HNBD happy new bigsby day

[t_e_l_e]

it finally has arrived after it got stuck at the customs office.

 

before:

 

[ATTACH=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","title":"DSC_0822_small.jpg","data-attachmentid":32496180}[/ATTACH]

 

and after the bigsy and lil 59 is installed:

[ATTACH=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","title":"DSC_0823_small.jpg","data-attachmentid":32496181}[/ATTACH]

 

 

still some setup is needed, i can't find my small inbus for the saddles. also with the bigsby installed its almost impossible to setup the intonation. need to think how i can do this.

currently the action is a bit too high.

 

for the look, it does look hotter than before. for playability i still need more test drive. i put 0,12 strings on it and tuned it two half steps down to standard D tuning. lets see how the tuning stability with the bigsy is, once the new strings are worn in. as for sound i need to wait until thursday rehearsal session to be able to play it plugged in with full volume. than i will finally adjust the pick up height

 

deepend i did hear you in the other thread, the problem with neck humbucker in such a guitar and also in most les pauls is, there is not much room left to raise or lower it, and at leastwith the neck pickup it does not make the much difference as it does with a strat single coil pickup

 

i'm really curious how it sounds, stay tuned i will report after the practice session

 

[gardo]

i don't care for the look of a Bigsby on a traditional tele BUT there is nothing traditional about yours so I love it .especially with the badass black

hope it was worththe wait

[t_e_l_e]

its not a traditional tele, its a MIJ 72 custom reissue, it does not asks for jangle, it screams rawk

[gardo]

How about more details regaurding the intonation ? A close up pic would be good if you can.. I'm really curious about that,there must be an easier way to adjust

[t_e_l_e]

no close up needed

the saddles are adjusted with 3 screws back and forth.

 

without the bigsby it was easy accessible with a screwdriver on the back of the ashtray.

now the rolling bar of the bigsby is in the way and the screwdriver has only access in an angle and the middle saddle is not being able to be moved

 

before adding the bigsby i adjusted the saddle in a good guess as they were before, so intonation is not completely off but still needs some adjustment.

 

maybe if i have an extra long screwdriver it would be accessible through the bigsby from the back, or an extra thin screw driver.

 

i need to check my arsenal of weapons, my normal screwdrivers are too short, but maybe i have one of these thin ones without a handle whch might fit from the back....

 

i know some people warned me and i did not listen, but a bigsby makes live a bit complicated, putting on the strings the first time was not a great fullfilling experience either

[gardo]

[img2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"https:\/\/www.guitarfetish.com\/thumbnail.asp?file=assets\/images\/xtbrcr.jpg&maxx=75&maxy=75"}[/img2]

GFS has this option just in case

 

One problem though, they don't offer a lefty version. hmmm

[Phil O'Keefe]

no close up needed

the saddles are adjusted with 3 screws back and forth.

 

without the bigsby it was easy accessible with a screwdriver on the back of the ashtray.

now the rolling bar of the bigsby is in the way and the screwdriver has only access in an angle and the middle saddle is not being able to be moved

 

You will probably have to reduce the string tension on the D and G strings, move the saddle a bit in whichever direction it needs to go, then retune, and recheck, and repeat the process as needed. It's a hassle, but OTOH, you shouldn't need to do it very often - at least as long as you stick with the same string gauge and tuning.

 

 

maybe if i have an extra long screwdriver it would be accessible through the bigsby from the back, or an extra thin screw driver.

 

Good ideas.... but you still may (or may not) have to detune a bit first.

 

 

i know some people warned me and i did not listen, but a bigsby makes live a bit complicated, putting on the strings the first time was not a great fullfilling experience either

 

Look on the bright side - at least it's easier to set up than a Floyd Rose.

 

And I must say - it looks really cool! Now all you need is a real WRHB in the neck and you'll be all set!

[mrbrown49]

Looks great!

 

Perhaps you could replace the phillips head screw with socket head cap screws, or hex screws. Then you could use a little allen wrench or box wrench to adjust the intonation screws.

 

You can also find little right angle screw drivers. You'll still have to loosen the string and move it out of the way but it's perhaps easier than trying to work through the bigsby. The body of the ratchet type ones might be too large to get close enough to the body, but thought I'd mention them anyway. The non ratcheting ones only let you engage the fastener every 90 deg which could make those ones tricky to use as well, which is why I suggest changing the screw head type first.

 

[ATTACH=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"custom","height":"200","title":"s-l300.jpg","width":"200","data-attachmentid":32496646}[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"custom","height":"200","title":"Z1os7tocpEx_.jpg","width":"200","data-attachmentid":32496647}[/ATTACH]

[DeepEnd]

Congratulations and Happy New Bigsby Day. Looks cool and I hope it sounds as good as it looks.

 

. . . deepend i did hear you in the other thread, the problem with neck humbucker in such a guitar and also in most les pauls is, there is not much room left to raise or lower it, and at leastwith the neck pickup it does not make the much difference as it does with a strat single coil pickup

 

i'm really curious how it sounds, stay tuned i will report after the practice session

My Schecter has dual humbuckers and I found a noticeable difference in output depending on pickup height. Since I'm a rhythm guy, I have both set for roughly the same volume level. My guitar has single volume and tone pots so balancing them was strictly a matter of pickup height.

As for intonation, since my Schecter has a TOM bridge but no tailpiece I flipped the bridge so the adjustment screws are on the side away from the pickup and easier to access. Dunno if something similar could be done with a Tele?

[daddymack]

As for intonation, since my Schecter has a TOM bridge but no tailpiece I flipped the bridge so the adjustment screws are on the side away from the pickup and easier to access. Dunno if something similar could be done with a Tele?

Sadly no, there is no way to reverse the adjustment screws [well there is if you weld the holes closed, and tap drill them]...on the GFS plate Gardo showed, I wonder if you could remove the bridge and flip the plate over?

 

t e l e, yes, a longer and 'skinnier' screwdriver would work, and changing the adjustment screws to Allen head is also a reasonable alternative [but then, you would have to pull the Bigsby off to do that

 

Another thing to be aware of is that the 'barrels' on the bridge may tend to bind up when the Bigsby is used, so the strings don't come back true. I went with a set of rollers on my TOM, I'm not not sure, short of dry film lube, how to avoid that on those brass parts.

 

I have a love hate relationship with Bigsby trems...there is an add-on you can get to save having to try to put the string ball ends on those little pins, I have one, it is a major time saver, the VibraMate Spoiler [yes, probably the same people who made the mounting plate for your Tele]: https://reverb.com/item/2975872-spoiler-string-retainer-vibramate-color-stainless-steel?gclid=CjwKCAjwvuzkBRAhEiwA9E3FUhvnx554afxxPBPlfuC0opxqQEzShwua2XSZxK7ajgzbUkINepdVoBoCH7sQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds&pla=1

 

I also have a 'prototype' little gem called a 'Sta-Tuned' locking system for the Bigsby, which requires no mods to the instrument. I don't know that they sell these any more, in that configuration; I found mine during one of my Hall E crawls at NAMM years ago. I have seen this from the same company, which could possibly not only help with the string install, but with the intonation as well: https://reverb.com/item/1990137-brilliant-ez-lock-down-for-any-bigsby-to-stay-in-tune-live-in-studio-sta-tuned-system-fine-tuners

 

 

 

[Mikeo]

I have a couple of Gretsch guitars with Bigsbys. Love em.

 

I wouldn't mind owning a Tele with TV Jones pups and a Bigsby on it.

 

 

 

 

[catscurlyear]

Looks cool 😎

 

[t_e_l_e]

daddymack now you spoiled it all

if i would have known of the existence of the spoiler i would have ordered with the bigsby/vibratemate at once, the seller i got mine has them in stock....

now its 28eu + 22eu shipping again and again 4 weeks custom office in between *facepalm*

 

the gfs bridge might work flipping around, but i would need to trim the wholes for the mounting screws, wehere i do not have the tools for, and me likes the ash-tray bridge...

 

but as i said,the intonation is not far off and a office colleaque already confirmed he has a long slim screwdriver which he brings to the office for me today

 

edit: oh i see thomann has them also in stock, for 38eu, but no custom office in between, so when i order next time something from them i might also get the spoiler

[gardo]

and me likes the ash-tray bridge

 

+1

me like ashtray bridge 2

[DeepEnd]

Sadly no' date=' there is no way to reverse the adjustment screws [well there is if you weld the holes closed, and tap drill them']...on the GFS plate Gardo showed, I wonder if you could remove the bridge and flip the plate over? . . .

Actually, I was thinking more along the lines of cutting or filing a slot in the end of the adjusting screw, something like this:

 

[ATTACH=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","title":"Screw.gif","data-attachmentid":32497774}[/ATTACH]

 

You could then turn the screw from either end. Dunno how well it would work in practice though.

[badpenguin]

Nice job! I have always thought that tele's looked both wrong, and completely natural with a Bigsby. Go figure.

[daddymack]

Actually, I was thinking more along the lines of cutting or filing a slot in the end of the adjusting screw, something like this:

 

[ATTACH=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","title":"Screw.gif","data-attachmentid":32497774}[/ATTACH]

 

You could then turn the screw from either end. Dunno how well it would work in practice though.

 

you would have to remove all the screws to do that...back to square one...

[t_e_l_e]

 

you would have to remove all the screws to do that...back to square one...

 

square one would not be the end of the world, i fear i need to do some soldering again, and the whole setup is not perfect anyway..

and on the other hand its just some screws and its not a hugh effort

[DeepEnd]

you would have to remove all the screws to do that...back to square one...

It would also help to do it before installing the Bigsby but you can't have everything, right? Anyway, other than mounting screws we're only talking about three screws since it's a traditional Tele bridge.

[blazer21]

[uSER=52344]t_e_l_e[/uSER] it looks great, the bigsy looks heavy duty!

[t_e_l_e]

ok now after doing a proper setup and fine tuneing (a long thin screw driver has access to the saddles) it plays and feels right.

 

soundwise after yesterdays practice jam i would say its a home run, exactly what i had in mind as stoner rock machine, down tuned to D, thicker strings and with the lil59 at the bridge it nails the kyuss or sabbath sound i had in mind before i started this project

 

so you could say i'm happy

[gardo]

 

Glad it worked out.

It's great when a plan comes together