Bridge Squier Jaguar Short Scale Bass

DdiggerDdigger Frets: 2335

Folks,

Some advice please...

Been looking at a replacement bridge for a Squier Jaguar Short Scale Bass.

I was looking at a Gotoh 201 or Hipshot A style bridge, but I can get a Fender high Mass bridge for half the price (of these replacements or a bog standard vintage Fender bridge).

If the high mass bridge is so good, why so cheap?

None of these will require mods, I believe.

Cheers,


DDig

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Comments

  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14321
    The prices might have something to do with quality of materials and the countries of origin.
    Be seeing you.
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  • DdiggerDdigger Frets: 2335

    OK, I think the Fender hi mass bridge is about £100 and the others go for less then £50.  I was going to get one of the Gotoh 201 bridges.

    However, some online shops in Germany and one in the UK have the Fender Hi Mass bridge IV in brass for ~£28.

    A bargain I should grab or a dog I should avoid?

    Cheers,


    DDig

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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14321
    The £28 bridge is MIC and loosely inspired by the Leo Quan Badass. Examined up close, the workmanship and finish on this is disappointing when compared to the American Standard/Professional bridge. (I have one on my Dimension Standard 4. It looks as if it belongs on a Squier.) 

    The Gotoh 201B is machined to a very high standard in high quality materials. The one possible downside to it is the chunky saddles. It may not be possible to set them as low as you would wish, forcing the use of a neck pocket shim to get the correct neck pitch angle.

    Many mid-price instruments are now offered with a 201B clone bridge. It does the job. I may have a spare one stashed away. ;)
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  • DdiggerDdigger Frets: 2335

    Thanks FF. 

    A dog to avoid then...

    I will be buying online, so sight unseen.  The price seemed to indicate that they were trying to clear stock.

    I read the marathon thread at Talkbass (160+ posts) and did get some insight from the 25 or so useful posts.

    Cheers,

    Ddig

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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14321
    The 201B-alike bridges can be found on eBay for approximately £15. 

    If you can obtain a Fender Hi-Mass bridge cheaply enough, by all means do. It certainly does the job. In my opinion, it just looks slightly naff and unconvincing. I am only leaving the one on my Fender Dimension Bass in situ because it is original. 

    Sometimes, the supposed upgrade to a chunky, machined from solid, bridge brings little or no improvement over Leo's original cheapskate stamped steel design. Much depends upon what sound(s) you are after. 
    Be seeing you.
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  • DdiggerDdigger Frets: 2335

    Yep, I see that even some expensive and vintage basses have simple bridges.

    Maybe I should save my pennies for some new tuners - the existing ones have a fair bit of 'slop' in them.

    What is your Dimension bass like?  Have they discontinued that model?

    Cheers,


    DDig

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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14321
    Ddigger said:
    What is your Dimension Bass like?
    My example is called the American Standard Dimension Bass. It has simple, passive controls - Neck PU Vol., Bridge PU Vol., Master (treble roll off) Tone. No active EQ. No fancy pickup coil permutation switching. Everything else is the same as the other American-made models except that the body wood is hidden under an opaque paint finish.

    The instrument hangs nicely on a strap. The asymmetric neck profile is fast when needed and comfortable. The sounds from the pickups are meatier than a Jazz Bass but lack the throb of a good old Precision Bass. The simple circuitry of the Am Std model means that hum and RF interference are always cancelled. (This may not always be true on the American Deluxe variants.)

    I must dispel the assumption that the Dimension Bass is Fender's answer to the Musicman Stingray. It most definitely is not. Under their covers, to all intents and purposes, Dimension Bass pickups are double Jazz Bass pickups. They sound nothing like a good Stingray. They don't even sound like a bad copy of a Stingray. Some people have seen photographs of the single pickup model Dimension Bass, noted the Stingray-esque pickup placement and drawn unfounded conclusions.

    Ultimately, all variants of the Fender and Squier Dimension Bass have their work cut out because they are, undeniably, fugly.

    Ddigger said:
    Have they discontinued that model?
    Yes. The American Standard Dimension Bass has been discontinued for a while now. 
    Be seeing you.
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