How to Upgrade the Bridge on Your Fender Bass Guitar | ELIXIR Strings

[@OngoGablogian487]

John was one of my teachers, great guy. Always soft spoken.

[@dwashbur]

Quick tip: to get threads started and avoid cross-threading, turn the screw backward a quarter turn or so until you feel the threads drop into place.

[@Grizzleback07]

I was getting ready to write this exact same thing. Been doing this for years and has never failed me yet.

[@subversive1219]

Thank you for this video! I just changed out a bridge on my Fender bass to a Hipshot. This video was an immense help!

[@analogman9697]

I tried putting that bridge ("Kickass") on a Squire Affinity P+J 2021. The holes DO NOT align, if anyone is trying to upgrade.

[@jamesgritman5477]

Thanks for the video! The tape and locating mark is a great tip I'll be sure to use in the future. I always learn something from your videos.

[@stevenordstedt2535]

John, I just saw on You Tube a video of a New kind of Bass bridge. With side to side adjustment of the strings. And made of Stainless Steel. The sound projected from it was much better than any Bad Ass or Hip Shot or Babics Bridge Ive heard today in 2022. But with the todays pick ups improved. The bridge also has to improve. Its called Tone Up 3d Barrel Saddle Bridge. I think this New technology of Stainless Steel Bridge will revolutionize the carrying of tone never heard before.

[@riffdigger2133]

This is an overly simplistic demonstration. I like John, I’ve talked to him on the phone and he is truly a Southern California legend, immensely qualified and skilled. Having bought a Hipshot Kickass bridge for my USA Jazz with string-through bridge, the holes do not line up and rather than drill, line-up out it goes to my repair tech. It’s always nice when the specific brands are mentioned, not just that the holes line up. Even better, put a link for the bridge in the description that John is installing.

[@ElixirStringsMedia]

thanks for the input, we appreciate it

[@ghostdog_ninja]

Great. Thanks for this video!!!

[@ElixirStringsMedia]

Glad you liked it!

[@meridian1491]

I would like some help finding a good tool repair and maintenance tool kit

[@D3ft0ne]

3:44.. holy smokes, some one played this bass a bit with a pick : P

[@filmlover2284]

Thank you sir for the set-up videos and nice book also.

[@jimcampbell8061]

People pay huge prices for vintage fenders equipped with old style bridges. Why then are so many swapping out the exact same bridges on newer fenders ? If looking for "that sound" would it not make more sense to leave them stock?

[@JosephPerryTetrahedroseph]

Does that new bridge keep the base from diving?

[@edmacu]

The hipshot bridge has only 4 screw holes right?

[@zodx19]

How did you know that the first saddle on that new bridge was where it supposed to be before you marked it?

[@Snowdog216]

He most likely just assumed it was in the correct intonation position or better would be to check it before removing the bridge and he might have done that before starting the video. Keep in mind I would call that roughing in the saddle positions and you still would want to check the intonation after installation.

[@ArthurStone]

Thanks John/Elixir; useful video : -)

[@rc6147]

I've had a BADASS 2 on my P bass since 1984 but i a thinking about getting this brass hipshot A.

[@robertw1871]

Appreciate it, well done sir...

[@bongocharm1332]

What size allen/hex key to adjust the action? I have inch and metric sets and nothing works.

[@Miles51678]

Great Video John! I'm confused though about where to measure the string height. In this video you state to measure where the neck meets the body (~17th fret), but in your book "Teach Yourself Guitar Repair & Maintenance" on page 19 it states to measure at the 12th fret. Furthermore in the picture on page 19 it shows a single dot on the top of the fret board. If it were the 12th fret it would be 2 dots (typically). Can you clarify where to measure the string height? Thanks!

[@ElixirStringsMedia]

Hi Miles, thanks for watching. Unfortunately Mr. Carruthers isn't able to respond to your question. We recommend contacting a local luthier for assistance. Thanks.

[@daveking77]

Great video. What if the holes don't match? I have a P-Bass with the strings threading through the back of the body.

[@Snowdog216]

I would go to the hipshot web site and see what they have listed. Also do some precise measuring just to make sure the new bridge fits if you are trying to avoid drilling new holes.

[@riffdigger2133]

@@Snowdog216 My USA Jazz has strings through the body, the bad ass bridge has strings thru the back of the bridge. More research I guess.

[@TheCommentator353]

Are the screw positions standard across all jazz basses like this one?

[@ASMRBass]

Thanks for this video!

[@danielirvine7468]

Thank you for your videos sir

[@elcanalazuldemartinmirage7425]

Can someone please tell me ¿What kind of bridge he is installing?

[@Snowdog216]

The title says Hipshot. And thats what it looks like to me. I recently installed a Hipshot Kicka_s__s bridge, 5 hole 4 string 5K400C model on a 1998 MIM Jazz Bass. It fit perfectly into the existing holes. But measure the string spacing before removing the stings, then adjust the new bridge to match before installing it. Just easier that way. It sounds great. The owner was like I should have done this years ago. Check the current bridge, if it is currently at its lowest position, then most likely you will need a neck shim. That is because the Hipshot bridge is thicker and stands taller. Also it is better to have the strings at playing height and the saddles near their middle height, so there is room to adjust up or down. A hard rock player or funk popper might want higher string height and jazz player might want lower strings.

[@Chris_music_channel]

What specific hipshot A style bridge is this? There's FM ones recommended as a retrofit to Fender, and there's various string spacing models... ?

[@mperron3]

Did you end up purchasing a bridge? Which model is he using in this video?

[@stevenordstedt2535]

Check it out and Id like to see a New Video of you installing one on an American Jazz Bass and see how its sounds or any difference.

[@franklucas9313]

this is really great but aw man. I wish he would have dealt with 5 screws in the original and 4 screws in the upgrade because that's what we really want to know how to deal with. filling holes properly so it's strong enough to hold the tension still.

[@riffdigger2133]

My USA Jazz has strings through the body, the bad ass bridge has strings thru the back of the bridge. More research I guess.

[@nielsenvega]

What Bridge is that?

[@godzilla964]

My bass bridge hums. It stops humming when I touch the bridge. Why is that?

[@cyko4]

Ryan same problem

[@SandorFule]

You should shield the guitar.

[@vsevkrawczeniuk8019]

Make sure the bridge is grounded. Under it there should be an exposed wire that gets sandwiched under the bridge. Make sure that is there, and connected to ground. If it isn't, fix that, if it is and you still have the problem, take Reku Papa's advice and shield the cavities. This can be done easily with foil tape. When this is done you must make sure the shielding is also grounding. There are lots of tutorials on all of this.

[@8Junio76]

Did you see the video? He explains that at 1:11.

[@Snowdog216]

Agree with other comments. Check ground wire. Checking grounding on pot wiring and all wiring. Also note if you are in house with florescent lights, dimmers, etc, those can cause issues. Try another receptacle in area. Turn off other electronic devices. Note some active pickups like EMG say a ground is not needed.

[@meridian1491]

opps, for bass

[@liiyahleal1319]

@John Carruthers sir what do you call that kind of bridge? :)

[@jonmuir13]

liiyah leal hipshot a style

[@Joefalconeri001]

So what do you do if you have a high mass 3 screw bridge but doesn’t line up to the original 5 screw holes from the original bridge ?

[@diegomcd]

Corta essa unha né meu tio?? Podrão!

[@JayGoreGuitar]

Stud.

[@brianpatrickmckee]

Lost it when he said basically

[@rc6147]

good video. But slow down. hahaha

[@pennywiseRJ]

that bridge was a downgrade huehuehuehuehueue