Which bridge for P bass?

[Muzz]

Schaller 3D all day: as has been said, the lateral adjustment is really easy and if, like me, your right hand spends any time on the bridge, it's very comfortable.

Edited July 4, 2017 by Muzz

[Danuman]

This is all great stuff.

I'm really starting to appreciate the Schaller, which is a bit of a shame, as I found a Fender mount A Style this morning. 😂

Edited July 4, 2017 by Danuman

[LukeFRC]

[quote name='Danuman' timestamp='1499083826' post='3329003']


I know. It's awfully petty.
The Kickass is a nice bridge, but to me it just looks off on a P.

Do any of you happen to know if there's any difference in the relative height of the A style vs the Kickass?
[/quote] they have scale drawing on their website

[LukeFRC]

Also found out last night when starting to fit mine....

Schaller 3D metric tools needed
Hipshot A imperial tools needed

What is your set of Allen keys - buy a bridge to match?

[Danuman]

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1499234269' post='3330085']
they have scale drawing on their website
[/quote]

Thanks! If you hadn't asserted they would in fact be there, I wouldn't have bothered... (I eventually found them under one of two FAQ's)

If anyone's interested; the A has a minimum height of 0.39in/9,91mm and the KA has a minimum height of 0.4in/10,16mm.

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1499234485' post='3330087']
Also found out last night when starting to fit mine....

Schaller 3D metric tools needed
Hipshot A imperial tools needed

What is your set of Allen keys - buy a bridge to match?
[/quote]

Thanks for the heads up! Luckily I bumped into such problems before, so by now I've got a fairly eclectic bunch of tools at my disposal.

Edited July 5, 2017 by Danuman

[krispn]

The babicz z is a cleaner look than the 'original' babicz. I had the original on a bass and it was so easy to install and set up. The 'new' 2008 Fender bridges are pretty nice but you may want greater adjustment.

[Danuman]

You're right! Although I like the idea of it, I had kind of dismissed the Babicz because of the over-designed/premium look, but the Z bridge looks pretty good.

[krispn]

Every month I toil with getting the Babicz Z for my P bass then decide the bbot bridge is fine. Oh the turmoil!!

[Danuman]

Hmmm, bbot. There's that word again. I figured that it's the bent steel bridge... is it an acronym?

I think bent steel bridges sound absolutely fine, by the way. (Usually.) I just happen to find tighter string spacing a lot more comfortable.

[Danuman]

I found an FM A Style bridge at Egilegor Basses. In Spain, no less! Very nice and helpful chap.

First impression wasn't very good (when I tried setting it up, the chrome finish caused some issues I suppose Hipshot really ought to take a look at) but I managed to sort it out and it now sounds and looks absolutely brilliant.

[Telebass]

[quote name='miles'tone' timestamp='1499196806' post='3329919']
Best.
[/quote]
Precisely.

[Telebass]

[quote name='Danuman' timestamp='1499364090' post='3331083']
Hmmm, bbot. There's that word again. I figured that it's the bent steel bridge... is it an acronym?

I think bent steel bridges sound absolutely fine, by the way. (Usually.) I just happen to find tighter string spacing a lot more comfortable.
[/quote]
Bent Bit Of Tin - a derogatory name for an entirely adequate piece of kit.

[Danuman]

Hahaha, I should've guessed as much. Adequate won't do round these parts, surely.

[Grangur]

I'm more than happy with my OTT Babicz. I'm sure the BBOT does everything, and it's "all in the mind" but the sound of my P with the FC bridge is cleaner than any P I've to had with a BBOT.

[prowla]

I've got Badass II bridges on my P & J-basses.

[Ed_S]

The point where a BBOT doesn't work for me is when the height adjustment grub screws stand proud of the saddles, as no matter how careful I try to be, I inevitably end up cutting my wrist on them whilst playing. Sadly, because the saddles on my MIJ Fenders have all been quite small barrels, the grub screws have been pretty much guaranteed to stand proud, thereby rendering the bridge unfit for my purposes, if not actually 'unfit for purpose'.

The Wilkinson BBOT is an inexpensive upgrade; looks nice, feels generally smooth all over and has big brass barrel saddles with suitably short screws, however, the intonation adjustment screws were also short on the D and G of my Aerodyne J, so I ended up taking some from a late 90s Fender MIM BBOT that happened to be long enough to create a mash-up that was actually right for the instrument!

It was all ok in the end, but why put something sharp on any instrument in the first place, and then why offer something for sale as an after-market upgrade that doesn't adjust over the full length of its baseplate, given that it could end up on such a wide range of instruments?

[Danuman]

My '70s Japanese J copy had very tall grub screws as well, but then it originally came with a bridge cover. Not a huge issue for me, but having pointy bits is far from desirable.

I really like the design of the A Style bridge, although the G saddle is a bit too near the end of its travel for my liking. It popped off the thread during rehearsal the other day - though admittedly I set up the intonation a bit hastily. I'll have to take a better look when I have some time.

[Jono Bolton]

I liked the Wilkinson BBOT with the exception of the hideously tacky-looking Wilkinson logo. I took the saddles & screws off and put them on a blank bridge plate. I like the stock bridge that comes on a Squier CV bass, but it doesn't offer a lot in terms of adjustment.

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='Telebass' timestamp='1499756608' post='3333298']

Bent Bit Of Tin - a derogatory name for an entirely adequate piece of kit.
[/quote]

Even Leo stopped fitting them on everything he made after selling Fender so he must have felt there was a better solution, and there is.

[NancyJohnson]

Honestly can't see what's wrong with the BBOT to be honest. Sure I used to swap out the bridges on my Gibsons (because they WERE absolutely sh*te), but the olde Fender bridges are fine; up/down, back/forward.

In a blind test (no feely), I doubt anyone could tell the difference.

[Danuman]

I certainly didn't set out to improve the tone, but, as I stated before, my dainty little fingers prefer the smaller string spacing. I play with a pretty powerful snap, and the tighter spacing reduces the stress on the tendons in my right hand.

[jacko]

To me, the big problem with the BBOT is the lack of a sideways locking method for the saddles. I used to dig in quite hard and I'd find the saddles would move side to side a fair bit. Surely not a good thing. Grooves to 'trap' the grub screws would have been a simple addition and would solve the problem.

[Steve Browning]

[quote name='jacko' timestamp='1501489806' post='3344909']
To me, the big problem with the BBOT is the lack of a sideways locking method for the saddles. I used to dig in quite hard and I'd find the saddles would move side to side a fair bit. Surely not a good thing. Grooves to 'trap' the grub screws would have been a simple addition and would solve the problem.
[/quote]

That's always been the issue for me and why I use the Gotoh 203. I would prefer the 201 because it has more mass but I can't stand the fact the name is on it.

[Thunderbird]

[quote name='Steve Browning' timestamp='1501490689' post='3344918']
That's always been the issue for me and why I use the Gotoh 203. I would prefer the 201 because it has more mass but I can't stand the fact the name is on it.
[/quote]Peel it off its only a sticker

[Steve Browning]

[quote name='Thunderbird' timestamp='1501490921' post='3344921']
Peel it off its only a sticker
[/quote]

Is it? It always looked as though it was engraved into it. Rats, you've just cost me some money!!