SD Jackson Bridge Question...

[jet66]

My son has an '83 Jackson P-style bass. He wants to replace the stock brass bridge with a black-finished bridge. It is a 5-hole unit, with the large block where the strings come through. Will a unit (such as a Badass II) with the standard Fender 5-hole spacing work? I only want something that is going to be a direct drop-in replacement, so it can be put back to original if so desired later on.

Thanks in advance!

[amimbari]

I have a couple people with lots of parts, would you want a regular black Jackson branded bridge?

one of these older ones with the jackson written on the edge where the strings go thru like these right?

[jet66]

It looks similar to those, but with no Jackson branding. He's got his mind set on a Baddass II in particular, though. Because "that's what Steve Harris uses."

[amimbari]

It looks similar to those, but with no Jackson branding. He's got his mind set on a Baddass II in particular, though. Because "that's what Steve Harris uses."

oh brother, where's the facepalm smiley?
well I never tried to put a BA2 on one of mine since there was never a reason to mod any of mine yet cause that version of the bridge is very stable and has never given me grief, so I couldn't tell you if it lines up with the holes or not. I have 7 of the Charvel basses, and they all have that bridge on them.

and ugh.....does he look like Steve Harris? is he gonna get into a band or become more popular playing the same bass, playing the same way, and playing his songs?...tell him if he wants to emulate Harris, tell him to put on a Harris mask....

I did it for 4 years in a Maiden Tribute band playing lefty, inverted, and using 3 finger gallop and not 2 --those band members never cared that I was playing that way AND using my TBX as my main player and not a signature series Fender or anything like that.

tell your boy to look thru my youtube channel, he will see many many Maiden covers in there, and although I don't look, play or sound like Harris, all the notes and phrasings are correct!!

[jet66]

oh brother, where's the facepalm smiley?
well I never tried to put a BA2 on one of mine since there was never a reason to mod any of mine yet cause that version of the bridge is very stable and has never given me grief, so I couldn't tell you if it lines up with the holes or not. I have 7 of the Charvel basses, and they all have that bridge on them.

and ugh.....does he look like Steve Harris? is he gonna get into a band or become more popular playing the same bass, playing the same way, and playing his songs?...tell him if he wants to emulate Harris, tell him to put on a Harris mask....

I did it for 4 years in a Maiden Tribute band playing lefty, inverted, and using 3 finger gallop and not 2 --those band members never cared that I was playing that way AND using my TBX as my main player and not a signature series Fender or anything like that.

tell your boy to look thru my youtube channel, he will see many many Maiden covers in there, and although I don't look, play or sound like Harris, all the notes and phrasings are correct!!

I think it's mostly because that's what Harris uses, not so much that he wants to copy him exactly. It is a black body neck-thru pointy with ebony board and EMGs, after all.

Personally, I think he should leave it stock. This thing is 100% original, minus strings and battery for the EMG. I did put straplocks on it, to help protect it from any 'oopsies,' but I have the strap buttons stored safely. He got a set of black coated DR strings, so now he has it in his head to black it out all the way.

About what would a black Jackson bridge cost, if I can swing him around that way? It's his money going in to this, so I have a feeling if it saves a pretty penny, his opinion can be shifted.

[amimbari]

jet, those things are cheap, like 20-30 dollars on ebay. here's one that ended a couple days ago:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Charvel-Bass-Model-2-B-Jackson-bridge_W0QQitemZ130304637529QQcmdZViewItemQQptZGui tar_Accessories?hash=item1e56c2fa59&_trksid=p3286. c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2|65%3A13|39%3A1|240%3A1318| 301%3A1|293%3A1|294%3A50

it is really beat up, but you can see that 15.00 was the selling price, and the ones that are a little more are usually in great shape and no wear on the saddles. THAT AD has some close up measurements of the thing, so maybe that will help you with the BA bridge mounting.
if he really wants one, I could do some investigating, cause I know too many people with C/J's and perhaps parts bins with a spare Jackson bridge or 2.

maybe someone will chime in and say "yes the BA series will be a direct bolt-on with no mods" thing, and your boy will have what he wants IF that is what he wants.

[jet66]

Thanks for the input, he ended up going with a Gotoh bridge, in black, about $40 brand-spankin' new. Between the bridge and new knobs, he spent about $50 (I covered shipping) of his own money that he saved. When he saw how much he got for his dollar vs. getting the BAII, he was actually pretty easy to convince that he could be happy while spending less money.

[amimbari]

Thanks for the input, he ended up going with a Gotoh bridge, in black, about $40 brand-spankin' new. Between the bridge and new knobs, he spent about $50 (I covered shipping) of his own money that he saved. When he saw how much he got for his dollar vs. getting the BAII, he was actually pretty easy to convince that he could be happy while spending less money.

50 bucks is good, and I'm sure he IS happy ( for now till he wants to drop EMG's in it )...lol, then the 50.00 turns into 200.00.

[jet66]

50 bucks is good, and I'm sure he IS happy ( for now till he wants to drop EMG's in it )...lol, then the 50.00 turns into 200.00.

It had EMG's in it when he bought it. So of course now he wants passives.

I have a Quarter Pounder in my P-Bass, and I do like the sound better. However, I don't think he is at a point as a player where he really needs to worry about those kind of details just yet.

[amimbari]

that's cool JET. hey, do you have any pics of that bass either before he changed the bridge, or now?

[jet66]

that's cool JET. hey, do you have any pics of that bass either before he changed the bridge, or now?

Yes, I have a whole folder here of various shots: http://s240.photobucket.com/albums/f...ackson%20bass/

Many of those are from before we cleaned it up, right from the store. I am keeping all of the original parts, so it can all be put back to 100%. I also forbid him to do anything permanent to it. I am pretty sure it is all original from 1983, even the EMG's.

[amimbari]

Yes, I have a whole folder here of various shots: http://s240.photobucket.com/albums/f...ackson%20bass/

Many of those are from before we cleaned it up, right from the store. I am keeping all of the original parts, so it can all be put back to 100%. I also forbid him to do anything permanent to it. I am pretty sure it is all original from 1983, even the EMG's.

you are correct last serial for the NT's in 83 was j0034, which yours is...ONLY 35 total units made, Concert or not...the next batch of various NT models were to be sold as 84 models and 371 were made.

YOU do realize what you have right???? those old NT concerts are very rare and collectible especially with under 50 made for production like the TBX series I have...don't let him destroy it

as far as that gold non-jackson bridge gold knobs, I seriously doubt that those were on it when brand new. The EMG's could have been --- if the knobs/bridge were gold from the factory the tuners would also be gold.... I'd have to do some DEEP digging to find out but I doubt it.. Either way it is a rare model, which should be kept in as clean condition as possible. ( just hope he never sets it on a stand and it falls over and breaks it )

here's a good example of a rare NT bass price point:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=200347941162

that one went for 725, just for the fact it is a NT-USA.

[jet66]

Oh yes, I know what he has, and he is under the threat of death if he does anything stupid to it. I've got a scan from the Charvel MFG Jackson serial number list that was sent to me by a San Dimas aficionado. (I just added it to the photobucket folder.) I've been half tempted to just keep it at my house (he lives with his mom) but he seems to grasp the concept that he has something pretty rare. When we first picked it up, I didn't realize it was that old. I figured San Dimas, but I expected it to be later. Apparently Guitar Center didn't know what they had, either, we got it for $500.

I thought the bridge may have been stock because of it being brass. I don't know a whole lot of the ins and outs of Jackson/Charvel history, though, especially the basses. I just figured from what I knew about the old brass V-trems on the guitars that this bridge may have been original as well.

[amimbari]

Oh yes, I know what he has, and he is under the threat of death if he does anything stupid to it. I've got a scan from the Charvel MFG Jackson serial number list that was sent to me by a San Dimas aficionado. (I just added it to the photobucket folder.) I've been half tempted to just keep it at my house (he lives with his mom) but he seems to grasp the concept that he has something pretty rare. When we first picked it up, I didn't realize it was that old. I figured San Dimas, but I expected it to be later. Apparently Guitar Center didn't know what they had, either, we got it for $500.

I thought the bridge may have been stock because of it being brass. I don't know a whole lot of the ins and outs of Jackson/Charvel history, though, especially the basses. I just figured from what I knew about the old brass V-trems on the guitars that this bridge may have been original as well.

ya who knows..that long ago it may have been stylish to have a brass bridge and black tuners, but it don't sound logical to me....

[jet66]

I just searched the date code for the pots, and they are CTS, the 'newest' is from the 31st week of 1983. I know that doesn't mean the EMG's were stock necessarily, but I hadn't really thought about looking in to it before today.

Either way, it was definitely a cool find. Now if only I could get that lucky with a San Dimas Jackson pointy bolt-on guitar.