Jumanji Posted March 28, 2019 Share Posted March 28, 2019 Does anyone have a Ray Ross saddle-less bridge? I’ve watched all the setup and advertising videos, but there aren’t any proper consumer reviews yet. Some real-world feedback would be great! Cheers, Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sprocketflup Posted March 28, 2019 Share Posted March 28, 2019 Well, they look a good idea. Not sure how much of an advantage they'd be over a standard bridge, but an interesting concept Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jumanji Posted March 28, 2019 Author Share Posted March 28, 2019 (edited) Yeah I’m not too bothered/bogged down by the science of this design... and there’s plenty of discussion around transference of energy and how that affects sustain etc. I’m more interested in how it feels to play with the strings like that and I’d like to know if the string ball-end cup (saddle contact point) can go low enough, without the need for a neck shim, for low action. Also, do the not-a-saddle posts rotate (however slightly) when you pluck a string? I’d like to think there’s a way to lock them down. Edited March 28, 2019 by Jumanji Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazzbass Posted April 21, 2019 Share Posted April 21, 2019 solution looking for a problem for one thing, lots of stick out bits to catch your hand when muting the windings on the bridge end come into play, they MUST affect sustain and intonation. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Telebass Posted April 22, 2019 Share Posted April 22, 2019 On 21/04/2019 at 14:25, bazzbass said: the windings on the bridge end come into play, they MUST affect sustain and intonation. Exactly, those bits are NOT designed to be part of the speaking length. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sprocketflup Posted April 22, 2019 Share Posted April 22, 2019 4 hours ago, Telebass said: Exactly, those bits are NOT designed to be part of the speaking length. In reality though, as long as they aren't getting under your plucking fingers, would it make a difference? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted April 22, 2019 Share Posted April 22, 2019 His website says, "He's s one of those geniuses that flies under the radar". If he can talk us into buying this bridge for $158 each rather than the current boutique bass favourite, the Hipshot A style for just £99, does that make him a genius or does it make us just plain gullible. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazzbass Posted April 27, 2019 Share Posted April 27, 2019 it doesn't solve any problem Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ixlramp Posted April 28, 2019 Share Posted April 28, 2019 See https://www.talkbass.com/threads/announcing-the-ray-ross™-saddle-less-bass-bridge.1384830/ for an in-depth discussion. At first i was sceptical, but now see some potential advantages in this, although i also don't like having that last inch in the vibrating length. My post is here https://www.talkbass.com/threads/announcing-the-ray-ross™-saddle-less-bass-bridge.1384830/page-13#post-22549953 It doesn't solve any particularly obvious problem, but from the reports does seem to create improvements. Many improvements in instruments are of this nature. Some way of keeping a string straight at the saddle does seem intuitively to me to be preferable. Most of the bridge is low-profile, all raised parts are smooth and rounded, seems no worse than the average bridge for comfort, in fact better than some conventional bridges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted April 28, 2019 Share Posted April 28, 2019 7 hours ago, ixlramp said: It doesn't solve any particularly obvious problem, but from the reports does seem to create improvements. Many improvements in instruments are of this nature. Some way of keeping a string straight at the saddle does seem intuitively to me to be preferable. I can't think of any other stringed instrument where the strings are kept straight at the bridge. Even the top classical stringed instruments have an angle at the bridge. If keeping the strings straight at that point provided any benefit to the sound it would have been adopted centuries ago by those builders. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoubleOhStephan Posted April 28, 2019 Share Posted April 28, 2019 26 minutes ago, chris_b said: I can't think of any other stringed instrument where the strings are kept straight at the bridge. Even the top classical stringed instruments have an angle at the bridge. If keeping the strings straight at that point provided any benefit to the sound it would have been adopted centuries ago by those builders. I don't know for sure but looking at how harps and pianos are strung, they look to be straight pin to pin? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted April 28, 2019 Share Posted April 28, 2019 6 minutes ago, StevieE said: I don't know for sure but looking at how harps and pianos are strung, they look to be straight pin to pin? As far as I can see there is a pin that performs the same function as a guitar bridge on pianos and harps. The 36 and 22 string Harps with levers that I'm looking at have a bridge pin per string and those strings are at an angle going around those pins. The video of a Steinway has a similar arrangement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoubleOhStephan Posted April 28, 2019 Share Posted April 28, 2019 1 minute ago, chris_b said: As far as I can see there is a pin that performs the same function as a guitar bridge on pianos and harps. The 36 and 22 string Harps with levers that I'm looking at have a bridge pin per string and those strings are at an angle going around those pins. The video of a Steinway has a similar arrangement. Fair play, I couldn't see for sure on the pics I looked at. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Telebass Posted April 28, 2019 Share Posted April 28, 2019 (edited) Off the top of my head, I would have thought most, if not all of the claims made could be addressed simply by using core-contact/taperwound strings, as in a piano. No need for a special bridge then. Edited October 10, 2020 by Telebass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted April 28, 2019 Share Posted April 28, 2019 Surprised nobody posted an image... I like the aesthetics but need to ask whether it functions any better than your standard bridge? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Telebass Posted April 28, 2019 Share Posted April 28, 2019 2 hours ago, TheGreek said: Surprised nobody posted an image... I like the aesthetics but need to ask whether it functions any better than your standard bridge? See no obvious reason why it should, to be honest... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lou24d53 Posted April 29, 2019 Share Posted April 29, 2019 I've only ever saw those close up pictures, never seen one actually full view on a bass. Can't help but wonder if it just sits there looking all shiny and new, fitting in with the aesthetics of any given bass, or if your eyes would be automatically drawn to it in a "woooow, wtf's that?!" manner. It's so different to the 'norm', I'd guess the latter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ixlramp Posted April 30, 2019 Share Posted April 30, 2019 (edited) On 28/04/2019 at 09:32, chris_b said: If keeping the strings straight at that point provided any benefit to the sound it would have been adopted centuries ago by those builders. Not necessarily, as that assumes the idea has been thought up, tried and rejected already. Some ideas are genuinely new. In fact, all ideas came into being at some point and were not around forever. What you wrote can be used to discredit any idea, however good it is. Many people use this argument to discredit things they just don't like. On 28/04/2019 at 13:11, Telebass said: I would have thought most, if not all of the claims maded could be addressed simply by using core-contact/taperwound strings, I'm not sure, as those are still bent over a saddle, are not straight, and the witness point still involves the bending of a core to vibrate. Also, they have an extreme change in mass within the vibrating length which causes it's own problems. Edited April 30, 2019 by ixlramp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Telebass Posted April 30, 2019 Share Posted April 30, 2019 2 hours ago, ixlramp said: I'm not sure, as those are still bent over a saddle, are not straight, and the witness point still involves the bending of a core to vibrate. Also, they have an extreme change in mass within the vibrating length which causes it's own problems. Does it? Pianos don't seem to have problems with that idea... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itu Posted April 30, 2019 Share Posted April 30, 2019 8 hours ago, ixlramp said: I'm not sure, as those are still bent over a saddle, are not straight, and the witness point still involves the bending of a core to vibrate. Also, they have an extreme change in mass within the vibrating length which causes it's own problems. I can not see any difference between this new bridge or the old ones. May relate to my vision. 1) if any string attachment part is free flowing/turning/whatever, it becomes a part of the string length - how is the tuning done and where is the first stable point, that marks the string length? 2) when the string leaves the attachment it also leaves the mass that acts in a similar way as a bending point, if not, go to #1 3) if there is some soft point (joint or similar), it affects the string ADSR because the overall string thickness (and mass and length) is affected - probably the effect can be seen as an attached damper 4) you may test the quality of an attachment with two vise benches and put the string to the benches in various angles - would love to hear the sound changes in relation to the angle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CameronJ Posted April 30, 2019 Share Posted April 30, 2019 I haven’t read the Talkbass thread but it looks like strings with silks at the ball end may have issues here? Flat/tapewounds for example? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Telebass Posted April 30, 2019 Share Posted April 30, 2019 42 minutes ago, CameronJ said: I haven’t read the Talkbass thread but it looks like strings with silks at the ball end may have issues here? Flat/tapewounds for example? Because, as I said upthread, these parts of strings are not intended to be part of the 'speaking' length of the string. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maude Posted May 3, 2019 Share Posted May 3, 2019 Guys, you seem to be missing the most important part, it has a tone pin............. a TONE PIN. O,M and freakin' G my bass will sound awesome with a tone pin. 😀 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jumanji Posted May 23, 2019 Author Share Posted May 23, 2019 Sorry, it’s been a while since I checked in here... Would be good to hear from someone who has one, but I guess no one on here has taken the $160, plus P&P, plunge yet. I’ll check out the talkbass link now. thanks y’all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bass tech Posted August 26, 2020 Share Posted August 26, 2020 (edited) Gotta say this is truly a great bridge tried it at namm very inpressed bought one put it on a old beater bass came alive No string twist and the tone is solid all thru as before there was dead spots if your tripping on the wind thru the posts dont its solid and truly have not heard this bass sound so good No joke this is real deal 🤷🏻♂️@who knew game changer Edited August 26, 2020 by Bass tech 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.