To Bigsby, or not to Bigsby... That is the question..

lovestrat74

So I went for it... only problem is the saddles. They are not holding my E strings. Especially the high E. 

I have shimmed the neck at the heel, but I think I need threaded saddles. Currently using Gotoh in-tune saddles...

Kittyfrisk

Aren't they similar to the standard Vibramate 'short bridge' saddles?
I'd try the threaded or maybe Wilkinson style saddles if I were you. Cheap beginning & it may work 
Looks bloody great by the way  

lovestrat74

Kittyfrisk said:

Aren't they similar to the standard Vibramate 'short bridge' saddles?
I'd try the threaded or maybe Wilkinson style saddles if I were you. Cheap beginning & it may work 
Looks bloody great by the way  

Thanks @kittyfrisk !

I think i will get some threaded saddles first. If that doesn't do the trick I have a jag style bridge that I can try 

ICBM

You could just deepen the grooves with a small file.

If you’re going to replace them I would go for plain steel saddles with deep grooves, late-60s/70s type - threaded ones look great but the grooves can be in the wrong places to get the correct string spacing, and the low E in particular doesn’t always fit properly and can jump out.

lovestrat74

ICBM said:

You could just deepen the grooves with a small file.

If you’re going to replace them I would go for plain steel saddles with deep grooves, late-60s/70s type - threaded ones look great but the grooves can be in the wrong places to get the correct string spacing, and the low E in particular doesn’t always fit properly and can jump out.

Was only thinking the same thing about the threaded saddles this morning @ICBM ;

Also, the outer strings leave the saddle at more of an angle due to the bigsby. Begs the question about the saddles on the jag style bridge that you see mostly on Fenders with bigsbys

ICBM

lovestrat74 said:

Begs the question about the saddles on the jag style bridge that you see mostly on Fenders with bigsbys

Strings jumping out of the grooves is the most common complaint about those bridges - along with a couple of others which are more easily solved - hence the popularity of Mustang saddles and the Mastery bridge as replacements.

I used an original ‘65 Jaguar for many years with no problems, but even then I would have to admit to the low E popping out of the groove a couple of times when hit hard - I eventually filed it deeper, which I’m sure would horrify the vintage purists .

lovestrat74

Didn't think about mustang saddles. Never seen them for sale individually, only as a complete bridge.

I have a mastery on another guitar that I could swap out. That one has a descendant bridge so the stings pull straight through to the trem (no angle), so putting a mustang bridge on that guitar should be OK.