Brass hardware Q

[daan]

So I have this cool 70s bass (in another thread) that I'm trying to get playing nice. The guy at the store I got it at was saying to make it a total 70s machine (it's already a 70s J-bass copy) I should get the used Bad-*** bridge he has and a brass nut for it. I've seen lots of guitars with brass stuff from that era, what was the deal with using brass on everything? And why did it fall out of favor? I came up in the 80s so it was all graphics and locking tremolos on pointy guitars then, and anything brass was "old"  The older I get the more appreciation I have for 70s stuff (my music collection, my guitars, etc just not the bell bottoms, ha ha) I wanted to ask you guys because I figured I'd get a straight answer here more than at other places.
Thanks!

[chromium]

Who/what started the brass thing anyway?  Turner/Alembic?  I even remember seeing "brass mass" plates that you could bolt on the back of a Fender headstock to achieve near-infinite sustain!


I'm thinking that the nut material would really only have an effect on tone if you are playing open strings a lot, right?  I'd guess that the benefit of changing that would depend on the player.  Changing to a brass bridge, however, could have a big impact on sound, and I've experienced that on a few basses.  More upper harmonics present, notes ring out more...  Guess it depends on whether the bass can benefit from that, and if that's the type of sound you're seeking?

I took some brass out to a rehearsal the other night.  Haven't played this one in a while- great sounding bass, and I think the strings are still ringing!  

[Dave W]

Did the guy at the store tell you the Badass bridge was brass? It's not. It's always been a diecast zinc alloy. I don't know how that rumor ever got started. It does have more mass than most stock bridges and will probably affect the sound to some extent, how much depends on a lot of factors.

Nut material does affect the sound on all strings, not just the open strings. A brass nut and brass bridge will act as an inertia block, keeping more string energy in the strings instead of going into the wood where it affects tone in a different way. Your sound will have more sustain but less of the sound of wood.

Brass bridges and nuts are out of favor in the bass world. Some people do still like it, and if you really want it, that's fine, but don't let someone else talk you into that sound.

[rahock]

My 70P still has brass saddles but I replaced the brass nut with bone a few years ago. The ring that is associated with the brass combo is pretty noticable when you play open strings, otherwise not so much.
Rick

[FrankieTbird]

Did the guy at the store tell you the Badass bridge was brass? It's not. It's always been a diecast zinc alloy. I don't know how that rumor ever got started.

The original Leo Quan Badass guitar bridge for LP juniors was initially nickel-plated brass.  Later they switched to pot metal.  That may be where the germ of that rumor started.

[Dave W]

The original Leo Quan Badass guitar bridge for LP juniors was initially nickel-plated brass.  Later they switched to pot metal.  That may be where the germ of that rumor started.

No, the body of that bridge has always been zinc alloy. The saddle inserts and the mounting studs have always been plated machined brass.

"Pot metal" implies cheap. I wouldn't use that term to describe all zinc alloy. Quan has always claimed the alloy they use is special, may be just hype but it sure isn't inexpensive!

[daan]

Thank you guys!

[exiledarchangel]

Most pot metal stuff is kinda fragile, so take care of your badasses!

[Chris P.]

Warwick uses brass frets and a lot of Warwicks have the brass Just-a-Nut.

[Dave W]

Warwick uses brass frets and a lot of Warwicks have the brass Just-a-Nut.

Wankwick - out of style in every decade!    (unless you play nu-metal, or has that gone out of style too?)

Excepting your Buzzard, of course. 

[Chris P.]

Hahaha!:)

[luve2fli]

OT - Actually, I played one of these a few weeks back and quite liked it:

http://www.warwick.de/modules/produkte/produkt.php?katID=24121

Admittedly not a fan of Warwicks but I thought they really stumbled onto something nice with this one. Bronze frets too! YMMV.

[Pilgrim]

OT - Actually, I played one of these a few weeks back and quite liked it:

http://www.warwick.de/modules/produkte/produkt.php?katID=24121

That's a really eye-catching bass!!

[Dave W]

That's a really eye-catching bass!!

If you copy a Gibson design, you too can have an eye-catching bass.  

I'm glad they're doing it though. Better looking than their own designs or the one they copied from Spector.