Babicz Design Full Contact Bridge

[elicross]

This looks pretty interesting:


http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewProfile&friendID=451 455034

Apparently it was introduced at the latest NAMM; there was a little blurb about it in Guitar Player. The idea behind it is that, with most Strat-style bridges, the saddle only makes contact with the bridge plate where the two height-adjustment screws hold it up. The Babicz bridge's saddles have a kind of internal cam for adjusting string height and make full contact with the bridge plate, so you get more contact surface and more sustain.

I don't know that these bridges solve a big problem everyone was looking to solve, but the theory behind them seems sound. So to speak. And they look kinda badass, too.

[NeoFauve]

The Babicz bridge's saddles have a kind of internal cam for adjusting string height and make full contact with the bridge plate, so you get more contact surface and more sustain.

I don't know that these bridges solve a big problem everyone was looking to solve, but the theory behind them seems sound. So to speak. And they look kinda badass, too.

I didn't watch all the videos, but in one annimation it appeared that at the lowest height, the string is in full contact down the back of the saddle. Then as it's raised, the back surface of the saddle falls away from the string.
That seems like in a certain height range, it could be a possible source of sitar-ish zinginess.


I was REALLY wanting a Gretsch a few years back.
The one I was into had the "Rocking Bar" bridge.
The bar is fat enough that the strings didn't make an immediate break away off the back side, and there was a bad zing from the G and the B.

[Fedora]

As a person who absolutely loves anything that is well designed and precision machined, I'd give it two big thumbs up. I'd buy it if it was reasonably priced. It does look really nice. He seems like a pretty down to earth fellow as well.

[NeoFauve]

The bass saddle demo is really well shot!

I think he's being just a little optimistic, thinking it could "ultimately" become an OEM or replacement part.

In a world where electric guitar design is essentially frozen in the mid-1950s, yet the major manufactures and guitar-wanters fully embrace the idea of upcharges for expertly (or robotically) dinged-up outer surfaces, I have a hard time imagining that happening.

I really admire the idea though.
Somebody's thinkin'!!

I think the adjustable neck on his acoustic is a very neat idea.
I wasn't so impressed with the fanned out string anchors though.

[Kap'n]

It's an interesting piece of equipment, but is it a solution to a problem that doesn't really exist?

I mean, technology drives modern music to a fair amount. Like Floyd Rose tailpieces and flat fingerboards made hair metal possible. Or CD players and "recto" amps created the ability to to make downtuned Corn Biscuit music. But does this innovation push music in any direction?

[Offshore Angler]

I looks elegant, but my concern would be palm muting. It looks like the strings come out of the front of the saddle, so it would be impossible to get a decent chunk going.

[curtisstetka]

I like hype. I'll buy it.

[elicross]

I really admire the idea though.
Somebody's thinkin'!!

Yeah, that was my reaction. There's at least one new Strat-replacement bridge design every year, but this is the first one I've seen in years that made me think "That actually looks like it could work."

The palm-muting thing OA raised could be an issue, though. I'd like to get my hands on one of these and see if that's actually a problem -- but I have a feeling it'll be a while before the average guitar shop has a demo Strat with a Babicz bridge.