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Ultimate Fender Bridge

#41
Human Bass said:
now put some grooves under the saddles and we can start to talk :smug:
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+1. My beef with the standard Fender bridge is not the sound, but the way the saddles tend to skid around and throw the intonation off. Not everyone plays with a real hard attack, but I do, and need a bridge that can take it.

Titanium is probably a great material for this application, though. A Japanese company called KTS makes Ti Fender replacement parts: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

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I recall they even made a Ti BAII, but that seems to have been removed from the catalog lately. They do still make the saddle pieces: Invalid Link Removed
 
#47
michaelprice83 said:
Just for reference, the standard "cheapo" bridge gets me a more desireable (to my ears) sound than the new and improved high mass bridges. I don't care how huge and bombproof a bridge is, its purpose is to transfer vibrations in a desireable way, and allow the ability to properly intonate the instrument. I've compared the Detemple bridge to the one being used currently on the American Vintage reissue Fenders and its definitely an enhancement. Its well constructed, and 100% titanium with the exception of the screws. I have not tried the wilkinson but I will have to pick one up now, I have one of their vintage trems for my strat and its really nice and well engineered. Apparently some of you aren't getting the point that while this isn't a feature laden bridge, its the simple basic bridge design used for over 50 years and it offers some pleasing sonic enhancements.
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Thanks for the clarification on this. If you're getting a woodier tone than the Vintage RI bridge, then I think I may have to take a look at one of these bridges. If you do try a Wilkinson, let me know how they measure up agianst each other. Feel free to PM me with your findings. I'd be interested to hear what you think.
 
#52
michaelprice83 said:
Leo Quann clearly states that the bridge is "badass"........no need for objective criteria
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I had a BA II bridge on my MIJ J-Bass and I gotta agree that it was overrated. I think BA II bridges are probably the most over-hyped items in the Bass world. I have installed a titanium bridge and like it better. More of the "wood" tone comes through.

Hey Michael, now get a load of this ; I am having put together a Warmoth J-Bass and am going to install a titanium bridge that the techs at DeTemple guitars drilled holes through. This will allow me to string through the body. If that weren't enough I had custom made titanium ferrules to anchor the strings in the the back. The ferrules and the bridge were anodized gold to try and match the other gold hardware that I will be installing on the bass. ;>)

Cool no...? My tech will have my new custom bass ready for me by the end of next week. I can't wait.
 
#54
jasper383 said:
I would also argue that there is nothing wrong with the MIM bridges either. My opinion.

It would appear that the "massive bridge" pendulum is starting to swing back a little?
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Same here - I've been playing MIM bridges since '92, and never had a bit of trouble with any of them - and they've sounded good for me as well... I used to have a BA bridge on an old RD Artist I had, but only because it came with it - I doubt I'd spend the money on one for a Fender, and it's possible that a BA would take away some of the Fender sound I've grown to appreciate... JMHO,


- georgestrings
 

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