The Last Bass Outpost

The more sustain the less snap and attack perhaps. And wood tone. I hear less alder or ash (or whatever non-descript plant remnants these folks from California use ...  ) in a P or J with a heavy duty bridge (think Geddy Lee Signature) than on those with the flimsy original bridge. And those are snappier, livelier too, the only drawback is that high notes die pretty quickly and don't really sing. They are more percussive though.

Why would you want more sustain on a bass? You certainly don't need it for the deep tones, but when playing upper register notes that you want to let "stand" rather than quick percussive runs, then the sustain of a TBird or Ric is just sweeter (and beefier) than of a bolt-on bass no matter what the bridge.

What I like about the three point is that it doesn't have this massive plate obstructing the surface of the bass' top, yet isn't flimsy either with those three large studs. I'm not aware of any other bridge like that. It doesn't look utalitarian yet is. In comparison, both the Badass and the Supertone have put purpose over visual design which is sensible and generally good designing - form follows function -, but having both once in a while is nice too.

But this bass' prototype status warrants that its original look be reinstated. I have the Supertone on my Blackbird and it looks nicely industrial ON THAT TYPE OF TBird, gives a little more sustain (but just like a Ric a TBird is inherently already a sustain-rich bass so there is nothing really gained that way) than the three point and lets you lower the action a little more evenly, but the effects are not startling. I have not felt compelled to repeat the exercise with any other bass. Then again if that bass should play like a dream with it, I might keep it on there.

I might reinstall the three point for historical accuracy AND because it is a sensible bridge. But let's hear first what Herr Carlston thinks of the Supertone.

It looks like it from the size of the open gear tuners, look how far apart they are in pic 3.

Hush little TBird, and do sleep well, Uncle Scott won't take you to Badass hell.  


Now the only thing I'm worried about  is whether a prolonged stay in Utah might not turn the TB bass into a TP bass. TP as in Tea Party ... Indoctrination can be sneaky ...

Mark is a bit slow today. 

I hasten to add: This was not collecting for fins!!! (And in any case my 97 TB IV has the same fin.) It's a Custom Shop model, that is entirely different.