Monorail bridge.

[DreadAlert]

Hey guys.

Lately I've been pickin bass up ALOT and really really getting into playing and learning new stuff. I was warned about GAS after getting my first bass haha.

I've been looking at the Ibanez basses and I saw the bridge and I just love it. [url="http://i.pgcdn.com/pi/71/09/37/710937936_640.jpg"]http://i.pgcdn.com/pi/71/09/37/710937936_640.jpg[/url] Not sure about the gold, but that's the best looking bridge I've ever seen. In matte black that'd look perfect.

And I'd just like to know what basses you guys have tried with monorail bridges and which you liked, which you didn't. I only know of like.. 1 or 2 basses with a monorail bridge at the moment and I'd like to know more about them.

Thanks guys.
-DreadAlert-

[Mr. Foxen]

Made this with them on, so I could get narrow spacing on a 4 string. Aside from that, they aren't far off any other bridge that locks together with grub screws.

[Stacker]

My T-bass has them. They're meant to cut down on string cross-talk. I'd rather have this system than those awful Badass things.

[Fat Rich]

Status use them a lot on their basses because there's a version for headless basses too. I think they're made by ABM in Germany and they're also available with built in piezo pickups on eBay.

I actually don't like them much and have taken them off one of my basses and put an ABM single piece 5 string bridge which gives a much more focussed sound and slightly more sustain too. The monorail rail bridges sounded a bit hollow and weak by comparison to my ears. Also you need to be careful when adjusting them, once you've loosened the grub screws the bridge pieces and the saddles have a tendency to fall out and disappear under the sofa!

I would imagine the monorails are very difficult to fit and get each of the pieces perfectly aligned and parallel to each other, maybe they come with a drilling template.

Edited August 17, 2010 by Fat Rich

[franzbassist]

My fretted Veillette has them.



They are the version made by Hipshot, called the [url="http://store.hipshotproducts.com/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=223"]Triple Lock Down[/url]. As you can see, I left my comments of what I think of them on their website.

Cheers

Gareth

[Fat Rich]

[quote name='walbassist' post='927366' date='Aug 17 2010, 11:26 AM']My fretted Veillette has them.



They are the version made by Hipshot, called the [url="http://store.hipshotproducts.com/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=223"]Triple Lock Down[/url]. As you can see, I left my comments of what I think of them on their website.

Cheers

Gareth[/quote]

In your comments on the hipshot website you ask about adjusting the intonation, if they're the same as the ABMs there are a total of 4 grub screws per saddle assembly:

2 on top either side of the string to adjust the string height blocks
1 in the saddle facing the pickups to unlock the string the string height blocks
1 in the saddle facing sideways just behind the string height blocks that unlocks the saddle / string height block assembly to adjust intonation

The last one isn't obvious on the black coloured bridges, it took me a while to find it!

[franzbassist]

[quote name='Fat Rich' post='927415' date='Aug 17 2010, 12:02 PM']1 in the saddle facing sideways just behind the string height blocks that unlocks the saddle / string height block assembly to adjust intonation

The last one isn't obvious on the black coloured bridges, it took me a while to find it![/quote]

Thanks for that. Yes, I found it after a while too!

[samgiles]

Hi,
Sorry to drag up an old thread but I have a bass with these bridge pieces too. How does one go about intonating though. I get that you release the saddle by loosening the grub screw inside but do you then have to keep slackening the string and shifting the saddle? Then re-tune and check? Then repeat? Or is there some much simpler trick to it? Hope someone can help.
Thanks,
Sam.

[Fat Rich]

[quote name='samgiles' timestamp='1358401565' post='1938479']
Hi,
Sorry to drag up an old thread but I have a bass with these bridge pieces too. How does one go about intonating though. I get that you release the saddle by loosening the grub screw inside but do you then have to keep slackening the string and shifting the saddle? Then re-tune and check? Then repeat? Or is there some much simpler trick to it? Hope someone can help.
Thanks,
Sam.
[/quote]

Yup, pretty much. You might be able to move the bridge piece with the string up to tension but it won't be easy.

Beware also that without the string on at all the bridge piece will probably just fall out and you'll lose the original position if you were using that for reference. Plus it'll probably disappear under some furniture and you'll find it covered in fluff and dust because it's lightly oiled!

I'd recommend slackening the string somewhat but not completely, then you can move the bridge pieces without losing them.

Edited January 17, 2013 by Fat Rich

[Ghost_Bass]

I find that intonating on my TRB5PII is as hard (or as easy) as doing it on the J/P's. Just one screw to move the saddle front/back and two bolts to raise/lower it:


(pic from net)

[thodrik]

There is one on my Vigier Arpege. It works though I'm one the people who puts that much stock in bridge styles, so long as they work.

[samgiles]

Thanks. I did my intonation and it worked out fine. A bit of a performance but I got there in the end.
Cheers,
Sam.

[cocco]

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' timestamp='1282027305' post='927151']


Made this with them on, so I could get narrow spacing on a 4 string. Aside from that, they aren't far off any other bridge that locks together with grub screws.
[/quote]

Bet that sounds insane!