Bigsby Trem

[waynepunkdude]

Hi guys I'm looking to buy one of these:

[url="http://www.woodbrass.com/ibanez-artcores-afs75ttrd-transparent-red-bigsby-type-tremolo-p24515-af833.html"]http://www.woodbrass.com/ibanez-artcores-afs75ttrd-transparent-red-bigsby-type-tremolo-p24515-af833.html[/url]

Now I love the aesthetics of a Bigsby but would probably never use it, I used to have an Ibanez with a Floyd Rose which used to have a huge tuning issue, would I get this problem with a Bigsby?

[Monckyman]

So long as it`s properly balanced no.
A mate just fitted a Bigsby to his Epi 335 copy, works a charm and looks the biz.

[BigRedX]

All trem systems need properly setting up and balancing to get the best out of them.

Bigbsy style units work best with a roller bridge, a well cut and lubricated nut and no impediments to the string path between the nut and the machine head post. And some reasonably heavy strings - I'd start with 52-10 a work up from there.

Edited January 15, 2012 by BigRedX

[Doctor J]

I had a Bigsby'd Telecaster which I sold some time ago. It was a royal pain in the hole. If you're not going to use it I would say you are mental to consider installing one on what is probably a reasonably stable guitar. This one was paired with the dreadfully poor Jaguar style rocking bridge too so it was a tuning disaster when I got it. I spent a lot of time stabilising the bridge and getting it to work but, even so, I've never played one which actually returned to accurate tuning after anything more than the most subtle of use. Restringing is unnecessarily awkward too. You can't take the big arm off either so consider that with whatever case/bag you're using.

Hate them. Hate them, hate them, hate them.

[skankdelvar]

Seeing as that Ibanez appears to have a floating bridge, I'd be thinking about sticking it to the the guitar top with some double-sided sellotape. Stops it walking around when you go into full whole-tone wang mode. You [i]may[/i] get odd overtones from the string length between the bridge and the trem's roller bar.Thread a bit of cloth between the strings to damp them.

And definitely a roller bridge. I got one off the bay for about £12.00 - there's more than one version so make sure the post-hole size is compatible with the existing studs.

Rotating a Bigsby arm through 180 degrees so that it points towards the back of the guitar solves most gigbag issues.

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Edited January 16, 2012 by skankdelvar

[Beer of the Bass]

I've got an old Teisco vibrato on my guitar, which works a bit like a Bigsby, but is even more crudely designed. With a roller bridge and a bit of attention to the nut slots (namely smoothing the slots and using a bit of graphite), I can honestly say it doesn't give me any tuning problems unless I go into the aforementioned full whole-tone wang mode for extended periods. I find the long arm travel but smaller range of this style of vibrato tailpiece makes it much easier to get a smooth, even vibrato than with a Fender or Floyd. It is definately less touchy than a floating trem when string bending etc. I'd say go for it, and you'll probably find yourself using the Bigsby more than you expected.

[Ben Jamin]

[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1326665300' post='1500297']
I've got an old Teisco vibrato on my guitar, which works a bit like a Bigsby, but is even more crudely designed. With a roller bridge and a bit of attention to the nut slots (namely smoothing the slots and using a bit of graphite), I can honestly say it doesn't give me any tuning problems unless I go into the aforementioned full whole-tone wang mode for extended periods. I find the long arm travel but smaller range of this style of vibrato tailpiece makes it much easier to get a smooth, even vibrato than with a Fender or Floyd. It is definately less touchy than a floating trem when string bending etc. I'd say go for it, and you'll probably find yourself using the Bigsby more than you expected.
[/quote]

+1, I've got a Bigsby on my ancient Eko, and it's never given me any tuning problems in the slightest, and I find it a lot easier to use than Floyds etc.

Oh and it looks fit.

[waynepunkdude]

Been offered one in the OP for £170 thinking about it.