Bass VI bridge manufacturer

[FIREBOT]

I have a CS VI. I had a Mastery on it. Contrary to popular myth, it intonated properly, stayed in tune with the trem, and got a nice low action. I ordered a Staytrem cause it just looks so much more vintage correct (the Mastery looks too much like a part off a space ship's engine for a vintage bass...), and I have a Johnny Marr Jag. The bridge on the Jag hardly floats at all, making it much more stable. I love the bridge on the Jag. The VI bridge is a totally different item. They hardly seem to share any parts at all. I put it on the bass, and must say that it is coming off. It intonated easily, but couldn't get the action as low as I could with the Mastery. The deal-killer was that after a few minutes of normal (for me) playing, the bridge worked its way forward (toward the nut) in the thimble, resting against it, and throwing the formerly perfect intonation off. I re-centered it, and after a few minutes of normal playing (no trem use or anything), it happened again. Tried it a third time... Happened again. I've had a CIJ VI, and didn't have that problem with it's stock bridge, or with the stock bridge on the CS for that matter. I am familiar with the various Fender offset bridge offerings. In addition to the Marr with the Staytrem, I have a 1965 Jag with the stock bridge, a 1974 Jazzmaster with a Mastery, a Mustang with it's stock bridge and 10s, and a AVRI with the stock bridge and 14s on it. They all work well. This one just isn't going to work for me.

[mcjt]

you could wrap tape around the legs of the bridge so that it would stay in one (perfectly intonated) position.

[eggwheat]

It's not a myth, on some Bass VI's mastery's don't intonate, hence the big demand for a 1 inch bridge. Just depends what bass VI, what strings, what gauges etc..whether you use a capo, the tuning. It's hit and miss, you many get lucky you may not.

Be interested to understand what causes your bridge to move forward, that is unusual.

[FIREBOT]

It's not a myth, on some Bass VI's mastery's don't intonate, hence the big demand for a 1 inch bridge. Just depends what bass VI, what strings, what gauges etc..whether you use a capo, the tuning. It's hit and miss, you many get lucky you may not.

Be interested to understand what causes your bridge to move forward, that is unusual.

I dunno... I've had 2 different Mastery bridges on 2 different Fender VIs (the CIJ and The CS I mentioned in my earlier post). Both intonated perfectly.

When you look at an intonated 6 saddle Bass VI bridge with the bigger plate, the span between the length adjustments of the longest string and the shortest string usually look like they would fit within the plate of a smaller plate bridge (Jazzmaster or Mastery), it's just a matter of that span falling within that plate's placement on the body. The height of the bridge affects that parameter, as does shimming and truss rod adjustment. I didn't really have any problem getting either Mastery to adjust on those two particular instruments... But the one to really get me thinking about the other factors that affect this was a CIJ Mustang. I tried to install a mastery on it, and it had the same problem that everyone says about trying to put one on a VI: The proper placement of the saddle for one of the strings was outside of the bridge plate. I messed around with it for a while, and got to the bridge height, and truss rod, and realized that these dimensions were moving that saddle's intonation point back on the plate as I adjusted them too. This would apply to a VI too.

One can only go from personal experience... And I know that me suggesting I dialed something in that others couldn't makes me sound like an arrogant jerk, or someone who might not know what he is doing... But nevertheless, I just share my experience.

[Jaguar018]

As I've mentioned a few times, a Mastery was a disaster with my USACG Bass VI clone. I have not measured the scale length down to the millimeter-- but it was a no-go. Obviously the clone nature of my VI is the likely main reason that it didn't work.

I have Masterys in my three main guitars, so I'm not biased against them or anything, but I had no luck when it came to the aforementioned Bass VI Clone. It would have been nice.

[eggwheat]

One can only go from personal experience... And I know that me suggesting I dialed something in that others couldn't makes me sound like an arrogant jerk, or someone who might not know what he is doing... But nevertheless, I just share my experience.

No no, far from it..if that is your experience that is what you know. I am only going on my experience, which was with a few vintage VI's. I'm just saying it's not a myth. That's why fender designed it with a 1 inch bridge..Im sure as soon as they had tons of jazzmaster width bridges lying around they wouldn't have tooled up for a whole new bridge if it was not necessary in some way.

[mcjt]

i'm looking forward to reassembling my USACG VI clone and trying the Mastery I've saved for it......

[SneakyT]

Got in my Jag size Staytrem bridge. I really am impressed with this thing. Working well with the mute. Intonated fine. Much, much better sustain. I may turn it backwards to have a bit more room to intonate as it is all the way back. I'll post pictures tomorrow.

[captdusty]

Just ordered one for my Custom Shop VI. Asked for the narrower channel, since mine intonates OK with the JM/Jag bridge. (Though there was some spring and screw shortening involved to get it all to work out.) Probably should have asked this before buying, but did Staytrem use the same slightly closer 52mm string spacing as on their JM bridge? I hope so, as it would lessen my minor complaints about pickup pole alignment.

Much thanks to the OP here for getting the ball rolling on this. Maybe I need to start a similar thread in an effort to get Labella to offer their custom gauge sets in stainless roundwound. (Loving the 24-100 nickel sets I got from them -- guitar-ish on top, bassier on the bottom -- but I miss the sound and longer wear of stainless.)

[captdusty]

Dropped the Staytrem bridge into my VI this week, and I love it. It looks great; it feels great. There's a bit more sustain and a little less buzz (though my factory bridge was well-adjusted and hardly buzzed anyway). String-to-polepiece alignment is just right.

Intonation was an absolute breeze to set, with just enough travel even on the narrower JM-style plate, but, as stated many times on this forum, where VI's are concerned, YMMV. Offsetting the adjustment screws from the strings is a good move made even better by the switch from philips to allen and the inclusion of a ball-end Allen key.

Cannot wait to get this thing cranked to full volume at my next full band gig in another couple of weeks. Only then will I have a full picture of the impact on tone. DI's and home studio volume are one thing. Driving a full stack in a full-size room is something wholly another.

[stilettoace]

I'm pretty sure this topic hasn't gone away, so I thought I'd share my experience here with yet another option, the Wilkinson Roller Bridge I installed on my VI custom build.

Plusses: the holes for the endposts are oval, so the whole bridge can be 'canted' in order to bring the low E into intonation.
It sounds great, although I never did try any other options.
Minuses: There is a minor acoustic buzz to the Low E and low A open, but I don't hear it through the amp. The bridge posts are in SOLID so the bridge doesn't float. The tremolo action is pretty minor, and to get big bends, you really have to lean on it. String spacing is a little narrow, at 51.25mm or so.

I think I'll try a regular Jazzmaster bridge on it at some point to compare.