Hipshot Brass/Chrome Ric bass replacement Bridge Report

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lumgimfong
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Hipshot Brass/Chrome Ric bass replacement Bridge Report

Post by lumgimfong »

Got a new in box brass/chrome version this month from Arkansas Musicworks in Arkansas for $135. It is for my 2016 4003. I have bought another bridge from them before for my Gibson bass. They shipped it fast. They answered my questions fast. Great customer service. They had the best price I could find.

Installation
- Easy. 4 screws. Drop right into the existing screw holes on the body. But they are a little longer than stock bridge screws so had to drill a little deeper about half a cm. I sandwiched the ground wire between body and bridge base before installing the screws. Easy contact and no soldering required. Bass is just as noiseless as it was before.

Sound - no detectable difference in tone between the stock bridge and the Hipshot brass/chrome to my ears (that's a good thing). I A/B'd recordings and cannot really tell if there is a diff. Maybe, just maybe the Hipshot gives a little richer tone. Maybe. Maybe not. I bet I could not pick it out in a blind test. So far the saddles sit in place rock solid and no vibration. It is a each string has a saddle housing with an hourglass shaped cylindrical roller saddle inside that the string lays across.

Weight - My Hipshot is 543 grams with mounting screws. My stock bridge is 309 grams with mounting screws. This is a big reason I wanted it, to offset some of the neck heaviness the bass has. This is the final mod to help with that after other mods I did to help with it that also helped.

Looks - I think it looks just as good but different than the stock bridge. The stock bridge is more vintage style looking, the Hipshot is sleeker and more modern looking, which I think matches good with the sleeker looking HB1 pups I have on my bass. The chrome color matches the other chrome on the 4003 nicely. But the chrome on the Hipshot looks nicer to me than the stock bridge chrome. Like creamier texture and slicker. Could be just he smoother contours of the bridge though. It is a little wider than the stock bridge so it covers the stock bridge footprint entirely.

Setup functionality- I cannot imagine it being any easier to set intonation, action, and string spacing. I set my strings 22/32nds apart center-to-center like they came on the stock bridge. Easy access to all adjustment bolts with the strings in place. They give you extra intonation bolts, too, which is nice. I didn't need them. I know some people set it and forget it for years, but where I live I need to tweak setups and neck a couple times a year. So bonus setup ease there.

Mute - It doesn't have one !! Which means you can finger and palm mute with ease, if a song calls for it! Mute on the fly!! Another reason I wanted to get it.

I like both these 4003 bridges. They are both very nice but the extra weight and freedom to mute and easier setup capability made me want to get a hipshot.

Here is a pic where you can see the bridge/saddle mechanisms. Too bad we cannot upload hi def pics here.
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thx1955
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Re: Hipshot Brass/Chrome Ric bass replacement Bridge Report

Post by thx1955 »

The Hipshot are nice looking Bridges and built like Tanks
"It's Red Jim, but not as we know it...."
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lumgimfong
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Re: Hipshot Brass/Chrome Ric bass replacement Bridge Report

Post by lumgimfong »

That’s for sure!!
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lumgimfong
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Re: Hipshot Brass/Chrome Ric bass replacement Bridge Report

Post by lumgimfong »

UPDATE:
Upon more A/B - ing with the old bridge/Hipshot bridge.
The stock Ric bridge sounds more nasally and midrangey, and the Hipshot the lows/highs/mids sound all equal. Like a flat response.
Both have same punch and growl and brightness to my ears, and retain the Ric sound equally.
This was recorded with the same stringset.
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espidog
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Re: Hipshot Brass/Chrome Ric bass replacement Bridge Report

Post by espidog »

Michael - was there supposed to be a link to an audio file there? If so, it's not showing up. :wink:
2004 4003 JetGlo
Epiphone Jack Casady
Ovation Magnum 1
Mania VTB-4BS
Dean Stylist w/ John Birch Magnum II pups
Yamaha BB414
Trace Elliot VA350/GP11 Mk1
Peavey TB-Raxx
2 BFM Omni 10.5 crossfire cabs
Roland Bass Cube 100
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lumgimfong
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Re: Hipshot Brass/Chrome Ric bass replacement Bridge Report

Post by lumgimfong »

Haha!! Good idea!
I'd like to.
I tried to upload but it would not accept the .aif file extension.
What format can I use to upload?
WillyWonka
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Re: Hipshot Brass/Chrome Ric bass replacement Bridge Report

Post by WillyWonka »

I have the aluminum Hipshot on my 2020, it replaced the V2.

Extremely happy with the switch.
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espidog
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Re: Hipshot Brass/Chrome Ric bass replacement Bridge Report

Post by espidog »

lumgimfong wrote:I tried to upload but it would not accept the .aif file extension.
What format can I use to upload?
As far as I'm aware you can't upload audio files directly to the forum. If you have any personal webspace or use a file-sharing service, you could upload to there and post a link to the file's location. Alternatively, you could open a free account on Soundcloud, upload it to there and post a link to it. :)
2004 4003 JetGlo
Epiphone Jack Casady
Ovation Magnum 1
Mania VTB-4BS
Dean Stylist w/ John Birch Magnum II pups
Yamaha BB414
Trace Elliot VA350/GP11 Mk1
Peavey TB-Raxx
2 BFM Omni 10.5 crossfire cabs
Roland Bass Cube 100
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henry5
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Re: Hipshot Brass/Chrome Ric bass replacement Bridge Report

Post by henry5 »

WillyWonka wrote:I have the aluminum Hipshot on my 2020, it replaced the V2.

Extremely happy with the switch.
That change surprises me, as the V2 looks pretty good to me. What was the reason for the change?
WillyWonka
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Re: Hipshot Brass/Chrome Ric bass replacement Bridge Report

Post by WillyWonka »

henry5 wrote:
WillyWonka wrote:I have the aluminum Hipshot on my 2020, it replaced the V2.

Extremely happy with the switch.
That change surprises me, as the V2 looks pretty good to me. What was the reason for the change?

The V2 is overly complicated.

The 4 saddles must be completely removed to take the tailpiece/mute off.

Then the tailpiece/mute assembly can be removed.

Then the block that hold the saddles can be removed.

The biggest reason I changed it out was the tailpiece did not allow the E saddle do go back far enough to intonate properly. I was still 15 cents sharp. There was still travel available in the saddle, but the tailpiece would not allow it without modification/notching.
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lumgimfong
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Re: Hipshot Brass/Chrome Ric bass replacement Bridge Report

Post by lumgimfong »

Here are the bridge test demos.
The tracks start with open A and E strings sounding, and then some octave thumping, and then some playing. Yes, everything is EQ'd really bright! There is an odd clipping in the beginning of both tracks which I haven’t tracked down. Pardon the noise! Enjoy!!

https://soundcloud.com/user-222948482/4 ... 3SvIqBO291


https://soundcloud.com/user-222948482/4 ... ic1MbGpTVa
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ram
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Re: Hipshot Brass/Chrome Ric bass replacement Bridge Report

Post by ram »

Great comparison Michael! Thanks for sharing. Personally I like aspects of both but if I had to choose I think I'd be with the original. This could change with my mood during the day though. Thanks again for the comparison, it was really well done!
The only thing we can perceive are our perceptions - George Berkeley
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lumgimfong
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Re: Hipshot Brass/Chrome Ric bass replacement Bridge Report

Post by lumgimfong »

Yes, the two bridges seem to be like 6 of one, half a dozen of the other. Not that different to my ears.

What did you like better about the original?
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espidog
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Re: Hipshot Brass/Chrome Ric bass replacement Bridge Report

Post by espidog »

To my ear there seems to be very little between them, sound-wise. If I was pushed to pick on something, I'd say that the RIC bridge has more upper midrange going on - or, to put it another way, the Hipshot sounds a bit flatter/more hollowed-out in that region. It's a tiny margin of difference, though!
2004 4003 JetGlo
Epiphone Jack Casady
Ovation Magnum 1
Mania VTB-4BS
Dean Stylist w/ John Birch Magnum II pups
Yamaha BB414
Trace Elliot VA350/GP11 Mk1
Peavey TB-Raxx
2 BFM Omni 10.5 crossfire cabs
Roland Bass Cube 100
K9-4026
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Re: Hipshot Brass/Chrome Ric bass replacement Bridge Report

Post by K9-4026 »

Hipshot for the win. Deeper Bass and fuller overall sound, wise choice.
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