Members thatsbunk Posted April 5, 2018 Members Share Posted April 5, 2018 I've owned an Epiphone ES-339 for some time now, but haven't been spending much time with it as I've been favoring my other guitars that have Bigsby's on them. So I decided to do something about it. I was debating about which model Bigsby to use: B3, B5 or, B7. I eliminated the B5 & B7 as I would have had to either remove or cover up the tailpiece studs, or use a Vibramate mounting system with them. While the Vibramate is a good, non invasive way to mount a Bigsby, the problems I've found on most stop tail guitars is the roller bar winds up too close to the bridge, creating too steep of a break angle. I've installed a B5 & Vibramate on a Les Paul copy, & it wouldn't return to pitch, even with a roller bridge (I have a Vibramate & B5 on my blacktop Jaguar & it works fine, as the stop tail sits a bit further back than most tune-o-matics). Anyway, I decided to go with a B3 and a Towner Bar install with their hinge plate adaptor. Well worth the money IMO... It took longer to restring the guitar then to do the actual install. Plus it's totally reversible if you decide a Bigsby isn't for you or if you want to sell your guitar later. I would highly recommend it for any tune-o-matic / stop tail guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted April 5, 2018 Members Share Posted April 5, 2018 That is a nice solution for guitars with a stop bar. I've only done one Bigsby installation - it was a B70 on a 335 clone and the owner didn't want the stop bar studs. I'm curious why you wouldn't use a roller bridge with a vibrato? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members thatsbunk Posted April 5, 2018 Author Members Share Posted April 5, 2018 I'm curious why you wouldn't use a roller bridge with a vibrato? Dunno... Never had reason to I guess. This is the 4th Bigsby'd guitar I've owned (Jag, Artcore, LP copy & this one). the only one I ever had a problem with tuning stability has been the LP copy & that had a roller bridge. I think that was more because of the break angle though. Then again I'm not a dive bomber or don't do crazy bendy Neil Young stuff. Here's the others (don't have the LP copy anymore); Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeepEnd Posted April 5, 2018 Members Share Posted April 5, 2018 Congratulations and Happy New Bigsby Day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gardo Posted April 5, 2018 Members Share Posted April 5, 2018 Best option I've seen for a tune-o-matic guitar.. I'd love to hear it through that Princeton Reverb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gardo Posted January 2, 2019 Members Share Posted January 2, 2019 thanksI followed your advise on the Towner System it's the only way to go Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.