightweight '64 Jazz Bass that had some dead spots and nasty overtones, particularly on the G string, and installing a Badass cured those issues about 80%. In many other cases though, I've found putting on a Badass creates no improvement and can negatively affect the resonance of an instrument.

I tried a Babicz bridge that was supposed to be a direct replacement for Fender bridges. I returned it because I had two major issues with it - the saddle length screws were made of such soft metal that they stripped out just with normal adjustment, also there wasn't enough saddle length travel to intonate a couple of the strings properly. I wanted to like it, but it didn't work.

 

[Jack Butler]

This. I recently put 3 different bridges on my roadworn P, ended up putting the stock bridge back on. No tone difference that I could detect.

I’ve tried a few, and haven’t really noticed any difference in tone. BUT I was very happy when I put one on a light weight body and it helped balance the bass out, resulting in better playability. (FWIW it was a Fender Deluxe Bridge.)

Even if you don’t care about the tone, you can still justify getting one. If you like the look, the feel & function of the thing when you change your strings, make adjustments, and just plain makes you like the bass more- that’s enough in my book!

 

[lug]

I've put 4 BadAss Bridges on basses. I've only detected what I thought was a sound difference on one of them.

 

[getBAK]

I suspect that a high-mass bridge's effect is more of a part of the total system than anything.
Now if you're interested in machining (and sound transfer) The Ray Ross Bridge is fascinating
Ray Ross Bass Bridge

 

[Ryno1330]

I have multiple Fender basses and one Suhr Jazz which is basically a perfectly built Fender (John Suhr was a Fender master builder - not that he built mine but it's his design and standards). The Suhr has really nice appointments but the bridge is a gotoh vintage jazz bent bridge ($30) and I can tell you it's punchier than my other Fenders and sustain is NOT an issue. My other main jazz is a 70s style Fender and it has a badass 2 (so high mass).

Having said that I looked up Babicz bridges. Those look sweet and you should get one if you appreciate the engineering and looks and dough isn't an issue!

 

[rylie]

my '76 Fender J current set up with Babicz
history:
bought the US 76 J used in 78
w/stock bridge
80's added badass
2016 added Babicz
looks alone Babicz wins
function/performance?
toss the coin

 

[Aidenn7]

The thing that the most effects your bass is 1) you 2)pickup-detail 3) instrument setup details.. Like strings, feel, balance..

Heavy Bridge and light tuners for balance

 

[skyline_01]

The Hipshot Kickass is a nice-looking chunk of metal, and I can vouch for its usefulness. I put one on my Squier VMP5 and it not only looks rad but it seems to help a little with articulation and harmonics.

Downside is that it's a little heavier than others but I think it's worth it. And you can always lose some weight with lighter tuners if need be.

 

[Kukulkan61]

It's all about looks when it comes to the bridge, if you can honestly hear a difference then you can probably walk on water too...

 

[Killing Floor]

A lot of major brands don’t seem to know that the vibration of your string enters your bass Only at the bridge and the nut. So if you can justify 10 seconds discussing tone wood or neck construction then why disregard the bridge with cheap bent sheet metal? I’m talking to you Fender. I love Fender basses. Step 1, I buy a bass. Step 2, if it’s a Fender I replace the bass with something purpose built to transfer the string vibration to the body.