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Ray Ross saddle-less bridge... anyone got one?


Jumanji
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Yeah I’m not too bothered/bogged down by the science of this design... and there’s plenty of discussion around transference of energy and how that affects sustain etc. I’m more interested in how it feels to play with the strings like that and I’d like to know if the string ball-end cup (saddle contact point) can go low enough, without the need for a neck shim, for low action. Also, do the not-a-saddle posts rotate (however slightly) when you pluck a string? I’d like to think there’s a way to lock them down.

Edited by Jumanji
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  • 4 weeks later...

His website says, "He's s one of those geniuses that flies under the radar". 

If he can talk us into buying this bridge for $158 each rather than the current boutique bass favourite, the Hipshot A style for just £99, does that make him a genius or does it make us just plain gullible.

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Guest ixlramp

See https://www.talkbass.com/threads/announcing-the-ray-ross™-saddle-less-bass-bridge.1384830/ for an in-depth discussion.

At first i was sceptical, but now see some potential advantages in this, although i also don't like having that last inch in the vibrating length. My post is here https://www.talkbass.com/threads/announcing-the-ray-ross™-saddle-less-bass-bridge.1384830/page-13#post-22549953

It doesn't solve any particularly obvious problem, but from the reports does seem to create improvements. Many improvements in instruments are of this nature.

Some way of keeping a string straight at the saddle does seem intuitively to me to be preferable.

Most of the bridge is low-profile, all raised parts are smooth and rounded, seems no worse than the average bridge for comfort, in fact better than some conventional bridges.

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7 hours ago, ixlramp said:

It doesn't solve any particularly obvious problem, but from the reports does seem to create improvements. Many improvements in instruments are of this nature.

Some way of keeping a string straight at the saddle does seem intuitively to me to be preferable.

I can't think of any other stringed instrument where the strings are kept straight at the bridge.

Even the top classical stringed instruments have an angle at the bridge. If keeping the strings straight at that point provided any benefit to the sound it would have been adopted centuries ago by those builders.

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26 minutes ago, chris_b said:

I can't think of any other stringed instrument where the strings are kept straight at the bridge.

Even the top classical stringed instruments have an angle at the bridge. If keeping the strings straight at that point provided any benefit to the sound it would have been adopted centuries ago by those builders.

I don't know for sure but looking at how harps and pianos are strung, they look to be straight pin to pin? 

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6 minutes ago, StevieE said:

I don't know for sure but looking at how harps and pianos are strung, they look to be straight pin to pin? 

As far as I can see there is a pin that performs the same function as a guitar bridge on pianos and harps. The 36 and 22 string Harps with levers that I'm looking at have a bridge pin per string and those strings are at an angle going around those pins. The video of a Steinway has a similar arrangement.

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1 minute ago, chris_b said:

As far as I can see there is a pin that performs the same function as a guitar bridge on pianos and harps. The 36 and 22 string Harps with levers that I'm looking at have a bridge pin per string and those strings are at an angle going around those pins. The video of a Steinway has a similar arrangement.

Fair play, I couldn't see for sure on the pics I looked at. 

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Off the top of my head, I would have thought most, if not all of the claims made could be addressed simply by using core-contact/taperwound strings, as in a piano. No need for a special bridge then.

Edited by Telebass
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I've only ever saw those close up pictures, never seen one actually full view on a bass.

Can't help but wonder if it just sits there looking all shiny and new, fitting in with the aesthetics of any given bass, or if your eyes would be automatically drawn to it in a "woooow, wtf's that?!" manner.

It's so different to the 'norm', I'd guess the latter.

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Guest ixlramp
On 28/04/2019 at 09:32, chris_b said:

If keeping the strings straight at that point provided any benefit to the sound it would have been adopted centuries ago by those builders.

Not necessarily, as that assumes the idea has been thought up, tried and rejected already. Some ideas are genuinely new. In fact, all ideas came into being at some point and were not around forever.

What you wrote can be used to discredit any idea, however good it is. Many people use this argument to discredit things they just don't like.

On 28/04/2019 at 13:11, Telebass said:

I would have thought most, if not all of the claims maded could be addressed simply by using core-contact/taperwound strings,

I'm not sure, as those are still bent over a saddle, are not straight, and the witness point still involves the bending of a core to vibrate. Also, they have an extreme change in mass within the vibrating length which causes it's own problems.

Edited by ixlramp
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2 hours ago, ixlramp said:

I'm not sure, as those are still bent over a saddle, are not straight, and the witness point still involves the bending of a core to vibrate. Also, they have an extreme change in mass within the vibrating length which causes it's own problems.

Does it? Pianos don't seem to have problems with that idea...

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8 hours ago, ixlramp said:

I'm not sure, as those are still bent over a saddle, are not straight, and the witness point still involves the bending of a core to vibrate. Also, they have an extreme change in mass within the vibrating length which causes it's own problems.

I can not see any difference between this new bridge or the old ones. May relate to my vision.

1) if any string attachment part is free flowing/turning/whatever, it becomes a part of the string length - how is the tuning done and where is the first stable point, that marks the string length?

2) when the string leaves the attachment it also leaves the mass that acts in a similar way as a bending point, if not, go to #1

3) if there is some soft point (joint or similar), it affects the string ADSR because the overall string thickness (and mass and length) is affected - probably the effect can be seen as an attached damper

4) you may test the quality of an attachment with two vise benches and put the string to the benches in various angles - would love to hear the sound changes in relation to the angle

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42 minutes ago, CameronJ said:

I haven’t read the Talkbass thread but it looks like strings with silks at the ball end may have issues here? Flat/tapewounds for example?

Because, as I  said upthread, these parts of strings are not intended to be part of the 'speaking' length of the string.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Sorry, it’s been a while since I checked in here...

Would be good to hear from someone who has one, but I guess no one on here has taken the $160, plus P&P, plunge yet.

I’ll check out the talkbass link now.

thanks y’all.

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  • 1 year later...

Gotta say this is truly a great bridge  tried it at namm  very inpressed  bought one put it on a old beater bass  came alive    No string twist  and the tone is solid all thru as before there was dead spots  if your tripping on the wind thru the posts  dont its solid  and truly have not heard this bass sound so good   No joke this is real deal 🤷🏻‍♂️@who knew game changer

Edited by Bass tech
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