Badass upgrade

[Lightlyseared]

I fitted a Schaller on my old Fender "Cowpoke" (which I stupidly sold a few years later). Any tonal difference was minimal but it was a lot comfier under the palm.

[LayDownThaFunk]

Nothing to do with tone but I find high mass bridges do sustain a touch more and they're easier to get intonation sorted.

[Dan Dare]

I agree with those who say high mass bridges are a mixed blessing. I fitted a Badass and removed it because I felt the instrument (Jazz) lost some warmth (although notes were marginally cleaner). Gotohs are decent and good value.

[Billy Apple]

Anyone tried a KSM Foundation?

http://www.ksmguitars.com/bridge.html

[Guest bassman7755]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1459255810' post='3014789']
The only two good reasons for changing a bridge are:

1) The bridge design is hampering your playing, or
2) You like the visual appearance of another bridge.
[/quote]

3) you can change the strings a lot more easily.

I hate "captive" bridges (i.e. those with a hole rather than a slot) with a passion as they make it hard to change strings and usually impossible to remove and refit existing strings.

I agree that the any supposed tone or sustain benefits are largely a myth though, I've replaced a few fender style bridges (for reason 3) and never noticed any difference.

Edited March 31, 2016 by bassman7755

[discreet]

[quote name='bassman7755' timestamp='1459412387' post='3016210']
3) you can change the strings a lot more easily.
[/quote]

That's another good reason.
Though if you're a fan of flats, it's less important as you only change strings once a decade, if that.

[Happy Jack]

I've now been reading threads like this for longer than I care to mention, and I still don't get the whole "sustain" thang.

I routinely play in a bunch of different bands, and I tend to play different basses in each ... electric 5-string fretted, double bass, EUB, fretless 4-string, etc. As you might guess, each band plays a different style of music.

How many times in the last year has it been important to me that a bass note rings out and sustains, i.e. lasts a bit longer than all the other bass notes I play?

Well the number is definitely greater than zero. But not much greater. Certainly nowhere near enough to warrant spending more than 50p.

[discreet]

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1459413617' post='3016224']
...I still don't get the whole "sustain" thang.
[/quote]

Me neither, unless you're into underpinning great long power chords or having a particularly long last song note... but generally it seems that the opposite is desirable given the amount of threads about the merits of various foam or rubber mutes, those things like scrunchies that go over the nut end, and on and on. But I've never been in a situation where I've thought, 'damn it, that note just didn't last long enough.' I can always sustain a note for far longer than necessary. And that with a typical Bent Bit Of Tin bridge. So the 'new bridge = sustain' thing is moot. Arf, arf.