Ray Ross bridges........

[Woodwind]

Just had these pop up as an advert on my Instagram feed.

https://rayrossbridge.com

I'm all for Innovation and regard the BBOT bridge as aesthetically wanting if functionally perfect.

I really like Warwick 2 part bridges etc

 

However I think I'm missing something with these Ross offerings.

The end of the string either wrapped in silk or raw metal isn't designed to be part of the vibrating length.

If they'd gone further and incorporated a clamping system like on a headless bass "headstock" where you cut the end of the string off I could see this as having some merit, but as it is I can only see these bridges causing more tonal deficiency than they solve

[Dan Dare]

Ummm. Leaves the over-wrapped and/or silked part of the string in the playing length. Doesn't seem a good idea

I concur re the BBOT. Gotoh make a BBOT type bridge, which is a little nicer - better plating, made of brass, so slightly thicker but not massively constructed, reasonably priced - which solves (for me at any rate) the aesthetic issues.

Edited July 24, 2020 by Dan Dare

[Dad3353]

42 minutes ago, Dan Dare said:

... the aesthetic issues.

Because that Ross bridge is supposed to fix an aesthetics issue..? 

[stewblack]

I'm not terribly bright. 

Do these bridges require specially made strings? Shorter, no silks? 

Or am I not getting something?

[Woodwind]

39 minutes ago, stewblack said:

I'm not terribly bright. 

Do these bridges require specially made strings? Shorter, no silks? 

Or am I not getting something?

No you're absolutely right.

They are shown with regular strings, but I imagine they'll sound and feel at best inconsistent and at worse absolutely awful unless a special string ia used.

 

Perhaps that's the plan - introduce proprietary strings in due course??

[ahpook]

https://www.talkbass.com/threads/announcing-the-ray-ross™-saddle-less-bass-bridge.1384830/

Dug out of the original BC thread about these bridges. Might be of interest.

 

Edited July 24, 2020 by ahpook

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

Its is described as the solution for

• Weak tone
• bad vibrations
• sustain loss
• imprecise adjustments

I don't get any of these problems with a £30 badass-style Fender high mass bridge and one of those doesn't look a daft DIY project.

If it actually did improve the tone or sustain I would expect to see an A/B comparison video on the bridge's website

[Thunderbird]

From an engineering point of view it looks pretty cool but I really don't see how it is better than most other bridges out there but maybe I'm missing something 

[Chienmortbb]

BBOT works but I agree about the Gotoh. It is the 203B model I Think  https://g-gotoh.com/product/203b-4/?lang=en

 

[Angel]

Personally I think they look pretty unattractive. Not a fan.

[BassBod]

I quite like it...adjustments look easy, no springs to rattle and rust. The only issue I can see is moving the entire string length 2-3cm towards the headstock.  Not generally a problem, but some flat wounds will break if the unsilked string wraps around the tuner, and this makes it more likely to happen. 

[Lfalex v1.1]

Some good ideas, and neat solutions to existing issues (that have been addressed in different ways by other designs)

I'm unsure about how the length of string immediately ahead of the ball-end interacts with the pin/ affects the mass of the vibrating portion of the string. 

Oh.. and no string spacing adjustment. 

Edited July 25, 2020 by Lfalex v1.1

[Guest]

I don’t like any bridge setup that locks the ball end in place. It increases the chance of a twisted string when fitting new strings. In this regard the BBOT is the best as it stops the string coming out of the bridge but allows the string to rotate whilst being fitted = no twists.

[SpondonBassed]

Has anyone actually tried one?

[Dad3353]

1 hour ago, SpondonBassed said:

Has anyone actually tried one?

Ray Ross, one would presume..? 

[SpondonBassed]

Just now, Dad3353 said:

Ray Ross, one would presume..? 

That's odd.

I have been without reactions all day and yet the first time I, er, give you one, so to speak, I spaff one out right away.

Very suspicious.  Heeheehee.

[Steff]

Hi guys - I was too interested in Ray Ross bridges, so I managed to get hold of one - here’s my video on it - 

 

 

Steff

[bearhart74]

Kevin Brubaker out of Baltimore is using them when asked on his basses.