To B5 or not to B5 (permanently)

Teyeplayer

After some advice from those of you that like me are bigby lovers. All those flloyd sorts can keep your heads below the parapet for this one.  

So, I picked up a '97 Les Paul Special a few months ago and also a b5 and vibramate to see if I wanted the bigsby on there. Now I love a bigsby equipped guitar, but I cannot for the life of me get on with it on this guitar. I've used b5 equipped sg's in the past and not had a problem and currently also have a b7 equipped Taylor so I am wondering if the problem is the vibramate. Has anyone else used this setup and felt that the vibramate equipped bigsby just sapped the tone and the string tension? It also whacked out my string action and meant a substantial increase in the bridge height which left certain frets very dead sounding (truss-rod tweak?).

I recall reading a thread somewhere (possibly here but cannot find it) where an sg owner had a similar problem but resolved both issues by fixing the bigsby permanently. This makes sense in terms of resolving the sustain issue as there will be a greater surface contact between the bigsby and body than with the vibramate that sits slightly off the body. I recall from that thread that there was also talk of moving the bigsby further back than the original tailpiece so it would give a lower string break angle, ensuring the action could be lower than with the vibramate and also putting the trem arm further back so it is in a more practical position aligned with the bridge pickup. This all makes perfect sense and would work on the Lester too, but of course it is a permanent mod and will also involve adding an earthing wire to the bigsby (which in terms of hole drilling is the one that worries me most). So my worry is buggering it up when drilling the earthing wire channel and the inevitable risk that this doesn't fix the issues which I've highlighted when using the vibramate but unlike the vibramate can't be reversed. 

Has anyone here been through the same or done this on a special or sg (as I figure the principal will be similar)? Did it work? Was it worth it? 

And for what it's worth, I took the vibramate off, played a couple of gigs last weekend with the guitar as stock and missed having a bigsby there, so it's a mod I'd like if at all possible.

Andyjr1515

I did the mod on my Epiphone Les Paul a while ago, along with some other tweaks, but don't recall the specific issues you talk about.

I do remember having to fit a longer spring to the Bigsby and you can see from the photo below that the neck volume access was somewhat compromised, but tone-wise I didn't notice a difference.

Having said that, it is fitted with PRS p/ups and a Graphtech ghost system too so it's a bit of a mongrel and probably not a close enough comparison.



I took if off in the end simply because I didn't really take to the feel of the Bigsby in use.  

ICBM

Teyeplayer said:

It also whacked out my string action and meant a substantial increase in the bridge height which left certain frets very dead sounding (truss-rod tweak?).

I'm not sure why it needed the bridge height adjusting, but if *raising* the action has caused dead notes on some frets, it sounds like you need the frets dressed - they've probably got flats on top, so changing the exact angle the strings press will move the contact point from the front to the back edge.

Teyeplayer said:

 it is a permanent mod and will also involve adding an earthing wire to the bigsby (which in terms of hole drilling is the one that worries me most).

ABR-1 or Nashville bridge? If it's a Nashville I would probably do it by pulling one of the bridge inserts and drilling through to the bridge pickup cavity.

Or if any part of the Bigsby is over the treble-side post hole, you don't need to drill anything - put an old biro spring or similar down the hole so it presses on the underside of the Bigsby.

TheMarlin

Break angle is too sharp over the bridge, and under the roller.  B7 is a better choice. 

Alternatively, mod the B5 with a Bricksbigsfix Tuning Stabiliser.  I have them on all by B5/50's. Makes an enormous difference to Bigsby feel.  



M

Teyeplayer

Thanks for the feedback gents. @icbm your explanation suggests a fret dress then...fourtunately the latest g&b mag has a walk through on that so might be time to set aside some workshop time. Always good to learn these skills I reckon.

The bridge is an abr1 so no chance of drilling through from there. The bigsby could rest over the tailpiece hole but as mentioned in my post I'd wondered about shifting it back slightly, partly to reduce the break angle but also to just put the trem in a more user friendly position. I'm aware this will leave stud holes but have seen various methods of covering these that o don't find too obnoxious to the eye. 

@TheMarlin now I haven't seen those before but that certainly looks a huge improvement on the existing set-up of the bigsby and would sort the string break angle. Think I'll also have to pick a new roller up from them for my Taylor's b70.

I've still just got to decide whether to bite the bullet or to stay stock. Cheers for your advice gents.