Help me ID this bridge!

[trekster]

Hey folks:
 
I am stumped.  I got this off an ebay bass project several months ago, and I can't for the life of me figure out who manufactured it.  It is definitely made to accept ball-end strings, so I assume that I would need to jimmy up something to handle the other ball end of steinberger-style strings, or clamp down the bare end of regular strings.  At first I thought it was a Kubicki bass bridge, but the saddles don't match, and neither do the knob layouts.  Any ideas?
 
--T

[trekster]

Front view:

 Side view:

   (Message edited by trekster on August 18, 2005)

[chuckc]

You may want to take a look at the attached link, this bridge appears to have come off of some type of bass that utilized a headless design, since it has a number of similar designs as the Steinberger bridges shown in the link, though I can't find an exact match there are numerous similarities. Additionally the wearing on the sides suggest it mat have had a top plate to cover the actual bridge mechanism as some point. good luck.
http://www.steinbergerworld.com/Xbridges.htm

[811952]

It's not a Steinberger, because they don't use this sort of cam.  I thinks it's a Kubicki.  An *old* Kubicki, like around '79 or '80..
 
John
 
(Message edited by 811952 on August 18, 2005)

[811952]

http://www.kubicki.com/

[trekster]

The one thing about this bridge that seems to make it different from the Steinberger's and the Kubicki's is that you dont' have to have a body shape that will allow the tuning knobs to protrude past the back of the intrument -- with a little routing for the rollers under the bridgeplate, this could be mounted (and in fact was when I got this) on a P-bass style body.
 
811952, I'm not sold on this being Kubicki unless they did a radical change of thier bridge pre-'80:
 
--actual length of the bridge not long enough compared to current Kubicki's.
 
--the knobs on the bridge above are spaced 2 and 2, where Kubicki's are set euqally apart.
 
--The bridge saddle where the string rests on a Kubicki is actually one big threaded post that you can twist up and down to give your height action adjustment.
 
Kubicki was my first guess in all fairness, and I still could be wrong, and would be happy if you did find something to prove it!  I just wannd ID this thing -- there are a couple of screws I'm hoping to get replaced, since thier heads are stripped.
 
--T

[811952]

Trekster,
I'm just going off of my old grey dilapidated brain cells.  It's pretty close to the present Kubicki setup (though not as refined), so if it *is* something else it likely shares the same patent and may be from a licensed copy.  The Steinberger doesn't use a worm gear, whereas this does, and I recall the older Kubicki basses having the less-elegant notched knob.  You've got my curiosity piqued, so I'm interested to find out what it is.  If I find anything else I'll post it.
John

[kmh364]

I'm betting the guys over at Bass Central know what this is. Where's Beaver and Gard when you need 'em? LOL!
 
Superbass Steve would probably know as well.
 
My next choice would be my guitar guy...when he comes back from vacation on Mon. I have my lesson...I'll ask him then.
 
I'm curious myself as to what headless bass this came from!
 
(Message edited by kmh364 on August 18, 2005)

[Bradley Young]

Spare parts for an Iron Maiden?
 
Thumbscrews?
 
That thing looks positively medieval.

[trekster]

Iron Maiden?  
 
EXCELLENT!
 
 
 
 Sorry...but it *had* to be said.
 
--T
 
(Message edited by trekster on August 19, 2005)

[kmh364]

Put them in the Iron Maiden!
 
Excelllent!
 
Execute them
 
Bogus!
 
My favorite line from Bill And Ted's Excellent Adventure, LOL!

[trekster]

kmh, had a chance to get in touch with the Bass Central dudues?
 
--T

[trekster]

kmh, had a chance to get in touch with the Bass Central dudes?
 
--T