michael b.
Despite the pictures on this website, this bridge is not useable on an Epiphone Thunderbird vintage pro, in fact, it will damage your guitar if you try to install it. I'm sure it's fine on other models, but don't make the very expensive mistake I did.
Max P.
It changes definitevely the sounds of my EB-3 Bass. The way I play is greatly improved. It's way better! More sustain, stability, balance. Perfect for jazz/fusion and many more styles. Thank you very much !
Nick D.
Gibson basses and Hipshot bridges just go together!
Phil .
42 yrs I put up with the stock bridge on my Gibson EB-3. The Hipshot works as advertised. I like it.
Steve D.
Fits a Greco Thunderbird. Hipshot send two different screw sizes and recommend using one instead of the Greco bolts. No other modifications were needed and looks great. Hipshot are the best.
Mateo G.
I wasn't %100 sure if it was going to fit my Greco Thunderbird but I'm happy it was a direct retrofit. After some trial and error with the screws to see which ones were the metric size (they weren't labeled) I got them and the installation was overall quick and painless! I'm really happy to have a bridge I can have mechanical confidence in for future adjustments! It looks great with with the cover on too!
Luke H.
This bridge completely took this bass to another level. Insane sustain. My only regret is not getting it sooner. By far the best bass I’ve ever owned and in huge part thanks to this bridge
Jeremy G.
Easy to install. Easy to adjust. Bass sounds great!
Samuel B.
Sounds great and is ridiculously easy to install. I can now change the string gauge or tuning without it feeling like pulling teeth. My Thunderbird went from being a thorn in my side to being my favourite instrument. The resonance is absolutely insane compared to before. Even just grazing the strings makes them ring like a bell. The 3 point bridge system that came with it is an an abomination that should of been aborted. Gibson and Fender hardware is obsolete trash from the 50/60’s that belongs in a museum not on modern times. Why they haven’t moved on to something similar is beyond me.
Jesse M.
This bridge really improved the overall tone! Very happy with this! Thank you!
Alejandro P.
Bought two after seeing in a premium TB at a store as a replacement for the classic 3-point bridge on my Epi TB and Gibson SG. Drop in place, easiest setup and powerful tone, next stop: miniclover tuners. Thanks for making these bridges, guys
Xenia S.
The HipShot SuperTone 3 point bridge on my 1978 Ebony Gibson Ripper is a HUGE improvement in playing and tone all around. I tend to use Heavy Gauge Stainless Steel Round Wounds ( .050-.110 ) - With this bridge, I can adjust the action as close to the fingerboard as I want. The Sustain is epic. It contributes greatly to the overall Tonal clarity. Plus the overtones / harmonics really shine. And the Ripper is such a versatile bass anyway, but this simple modification Has just made this my favorite. - I have used it for Jazz, Metal, Americana/Roots, Punk, Goth
And I just ordered one for my 2007 Gibson SG Bass
For its sound in action
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywe6xgF18Yk
Devon E.
I got this bridge for the same reason everyone else did, the stock three point sucks. The hipshot feels way better. Everything from adjusting the intonation to the finish on the bridge just feels better. The install is just two bolts, couldn't be easier. Great product!
Rhett R.
Perfect drop in fit on my 1965 Epiphone Newport. Replacement of the original bridge with the two mount goldtone makes this old girl like a new instrument. All I can say is, "Wow"!
Marcelo O.
No tricks!! Fits inmediately!!!
Bruce M.
After taking my 1991 Gibson Thunderbird out of storage, I couldn’t get the E and A string action below 9/64” with neck relief at 0.012”. The bass side of the 3-point bridge was on the deck. The Hipshot bridge was super easy to install. Adjusting string action and intonation was a breeze. The bass now plays like a dream and sounds great. Awesome product.
Joseph B.
I had this installed on my 78 ripper on the recommendation of my local luthier who said it would Improve intonation and string placement/adjustment. I was interested in what kind of sustain and harmonic improvements might happen… well…Everything just sounds and plays better, it was great before…but it got better! I could hear the difference acoustically before I even plugged it in and it seemed to improve as the bridge settled in, like give it a month or whatever. It’s been on there over a year now, and it ain’t ever coming off. I’d recommend this to anyone with a Gibson bass that just want to make it “that much better”
Timothy F.
Fits ‘69 Gibson EB2D. The mounting screws won’t touch the ground wire at the bottom of the hole, however. To fix this, I cut a spring to length and dropped it in the hole then bolted the bridge down. No grounding issues as a result, but I’m no guitar tech. If the neck is straight, this bridge got the strings telecaster low and perfectly in tune.
James V.
saddles no longer too close to ball end on my thunderbird, string height no longer good for 2 strings and way too high on the other two with the eb-3 AND a bridge that doesn't fall off the second you remove the strings
no idea why i didn't do this sooner
Hano R.
These bridges kick butt. A huge game changer for my EB-0!
Tom A.
Got this bridge for an Epiphone Thunderbird, then moved it over to my Gibson RD Standard when that came along. Fitted perfectly on both instruments and improved them greatly. If you are thinking of purchasing. Do. It!
John S.
Replaced the stock bridge on my Epiphone Rumblekat bass with the SuperTone, and I am extremely pleased with it. Easy to install, balanced well (with some pads underneath near each bolt hole per suggestions from Hipshot), and I am truly impressed at how much it improves the sound of my bass. It is a stronger, clearer, more well-defined sound. I didn't think of my Rumblekat as being "muffled" before, but in comparison to how it sounds now, it was muffled. Better sustain as well, but mostly I love the bell-like clarity to the sound, compared to before.
Robert T.
I'm not noticing any of the increased sustain or improved tone that others mention, but dang this thing is so much better than the stock bridge on my Epiphone Thunderbird. I can finally intonate the thing properly, and the action is quite a bit lower now as well. That helps me out tons! Looks really cool too. Highly recommended. A great product.
Michael L.
Beautiful bridge. Sounds fantastic. Beautiful craftsmanship and super shiny chrome. Strings all sit on their speaking lengths on the saddle pieces instead of on the wrap like on she Gibson 3-point stock bridge. So a successful replacement for the stock Gibson bridge, and also has side-to-side saddle adjustment as a bonus, and more weight for offsetting some neck dive. Everything sits rock solid so far.
Only improvements could be:
1. Make the low E string saddle black roller piece a little wider so the wider E string could sit better inside the roller. The other strings fit fine into their saddle pieces.
2. Include 4 M8 stainless washers (2 per side) for filling the cutout circular recesses on the underside of the bridge where the mounting holes are, that way the bushings from the bass body won't risk getting pulled up and into those recesses and they will have a flat surface to contact when tightening down the mounting bolts.
Other than that, I love this bridge. I had another Supertone that helped my old 2011 SG Bass tone by giving it more solid tone and clarity.
Durty S.
Excellent replacement bridge for my Gibson Les Paul Jr. DC bass. It sounded great stock in my opinion, but after reading the reviews on the improved tone and sustain that folks were getting, I made the decision. This is my second hipshot bridge ( a kickass is on my Squire Vintage P bass) , so i’m used to the quality. After install and a few hours of shedding today, I can report that it works exactly as advertised. Provides improved clarity, tone, and sustain. It’s a great piece of hardware at an excellent price point.
Andy S.
I have this bridge on my Epiphone Rumblekat Bass. Love the heft of this bridge. The stock 3 point bridge looks like a cereal toy when compared to the HipShot. Much more intonation travel, and that is a blessing on a short scale. I had read that some folks were having issues with the posts pulling out of the Epiphone Rumblekat after a few days. I found that this is because they were laying the bridge on the surface and without a small spacer at each contact point, you create a lever and jack the posts up out of the body.
Solved easily by using qty 3, 5/16", gold zinc lock washers between the posts and the bridge. Super solid contact through the posts, as the slight arch top semi hollow design of this model bass prefers. With the bridge and the HipShot HB6 Ultralite tuners I also added, I have a bass that gives me a better growl and bottom end than I've ever had.
Miles O.
This is, indeed, a drop-in replacement for Gibson's 3-point bridge, but easier to set up. I bought it primarily for the extra length between the saddles and the holes for the string balls because Ernie Ball Chrome flats have long silks on them, which ended up on the stock bridge saddles. The bass seems to have a bit more sustain now, as well. My Thunderbird is happy!
Milan v.
It took longer to remove and restring the bass than it took me to fit this bridge to a epiphone thunderbird. Far more solid than the standard bridge. I need to set up the height a bit but it has plenty of options te do so. I'm happy with it.
James B.
Great upgrade! Rock solid tuning, this bass simply does not go out of tune. Really sets the tone (pun intended) for the looks, sound and feel of this 2012 Gibson Ltd. Edition Explorer bass.
Joseph A.
Fit my Epiphone Thunderbird perfectly. Took 5 minutes to install with an Allen key.
Jeff C.
Fitted the two point bridge to my 1970 EB3. Easily fitted and good quality. Sustain improved. Main problem is that I can't adjust the action low enough. The adjustment I can get is not quite as low as in the schematic and as a result the action on the guitar is not as low as it could be.
Greg G.
The SuperTone bridge is a huge improvement over the stock 3-point bridge. Easy to adjust and great improvement of clarity and punch. It looks great, matching the black hardware on my Jack Casady signature bass. Very easy to install...
Gary H.
this bridge is fantastic. It was a bit oversize compared to the on that came on the Vantage Bass stock, so a bit of work had to be done to recess it, as Vantage recessed the Gibson style bridges into the body. It worked out great though and the bass plays and sounds great, super sustain, and holds tuning.
Tom A.
Really happy with my new bridge. Massive improvement over the stock item, and it looks really good as well! Excellent customer service. Would certainly recommend. Cheers Hipshot.
Alan T.
Fantastic improvement! i just installed the three point version on my Epiphone Allen Woody, took less than 10 minutes to put on and set up. Lots more mass than the stock bridge without a difference in the balance of the bass. Superb quality as usual, Hipshot always delivers!
Michael S.
The original bridge on my '99 Gibson Thunderbird had become warped, and my usual setup tech recommended a Hipshot Supertone bridge to replace it. Since then, the instrument's intonation has never been better, and it holds a setup longer, too. I wish I'd done this years ago. Highly recommended.
David F.
This bridge is a must-have for all T-Bird players! Now I can adjust my action exactly where I want it. It makes all the difference in the world!
Pim
I bought this for my '72 SB-450. It's a nice upgrade if you like more precision in your string height than the tilting, unreliable original.
noog
Had my Supertone 3 point for 3 weeks and I love the added sustain. Thank you Hipshot for allowing me to replace that crappy Epiphone 3-point bridge on my new EB-3 bass. The difference is incredible!
Tim B
Bought from Guitar Parts Resource for my new SG special Bass. The stock bridges are lacking to say the least. I don't get why Gibson continues to use the old 3 point design but that's another issue for another time.
These would be a needed upgrade regardless of sonic improvement possibilities which is how I approached my purchase. Installation is easy and simple, I think it took me about 3 minutes including removing the old bridge. Only hassle was having to rummage around finding an Allen wrench for the two bog bolts since Hipshot does not supply one. No instructions either though installation is a no brainer.
I did not have any issues with the stock inserts (nuts) in the body coming loose. Apparently some people have. I bolted the bridge down tightly but didn't go crazy as there is no need plus I didn't want to risk loosening the inserts.
Once strung up I found a definite improvement in sound, notes are punchier and more consistent over the fingerboard and there is more sustain. Very impressive and my thinking about "better" pickups has been squelched. Being able to adjust each string side to side is great and what attracted me to Hipshot bridges in the beginning.
Build quality on the bridge is very high and I could find no flaws. I have had the same results with other Hipshot products over the years.
I do have a couple of gripes though; to get the strings off the fingerboard to a reasonable playing height, the saddles had to be adjusted quite high. I will eventually adjust the neck but as is I don't care for the saddles being so high and the adjustment screws so far down in the saddles. Also to get the E string to intonate properly I had to back up the saddle as far as it can go. It would be nice if there was a little more room to work with. Again, this after initial installation, it could well be with some tweaking these issues may lessen.
In any case, I would recommend this bridge as a must have for Gibson basses. Oh yeah, the Hipshot is heavier than stock so helps a but with neck dive. Between the new bridge and brass knobs I put on, the bass is much more balanced.
I hope this helps anyone considering an upgrade.
Boney Bob
I got the Hipshot bridge for a Chinese EB-0 I'm hot rodding.When I tried to bolt it in the holes were on the bridge were too far apart. Maybe the 12 year old drilling the bridge mounting holes in the EB-0 body in China got it wrong as I've never seen this complaint in any of the revues I"ve read about the bridge. Luckily I bad a 5/16 end mill so I could oval the bridge holes. This bridge is a nice piece of work and I recommend it. I changed the pick up too and did a string through body like Fenders or my Gibson G-3. I think it's mostly the bridge because now the bass has sustain like it never did before. I recommend the Hipshot bridge.
Atomsk102
Like Bill, I found a neglected '71 EB-0, that had been stripped of everything (including the finish). As part of my effort to return it to playable condition, I installed a SuperTone bridge.
Even before I finished up the electronics, I could tell that this hardware would make this a much more versatile and playable instrument than it would be with the stock part.
Craig D.
I recently ordered (through Amazon) one of these bridges for my Epiphone EB-0 short scale bass. It installs very easily -- just remove the three screws for the original bridge and install this one in its place. The Hipshot bridge came with four screws when only two were needed, but then again only two of the four fit my bass -- my guess is that Gibson changed their screw threading at some point and Hipshot thoughtfully provided screws for both types.
The Hipshot bridge is an improvement over the original Gibson design in every way imaginable. It doesn't fall off the instrument when the strings are removed, and the saddles don't fall out. Once it is installed and intonated, it will STAY THAT WAY! Yes! And tone and sustain are definitely improved -- the sound of my bass is clearer and more focused. Best of all, the Hipshot bridge gives about 3/4" more room at the ball end of the string, so the threads wound around that end no longer rest on the saddle.
However, for the same reason, the Hipshot bridge may require longer strings. WIth the original bridge, D'Addario XL Chrome Flats in short scale fit nicely, with some extra room past the nut, but not too much. With the Hipshot bridge, because the ball end of the string is pulled further back, the short-scale strings just barely fit -- the threads at the far end of the E string touch the nut. I may try medium-scale strings (or another brand) to see if they fit better.
Buffalo Bill
Superior to the original Gibson bridges, by far!
I rescued a 1971 EB-0 slot head that was striped of all hardware, and was so glad to find this superior bridge available.
This bass now has no dead notes, and excellent sustain.
I once had another 71 EB-3 slot head with the Gibson 2 point bridge, and that had dead C notes on the G and D strings.
joe iaquinto
Made my EB-3 come to life...and made it possible to play above the 7th fret. It's about time this bridge was invented.
Pat M.
Bought one of these for my Epiphone Les Paul Standard bass and it was worth every penny!! I took that bass to Boston Guitar Guru Jim Mouradian for some neck work and a set up and he could not stop raving about the SuperTone. A much superior bridge to the obsolete 3 point bridge still used on Gibsons and Epiphones. I can't recommend this bridge enough!!!
I'll be buying one for my Thunderbird soon!!!