Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Boogie wrote:Does the Hipshot bridge allow for palm muting? The stock 4003 bridge does not look like it facilitates palm muting.

What about Leo Quan's Badass bridge? I had played a J-bass with a Badass bridge and it was well built and sounded great. Perhaps they don't make one for Rickenbacker?

Yes,the hipshot definitely allows for palm muting quite nicely. The bridge requires no mods to the bass and it's super easy to install one. (I am tech-challenged,and i did the install on mine).
The quan would be the way to go only if you have to "do what Geddy did" for some reason. I would put a Schaller roller bridge on before i would the badass. Either way,the bass will have to be modded to accommodate them.

Why would you spend $109.00 on a Hipshot bridge when for only $2,350.00 more you could get a whole 4004L?

Kiddwad57 wrote:Why would you spend $109.00 on a Hipshot bridge when for only $2,350.00 more you could get a whole 4004L?

I have 3 of those,and spent considerably less than that on each one.....
But i do also like my 2 70's 4000 basses. The simpler esthetics of the 4000 are complementary to the streamlined look of the Hipshot bridge,too,IMHO.

Woody, I'll make you a bargain. Send me one of your 4000s (the burgandyglo one, if you don't mind) and you can go ahead and keep the hipshot. I can deal with the bridge issue somehow.

Jeff, I guess wholeselling to one cusomter is less headache than selling to individual cusomters.

Thanks, Woody, for the headsup. As it is unlikely that I could find a Leo Quan Badass bridge, I could spare myself from doing a Geddy Lee. Incidentally, Lee is one of my favourite Rick bass players, along with Chris Squire and Paul McCartney.

When I get my 4003S next year, I will play it as is for a while and see how comfortable I am with the stock bridge. I do palm mute quite a bit, I might get a brass version of the Hipshot bridge if the stock bridge bothers me.

Kiddwad57 wrote:Woody, I'll make you a bargain. Send me one of your 4000s (the burgandyglo one, if you don't mind) and you can go ahead and keep the hipshot. I can deal with the bridge issue somehow.

I don't own a Burgandyglo 4000. ( which is a real pity!)
(I have a white '74,and a mapleglo '72.)

Boogie wrote: Thanks, Woody, for the headsup. As it is unlikely that I could find a Leo Quan Badass bridge, I could spare myself from doing a Geddy Lee. Incidentally, Lee is one of my favourite Rick bass players, along with Chris Squire and Paul McCartney.
When I get my 4003S next year, I will play it as is for a while and see how comfortable I am with the stock bridge. I do palm mute quite a bit, I might get a brass version of the Hipshot bridge if the stock bridge bothers me.

If you do feel the need to go with the hipshot,I recommend the aluminum version to retain the overall weight and tonal character of the bass.

Well you're still two up on me! Cheers!

Boogie wrote:As it is unlikely that I could find a Leo Quan Badass bridge...

I've got a Badass II bridge, which I bought several years ago for a Jaguar Bass, still in the packaging; I'd sell it for $100, which is what I paid for it.

Hipshot bridge WEIGHTs (WITH MOUNTING HARDWARE): 22oz (BRASS) 8.6OZ (ALUMINUM) for ric basses made before 2019 version.