Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

qwezirider wrote:Jake Bartalone and I had this discussion several weeks ago when I bought his brass HS and swapped my aluminum HS out. These were recorded through a very clean preamp (Great River ME-1NV) with no eq at all. A 2008 4003. Fair warning before you download, they are each about 2.3MB in size and .wav files. I did not want to lose anything converting to .mp3's.

http://www.brucealan.com/projects/HipshotAluminum.wav
http://www.brucealan.com/projects/HipshotBrass.wav

Those give an idea how the darkness comes into play. Quite a boost on the lower mids that just wasn't a frequency I generally like to have boosted when recording a Rick.

Thanks for posting these, Bruce. Probably the clearest demonstration of the tonal differences between the two versions on the hipshot bridge that I've come across.

For me, the hipshot enhances the sound of some basses, but the stock tailpiece sounds best on others. To my ears, it has a lot to do with the pickups, and if you're playing through a rig rather than recording direct, I think your rig makes a big difference in what sounds better, too.

jps wrote:...everybody should have Magnepan speakers in their home stereo system as they are the best sounding speakers, without a shadow of a doubt. I have them, so all people should have them, too.

How's that for not generalizing, Joshua?

Your specificity only proves how divinely right you are. Bravo, good sir.

It's a bit like a the Graphtech saddle thing... They will improve some guitars out of sight, but totally ruin others.
Eden.

You mean my opinion isn't the be-all end-all of humanity's search for truth?

Paradigm shift!

bobcat wrote:You mean my opinion isn't the be-all end-all of humanity's search for truth?

Paradigm shift!

If the pentagram in your avatar were inverted, I'd be worried about now ...

For me, the aluminum HS was a dramatic improvement on my V63. It added sustain, clarity and evened out the string response.
I still prefer the look of the original though.

teeder wrote:For me, the aluminum HS was a dramatic improvement on my V63. It added sustain, clarity and evened out the string response.
I still prefer the look of the original though.

If it did that for you, that's great. Unfortunately it didn't for me! Maybe my bass was being snobbish.

They're all different.

The only thing i have noticed with the hipshot is some times the forward pitch of the neck away from the body causes problems with lowering the action.Sometimes, with some Ricks , you cant get the action low enough . The saddles bottom out making the hipshot useless. I love the hipshot bridges . So, i decided to experiment with the bridge a little. I have an early 73 and a 74 that the bridge would not work on . So, i slid out all of the little black metal saddle barrels that ride in the slots . I took the saddle bases ,marked them where the strings ride in conjunction with the neck width and pole spacing. Then i took my dremel with a small round cut off wheel and lightly notched each saddle. Then, i took some needle files and cut string slots to fit my gauge strings. it brought the action all the way down to the frets .Now it adjusts just like a fender bridge. will go as low or as high as i like it and it also improved the tone with the solid saddle contact .much more focus and one less thing to hinder the string vibration .So dont throw out your hipshots just yet if you have this issue.

I think we need higher res pics to see what you did clearly, but nonetheless a good idea. I did have that issue with the HS installed.

As soon as i get a minute , I will take some pics with the strings off so you can get a better look at the mod. It really changed the whole focus and function of the design. Just some FYI here . The saddles are brass on all hipshots . Only the bass plates are different alloys. So you can cut string slots like you would a badass

The only thing Rickenbacker could do to the bridge is get rid of those pieces on top of the mute between the strings that won't allow palm muting and all they'd have to do is drop them below string level, they'd still look the same, other wise I've never had a complaint with them and never changed one out. I think the bridges are a work of art.

I think alot of the hipshot appeal is that they retain the look of the stock rick unit sans mute. The look of the original bridge is classic and one of a kind , and i think,the Hipshot bridge captures alot of this .

I Think of it as a compliment.I said it retains the basic look . It is not an exact replica .even the shape is different. It just rights a few wrongs in my humble opinion.Im not trying to start a rau here . I just wanted to pass along some ideas for people that like the bridge . The original is a good bridge as well. The adjustment factor on it however, is just a hinderance .I dont like chopping holes in my basses to fit other kinds of bridges on it .So being a player , and a fender man most of my life . I applauded this design. Routs and odd screw holes are the true blasphemy here . Not the Hipshot. Please understand im not trying to offend anyone.