Leo Quan Badass 3 bass bridge

Re: Leo Quan Badass 3 bass bridge

While there are plenty who would disagree with me, and I haven't seen the Badass 3 (even on their website), a lot of the bass bridge replacement difference is a placebo effect. You think your bass sounds better and has "more sustain" because you've "upgraded." Around 6 years ago or so I lost an adjustment screw out of one of the saddles on my Jazz Bass. Rather than trying to find a 40 year old screw I decided to replace the bridge and "upgrade" my bass. Since the Badass was a drop in replacement- I used that. I really wanted to hear a world of difference in tone- or even sustain- but I didn't. Sure, the Badass has a larger "footprint" to transfer more vibration to the body, and it has more mass than most stock traditional bridges, but it doesn't seem to make much of (if any) any audible difference. The Badass is a fine bridge- if you have a bridge that is broken, damaged, unreliable, or won't intonate well, the Badass is a great replacement- but I don't think it's much of an "upgrade."

Of course, what I just said goes all out the window if you're talking about a Gibson style 2 or 3 point bridge- a Badass is a definate improvement on those bridges, just because the body of the bridge floats above the body of the bass and is only anchored by the tailpiece studs.

I would suggest, unless you have something wrong with your bridge and you want to change your sound, change your pickups or add a preamp.

Th
 
Re: Leo Quan Badass 3 bass bridge

Yeah, I hear what you're saying. It's just that gadget freak in me wanting to get the latest toy!!:smokin:
 
Re: Leo Quan Badass 3 bass bridge

My buddy bought a Badass bridge from Kevin at Blackrose Custom's about 4 months ago. He put it on his hwy. 1 P-bass. The BA bridge seemed to be a little bit brighter, don't know about sustain. However he actually needed a new bridge, or at least saddle because his A and/or G string saddle always fell down.

Luke
 
Re: Leo Quan Badass 3 bass bridge

I don't know about tone, but the biggest think I like about the BA2 is the grooves for the saddle height screws. Stock Fender bridges lack those and the saddles move all around.
 
Re: Leo Quan Badass 3 bass bridge

Tom M said:
I don't know about tone, but the biggest think I like about the BA2 is the grooves for the saddle height screws. Stock Fender bridges lack those and the saddles move all around.
There's "a" groove for each saddle, the adjustment screws rest on the "higher" portion of the floor of the bridge- not in the groove.

Does anyone have a link to the Badass 3? It's not on Quan's website.
 
Re: Leo Quan Badass 3 bass bridge

Sorry, I confused it with a Gotoh bridge I had before. Nonetheless, the saddles don't move and I like that. :)
 
Re: Leo Quan Badass 3 bass bridge

I haven't seen the Badass III bridge yet. I have a MIM Jazz bass that I've installed the Badass II bridge which is nice because all the hole line up, A big step up from the stock bridge. Hipshot also makes a nice bridge too, My MIM I got off of eBay as a (cheap-I-don't-care-if-it-gets-banged-around-abit-bass). I paid $200.00 and I modified it with a Badass II bridge, 2 x SD Antiquity II pickups, and hipshot tuners and a new pickguard and a SKB case (lol) So I kind of defeated the pupose of a cheap bass!
 
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