Joining the Bigsby club

McToot

There's only so many times that I can read "needs a Bigsby" on these pages and I reached that a while back. I picked up the CV Squier from colleague and fellow forumite @PonchoGreg a week or so ago and managed to source a new B5 and a secondhand Vibramate (thanks @rexter ) to help me join The Club. I strapped it all on this afternoon. 

My initial thoughts:

1 - As far as stringing the thing is concerned either a) I have a long way to go to get the knack or b) the whole thing should be renamed the Pigsby. There was much swearing. 
2 - I'm going to need some new saddles, a fact which makes my heart sink as I will need to go through stage 1 again. 
3 - I really need to get it set up by someone who won't swear at me for bringing them a Bigsby'd guitar
4 - It looks sexier than Michelle Pfeiffer in a sheer negligé

ICBM

1. Stringing it is easy .

First, bend each ball and round into a gentle right angle using the end of your thumb as a former, with the ball end sideways on - ie exactly the same as how the old string comes off.

Then feed it under the front roller from the bridge side, over the back roller, and hook it onto the pin.

The bend will mean that it doesn't try to jump off the pin if you put the slightest tension on the string. Pull the string to the right distance past the machinhead, and cut it. Then poke it down the hole and start to wind it on - you should be able to do all this with one hand keeping a little tension on the string.

That should all take very little longer than on a non-Bigsby guitar.

2. Why does it need new saddles?

3. If they do, they aren't the right person to set it up. Anyone who does is not familiar enough with them to do a good job, because (see 1).

4. It's better if you take that condom thing off the arm .

Whitecat

Buy a Vibramate String Spoiler - Thomann and DV both sell them but no "domestic" dealers seem to - and your future restringing woes will be solved. 

Schnozz

Can't stand them due to stage 1 - If you use a capo it does help.

They look the dogs bollox, but it's all the hassle of a floyd rose without the tuning stability and one of the only options for a Tele.

Johnny A. is my favourite bigsby player and the reason I bought one.

TheMarlin

I might have Wilkinson compensated saddles that wil help. 

McToot

 

2. Why does it need new saddles?

3. If they do, they aren't the right person to set it up. Anyone who does is not familiar enough with them to do a good job, because (see 1).

4. It's better if you take that condom thing off the arm .

Thanks for the stringing tips. The saddles don't feel right - or at least the strings don't ever feel like they like sitting in the groove they're in. It deffo needs a bit of fettling and possibly a shim in the neck pocket and maybe that would sort it.

I will take the black thingy off...

New pics below ( I was trying to do this post originally on my iPad which was a complete ball ache)

McToot

More pics

equalsql

Bootifule! I do love Bigsbys on Teles, especially on 62 bound reissues.

ICBM

McToot said:

The saddles don't feel right - or at least the strings don't ever feel like they like sitting in the groove they're in. It deffo needs a bit of fettling and possibly a shim in the neck pocket and maybe that would sort it. 

I would keep those saddles - if the strings have a tendency to jump out of the groove, just widen the groove slightly with a fine file once you've settled on which one gives the right spacing. It will most likely only be the two bottom strings.

A neck shim will help, yes - it will increase the break angle and the pressure on the saddles. Factory-made Bigsby Teles were always shimmed.

Whitecat said:

Buy a Vibramate String Spoiler - Thomann and DV both sell them but no "domestic" dealers seem to - and your future restringing woes will be solved. 

Schnozz said:

Can't stand them due to stage 1 - If you use a capo it does help.

I've never used either of those, and I've never had a problem. It's all about learning a simple technique…. really.

Not even close to the hassle of stringing a Floyd, and even those aren't as bad as they're made out to be. The String Spoiler is aptly named too - it really spoils the look.

olafgarten

I've strung Bigsbys, don't see why people have problems, just use some pliers to kink the strings ~45 degrees at the ball end, hook them over and if you really need to, capo it down, locking tuners also help. 

Bigsby even give their own instructions: http://www.bigsby.com/vibe/resources/how-to-string/

I've also done Floyds, that's a whole mess of stringing it up, then tuning the first string, then tuning the second, and now the first is out of tune, so you tune that again, and the second is out, and after lots and lots of tuning and re tuning, you give up and cry in the corner.

ICBM

olafgarten said:

Bigsby even give their own instructions: http://www.bigsby.com/vibe/resources/how-to-string/

Even that's way too complicated. I really, genuinely do not understand why it's such a problem for so many people, or why pliers, capos, foam wedges or anything else are constantly recommended… I use just my fingers and I can do it in little more time than it takes to restring a standard stopbar tailpiece, with no hassle. It's purely a matter of learning the simple technique to do it, nothing more.

olafgarten said:

I've also done Floyds, that's a whole mess of stringing it up, then tuning the first string, then tuning the second, and now the first is out of tune, so you tune that again, and the second is out, and after lots and lots of tuning and re tuning, you give up and cry in the corner.

A Polytune (the app on the iPhone is fine, if you have one) is brilliant for this, because you can just tune all the strings up at the same time.

ThePrettyDamned

I tried a BEAUTIFUL mij bigsby 60s tele (maybe a 60s custom? Can't remember). 

At the time, a 600ish quid guitar. Mega regret not picking it up, looked sexy as hell and played great. 

Yours looks amazing. I love bigsby trems. 

Teetonetal

I'm with @ICBM.  Follow his steps works a treat.

No go play some rockabilly

McToot

Teetonetal said:

I'm with @ICBM.  Follow his steps works a treat.

No go play some rockabilly

I will (follow @ICBM and his wise tips). I will also try the whole rockabilly thing. 

All I have to do is find the talent. I'm sure I saw saw around here somewhere...

olafgarten

I love using Bigsby's during Solos, I need to buy a Guitar with either a Bigsby or Jazzmaster Trem. 

It just adds another dimension to the sound.

stimpsonslostson

McToot said:

4 - It looks sexier than Michelle Pfeiffer in a sheer negligé

I agree, but only just: 
http://pennsquarepost.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Stardust-Michelle-Pfeiffer.jpg



  

McToot

You fiend @stimpsonslostson ;

 unforgivable 

PonchoGreg

I've got to say @McToot you know how I usually loathe bigsbies, but that doesn't look half bad. 

stickyfiddle

Well done, sir. Looks brilliant. Teles and Gretsches are the best guitars for bigsbies (bigsbys?). +1 on the shim and @ICBM's stringing method. After a couple of changes you'll have no trouble.

rexter

Looks great Jules, glad the Vibramate helped! Once I refinish my thinline I'll be trying another bridge option with some Gotoh InTune saddles or my trusty Rutters stainless steel ones which also work pretty well with a bigsby. Couldn't live without the guitar being properly intonated and they are spot on plus have grooves for the strings to run through.

shuikit

I put a bend in near the ball, hook it onto the pin and then use a capo to hold the string down and then deal with the other end.  I could probably do it without the capo if I really tried but I've found that this way I've got two hands free and don't have to worry about the ball end unhooking.