Recreating a dogbone Bigsby bridge (...and goldtop relic content)

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  • DanielsguitarsDanielsguitars Frets: 3261
    tFB Trader
    WezV said:
    Its certainly going to be interesting switching between the two bridges.  I wouldn’t want to rule out going back to a normal bridge 
    sound clips please when you swap around, I'm genuinely interested in the tone
    www.danielsguitars.co.uk
    (formerly customkits)
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  • TeyeplayerTeyeplayer Frets: 3132
    WezV said:
    Its certainly going to be interesting switching between the two bridges.  I wouldn’t want to rule out going back to a normal bridge 
    sound clips please when you swap around, I'm genuinely interested in the tone
    Just want to voice how refreshing your openness to experimentation is Wez, looking to the past but willing to adapt if it simply isn’t that great. Keep the good work up. 
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  • WezVWezV Frets: 16546
    I needed to age the baseplate... apparently bleach is the way to age aluminium.   it worked really well and now matches the old parts  much better

    I also got the last coat of paint on the top earlier today, so time for a quick mockup



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  • TheMarlinTheMarlin Frets: 7744
    Looks fantastic 
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  • PhilKingPhilKing Frets: 1473
    You need a corner drilled P-90 for the neck :)
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  • WezVWezV Frets: 16546
    PhilKing said:
    You need a corner drilled P-90 for the neck :)
    Nah, this is staying ‘56 style.
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  • WezVWezV Frets: 16546
    i started the checking on the top of this.   So far its had the knife work and a stain applied.   it always looks a bit flat at this stage, a bit too much like its come from the Gibson custom shop with evenly coloured cracks looking far too consistent.



    But that should give a good base for some more subtle ageing...lightening the cracks in some areas, darkening and even greening them in others


    compare that to this Tom Murphy goldtop with his signature tuning fork pattern

    or this original 53, with lots of variation in the crazing pattern and intensity
     

    I am somewhere between the two at the moment,  (consistency in colour of the TM, variation of pattern similar to the original)...but fairly sure i can push it closer to the real thing with a few extra steps

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  • Adam_MDAdam_MD Frets: 3420
    I’ve just seen this thread and it’s epic I love goldtops.  Can’t wait to see this finished.  
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  • WezVWezV Frets: 16546

    toned down the first lot of relicing to make it look less "custom shop", I also added some more with a freeze technique.   The result is a not too heavy relic from a distance that has loads of detail as you get closer and you will notice different things from different angles.  

    The dogbone is working well with the original bigsby saddle, although I did trim the saddle a bit to allow the thumbwheels to be used.   It was actually fairly close without the thumbwheels (the DG method),  but functionality was improved with them





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  • WezVWezV Frets: 16546
    All finished...  lots of pics....

    lets start with a before and after.   just in case you are not sure, the after pic is on the right ;)





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  • Looks great and way better than the original
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  • That’s even better than the last one! Man I want one of your lesters.
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  • That looks great :) 
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  • normula1 said:
    Looks great and way better than the original
    This

    Good work Wez
    The Bigsby was the first successful design of what is now called a whammy bar or tremolo arm, although vibrato is the technically correct term for the musical effect it produces. In standard usage, tremolo is a rapid fluctuation of the volume of a note, while vibrato is a fluctuation in pitch. The origin of this nonstandard usage of the term by electric guitarists is attributed to Leo Fender, who also used the term “vibrato” to refer to what is really a tremolo effect.
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  • In general I’m not a fan of relicing as too much of it looks fake, but I’d be very happy to have yours on a stand in the living room. It’s in a different league to the Gibson. Superb.
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  • Adam_MDAdam_MD Frets: 3420
    Wow that's one of the nicest goldtops I've ever seen.  
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  • WezVWezV Frets: 16546
    Thanks all.

    Just been cranking it a bit more before it goes back to its owner tomorrow.   Thankfully it sounds as good as it looks

    I am really happy with this level of relicing.


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  • Adam_MDAdam_MD Frets: 3420
    WezV said:
    Thanks all.

    Just been cranking it a bit more before it goes back to its owner tomorrow.   Thankfully it sounds as good as it looks

    I am really happy with this level of relicing.


    It looks fantastic Wez I love goldtops and really don’t like relics but I’d have that in an instant.  Just awesome.  
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