Babicz vs Fender HiMass Bridge

#21
Handyman said:
If you're referring to the G&L bridges, I'm guessing we don't hear about people replacing them because there's just about nothing available out there to replace them with. :) Very unusual size and screw pattern, plus a big channel routed out under it.

If that little plastic nub that "locks" the saddles together on my L2500 actually does anything meaningful to its tone, I'll eat my own gym socks.

If there were direct aftermarket replacements, I'm sure people would be swapping them out. Not for any good reason, just because bassists are like that.
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Could just be my hopeful ears, but I'd swear my Fullerton L2K has better sustain than my Corona Precision (w/ HMV bridge).

Try recording yourself and then tell me how tasty your gym socks are. ;)
 
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#22
I've got basses with bent plate threaded saddle bridges, schaller locking bridge, babicz, and badass II.

I'd rate them in this order.
Schaller
Babicz
bent plate
badass II

The schaller is what came on my US J plus and the badass II came on my highway one J basses, the bent plate threaded saddle bridge is what I put on all my MIM basses except for the one with the Babicz. I've got an MIM J parts bass in the pipeline that will also sport a babicz. As for the big logo, you could always pull a Bill Monroe and scratch it off. After reading a thread here about people having problems with the logo, I tried covering the entire back shelf with some faux carbon fiber film of the type used to dress up automobile parts. It looked worse than the logo so I took it off. I've been thinking about cutting off the entire shelf, drilling and tapping a couple of holes, then mounting a piece of wood there, or maybe a piece of matching pickguard material or something else. Oh and BTW, apparently Babicz has heard enough complaints about the logo they now make essentially the same bridge with no back shelf on it, their Z series bridges look like a bent plate with the same saddle design as the original less the front locking slots.
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#23
40Hz said:
Completely agree with @SanDiegoHarry. I think aftermarket bridges are highly overrated and not worth considering unless there's a problem you're having with the bridge already on your bass.

Keep it stock and sell your Babicz. You'll wind up with more money in your pocket both ways.

Might want to watch this video with headphones on:



I spent a bit of money over the years on Badass and similar bridges. I recently compared a few PBasses while helping out shopping for one with a friend. Some had Fender's new bridge and others had the old bent metal so-called 'POS' originals. Some had various 3rd party bridges. One had a Babicz.

And I didn't notice it made any difference which bridge was on which bass.
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But you probably *felt* cooler with a more expensive bridge... right? ;) We've all been there.
 
#24
SanDiegoHarry said:
But you probably *felt* cooler with a more expensive bridge... right? ;) We've all been there.
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Not in my case. Can't say I ever felt I was cool a single day in my life. Besides, anybody who plays a Ripper as his primary bass for over 40 years isn't going to be someone who can ever be accused of thinking he's cool. ;):laugh:

And I did used to think a high mass bridge improved the sound. Just like I once felt neck-through necks, stringing through the body, and the species of body wood were also important. Each of those are former beliefs of mine too. They just seemed so 'right' to believe in at one time.
 
#25
40Hz said:
Not in my case. Can't say I ever felt I was cool a single day in my life. Besides, anybody who plays a Ripper as his primary bass for over 40 years isn't going to be someone who can ever be accused of thinking he's cool. ;):laugh:

And I did used to think a high mass bridge improved the sound. Just like I once felt neck-through necks, stringing through the body, and the species of body wood were also important. Each of those are former beliefs of mine too. They just seemed so 'right' to believe in at one time.
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You know, I *never* had liked neck thru basses. I do not know why - they just sound funny to me. Set neck? Bolt on? SURE! But neck through basses... meh. No logic to it.
But yeah, I put a badass II on my new '77 J bass because it was "what you did" back then. Silly. Sure, those old Fender bridges were not very good, but all my bass did was get heavier = if that's possible - (and a bit shinier, too!).
 
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#27
SanDiegoHarry said:
You know, I *never* had liked neck thru basses. I do not know why - they just sound funny to me. Set neck? Bolt on? SURE! But neck through basses... meh. No logic to it.
But yeah, I put a badass II on my new '77 J bass because it was "what you did" back then. Silly. Sure, those old Fender bridges were not very good, but all my bass did was get heavier = if that's possible - (and a bit shinier, too!).
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I'm at the same stage of life I think.

After trying and believing in all sorts of things, I'm now at the point where I'm thinking a good amp, a good setup, some decent strings (and they're amost all decent these days) and how you play the thing are what's really all that matters to your sound.

And of all of those, how you play is about 80% of it.

Maybe it's not "all in your hands" like some players maintain. But it sure is the lion's share of it.

Or so I currently think - subject to change without notice. :thumbsup:
 
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#29
Toptube said:
The Babicz is mainly aluminum. Its pretty lightweight. See: lower mass.

If I'm gonna bother to replace a bridge, the replacement will have quick load slots, for top loading. Trying to squeeze strings through holes, right behind the saddles, is awful. Especially when installing B strings on a 5er.
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Also the silk-wrap is snagged when squeezing through the holes and strings look like a wet cat
 
#30
I used to chase my own tail on bridges, realized that it makes little to no difference sound-wise. There are clear functional differences in how easy it is to adjust intonation and string height, and locking saddles do prevent the saddles from buzzing. I can live without getting jabbed in the palm by adjustment screws too. If string height and intonation adjustments were some kind of daily chore, id opt for the best mechanical design, but really, how often are you messing with either one once the bass is set up.? When the original Badass II came out, it was a clear functional improvement over all the stock bridges, but I don't remember people thinking it would improve tone. I bought one for my Ric 4001 because Geddy had one, but lost my nerve and never installed it. Now its on my Jazz fretless, works fine. The bridge on my G&L L2000 was the first real "high mass" bridge I remember as OEM hardware. Works perfectly, no rattle, no buzz. Leo got it right eventually.
 
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#31
ryevick said:
I guess I'm not real sure about the definition for what a hi-mass bridge is then. I just wanted to compare the two.

I know I could tell a difference when I put the Babicz on my VM Jazz Fretless. The feel of it alone was enough of a reason to validate the swap.
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The Babicz is machined out of aluminim and is actually lighter than a stock bent plate Fender bridge. That is a good thing in my opinion, anything that makes a bads weigh less is always good. I think the sustain to mass ratio is greatly exaggerated
 
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#34
Hopkins said:
The Babicz is machined out of aluminim and is actually lighter than a stock bent plate Fender bridge. That is a good thing in my opinion, anything that makes a bads weigh less is always good. I think the sustain to mass ratio is greatly exaggerated
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Lighter than a bent plate? Hmm, I haven't looked at the weights. Certainly, its lighter than badass, hipshot A or any hipshot which is mostly brass, etc.

tzohn said:
Also the silk-wrap is snagged when squeezing through the holes and strings look like a wet cat
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I've scratched a couple of basses, while trying to cram E and B strings through those holes and up/over the saddles. And I don't mean strings which were too large.
 
#35
Maybe it is lighter than bent plate because steel is almost 3 times denser than Al. so in terms of volume the Babicz
should be 3 times bulkier than the bent plate with its saddles. Brass has almost the same density as steel.
 
#38
mapleglo said:
Except for some of us, like me, are still able to palm mute just fine. I'm not sure why others are having problems with it.
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You would actually have to play a bass with one of these bridges to fully understand the palm muting issue.

The point at which the strings make contact with the saddle is so deeply recessed that it is impossible for the skin of your hand to make contact with the strings to offer any usable muting. Any attempt to mute just deadens the sound because you would be making contact with the vibrating part of the string.

This problem has been documented on this forum by people who have purchased this bridge not realizing the palm muting (or any other kind of muting) issue.

If muting is not your thing, then go for it. The bridge is a fully functional work of art.
 
#39
ASQTec said:
You would actually have to play a bass with one of these bridges to fully understand the palm muting issue.

The point at which the strings make contact with the saddle is so deeply recessed that it is impossible for the skin of your hand to make contact with the strings to offer any usable muting. Any attempt to mute just deadens the sound because you would be making contact with the vibrating part of the string.

This problem has been documented on this forum by people who have purchased this bridge not realizing the palm muting (or any other kind of muting) issue.

If muting is not your thing, then go for it. The bridge is a fully functional work of art.
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I have one on my Precision.

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#40
Unless you get it and find there's some significant problem with the Hi-mass, I wouldn't bother. You won't notice a tonal difference and it's just extra hassle.
 
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