I want to upgrade the bridge in my entry level 4-string bass (a Glarry GIB). Yes, I know that for the $$ I spend upgrading components, I could probably just buy something new, better, and ready to go. But some of this is about doing it myself in addition to making it a better instrument. Anyway, I’m considering a Leo Quan Badass bridge or a Hipshot Kickass bridge. I’d appreciate any thoughts you have, especially if you have personal experience with either of them. Also, I’m open to other suggestions for other high-mass bridges. I mentioned those because they seem to be the go to choices, but I’m certainly not locked in to them.
For a himass bridge, I actually like the Fender (heresy!) over the hipshot, but if I were getting a bridge for myself Gotoh would be my first choice.
Don’t listen to the hype on himass bridges. They don’t make your tone better, they make it different. Setup on both the hipshot and Fender himass is improved, they have that. And it helps combat neck dive. But tone? eh.
This is the last bridge I bought. More mass than the factory but doesn’t over do it. Brass saddles, just lovely
Very substantial and solid, mid to high mass. Much more sturdy than the Fender bent L style, transmits string vibration really well. Saddles are brass, chrome plated. They also make it in black.
Cool, yeah. I think it’s the best bridge you can get for the money.
Gotoh seems to be slowing down production, BTW. A lot of their items that are usually in stock have a several month wait right now - and that’s here in Japan.
Forgive my 1st attempt at making a plate under the bridge to hide the original screw holes and maintain the grounding without drilling a new hole for the ground wire. I need new screws for it, though.
To be fair, aside from “feeling” solid, a “decent” not pot metal from China, Fender or Fender style vintage bridge do not have noticeably less sustain than the HighMass ones. The only bridge that makes substantial difference is the RayRoss saddle less bridge.
I couldn’t care less about sustain, yeah. For me it’s more about shifting some more mass into the body for better balance, and aesthetics- the bent-L’s look cheap and cheesy to me, but YMMV.
That is Me I like the BadAss look, it’s so solid. That said the best Fender Bridge I’ve ever use is the Elite bridge. It’s not even made or designed by Fender, it’s made in Germany, so good and very easy to adjust the intonation.
@ras Nothing wrong with upgrade v new bass. If you are generally happy with your bass its sensible to do things as you need / can afford to do them. My bridge is a Babicz FCH which is now out of production so is fairly unique now.
Personally I like the babicz bridges because they can go very low, stay put when you get them set up, are comfortable on the hands, and due to the contact area with the body give you better/louder harmonics. In my experience, sustain gain is negligible unless you have a very poorly designed bridge. The body is aluminum so Id avoid the plain chrome one if at all possible just because chrome already has problems adhering to metal but it seems to be worse on aluminum. Also I wouldn’t go with the z series as the saddles can move side to side without any retaining device.
I like the BadAss look, it’s so solid. That said the best Fender Bridge I’ve ever use is the Elite bridge. It’s not even made or designed by Fender, it’s made in Germany, so good and very easy to adjust the intonation.