I have several basses with Res O Lites. The bushings are .695". And they are 5 oz lighter than standard reverse vintage style tuners.
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So, what does a Badass II really do for the bass?
- Thread starter jre5
- Start date
I have several basses with Res O Lites. The bushings are .695". And they are 5 oz lighter than standard reverse vintage style tuners.
I dunno about anybody else but installing BAIIs on my basses makes me feel closer to Geddy.
Perfect, thanks for the info. I’ve used Schaller and Grover but need to try some of these
They may be more adjustable in some situations. I tried 3 different bridges on my P bass one after another, and I had confirmation bias going in, and still could not hear ANY difference at all in the sound or sustain. I mean when I look at some of the high mass options compared to the fender bent plate, it just seems like that much more mass would have to improve the tone for sure. It's physics right! But even though I wanted it to be true, I could not hear it. So I sold them and kept the original. I will say the Schaller 3d bridge on my Kramer makes a lot of sense as far as easy adjustment, but doubt it sounds any different.
I agree with you about the Schaller 3D. It used to be my favorite bridge. They are a heavy beast though. I can pretty much get the same results with a threaded saddle bent plate. Near perfect string/magnet pole alignment. (Can't do that with a BAII.)
It adds a much bigger chunk of metal to the front of your bass, but it also says “Badass,” which is exciting because mom doesn’t like it when we talk like that.
Recently I replaced the Fender standard bent plate bridge on my 2021 Jazz bass with a Gotoh 201. It made absolutely no difference in the tone and sustain of the bass, so I put the stock bridge back on.
I bought a Fender Hi-Mass bridge with brass saddles for my Jazz. I don't hear any difference, but I like the fact, that the saddles stay in place better.
Looks badass. It's in the name.
Really youre changing the mass of the bass. It CAN change how the bass resonates which CAN change the tone or CAN move dead spots or CAN increase sustain. It also CAN do the opposite of all that.
But it's such a bass to bass string to string player to player situation you really never know.
Basically if you want it, get it if not, don't. Don't let the TB curmudgeons sway you.
Really youre changing the mass of the bass. It CAN change how the bass resonates which CAN change the tone or CAN move dead spots or CAN increase sustain. It also CAN do the opposite of all that.
But it's such a bass to bass string to string player to player situation you really never know.
Basically if you want it, get it if not, don't. Don't let the TB curmudgeons sway you.
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This is a word that gets used far too optimistically and far too often.
What you would be doing is making changes or “mods” which, in the end, may or may not turn out to be “upgrades” (actual improvements).
There are so many interrelated factors that affect the tone and feel of a bass that it’s seldom possible to predict what effects, if any, a change will have. Changing your bridge might change something and that change might be for the better. …or not.
What is quantifiable, though is that a lot of MIM bridges (not all of them) are made of inexpensive materials that leave a little to be desired, quality wise. They work just fine, mind you, but they’re a little bit cheesy. The BA II is a solid, reliable, well-made (and heavy) bridge with a long track record of durability and easy adjustment. Will it actually be an “upgrade”? Tonally? Doubtful. Durability wise? Maybe.
Unless the original bridge gives you problems I don’t see any reason to replace it unless you just don’t like it. Nothing wrong with that but I wouldn’t call it an upgrade, exactly. It would be more of a “customization.”
- Jul 7, 2010
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- Endorsing Artist for: Duncan Pickups; Line6, Hipshot, GHS Strings, Somnium Guitars
I use them on ALL my basses. Best feeling and it DID add something to the tones and output...I think...lol
I upgraded the bridge on my MIJ parts P bass to a brass Hipshot Type B bridge, although it was mainly because I prefer that bridge after using it on various Carvins for decades. I do a fair amount of palm muting, and the Hipshot is much more comfortable on my hand when doing so and makes it easier to hit the spots I want for different tones. I also trust the intonation on the bridge and find it easy to work with. No idea if this bridge impacts the bass' tone per se, but there's no question that I'm happier with the bass with it on.
I like high mass bridges for sure, and ive said it before here on tb, but i went down this rabbit hole thinking it would add something to the tone/sustain...and it didnt. Some people think it does and if they do, thats cool. For me, it never helped.
I have the Gotoh 201 on my Ibanez TMB 100. I like it. Not that it made much difference sound wise but it looks cooler to me.
D
Its one of the most adjustable bridges that i have personally used. I installed one on a kit bass and due to side to side adjustment I was able to adjust my string spacing to land properly over the pickups and the neck.
It looks good too on certain bodies but there are better slicker lighter bridges out there
It looks good too on certain bodies but there are better slicker lighter bridges out there
I've mounted those on my basses since the late eighties although I no longer do. Here are some pros and cons:
Pros:
- It increases the sustain (fantastic for percussive techniques)
- I adds brightness and overtones
Cons:
- More sustain, longer note decay means you don't have the old school note "thump" and the fat attack of a vintage Fender.
- Brighter sound means more modern less "vintagey" sound possibly more bristling especially with a pick. The sound awful with flatwounds in my opinion.
As my taste in bass sound changed I eventually ditched them out and put some old bent metal (nickel) bridges on my Fender.
I recommend it if you use modern techniques and want a lot of clarity to play fast. If you play rock/blues/country/old school bass stuff, I don't recommend it.
Pros:
- It increases the sustain (fantastic for percussive techniques)
- I adds brightness and overtones
Cons:
- More sustain, longer note decay means you don't have the old school note "thump" and the fat attack of a vintage Fender.
- Brighter sound means more modern less "vintagey" sound possibly more bristling especially with a pick. The sound awful with flatwounds in my opinion.
As my taste in bass sound changed I eventually ditched them out and put some old bent metal (nickel) bridges on my Fender.
I recommend it if you use modern techniques and want a lot of clarity to play fast. If you play rock/blues/country/old school bass stuff, I don't recommend it.
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