Which is the best replacement bridge for a Fender

[ead]

What do we think people? Change it or leave it?

[BottomE]

I have a Badass on a US Jazz which is great in terms of adjustment parameters etc but does nothing tonally that i can detect. Why do you want to change it? Are you experiencing any issues?

[sykilz]

I have a MIM P bass, put the thick Gotoh bridge on it (201 I think?) and it`s given, IMO ,my strings a bit more tension, don`t know why, and the sound is a lot more....focussed I would say,and a bit brighter. In fact my drummer in a LOUD metal band commented " for the 1st time ever I`ve heard every note you played" the first rehearsal after fitting it, so it def. worked for me.

[sixdegrees]

I've got a Gotoh on my Jazz (same as what would go on a P). Because stock bridges ain't that great, and it's less than half the price of a Badass.

[pikeman]

I recently fitted a Babicz bridge to my P bass and the sustain is much greater than the Badass 2 it replaced.

[BigRedX]

Can't really answer the question until we know what the current bridge is and what you don't like about it.

[brensabre79]

I have both a Badass and a Gotoh 201. Both made dramatic improvements to the sustain of the bass, can't say which is my favourite though. If I were to do a third I would probably go for a Gotoh simply because they are cheaper and easier to get! Also, I think the Gotoh design is just a quality improvement on the original Fender whereas the Badass is almost a complete rethink - plus you may have to shim your neck with the BA because they sit high up.

[WHUFC BASS]

[quote name='brensabre79' timestamp='1325784871' post='1487696']
I have both a Badass and a Gotoh 201. Both made dramatic improvements to the sustain of the bass, can't say which is my favourite though. If I were to do a third I would probably go for a Gotoh simply because they are cheaper and easier to get! Also, I think the Gotoh design is just a quality improvement on the original Fender whereas the Badass is almost a complete rethink - plus you may have to shim your neck with the BA because they sit high up.
[/quote]

Yep, Gotoh gets my vote for the simple reason the Badass sits too high to get a super low action on most basses. I've used both and for me the Gotoh was just a straight replacement with no height issues whatsoever.

[bremen]

I have a P with a Badass 2 and one with a BBOT. The BBOT one sustains better.

But there may be other factors. I think the greatest improvement, soundwise, in 'upgrading' on the original is placebo.

[Lozz196]

As a mainly Precision player I went for the Leave it alone you Muppet option.

If I were a mainly Jazz player, I`d have gone for the Gotoh option.

I think replacement bridges on Precisions seem to detract from all that is good about the sound, whereas on a Jazz they seem to enhance all that is good about the sound. But that`s just the way my ears like to hear each instrument.

[ead]

The bridge on my MIM P is a standard Fender BBOT. My main issue is that on occasion if I'm digging in a bit it does feel like the string occasionally moves slightly which is a bit disconcerting.

IMHO it's an area that Fender took too long to address when they are selling basses for serious money with a faily ropey bit of hardware. As it's a 10 year old Mexican bass I don't feel that it will devalue the instrument in any way so I'm considering a change.

As has been pointed out above the Gotoh is $40 and the Bad Ass is $90 so I was wondering whether there was a strong preferance amongst you more experienced players and whether the Bad Ass is more than twice as good as the Gotoh.

[simon1964]

[quote name='ead' timestamp='1325795268' post='1487973']
whether the Bad Ass is more than twice as good as the Gotoh.
[/quote]

No, its not, IMO. I've used both, and if you're looking mainly for increased stability then the Gotoh will do that just as well as the Badass

[BigRedX]

If the issue is more one of the saddles moving sideways with more energetic playing rather than one of tone, I'd recommend getting something similar to the BBOT but with grooves in the bassplate for the saddle height screws.

[Deep Thought]

I have a Gotoh 203 bridge on my Shuker, and a 201 which I retrofitted on my Mex Precision. The 201 is the more substantial of the two, with the saddle height adjustment screws of all four strings sitting in channels in the baseplate to stop any lateral movement. The 203 has them on the outer two strings only, but the outer ones anchor the inner ones so nothing's going to move much with either. The 203 has a slightly more traditional look, but they are both more substantial than the standard Fender BBOT. Can't say my cloth ears detect much in the way of difference to the sound, but they are certainly both more stable.

[StevieD_FenderP2009]

Badass II for me all the way. i have one on my 2 Fender Precisions (Steve Harris signature and 87 checkerboard), my Squier VM Jazz and my Tobias Toby Pro IV. I like the looks, the increased sustain and the overall quality of the bridge. I have nothing against the Babicz or Gotoh ones, I just prefer the Badass II's. The original Fender B.B.O.T. is a complete P.O.S. (make of that what you will).

If I ever get another bass with a 3 or 5 screw mounted bridge, I wouldn't hesitate in fitting a badass II.

[Noisyjon]

I would go for a Hipshot A style FM1 or 2 bridge (FM is for Fender Mount, Version 1 is for the 5 hole top mount basses and the version 2 is for string through/top loading 3 hole basses)

Not cheap but VERY nice units IMO.

[Muzz]

Schaller 3D: there's lateral adjustment available for pup pole/string lineup issues, and it's more comfortable if you rest the heel of your hand on it to play.

[fluffo]

No reason to change it, but the question was best replacement bridge, If I had to replace one it would be a bad ass

[bubinga5]

can someone tell me if you have to drill extra holes when putting a badass II on a 75 RI jazz? also whats the best bridge for adjustment of string spacing...

Edited January 5, 2012 by bubinga5

[LukeFRC]

i like the bbot ones personally.
Gotoh are nice too.
Can't personally stand badass. good at what they do, just not something I would want to do. Take the idea to the ultimate and you get to the peavey t40 bridge, which just insulates the string from the rest of the body. did sound good in a band mind

[jezzaboy]

[quote name='bubinga5' timestamp='1325798943' post='1488084']
can someone tell me if you have to drill extra holes when putting a badass II on a 75 RI jazz? also whats the best bridge for adjustment of string spacing...
[/quote]

Don`t think so. I had a ba2 on a classic Jazz, lined up perfectly. I am pretty sure that the ba is designed to fit the 5 holes on a P or Jazz.



If you are looking for something solid you could try a G&L bridge. A right solid piece of kit.

Jez

Edited January 5, 2012 by jezzaboy