High Mass "Frankenstein" Bridge for 20 Bucks - How To and Sound Tests

[@davewilliams2405]

Great video as always! Even if the sound is almost the same the new bridge looks way cooler, worth the trouble IMO

[@InspiringTracks]

Thanks!!

[@KevinLe-k9r]

Excellent demo! I think the hi-mass bridge improved the tone, and it looks great!

[@-processdrone-]

I've been considering a high mass bridge today. Tony Franklin (former Bassist with The Firm) said he got a high mass bridge (2013)... and went back to a stock one! His findings were that the high mass took out the mids and emphasized highs and lows (scooped the tone) and that's not what he wanted. Listening to this, well recorded, side by side really illustrated his point. You can hear your place in a band environment a lot better with more mid presence. If your music requires a more scooped sound that's probably something to tweak at the mixing desk. Today I decided not to buy a high mass bridge, thank you for your help.

[@chrisparker5278]

Could it be the brass in the saddles? Some high mass bridges come with steel or zinc saddles

[@AllAboutBasses]

Nice to see the test results, thanks for adding that.

[@chrisosti]

One little "trick" I've been doing for all my basses since the 80's...the little Allen screws to adjust the bridge block height...most times they have a small point on the bottom, and usually stick out on the top...waiting to snag clothing or worse, some skin on your hand or fingers. First thing is I'll cut them off so they're flush or a bit below the top of the bridge block, and second, I'll file or grind down the little point so that the screw contacts the bridge plate for the full width of the screw diameter. I do this for all of them so that I wind up with a perfectly smooth bridge surface when you slide your hand across the top, and I feel that I'm getting more contact between the string and the body of the bass due to the little extra metal to metal contact. Whether it's measurable or not, who knows...at the very least, I'm not going to cut my hand on anything in the middle a windmill bass solo!!! 😁

[@robertshay9951]

This project was $20 .00 not $200, I do hear some difference. If anything, it does look nicer for sure. You had fun, and you were able to prove or disprove your upgrade. Kudos to your curiosity. Keep it up.

[@InspiringTracks]

That was exactly the spirit of the project. Glad you liked it!

[@Abassman1967]

Great stuff man and those are some cool bass tracks for the demo!

[@InspiringTracks]

Thanks, glad you liked them! They are also available as standalone bassless backing tracks for free here in the channel

[@ka-bar5060]

I definetly like the tone from the Hi-Mass bridge. It is an upgrade I plan to do to my bass.

[@dm4728]

Nice I wanted to do this a few months ago but didn't have the time. I wrote a MATLAB script to do this but look at the harmonic content by doing an FFT to view the signal in the frequency domain.

[@m.norhishamm.radthi9395]

yeah.. it does sound difference.. thanks for this tips and video

[@InspiringTracks]

Glad you liked it!

[@Caperetiree]

The "Fender" bridge is indeed a Fender bridge. It is a bridge that was sold with some Fender MIM basses. It's a very solid bridge for the money.

[@InspiringTracks]

Great info, thanks for sharing!

[@oleksandrnovakov4295]

Thank you for the video, interesting and thorough! I was surprised by the difference from the first note. It looks like the new bridge has more response to the lows, so the bass sound more rounder and in a sense “boomier”, which could be a good thing in lots of applications. Still, with the old one it has more definition and “bite”, probably due to response on mids. So both of them have their cons pros, but the difference is noticeable anyway. (P.S. I’ve just checked on the internet and yes, brass is not known for transmitting mid frequencies)

[@InspiringTracks]

I heard the same, thanks for checking that about the brass, that should explain the increased brightness and bottom end

[@oldasrocks9121]

I like this one for the price. I've added Allparts threaded steel saddles, the intonation screw holes need to be drilled out to the next biggest drill bit size.

[@ryv2582]

Damn… the sustain improved so much on hi-mass bridge 😮😮😮

[@analogman9697]

I put a Gotoh 201B on a Squire Affinity. It now sounds like a high end bass. I had to dowel/redreill, so I'm hoping the Fender hi-mass I ordered for my other pbass is a direct replacement.

[@elpedrodlpmo4051]

Damn, so great! But why dont cleaning a bit the swamp you get under? 😂

[@sergiogarcialopez7356]

Muy bueno e interesante, es una buena idea para hacerle a mi jazz bass

[@InspiringTracks]

Muchas gracias Sergio! Es una buena mod, no es cara, es facil y aunque sea por la facha ya suma un montón. Saludos!

[@Rickkyb64]

where do you buy this bridge ?

[@ha-jd7wl]

High mass bridge never really sold me. Are they different? Yes. Are they better? That's subjective. I wouldn't feel the need to switch out to a high mass bridge if I had a bass without one, and vice versa. Great demo.

[@marctramonte]

I like the sound of the new bridge better. Thicker, rounder low end....more "hi fi" ....to my ear. Listened on SSL Interface to Presonus Eris 8 studio monitors.

[@dandaris2153]

Thanks for the video :) Even if the bigger bridge sounds fat, I prefer the stock one.

[@InspiringTracks]

Glad you liked the video!

[@popogejo7245]

Dan was using a good set of bonefones, with Bluetoothand can definitely feel a better sustain on the better speakers

[@WiLL-bz3kj]

Stock sounds more profound in different registers from hi mass

[@rowlandstraylight]

I'm not sure a cheap cast zinc bridge is any better than pressed steel. More mass at the cost of less rigidity isn't a win. I'd take the plate the brass saddles came with or the original bridge plate with brass saddles.

[@humanbass]

The grooves under the saddle screws are more important than the mass imo.

[@WakizashiSabre]

Sounds more full and rich, brobably due brass? better? to each his own. Eq might solve it.

[@Bro.ŽO]

Nice video. For me it's the same sound. I like more stock bridge. For one thing i'm sure. Now you got a heavier bass and lighter wallet. 🙂

[@richardsears4985]

Somebody spilled beer or french fry grease on the bridge somewhere along the way there

[@InspiringTracks]

Yeah, I bet something like that happened. I must be the third or fourth owner of this bass and judging by some of its scars it had a hard life, still plays fantastic

[@vodekz1534]

Old bridge has more woody sound,

[@normg2242]

I know there is a difference because I did that to all my basses. Even my wife could hear the difference from another room...!

[@learnalickaday7272]

old bridge for me