Is a Hipshot bridge worth 15 bucks more than a GOTOH?

[2020Jazz]

In my quest for total bass blackness I am ready to store the shiny 7ender Badass  copy with Geddy on it for either a black Gotoh or Hipshot. All of my headstock hardware is black Hipshot. Their black Kickass has a strike against it as the saddles are painted an ugly brass color. I have worked for a giant Japanese electronics corporation for a long time and appreciate Japanese craftsmanship. Has anyone ever had a negative experience with Gotoh?

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/291787682814

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/143545686712

[Velarian]

I have a chrome version of the Gotoh bridge on one of my basses and it’s a perfectly good quality piece of kit, as are the machine heads I have on another bass. In both cases better than the Fender equivalents they replace. 

[Doctor J]

I have never, ever had an issue with Gotoh hardware, it's consistently excellent.

[Dan Dare]

Your choice. Both are reliable products and 15 bucks is hardly a deal breaker.

[mybass]

Both good makes and Schaller but I have had to file a Hipshot baseplate/ underside flat…they advised me it would flatten with the pressure of screwing the bridge onto the body, not ideal as far as I am concerned…..I have had that problem with a Wilkinson bridge too. 

[2020Jazz]

2 hours ago, Dan Dare said:

Your choice. Both are reliable products and 15 bucks is hardly a deal breaker.

Yessir, you're right. I'm talking myself into the Gotoh, shhh. 

[bartelby]

11 hours ago, 2020Jazz said:

In my quest for total bass blackness I am ready to store the shiny 7ender Badass  copy with Geddy on it for either a black Gotoh or Hipshot. All of my headstock hardware is black Hipshot. Their black Kickass has a strike against it as the saddles are painted an ugly brass color. I have worked for a giant Japanese electronics corporation for a long time and appreciate Japanese craftsmanship. Has anyone ever had a negative experience with Gotoh?

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/291787682814

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/143545686712

 

 

The Kickass saddles aren't painted a brass colour, they are brass. They also allow for string spacing adjustments, which the Gotoh doesn't. To me that's worth the $15. I have Kickass and Gotoh bridges on basses and they both do the job well.

[2020Jazz]

1 hour ago, bartelby said:

 

 

The Kickass saddles aren't painted a brass colour, they are brass. They also allow for string spacing adjustments, which the Gotoh doesn't. To me that's worth the $15. I have Kickass and Gotoh bridges on basses and they both do the job well.

 

Ah ha. Thanks, and I found the source of my confuzzlement.

 

"Replacement stainless steel saddle inserts (available here) emphasize overtones and treble frequencies"

 

I wonder what color they are? By the description, I would lean toward the brass, my Jazz is plenty bright without any help.

 

https://hipshotproducts.com/products/kickass-saddle-inserts?variant=44034405704