GOTOH 201 Bass Bridge- any improvement over the fender stock one?

[Guest BassKS]

Hi guys,

Im about to change the bridge on my 62 Jap P bass RI which ive chnaged the Pups into a PJ EMG. Is GOTOH 201 a good move as it is almost identical to the new HMV fender bridge that the 2008 models are fitted with.

[ahpook]

the 201's fine choice. i've got them on two of my basses.

[Protium]

The Gotoh 203 is a decent bridge too, styled more like a trad. Fender but with slots to stop the saddles sliding about.

[markytbass]

I think the 203 is cheaper than the 201, well it is on ebay anyhow.

[Guest BassKS]

201 is 21 quid and thats ok for me...not Badass-too expensive.

I dont want a traditional one as i want to see a change from a high mass one. Apparently 201 is very similar to sadowskys.

[leonshelley01]

I noted a real improvement in tone and sustain on my MIM Jazz after replacing the original bridge with a 201. And it's not ugly like a Badass!

[Guest BassKS]

Im glad someone shares my views about aesthetics of a bridge....

Well thanks all of you people... I will be buying this bridge once ive sold some books.

[Rumble]

Am i correct in thinking that the string spacing on the Gotoh is 19mm? I have one on a '99 US jazz I've just bought and it's thrown the strings out of line with the PUPs and the G's sitting quite a way from the edge of the neck. Do I need a 20mm bridge?

[Delberthot]

As far as i know they are direct replacements for Fenders. I have them on both my Wamoths.

I don't think there would be as much of a market for them if they had different string spacing than standard.

[Rumble]

So why do you reckon it's thrown my string alignment out?

The other things is that it's got some Kent Armstrong PUPs instead of the stock ones. I'm wondering if they might be bigger than the stock Fenders so the string doesn't bisect the pole pieces perfectly??

[Delberthot]

Again, Kent's been making these for years so I would've assumed that they would align properly.

Sorry, I'm not much help am I?

[Delberthot]

Wait a minute - are both pickups the same size?

Normally longer one for the bridge but then again they probably wouldn't fit in the routes very well if they were the wrong ones

[Rumble]

Having looked at it again tonight, it really seems to be an issue with the bridge position rather than PUP's. This leaves me with two possible choices:-
1) find a bridge to go in the original screw holes with a 20mm spacing
2) re drill the current bridge 2mm to the right and slightly forward or back, of the current ones (a disaster waiting to happen!)

[Dubs]

[quote name='Rumble' post='323688' date='Nov 6 2008, 07:39 PM']Having looked at it again tonight, it really seems to be an issue with the bridge position rather than PUP's. This leaves me with two possible choices:-
1) find a bridge to go in the original screw holes with a 20mm spacing
2) re drill the current bridge 2mm to the right and slightly forward or back, of the current ones (a disaster waiting to happen!)[/quote]

Fill the holes in and start again with the bridge position? Personally I would avoid re-drilling anything close to the original holes if they weren’t filled in.