Bridges - Do They Make a Difference

[Linus27]

Just wondering if people think bridges make a difference or not. I know a lot swear by changing Fender ones to other makes but personally I'm not convinced it really makes any difference. I've never had an issues with intonation or sustain on any of my basses, be it a 51 CIJ Precision with a basic Fender bridge, various Fender Jazz and Precision basses with basic bridges and more modern bridges, Stingray basses, Warwick Streamers and now my Mike Dirnt Precision with a Badass II. I've certainly never had any concerns or thought the sustain is a bit poor on any of my basses.

Interested to hear if others think it makes a difference or not.

[Daz39]

Well; you try getting the strings taut without one, it’s a right pain!

[Bridgehouse]

21 minutes ago, Daz39 said:

Well; you try getting the strings taut without one, it’s a right pain!

Gorilla tape. Lots of it wrapped round quite a few times. 

[Lozz196]

I`ve found in the past that swapping a regular Fender BBOT for either a Gotoh or Badass on my Precisions has somehow "tightened" the sound a tad, and lost some mids. Nothing that I`d ever hear at band volumes but at home practice levels it was noticeable. A bit like the strings suddenly sounded a bit newer is the easiest way to describe it.

[drTStingray]

Musicman staff have stated on Talkbass that one of the reasons the bridges on the modern Cutlass and Caprice basses doesn't have the deep set side bolts is to assist with getting a more vintage sound. Similarly on the new Stingray Special models - so Musicman clearly believe the bridge design influences the sound, as an example. 

Edited July 16, 2018 by drTStingray

[Bridgehouse]

On a practical and serious note, I wouldn’t change the bridge on my 64 Precision - not just for value/authenticity reasons, but because the threaded barrel saddles make adjusting string position really easy.

[drlargepants]

35 minutes ago, Bridgehouse said:

On a practical and serious note, I wouldn’t change the bridge on my 64 Precision - not just for value/authenticity reasons, but because the threaded barrel saddles make adjusting string position really easy.

Yup, that’s the major flaw on a Badass II. 

I have one on my AVRI Jazz, and whilst it certainly deals with my somewhat heavy technique the string spacing isn’t to my taste and is not changeable (well easily anyway)

 

[bassbiscuits]

They probably make some small difference to sound but not enough for me to rush out and change them. 

I've had a BBOT, USA deluxe bridge and Badass II on Fender basses and I can't say any sounded better than the other (without taking into account all the other variables).

I wouldn't change a bridge unless it was faulty. Better off spending the money on some better pickups if you want to improve the sound. 

[Bridgehouse]

On the 51P semi partscaster I’m building at the moment, my bridge choice was partly influenced by weight to counter neck dive..

[Bassassin]

I quite like a chunky & over-engineered bridge. My personal favourite is the Schaller 3D - I think they look great and you can make very precise string spacing adjustments. Do they sound any better? Do they 'eck as like.

I'm sure I remember back in the mists of time, someone posted an A/B comparison between a standard bridge & a Badass II on the same bass, same strings & setup - and the BAII was noticeably flatter & duller sounding.

[Linus27]

8 hours ago, Bridgehouse said:

On the 51P semi partscaster I’m building at the moment, my bridge choice was partly influenced by weight to counter neck dive..

Some of my thinking is to swap the Badass II bridge on my Mike Dirnt to a standard Fender bridge to go more with the 51P look. I think the bass originally new came with a standard Fender bridge so weight and neck dive might not be an issue for this bass.

[Linus27]

6 hours ago, Bassassin said:

I quite like a chunky & over-engineered bridge. My personal favourite is the Schaller 3D - I think they look great and you can make very precise string spacing adjustments. Do they sound any better? Do they 'eck as like.

I'm sure I remember back in the mists of time, someone posted an A/B comparison between a standard bridge & a Badass II on the same bass, same strings & setup - and the BAII was noticeably flatter & duller sounding.

That's quite interesting considering a lot change the original Fender bridge to a Badass II.

[BigRedX]

While changing the bridge could make a difference to the sound of the bass (although like all these things is it possible to state 100% that it is the new bridge that has made the difference and not one of the other things that may have been intentionally or unintentionally changed at the same time?), IME it's never pronounced enough to be noticeable in the context of a band mix.

For me so long as the bridge doesn't move during playing, yet is easy to adjust when needed, that's all that is required.

Edited July 17, 2018 by BigRedX

[Muzz]

I'm also a fan of the Schaller 3D bridges, because I think they're a clever and simple piece of engineering to give some lateral adjustment, but mostly because they're a comfortable shape if, like me, you spend a deal of time with the heel of your hand on the bridge. As far as tone goes, like soooo many elements in a bass guitar, I'm unable to conclusively comment one way or the other.

Oh, and anything that replaces the Gibson 3-point 'everything falls off when you remove the strings' bridge can't fail to be an improvement...

[uk_lefty]

Yes, I think it makes a small difference. My jazz bass arrived to me with a Badass ii from the previous owner. I changed this after three years to a Wilkinson BBOT with brass saddles and the sound now has less zing, like Lozz says the badass makes the strings sound newer.

I now have that Badass on my precision and I don't like it on that bass, preferred it on the jazz. Unless I decide to put flats on the jazz and go for an all round more mellow sound on it I'd prefer the badass on that bass, BBOT on the precision. But that's just Mez I want those two basses to be "opposites" in as much as possible.

[Rick's Fine '52]

Majority of mine have a traditional BBOT, and I can’t say I’ve ever had one move, or found it hard to adjust alignment or intonation. They are simple, and work perfectly in my opinion. 

Would something different audibly (for most players or audience members) change the sound? Unlikely. 

[Christine]

Yes a bridge makes a difference, some more than others in comparison to each other. A lightweight bridge will vibrate more and lose string energy faster than a heavyweight one which lets the strings vibrate longer. In essence the less a bridge/nut vibrate and feedback into the strings the more the strings can sound like themselves. The same with wood, some vibrate less than others, laminated bodies and necks vibrate less than solid ones so sound different. These differences though are minimal to the difference between pickups say Fender or Seymour Duncan

[Cato]

I suspect it's all down to individual experience  (if that's the right word).

At one end of the spectrum you have people like guitarist Eric Johnson who can apparently hear minute differences in equipment and set up, to the extent that, according to some rig run downs, when recording he uses nickel plated jack plug guitar leads for ryhthym and gold plated for solo work.

I'm guessing he could probably hear significant differences between bridge types.

At the other end of the spectrum you have people like me. I have changed a couple of bridges out because I like rock solid units with no lateral movement in the saddles and no sharp edges.

There may possibly have been a change in the feel of the bass but I've never noticed a change in the tonal character of the instrument . 

 

Edited July 17, 2018 by Cato

[Beedster]

Yes, bridges can make a massive difference, and importantly, there's not an obvious cost/benefit ratio, which is why I'm about to sell three Badass II bridges. These days I'm preferring fewer overtones and less sustain, and there's not much point paying £100 for a bridge if you have to stick a 20p piece of foam in front of it to get the tone you want  

[LITTLEWING]

There's definitely a whole lot of difference between a cheap and nasty Chinese tin cheapy and a half decent Squier type jobby, but there's 100% massive jump in clarity and sweet tone with brass saddles for instance on a Wilkinson. I don't think there's such a leap in a £150 fancy looking chrome lump to be honest. Personally I think a lot of it is in the mind. So many people on here have swapped out for a hyped up engineer's dream and to their dismay have found no discernible difference in things except for a whole lot of beer vouchers gone west.

[BigRedX]

14 hours ago, LITTLEWING said:

There's definitely a whole lot of difference between a cheap and nasty Chinese tin cheapy and a half decent Squier type jobby, but there's 100% massive jump in clarity and sweet tone with brass saddles for instance on a Wilkinson.

Is that based on replacing the bridge on one of your basses, or two different basses with different bridges?

Edited July 18, 2018 by BigRedX

[Geek99]

I've never noticed an issue with the BBOt on my precision, it sustains forever.

@Christine says "A lightweight bridge will vibrate more " but I don't see that as truth simply because its screwed to the body; surely it might make the body vibrate differently and it might have its own saddles vibrate sympathetically if they were loosely fitted, in a different way.

Perhaps the qualities of the metal in a cheaper bridge of equal weight might make a difference, albeit a miinor one. I honestly think its minimal at best and the £130 bridges you see advertised are truly overkill when a wilkinson will do the job 

[Christine]

4 minutes ago, Geek99 said:

I've never noticed an issue with the BBOt on my precision, it sustains forever.

@Christine says "A lightweight bridge will vibrate more " but I don't see that as truth simply because its screwed to the body; surely it might make the body vibrate differently and it might have its own saddles vibrate sympathetically if they were loosely fitted, in a different way.

Perhaps the qualities of the metal in a cheaper bridge of equal weight might make a difference, albeit a miinor one. I honestly think its minimal at best and the £130 bridges you see advertised are truly overkill when a wilkinson will do the job 

OK I've over generalised it because I hate typing. Shall we say bridged of a poor construction or of very lightweight materials? Either way what I was trying to explain was the physical principles of say a bridge machined out of solid brass for example will vibrate less than one made out of bent lightweight steel but that is irrespective of what it is screwed to. Equally a bridge with saddles that can be completely locked will be allowed to vibrate less than ones that aren't. These aren't rattles I'm talking about but just tiny things that isolate the string from the rest of the instrument and in truth the success of an instrument lies in the balance between the whole thing not just one item so complete isolation isn't necessarily an advantage

[LITTLEWING]

8 hours ago, BigRedX said:

Is that based on replacing the bridge on one of your basses, or two different basses with different bridges?

That's a BBOT on an Aria 'Legend' Jazz I picked up cheap for a project and even found five flat shouldered screws instead of the proper bevelled type. A spare Squier item plus said proper screws and brass saddles changed things dramatically!

[NickA]

+1 for the Schaller 3d.  But on looks, adjustability and having lots of screw holes for solid mounting.  Massively improved my project bass in every way ... Except perhaps the sound.