We’re starting off this article showing the weight of the Omega bridge just to give you an idea of how closely matched the Omega total weight is to the Badass II (less than a 5g difference between the two.)
The Badass II bass bridge is a loved piece of hardware by many bass enthusiasts, and now there is the Omega bridge.
Does BBG carry the Omega bridge? No, but we might based on your input.
What we need to know from you, the bass enthusiast, is the answer to this question: Is the Badass II loved enough that the Omega would be a worthy successor?
The specifications
Badass II Saddle Weight: 7g
Omega Saddle Weight: 8g
Badass II baseplate weight with saddles off: 179g
Omega baseplate weight with saddles off: 180g
Badass II total weight: 221g
Omega total weight: 224g
Measurements: 3.23-inch x 2.48-inch for both Badass II and Omega
Height adjustment screws: Adjusted on both bridges with a 0.05-inch Allen key
Badass II intonation screws: Zinc plated with slotted head
Omega intonation screws: Chrome finished with Phillips head
The saddles are interchangeable between the two bridges, HOWEVER, the thread count for both intonation and height screws are different. This means if you put Badass II saddles on an Omega bridge, the original intonation and height screws from the Badass II must be used.
Does anyone truly need a full 2 inches of intonation?
For those not familiar with the Badass II much less the Omega bridge, the first thing that glaringly sticks out are the very long two-inch intonation screws. This is a crazy amount of length that most players should never need, but yet the bridge is designed that way.
There is however one thing those long screws give, and that’s a very specific look. For whatever reason, seeing the long screws with accompanying long springs surrounding the threads is just a nice piece of eye candy. Functionally, it doesn’t really help the player all that much, but it looks cool.
You tell us (and everyone else), does this look like something you would want?
A lot of players love the Badass II bridge, and the Omega looks to be the successor. And by successor we don’t mean to say it’s better or superior, we just mean it’s the thing that comes after the Badass II that very closely resembles it.
Given the fact you can’t buy the Badass II new anymore, is the Omega something you would be interested in, or is it just dead weight? Post a comment or two with your opinion.
Yes, I am currently looking, and will give serious consideration.
Looked too much like a complete copy. They had to find something to justify making a copy. I can imagine the conversation… “Ok let’s make it larger!” “Brilliant!” Hahaha.
Omega has engineered their version as close as permissible, meaning , like everything else that is a design and fabricated most likely has a patent or patent pending. Therefore, Omega had to make some revisions to their bridges so its not a copy exactly . They do however want to deliver a product that is desired by bassists which no longer will be available but yet can’t copy it spec. for spec .
Is there a bridge like the BadAss that allows strong through the body?
I like my Babicz string-thru bridge for my bass. Adds sustain and warmth. But Hipshot is another popular make that sounds puncher based on what I’ve heard, it’s cheaper, and comes in MANY different models
is it made out of the same metal? I have used bassass bridges in the past and reall like them, I would used one of these if it is the same type of metal…the extra length also allow a bit more weight I would think that is part of it, but it does look cool too
The other one to consider is the Babicz Full Contact bridge. I don’t have any experience with it, but I would consider trying it vs. the Badass.
Babicz is almost twice the price
The Omega will be worth getting if the price is right. Used Badass bridges are getting ridiculous prices, so to get a brand new bridge for a decent price would be great. Do they come with the saddles filed?
I think so. A BadAss has been on almost all of my basses, and I don’t feel like paying $150 for a used on on ebay because they are impossible to get now.
You betcha !! I’m in for 2-3 for sure.
I like a large chunk o metal as a bridge, good for sustain. I would consider the Omega for the right price. Does it come in a 5 string model?
i have 2 BAIII on 2 jazz basses. i installed omega on other bass – ric copy. see no difference. same same. 1 to 1 copy.
Getting great reviews on Talkbass, fwiw.
I think it would be a natural edition to your lineup. Pre-slotted would be nice.
i personally dont get this when there are better bridges (babicz for example) as a option
If you don’t mind paying twice the price for a Babicz, : )
I tinker with bass building, so in my instance 2″ of intonation will be helpful, as I tend to only use hand tools and engineering rulers at best.
I replaced one of my BA bridge for a Babicz. Awesome bridge. I would like to try the Omega…prices?
The Omega should be a go, simply because there are lots of folks buying Fender and Squier basses out there, and the bridge is often the most desired and worthy mod.
Lots of people buying Squier and Fender basses out there, and this is as close to the BA option as there is available. Why not grab some market share?
I think you guys should carry this bridge. i picked up one on EBay, and love it. To me its a little better than the BA bridges I have on 3 basses.. DO IT!!!!
The Badass II has, in my opinion, a pretty well-deserved place in bass replacement part history. While there are better alternatives now, and the tonal qualities of the BAII are probably dubious at best, it’s a legacy that should be carried on. I’ve got one on my first Jazz Bass, and it’s not going anywhere, and if I got another, I’d get one of these in a heartbeat.
Yes, absolutely.
Yes, I am currently building a bass I would want one for! Thanks!
Yes Interested…
Yep, i’d totally use one. It’s virtually the same anyway plus I like that it has Phillips screws.
The Omega looks fine, also nothing wrong with a Gotoh 201B-4 which is a nice improvement from the standard Fender bridge, gives a nice increase in sustain
YES…absolutely! More choice is a good thing and the similarities between the Omega and a time honored and tested bridge are striking! If the price point is good then why not…as others have mentioned the BA II’s on EBay are ridiculous!
Sure, I’d buy the Omega for my Precision Plus…
I would buy a couple of them sure
I’ve used Badass bridges in the past and they were good for their time, but now I prefer Hipshot A bridges. Adjustable string spacing, quick string changes, choice of aluminum or brass base
I have the Babicz 5 string mounted on my Squire Jazz, changed the sound for the better considerably, I prefer it to my Fender 5 string P bass, go figure. I love how the intonation adjustments are locked.
To answer your question: (a) I have a few Badass bridges that I bought years ago as reserves. (b) I can find used ones or Asian knockoffs on eBay. Based on this I’m not likely to buy another bridge in the near future.
I only use Hi#$*ot Singles Dbl Lockers….EVER. Those big chunky pieces with all the strings running across them just produce more cross-talk. EVERY TIME!
Though I do own one badass bass bridge, I am interested in an omega bridge for my other jazz bass, absolutely.
I myself prefer the KSM Foundation bridge over any of the above mention items. I can see from many other responses that people are just hung up on what the thing looks like vs. the actual sound (or lack of) it produces. My 2 cents…KSM Foundation bass is superior contact.
Why not carry it? I’ve got 3 Badasses and while I find other high-mass bridges like the Gotoh 201 to be functionally equivalent, sometimes you need that Badass II look. Omega is close enough for most purposes.
Git ‘ em in bubba… I got a Yamahammer in need of some heavy metals…
Specially if the price is right…
Yes totally, the Badass was the standard for bass replacement bridge on Fender and Squier so the market for it is big!
Where is the Omega made?
Where are the Omegas made?
Definitely stock it. Options are always a good thing.
Defenitly. Would like to see slotted saddles , and know what material though.
absolutely
If the metal is good quality, YES! Badass are really rare and expensive. A good substitute would be welcome.
I would totally buy an omega from yo guys if you sold it. I think it’s a bad ass bridge, no pun intended ;), and I think it will be a great bridge for any bass. In fact, I plan on getting an omega for my J and one of my P/J basses. So yes, I would most definitely carry them. I think it would be a great seller for you guys. I also like the price of the omega a bit better.
Yes, as a long time fan of the BadAss bridge, I definitely would be interested in checking out the Omega.
The first mod to my brand new Fender Aerodyne Jazz was to replace the bridge with a Babicz Full Contact bridge. It was simple replacement and the Babicz is a beautifully engineered unit with full adjustablility. The sustain is much improved from the original Fender barrel unit. I would recommend it to anyone.
Yes. And slotted saddles would be nice too.
Yes, definitely carry them. I have one of each and the Omega seems just as good and much cheaper.
I’d definitely buy an Omega if I needed an upgrade bridge. I’ve got 2 basses with BAII’s and the Omega really doesn’t seem much different. I was very happy to hear when it was introduced and pleased to see that it is markedly more affordable than the BAII.
As for “not needing” the 2 inches of adjustment. I think it’s actually a nice feature. Not only do I LOVE a huge chunk o chrome on my bass (visually harkens to the classic Jazz bass bridge cover) but when replacing a bridge that might not have standard Fender mounting holes the BAII/Omega gives you more than enough leway to just drill new holes without having to fill the old holes.
The thing which everyone overlooks is that this design pushes the ball of the string well back from where it would be on a stock Fender bridge. The extended sting length works similarly to a through body string as it increases tension on the string at pitch…tighter feel. This is why I, and I think many others like the Badass II. It makes a bass feel better for aggressive playing. You should carry it. It fills a currently empty niche.
Actually, it doesn’t effect the tension at all. The tension remains the same. Nor does it do the “through the body” string thing.
Yes, please! I have used the Babicz Full Contact bridges as replacements, and I really like their functionality and overall tonal improvements, but the Omega looks like something I’m interested in trying. I’ve never been able to try the Badass bridges in any incarnation, so stock these Omegas so we can try them out!!
Sign me up!! I’ve got a ’79 MC924 that desperately needs a new BAII, and this stems to be the deal sealer!
I think both the badass and omega are great bridges, but most of the appeal of the original was that it said “badass”!
I would buy a couple…
Only with the string through option
They’re nearly identical…of course it’s a worthy substitute!! DUH!!
I have the BadAssII bridge on 6 different Basses…You might say I like them! You can still find one on ebay if you are willing to pay $115+ for one. So on my last retrofit I tried the Hipshot A bridge. Very impressive…well made, designed for top mount or through the body. The saddle has a roller with a lateral adjustment, which is superior to the BA notch. Omega looks to be a worthy replacement but why? In a word…Hipshot A!!!
Craig
I want to see EB Musicman 5 – screw 4 & 5 Bass Bridges. Of Omega made them I would get an even dozen.
Absolutely a big YES! I love tha BA II on my Marcus Miller 4 and would definitely buy one as a replacement or for another bass project.The Omega looks great!
YES!!! I have played on Badass bridges my entire career. The main thing is the sound of course but also the fact that they don’t make strange buzzing noises when you play hard. The saddles don’t lift off etc, etc, etc. I’ve tried the others on this thread and the badass is the only bridge I trust and the one that sounds best for me. IMHO, Ric Fierabracci
I have the BA-II on both my Fender Jazz basses. Since the BA-II is no longer available, the Omega bridge looks like a suitable replacement. So yes, if my next bass does not have a high-mass bridge installed, I will definitely buy the Omega.
Yes, I’m using omega , is the same thing, all you have to do is to make the strings slots on the saddles.
I would buy an Omega in a heartbeat—-I have two P-basses with the Badass Bass II and I love them. I would buy it for my ’97 P-Bass.
Ah, the tone ‘myth’ of the high mass bridge. The badass and a host of similar things are a waste of time and money, but I guess people are entitled to throw their money away. *sigh*
It depends on the price point. If the Omega is half the price of a Hipshot A-Style, then yes…I would consider it.
At the same, or even near the same price, I’ll stay with Hipshot.
All that said, I still don’t feel that high mass bridges make a difference other than adding weight and looking really cool!!!
get it. I love the badass on fenders. beyond classic, and solid as a rock.
I bought a couple of them, seem good, and I retrofit a lot of basses, or parts builds. The longer size can cover a lot of cosmetic issues due to ill-considered mods by other owners. They have that Bad-Ass tone also, so so far, I have to give them a thumbs-up.
Another “full contact” high mass bridge that reflects nearly all the vibrations back into the strings, so very little vibration energy ever reaches the body. That’s why the sustain increases so much. It also makes your “tone woods” almost totally irrelevant. 🙂 – high mass bridges are a leftover from the early 1970’s sustain-obsessed rock music culture. As for “full contact” bridges – that really would only matter if the loads on the bridge metal were extremely high, but they aren’t; about .02 square inches of metal to metal contact are all that is actually needed. It would be different if bridges had a problem with not being attached well, or were made of more compressible materials than metal. High mass bridges sound tend to great by yourself in your bedroom, because the instrument sounds brighter, but makes typically the bass less present in the mix because it usually sucks out the mids, which is actually where bass usually happens. It’s just one part of the overall instrument recipe. If you want less mids, and more highs, then go for a high mass bridge. There are a lot of intermediate weight, solidly built bridges that are a good balance between cheap old Fender bridges and Babicz full contact bridges. Final note: overall string length (not scale length) radically changes tone. IMHO
Yes yes yes! !!!!!!!!! Please get them in 5 string, gold plated!!!!!!!!#!!!!. HURRY..HUBBA..HUBBA!!!
for sure! installed a badass in 79 on my 69 p-bass. despite the opinion of the look, it is badass!
I love the badass bridge. The main reason I need the 2″ of intonation that no other bass bridge in history has given me is that I play a 4-string bass with drop tunings. C-standard, drop-C & B tunings on a 34″ scale 4 string bass with a regular bridge is an intonation nightmare. With the Badass bridge I was able to get the string to length intonation I needed to play in tune. Now if they would make the thing with Brass I’d love it even more.
I’ve had both the Omega and The BA II. There is no visible or tonal difference other than the name stamped. Both are a major improvement over stock Fender bridges. I love the design.
I would try the Babicz if it weren’t over $100 more than the Omega. Based on the comparisons I’ve heard it isn’t worth the extra cash. The average player making an upgrade could get a nice set of tuners or a pickup and the Omega for the price of the Babicz alone.
I have 30 basses. 21 have either the Badass 1 or 2 version. Only 5 are version 1. 2 have the Babitcz full contact bridge. 1 has the original Kahler tremolo bridge. My Gretsch hollow body has a modified Bigsby tremolo and the remaining 5 has the new Omega bass bridge. I am just as happy with the Omega as i have been with the Badass! Period! Tone, adjustment, form and fit are identical! The price is fantastic compared to those who wish to gouge you for a real Badass. I am in no way affiliated with either Badass or Omega. I simply love to build, modify or upgrade my own equipment. I gave the Omega a try due to the price and seemingly identical build to the Badass. I am very happily surprised so I will be a FIRM supporter of the Omega. I just wish they would also produce a Badass version 1 also.
I play a 62 vintage P Bass and a G&L SB2 USA (G&L puts good bridges on from the factory) My 62 has EMG active PU’s with the Badass II bridge, it sounds good to me. Omega specs out really close to the same as Badass, seems like a go to me. I’m building a MIM Jazz Bass which I’m loading Bassline 1/4 pounders into and I plan on buying the Omega Bridge as well to finish it off. I play Blues with Flat wounds so the sustain thing really help round things out. Omega seems like a good deal on Ebay to me. Play on and Long Live The Blues.
I have a 62 p in butterscotch. My favorite.
Looks like a clone of the BadAss II from where I’m sitting..
The sound/tone would be what would decide the answer..
I’ve seen new in the package Leo Quan bridges sell for $100-$150..
IF the Omega’s Tone was up to par I would buy a Jazz Bass for it to fit upon..
Until then I’ll just have to be happy with my Ibanez SR300..
I mean really every bass player wants an Alembic but the financial advisers don’t look too highly upon most of us & 4-5 grand is hard to find just lying around..
Gonna do a search now for the Omega..
ROCK ON Bottom End Players..
Geddy/Hk
Yes!
Sounds like just what I am looking for.
I am interested in one of these for sure. Anyone know what the string to string measurement is?
In my opinion 2″ of intonation is useful if you need to move the bridge to different position.
It happened to me to move it towards the neck in order to gain room for a Fender Vintage P-Bass Bridge Cover.
THE ORIGINAL 1ST ISSUE BADASS 1 &2 BRIDGES WERE HEAVY BELL BRASS THEN TO INCREASE PROFIT QUAN SWITCHED TO ZINC COVERED WITH CHROME WHICH SUCKS THE ORIGINALS SELL FER QUITE A LOT OF MONEY ESPECIALLY IN ORIGINAL PACKAGING ALSO THEY HAVE LION WITH CLAWPAW ENGRAVED IN FACE OF BRIDGE I GOTZA B.A.2 ORIGINAL N WOULD NEVER SELL IT ITZGOT A 14 SECOND SUSTAIN!!!J.B.E.
I use them both and I will keep using them. I have no complaints from any of the guys I built for. Would I like a Leo Quann II?…Yes….but will this bridge do?…Yes
If cost is not a consideration…
The Ken Smith QSR! it’s like 150-170 but it’s brass, heavy, has quick release, no sharp edges… You can only buy it direct from him… it’s a work of art. http://www.kensmithbasses.com/parts-accessories/qsr-bridges/
or the Babicz FCH also 130-140…
But the Omega & Hipshot Kickasses are great alternatives..
what about the old kramer 19770s and 80s vintage basses do any of the bridges fit those?
Having the two inches of intonation area is a godsend for those of us who play in alternative dropped tunings. A regular bridge just can’t handle it.
I have an original badass on a 72 p bass, and badass II bridges on all my other p basses. I love them. I will put badass bridges on all my future instruments. The unusual length of the intonation screws I imagine is to allow this bridge to work on both short and long scale basses.
Definitely worthy. I would not think twice about upgrading to an Omega.
My problem is I have a Fender Squire Vintage Modern 5 and it has 6 screws to mount it. 5 of these screws are 18mm apart and the last one on the G string end is 15 mm apart. Only one Bridge is designed for this spacing the Kickass Bridge. I like the smaller footprint of this one but can not locate a screw spacing diagram for the Omega to see if it has the correct spacing. Want to avoid drilling new holes. It also need 18 mm string spacing for the VM5 but since this is not slotted my guess that would be done during installation. I wish I could locate a direct drop in replacement for the stock bridge. It will shift when played hard and something like this will not.
Definitely like the extended design of the omega. The price point is better than others by Kahn. And Captain Kirk will…..wait wrong Quan.
The Omega is a great replacement to the Baddass – a legendary bridge.
I actually bought an Omega Bass Bridge already and at face value it IS an exact copy size wise and visually except for the name. I plan on buying another for another bass fairly soon. If you want that Leo Quan look and the benefits of a heavier mass bridge, at the price I paid for it, I don’t see how you could go wrong. I think it was around $70.00
BadAss III, designed for Am. Fenders
Where can I get a Badass 2 bass bridge height set screw for the saddle.? Thanks in advance.