Installing a Badass II Bridge on a Modulus FB4

[born2lose]

Hi guys!

I bought a Modulus FB4 (1997) half a year ago from the states. It originally came with a GOTOH bridge installed but the string spacing where not that optimal so I went for a Leo Quan Badass II bridge as replacement.

Everything is fine so for and it was pretty easy to install the BAII as the screw holes fitted perfectly.

But when I actually have a look on other Modulus 'Flea Bass' or 'Funk Unlimited Bass' which where built in the last years, my bridge position seems a little weird to me.

As you can see, the strings at the bridge are very angulated to fit in the slots. I have to do that to get a good string spacing at the fretboard, but I don't believe that is the way it has to be. I believe this setup with the ends of the strings so much angulated in the bridge isn't that healthy and does effect negative for lifetime of the strings and playability, plus optical it sucks when you have a direct look on it. But maybe I am just a little too fussy..

What might be a good suggestion to go for. Thrilling new wholes for the bridge? I really don't want to do that because I want to keep the Bass as original as possible as it is a prototype with Lane Poor PUs and without trussrod. If this might be the only possibilty, how to I have to thrrill them as I don't want the finish to crack when I am thrilling the 'new' holes.

Sorry, my English sucks pretty hard. Stupid German

Thanks for the help in advance!

All the best, Uwe

[BOD2]

Hi Uwe - don't apologise for your English, it's way better than the German most of us here would be able to write !

Looking at your photos, it does look as if the BA11 needs to be moved a few millimetres towards the bottom edge of the bass. The would allow the bottom E string to sit at the middle of the bridge piece and the D and G strings to also be nearer he middle of their pieces too.

The only way to do that would be to drill new holes for the BA11 - which is what you said you didn't want to do.

Because the amount you need to move the bridge is so small, you would have to fill the original holes and then drill new ones slightly to the side. You'd be so near the original holes I don't think there would be any risk of damaging the finish.

But first here is what I would do....

Put a piece of masking tape at the front are rear of the current bridge to mark the front and back edges of the current position.

Loosen off the strings completely.

Removed the screws holding the bridge to the body.

Move the bridge slighty to it's "new" position.

Tighten up the strings and see how they sit.

If you are careful then the bridge shouldn't move much, even though there are no screws holding it in place. Now you can check if you can get the strings in a better position, and you can slide the bridge around a little to help you.

If you can see that this will fix the problem then you need to decide if you want to drill new holes or not.