This year’s custom build the conversation was short and quick when discussing which vendor we would use for the bridge (you can read about the build here). There are a ton of great bridge manufacturers out there, non as cutting edge as Babicz. I have Babicz Full Contact bridges on 4 of my guitars. It is no surprise to me that these 4 have become my favorite axes.
What I noticed this time around with the Babicz Full Contact Bridge is, it is a bit of a chameleon. When is sits on a modern build you definitely notice its high-tech cam system. With this throw back build the Babicz Full Contact Bridge seems to morph into the theme of the guitar. As you can see in the pictures the bridge looks perfectly at home with this twisted vintage build.
A close inspection of the Babicz Full Contact Bridge quickly tells you there is nothing vintage about this design. The proprietary cam system of these bridges have a few functions. Firstly the bridge is very easy to set an accurate intonation with. While the bridge has user friendly access to tweak the intonation. The design also gives you the ability to lock down the intonation once you have it set accurately. This helps prevent drift and insures consistent and reliable tuning.
The cam saddles themselves are a dream to work with. They allow you to set your desired action and then lock it down. Having your intonation and string height set and locked it allows you to throw all you have at this wonderful bridge. So how does it feel?
The Babicz Full Contact Bridge is very smooth with a great return. No matter how hard I yank on the bar the guitar always comes back in tune. The action of this trem allows you to do some very musical things. You can accurately bend chords with incredible tightness in the intervals. As I dropped chords sometimes even two full steps the intonation and voicing of the chord was retained and clear.
The other great thing about the Babicz cam system is it’s sustain. You can deliver shimmering clear vibration that seems to ring for years. Stomp on you dirt box and you are delivering power chords that will bust windows and single note runs that never die no matter how my abuse you give the trem bar.
So I know what you are thinking. “Sounds good but I bet it is expensive and I will need to have a tech install this for me”. The Babicz Full Contact Bridges are price below most of their contemporaries. The real nice thing is they are a simply drop in replacement for most guitar. In my MIM Stratocaster I was up and running in record time with no routing or even minor modifications to the guitar.
This bridge is a must have for your next Stratocaster build or a quick and inexpensive upgrade for your favorite Strat. Check them out on fullcontacthardware.com
