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
Comments
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 .
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
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.
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)
Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder
My trading feedback - I'm a good egg
More pics
Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder
My trading feedback - I'm a good egg
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.
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.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
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.
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.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
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.
No go play some rockabilly
All I have to do is find the talent. I'm sure I saw saw around here somewhere...
Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder
My trading feedback - I'm a good egg
It just adds another dimension to the sound.
http://pennsquarepost.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Stardust-Michelle-Pfeiffer.jpg
unforgivable
Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder
My trading feedback - I'm a good egg
www.rexterguitars.co.uk