Hipshot Drop in Bridge

[thx1955]

I know that there's a good chance this has been talked to death in my absence however since I'm seriously considering putting one of the solid brass ones in my 4003 I thought I'd ask the collective experience of the Forum.

So, ladies and gentlemen (and I use the terms in the loosest possible fashion)

The questions are:

1: Does it come in Fireglo
2: Is it a significant improvement in tone and inotation over the stock bridge
3: How easy is it t install and intonate

Comments ???

[cjj]

As far as I know, they only come in chrome, black and gold.

People have varying opinions on how good they are tone-wise, etc. Intonation adjustments are nicer/easier. Some people have had problems with the saddles rattling.

Screw holes are in the same place, installation is a snap.

[jaymi]

Jim!!!!! Great to see you!!!!! I am in your camp now with Fireglo....(not wanting to hijack your thread, just saying hi!!!)

[gearhed289]

Hey Jim, good to see you. In case you didn't know, your old V63 ("Rose"?) now belongs to another member of the forum. In its place is a beautiful Fireglo 4003S/8!

Anyway... the Hipshot bridge. I love it! I can't really say if there's an improvement in tone per se, but I believe it's helped get the E string to sound more consistent with the rest of the strings. Setting the intonation is a HUGE improvement, as is not having the mute assembly in the way when playing. Installation couldn't be easier.

[cassius987]

1: Does it come in Fireglo
2: Is it a significant improvement in tone and inotation over the stock bridge
3: How easy is it t install and intonate

1. Absolutely not! It comes in chrome, gold, and black.

2. Neither is significantly improved. It definitely injects more low-end into the tone of the bass (first thing it reminded me of was Geddy's tone on Signals), but otherwise it still sounds like a stock Ricky afterwards--the rich harmonics don't get much richer than they already were, for instance. The ringing "piano tone" is still there, maybe a bit dampened! (So that's no good! But I can't be sure of this because the weather has been screwing with my bass's neck lately and that really messes up the sound when you don't have low action.) For me, the jury is still out on the sound aspect. As for intonation, obviously, it's a LOT easier to mess with the intonation. I mean, apples and oranges, just not at all the same. And it stays put. But a stock bridge usually only needs to be intonated one or two times and then you're done, so is this that big of an advantage?

OH YEAH! You're going brass. Well, welcome to thump city. Mine is aluminum and it added tons of low-end.

3. Ridiculously easy to do both things.

Comments: Some people complain that the saddles "wobble" but for me this only happens if I set their height adjustments so low that the action is no longer playable. With my neck dead straight (IMO the only way to play), the saddle height adjustments (adjusted quite low action) sit just fine.

Is it really better than using the stock bridge? Maybe it has some advantages, but it's not worth another $100. I really like mine just because I couldn't tame the problem I was having with my stock bridge on my fretted 4003. On my fretless, the stock bridge is perfect, so why mess with it?

[teeder]

Jim,

I put the aluminum version on our V63. Hipshot told me to go with the aluminum one to maintain the Ricky tone.
Here's a little Fireglo teaser for you.

I'm very happy with it. The same great tone, more sustain, easy intonation, and better access behind the horseshoe.

[thx1955]

Jamyi,
No worries Sir, nice to see you.

Kevin,
Aren't both of those formerly mine looks like my 72-4001, and my 92-v63, the hipshot bridge looks good.

Joshua,
Thanks for the detailed feedback, I appreciate it.


Would the consensus be then that the Aluminium version is a better match for the traditional Ric tone rather then the Brass one. ?

[cassius987]

Would the consensus be then that the Aluminium version is a better match for the traditional Ric tone rather then the Brass one. ?

I should think so. Brass will mean a lot of lows and it's a lot heavier/denser if I'm not mistaken.

This is just me, but, I really think too much mass is a design flaw in a lot of "aftermarket bridges". More does not always equal better. I think much more mass than my aluminum bridge presents would be rather excessive and probably hurt the tone--make it too muddy. There was a (fairly) scientific study about this that compared sound clips of a Badass II vs. a stock Fender on a vintage P Bass, and the stock Fender bridge really had a lot of advantages over the Badass. It sounded a lot "tighter" for sure.

[teeder]

I agree 100%.

Jim,

No, the one on the right is my '71 21 fretter. Your old '72 does belong to a forumite though.

[johnallg]

While reading Tom's post, I had a thought. I wonder if the recent complaints of the E string (sometimes the A, D, and G too) being weak output is due to some saddles sitting up so high off the bridge?

Jim, if you are considering an aluminum Hipshot, PM me and I can make you a deal.

[thx1955]

John,
PM sent ... look forward to hearing from you !

[cassius987]

While reading Tom's post, I had a thought. I wonder if the recent complaints of the E string (sometimes the A, D, and G too) being weak output is due to some saddles sitting up so high off the bridge?

Are those complaints directed at the Hipshot bridge? You can get the saddles really low on them... Very easy to set low action with.

I think the "weak E" stuff I have heard has had a lot more to do with the offset pole pieces... I quickly decided I liked mine flat on the pickup.

[VRICKY63]

I really like the alluminium Hipshot . Had them on my 77 4001 and V63 . Cures dead notes on the neck .

[antipodean]

I really like the alluminium Hipshot . Had them on my 77 4001 and V63 . Cures dead notes on the neck .

+1. The dead spot on my 4000 is much less noticeable after adding an aluminium Hipshot...

[johnallg]

While reading Tom's post, I had a thought. I wonder if the recent complaints of the E string (sometimes the A, D, and G too) being weak output is due to some saddles sitting up so high off the bridge?

Are those complaints directed at the Hipshot bridge? You can get the saddles really low on them... Very easy to set low action with.

I think the "weak E" stuff I have heard has had a lot more to do with the offset pole pieces... I quickly decided I liked mine flat on the pickup.

Josh, looks like I mixed my thread metaphors... This pondering covers the RIC bridge and saddles.