Badly placed bridges on the Gibson Thunderbird basses...

[bassmayhem]

Have you played a Gibson Thunderbird recently? Then you'll notice the bridge is placed too near the neck, making it almost impossible to adjust the strings so you only have the clean winding of the singing part of the strings over the bridge saddles. If you want the bass to intonate properly, you'll end up in the double winding for the ball end. Stupid! I've played three or more of the newer T-birds: the same on all of them. Someone hasn't done the thinking properly...

Check this one out:

...or this one:

This is bad. Really bad.
It would be so easy to relocate the bridge to solve this. Guess why I didn't buy one...!

[Muzz]

Hipshot Supertone. A better bridge all round.

[Mr. Foxen]

Gibson are bad at putting bridges in the right place, their guitars suffer from it too. Also making necks that work properly. But they have gibson written on them, so people still buy.

[White Cloud]

I love Thunderbirds - but the floating bridge on Gibson basses is a hateful abomination imo.

The single worst piece of hardware I have ever encountered on any bass guitar.

[geoffbyrne]

Because of the poor bridge design, relocation would be futile as the distance between the backstop & the saddles is waht needs to be increased. Since it is a 'one-piece' bridge (made up of many pieces!) moving the bridge would not change this no matter where you located it.

As mentioned above - get another bridge.

G.

[John Schoen]

You would either need another bridge or use this thingy: a mod-bar: http://www.ebay.com/itm/GIBSON-EPIPHONE-BASS-BRIDGE-3-POINT-MOD-BAR-/300941787065

[BigRedX]

The original Thunderbirds had a separate bridge and tailpiece.

[D.I. Joe]

[quote name='John Schoen' timestamp='1375527095' post='2162493']
You would either need another bridge or use this thingy: a mod-bar: [url="http://www.ebay.com/itm/GIBSON-EPIPHONE-BASS-BRIDGE-3-POINT-MOD-BAR-/300941787065"]http://www.ebay.com/...R-/300941787065[/url]
[/quote]

That certainly looks useful! Though this really is something that Gibson need to address. You shouldn't need to spend all that money (for the name?) on bass and THEN have to spend out to fix the bridge yourself. Upgrading is one thing, but in order to fix a design flaw? C'mon!!

[CPBass]

Ive had quite a few T birds over the years and loved them. Whilst the abomination of a bridge remains and doesn't appear to changing anytime soon. I simply switched it for the Hipshot Supertone and simply being the operative word, its as easy as changing a string. Not only does it rectify the intonation and tuning issues, it looks great and improves the contact between string and bass. A bit of a faff for a classic design but well worth it when your at full tilt with your foot on the monitor. All hail the most Rock n Roll bass EVER.

Edited August 3, 2013 by Voodoosnake

[waynepunkdude]

I have a terrible problem with bridge placement on mine.

[Billy Apple]

[quote name='waynepunkdude' timestamp='1375558828' post='2162956']
I have a terrible problem with bridge placement on mine.



[/quote]

If you raised it, it would be fine

[neepheid]

Yes, the three point bridge is horrible, but if it wasn't in the right place then the bass wouldn't intonate. If you don't like it, there are alternatives. Like the Hipshot Supertone or having a bitch about it on an internet forum. Or shutting the hell up about it, that works for me too.

I've yet to encounter a Gibson (bass) neck which does not function properly. Maybe I've just been lucky. Yada yada, Gibsons are crap and trading on their name, heard it all before and it isn't getting any less boring.

[waynepunkdude]

They just look so ugly, I can't get passed that.

[NancyJohnson]

Supertone on all mine.

Hi Wayne.
P

[Shylock]

[right]I think the problem is that the string anchor point is too near to the saddle particularly on the E string - the answer is to use unsilked strings and I have just restringed mine with D'addarios pro steels.[/right]

[right]The problem I [u]do [/u]have is that the D string seems quieter than the others and because you cannot alter the individual saddle height I cannot lower the string to the pick up. Everything else about me Gibson T'Bird I love and I cannot believe that Gibson think the bridge is acceptable. It would not take much to put small screws in saddles to alter the height individually. I had a cheap Peavey Millennium which managed this okay.[/right]

The answer for me is probably a Hipshot Supertone the trouble is that I like the look of the original stupid bridge, I think the Hipshot looks too large on the T'Bird and, more importantly, the only way to buy one at a sensible price is to import one from the US and I am nervous here. Can any one reassure me here?

[right]Cheers[/right]

Edited August 8, 2013 by Shylock

[Woodinblack]

I think the bridge looks really good and suits the bass, its a shame it is too short. I had a difficulty with strings only just fitting on the ibanez individual bridges and that looks shorter. good that some ebay person has done a simple elegant fix

Has anyone (with one) actually written to gibson to say about it? There is always the 'well they must know how bad this is', but the more people who say about it the more noticeable it becomes.

[Billy Apple]

I got my supertone from the States and it arrived on my doorstep. Sometimes parcels are waved through. I was not so lucky with some Gotoh tuners though.

[Billy Apple]

I think the best looking bridge is the original two part one, and it would solve all this.

[neepheid]

So, are we all agreed that the bridge is in the right place and the actual beef is with the design of the bridge itself, that being the ball ends of the strings are too close to the saddles once intonated (which incidentally is a beef I share, amongst others regarding this bridge). Gibson, despite all their idiosyncrasies and foibles I'm sure are well aware of the scale length of an instrument and where to put a bridge.

So, where's the parallel BBOT thread and spurious accusations of Fender incompetence? There are enough BBOT detractors out there, are they just not as organised or something?

For what it's worth, and despite my stirring the pot above, I think the BBOT is perfectly reasonable, functional bridge. I have BBOT-a-likes on my two Yamaha BBs and I feel no desire to change 'em.

[BigRedX]

[quote name='Billy Apple' timestamp='1375949101' post='2167686']
I think the best looking bridge is the original two part one, and it would solve all this.
[/quote]

This.

A slightly updated version of this bridge is good enough for Mike Lull. Anyone know why Gibson decided to change to the 3-point?

[thodrik]

My 1974 Gibson EB3 has the same problem, there is barely any gap between the ball end of the string and the saddle. Adding that the to the three point design it is like the perfect storm of bad bridge designs. Poor design though is almost a 'quirk' that gives Gibson basses their character.

[Dave Vader]

I bought a hipshot from the US to replace that other fantastically engineered bridge, the rickenbacker. It ducked through customs very nicely and was worth every penny.

[goingdownslow]

I am considering a Hipshot Supertone replacement for this Epi 3 point bridge but wonder if there would be enough clearance with the tone knob as the Hipshot looks a bit chunky around there.
[attachment=141193:EB3 b.jpg]

[RandomBass]

[quote name='waynepunkdude' timestamp='1375558828' post='2162956']
I have a terrible problem with bridge placement on mine.



[/quote]
To the Tower with him...

[iceonaboy]

I think they are gorgeous geetars, havent had the pleasure of owning one, only a cheap Epiphone, which was pretty sh*te to be honest. I would love a real Gibsahn