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Old 09-06-2015, 04:12 PM
Eric Hochberg Eric Hochberg is offline
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Default Change Bridge to Change Sound?

I'm curious if a bridge alone can have an effect on a bass' sound? I know that thinner bridges and wingless bridges are supposed to brighten up the sound. Can going from a quality bridge to another quality bridge change the sound of a bass? In other words, how much does the bridge have to do with the overall sound?

Along those lines, might piezo bridge pickups create a different sound on a bass when different bridges are used, since the pickup, I assume, is mainly operating off the vibrations of the bridge?

Interesting in hearing from those with actual experience.
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Old 09-11-2015, 01:09 PM
David McLaughlin David McLaughlin is offline
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I have changed bridges on basses a good number of times, and YES, the sound changes as much as it does changing a violin bridge, mandolin bridge, guitar bridge, or the bridge on any stringed instrument. Try it...you'll hear it.
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Old 09-12-2015, 10:28 PM
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Ken Smith Ken Smith is offline
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Lightbulb ??

Eric, why are you asking? Every time you touch a bass to do anything, it slightly changes the sound and/or the feel. Sometimes, there is no going back. Strings a day, week, month or year old on the same bass sound different. Basses sound different thru the seasons, temperature and humidity. It's wood. No two pieces are alike.
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Old 09-15-2015, 11:24 AM
Eric Hochberg Eric Hochberg is offline
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Thanks for the replies. I'm asking because my "B" bass has a bridge drilled for a Wilson pickup. I'm not happy with the shape but my luthier tells me he doesn't recommend taking wood off the top because of the close proximity to the holes drilled for the pickup. So, a new bridge may be in order.

I have only changed bridges on a bass one time, but that was when I also had a new fingerboard installed. The bass got brighter, but I had assumed it was due to the fingerboard alone.
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Old 09-15-2015, 02:57 PM
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Anything is possible when you change things on a bass.
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Old 09-16-2015, 08:22 PM
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Eric Swanson Eric Swanson is offline
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A couple of weeks ago I took some strings off to try another brand. Didn't like the "new" ones so put back on the first set. They are brighter, clearer, etc.

Same strings, same everything, yet, something changed...

My point is that the subtlety and number of variables are stunning.

I've read luthiers talk about different bridge shapes yielding different sounds. I agree with the notion that every piece of wood sounds different; any change is a calculated risk, as far as I can tell...
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Old 09-23-2015, 07:50 PM
Eric Hochberg Eric Hochberg is offline
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I had some scoop taken out of my fingerboard yesterday (around 1/16" first couple positions) and the difference in tone and ease of play is dramatic. More tone (brightness), especially up the fingerboard, and more volume now. Really sounds like a different bass.
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