Bigsby on my 339.

Deijavoo

I've really wanted to do it for a long time but I also don't want to have to do anything to my treasured 339 that would be irreversible. 

Where do I start? Anything to watch out for? 

I could however do eithout if anybody fancies just giving me a black Les Paul custom with silver hardware and silver bigsby already fitted. 

Feel free!

Deijavoo

Ooh, will my case that came with still fit?  

Iamnobody

Bigsby B5 & Vibramate V5 combination would do the trick. And yes the case should still fit. See below:

http://www.vibramate.com/vibramate-model-chart.php

It will look like my SG in my avatar.

Deijavoo

Bonza, cheers @Stevebrum!

Lixarto

Deijavoo said: a black Les Paul custom with silver hardware and silver bigsby already fitted.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v349/Lixarto/LP538412.jpg

monquixote

I asked the tech I usually use about putting a Bigsby on my Gretsch and he said to me: 

"Putting Bigsbys on guitars is one of the most common things I do and so is taking them back off again."

Deijavoo

That's a legally binding contract @Lixarto. ;

Everyone has seen that, you have offered it for free. 

7 or 8 beers in or not I'm driving to wherever you are to pick that up now. 

:-D 

Delicious.

Lixarto

Arrive soon while there's still some gin left

Deijavoo

monquixote said:

I asked the tech I usually use about putting a Bigsby on my Gretsch and he said to me: 

"Putting Bigsbys on guitars is one of the most common things I do and so is taking them back off again."

For what reasons? 

Deijavoo

Lixarto said:

Arrive soon while there's still some gin left

Just PM me some directions and I'll get my hazard lights on. 

monquixote

Deijavoo said:

monquixote said:

I asked the tech I usually use about putting a Bigsby on my Gretsch and he said to me: 

"Putting Bigsbys on guitars is one of the most common things I do and so is taking them back off again."

For what reasons? 

Because people get pissed off with tuning stability, it changing the tone of the guitar and the irritations with changing strings.

Lixarto

There is no tuning instability with a correctly maintained Bigsby.

"Tone" is nearly always snake oil, so I'll not comment, but I'll give you the string change.

£30 buys you a thing that makes it easier though, I cannot remember the name.

monquixote

Don't shoot the messenger this is third hand information.

Deijavoo

The first few minutes is some of my favourite tone ever

Deijavoo

Also this

Phil_aka_Pip

NO! Just NO!

Deijavoo

Oh dear, we just don't agree on much do we Phil? 

Ha ha ha.  :-D 

Lixarto

You're sounding like your namesake.

mart

Lixarto said:

...

£30 buys you a thing that makes it easier though, I cannot remember the name.

Spring spoiler is the name

http://www.vibramate.com/vibramate-string-spoiler.php

ICBM

Lixarto said:

There is no tuning instability with a correctly maintained Bigsby.

"Tone" is nearly always snake oil, so I'll not comment, but I'll give you the string change.

£30 buys you a thing that makes it easier though, I cannot remember the name.

The string change is easy too when you get the hang of it. Just like anything else unfamiliar there's a short learning curve and then you wonder why anyone complains about it.

No need to spend £30 on anything. All you do is pre-bend the ball end of the string so it stays on the peg, and learn to keep a little tension on the string with one hand while you do the machinehead stuff with the other. Simples.

They do definitely change the tone (or more accurately the note attack/decay character) of the guitar though - whether that matters to you or not is just down to preference.

p90fool

Pre bend the ball end, then use a capo to hold the strings on while you feed them through the tuners.

I love Bigsbys and never have a problem with tuning stability. The nut on your guitar should be sorted anyway, whether you have a vibrato system of any kind or not.

I do usually end up removing them though, I constantly adjust the controls when I play and the damn things just get in the way.