Fitting a Bigsby B5 on a non-stoptail guitar.....?

[tttablets]

So I have this Vox Phantom copy guitar. It was previously installed with a Jaguar-type tremelo system, but I've removed that, so now I'm left with this :


Ok, so two years later I've finally decided I'd like to fit a Bigsby B5 on it (probably with a Vibramate too) to look like this :


But I've just remembered... my guitar didn't have a stop-tail, obviously. But do I NEED to have had a stop-tail in the first place? The Phantom above with the Bigsby never had one...? Can I still fit the Bigsby on my guitar?

[Pine Apple Slim]

Should be fine if you can find enough wood there to screw the Bigsby to.

If not, I guess you could make a plug for the trem rout and cover the whole mess w a pickguard like the picture.
You may have to shim the neck for a taller bridge, no idea what the height of the bridge you had on there was.

[tttablets]

Originally Posted by Pine Apple Slim

Should be fine if you can find enough wood there to screw the Bigsby to.

If not, I guess you could make a plug for the trem rout and cover the whole mess w a pickguard like the picture.
You may have to shim the neck for a taller bridge, no idea what the height of the bridge you had on there was.

So I'm right in saying that the Bigsby replaces the stoptail completely? I'm not 100% sure about placement of the Bigsby, is there a hard and fast rule? Too far forward, too far back....?

[Pine Apple Slim]

Correct. No hard and fast rule, but generally on a GIbson or SG, the front bar that holds the strings down is placed pretty much where the stoptail would go, so you would get pretty much the same break angle off the bridge as before.
On this one, I intentionally went further back than normal for a shallower break, as I wanted to bring out more twang, and lost a small amount of sustain in doing so.
Of course if you go too far back, you will have a prob with the strings jumping out of the saddles for lack of downward pressure, and your arm may not be long enough.
If you put it too close, its not good either, cause the strings might tend to hang up at the bridge and cause problems with returning to pitch.
But you can put it closer than normal and run the strings over the front bar straight to the rear of the unit to lessen the angle.
What I would do is find an LP or SG and put a protractor to the angle of the strings coming off the bridge to the tailpiece, and try to replicate that as close as possible.
Thats assuming your gonna have a Gibson style tunomatic or similar height bridge on there.
If your gonna have a shorter bridge, lie on a Tele or hardtail strat, the you need to put it closer to get enough string break.
Its really all about the angle of the strings coming off the rear of the bridge at an acceptable angle.

[tttablets]

Originally Posted by Pine Apple Slim

Correct. No hard and fast rule, but generally on a GIbson or SG, the front bar that holds the strings down is placed pretty much where the stoptail would go, so you would get pretty much the same break angle off the bridge as before.
On this one, I intentionally went further back than normal for a shallower break, as I wanted to bring out more twang, and lost a small amount of sustain in doing so.
Of course if you go too far back, you will have a prob with the strings jumping out of the saddles for lack of downward pressure, and your arm may not be long enough.
If you put it too close, its not good either, cause the strings might tend to hang up at the bridge and cause problems with returning to pitch.
But you can put it closer than normal and run the strings over the front bar straight to the rear of the unit to lessen the angle.
What I would do is find an LP or SG and put a protractor to the angle of the strings coming off the bridge to the tailpiece, and try to replicate that as close as possible.
Thats assuming your gonna have a Gibson style tunomatic or similar height bridge on there.
If your gonna have a shorter bridge, lie on a Tele or hardtail strat, the you need to put it closer to get enough string break.
Its really all about the angle of the strings coming off the rear of the bridge at an acceptable angle.

That's hugely helpful - thanks very much! Gorgeous guitar by the way.....
I'll post some pics when I'm done.

[Pine Apple Slim]

You're welcome.
Good luck with your project!