Hi all,
I'm looking to replace the bridge on my 2008 MIM standard P-bass (4 string) with a drop-in hi-mass style option. My main requirement is that I want something chunky, with block or wedge saddles instead of barrels. I play noisy grunge/punk and play very hard with a pick, and the stock bridge/saddles keep moving and the low E string saddle is vibrating the grub screws so it lowers itself until the point where the frets choke out.
I've looked at the Badass, the Hipshot Kickass and the Babicz (too expensive really) as well as the Fender Hi Mass, would ideally like to spend <80 quid, but I can't seem to find many options available in the UK. Any thoughts/recommendations?
Comments
If the saddle grub screws still self-adjust - they can, even with a more solid bridge design - just make sure the bridge is set up perfectly and then superglue them...
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
https://graingerguitarparts.com/t/bass-bridges
I have one of the latter in the tasteful chrome finish but no fastening screws.
If you're suggesting that it might be for sale sans mounting screws (which I should be able to transfer straight over from the previous stock bridge), please feel free to slide into my PMs ;-)
The Fender BadAss alike is available here at a price that I cannot undercut. https://www.dv247.com/en_GB/GBP/Fender-Bridge-Hi-Mass-IV-/art-BAS0007634-000
One word of caution regarding BasAss I and II type bridges. The minimum saddle height is engineered for a fretted bass guitar. On de-fretted or proper fretless instruments, the lowest available action will be higher than even James Jamerson's P Bass unless or until the neck is shimmed.
The OP is interested in the BadAss clone.
As can be seen in prowla's photograph, the string alignment sorts itself out under tension. For wider string spacings, it would be necessary to make notches in each saddle to guide the strings - just like the old Leo Quan product.
Ha.
Perhaps I should have explained a bit.
I realise it isn't a high mass bridge, but by all accounts it is an improvement on the MIM standard bridge, is a direct fit, and may solve some of your issues without being such a departure from the classic look.
Given the OP's description of his requirements, physical stability is the number one consideration. The Sixties style "threaded" Fender bass bridge is probably the single worst candidate for meeting this brief. Hard playing tends to cause the strings to hop sideways across the ridges.