Members CicadaSilence Posted February 14, 2009 Members Share Posted February 14, 2009 I've been wrestling with my Bigsby B5 for going on two months now. I've installed it on an Epiphone Firebird, and I've been having a tuning problem. Whenever I use the bar, it refuses to return to a neutral position. I'll tune the guitar up to pitch, and it's just fine. But when I push the bar down and release it, it stays about an eighth of a step flat, and vice versa when I pull the bar up. It just won't... quite... return to neutral. I've played other Bigsby equipped guitars before, and I've never had this problem. I've had a graphite nut professionally cut and installed, I'm using a roller bridge, installed a brand new spring, and I've lubed up every string and bridge contact point. Still having the same problem. Am I missing something? Any ideas? Help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarchaz Posted February 14, 2009 Members Share Posted February 14, 2009 I'm no expert, but maybe a heavier spring would help ? Are you using heavy gauge strings ? Sounds like you've attacked most of the items I can think of beyond that. I think some folks sometimes opt to run springs "over" the tension bar behind the bridge. You loose sustain that way, but I've heard it helps tuning. Also, you might try a lubed teflon washer in the spring seat cavities on on both ends, in case there's some minor issue going on there. Good luck, and let us know what the fix is if you find one!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members CicadaSilence Posted February 14, 2009 Author Members Share Posted February 14, 2009 I upgraded to a 1" spring, over the stock 7/8". I don't know if it added any tension, but it made the bar sit a bit higher, which is fine by me. I'm using .11 - .14 - .20 - .30 - .42 - .54 strings tuned to standard, so that should be plenty heavy enough. That's a good idea about the additional teflon washer. I'll have to try that out. (Anyone have a spare laying around? ) From what I can tell, it seems to be a spring/spring cup issue. Everything else is doing what it's supposed to. The spring is the only place where there could be any "slop", as far as I can tell. As far as stringing over the tension bar... I don't see how I could do that. The strings wouldn't be any where near the bridge if I strung it up that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarchaz Posted February 14, 2009 Members Share Posted February 14, 2009 As far as stringing over the tension bar... I don't see how I could do that. The strings wouldn't be any where near the bridge if I strung it up that way. May not be applicable to your particular guitar. Not a particularly great idea anyway really... Seems like you ought to have enough tension there to get it back to zero position. Did you try it before changing the spring ? Maybe it would work better with more spring compression ? Or did that bar the bar set too low ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Brewski Posted February 15, 2009 Members Share Posted February 15, 2009 Sorry to hear your issue Bro but the only Bigsby equipped guitar I played was a Gibson ES330 that whenever you touched the thing it wnet out of tune. I think the Bigsby is the worst example of a trem on the market and cannot understand how anyone would put one on except to make them feel like an old guy with traditional gear. The reason there are things like the Floyd rose and Kahler with locking nuts is because the Bigsby and Fulcrum Trems simply go out of tune and are a pain. I've been wrestling with my Bigsby B5 for going on two months now. I've installed it on an Epiphone Firebird, and I've been having a tuning problem.Whenever I use the bar, it refuses to return to a neutral position. I'll tune the guitar up to pitch, and it's just fine. But when I push the bar down and release it, it stays about an eighth of a step flat, and vice versa when I pull the bar up. It just won't... quite... return to neutral. I've played other Bigsby equipped guitars before, and I've never had this problem. I've had a graphite nut professionally cut and installed, I'm using a roller bridge, installed a brand new spring, and I've lubed up every string and bridge contact point. Still having the same problem.Am I missing something? Any ideas? Help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members CicadaSilence Posted February 15, 2009 Author Members Share Posted February 15, 2009 Sorry to hear your issue Bro but the only Bigsby equipped guitar I played was a Gibson ES330 that whenever you touched the thing it wnet out of tune. I think the Bigsby is the worst example of a trem on the market and cannot understand how anyone would put one on except to make them feel like an old guy with traditional gear. The reason there are things like the Floyd rose and Kahler with locking nuts is because the Bigsby and Fulcrum Trems simply go out of tune and are a pain. I've actually had more problems with locking nuts than I have from any other trem I've ever played. Granted, my experience with locking nuts was on my first guitar, (an Ibanez RG that has long since been disposed of) and it could have been user error... I've found fulcrum trems work just fine, if set up properly. I've got a Strat and a Jazzmaster that stay in tune wonderfully, and I beat the hell out of the whammy bars on both of them. I used to have a Gretsch Electromatic something or other with a Licensed Bigsby, and it was pretty damn stable as well. Nothing like the problems I'm having with this one... I think Floyd's and the like are ugly. They scream buttrock to me, whereas the Bigsby looks sleek and classic. Plus, I don't want to cut a huge hole in my guitar. All boils down to personal preference, really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Kap'n Posted February 15, 2009 Members Share Posted February 15, 2009 scratch that.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sxyryan Posted February 15, 2009 Members Share Posted February 15, 2009 Where did you put the Bigsby? If its to close to the bridge, the break angle could be ridiculous. That might cause tuning issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members CicadaSilence Posted February 15, 2009 Author Members Share Posted February 15, 2009 It's pretty close, but I'm using a Vibramate, which raises the entire bridge assembly up off of the face of the guitar somewhat, so the break angle isn't that bad at all. Also, I would assume that a roller bridge would negate break angle issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members snaredrum Posted February 15, 2009 Members Share Posted February 15, 2009 i had the gretsch pro jet with the B50 (i know, maybe not quite the same as a 'proper' B5) attached, and it never kept tune as well as the bigsbys i have or have had on my archtop guitars. i just don't think they work as well... maybe something to do with the quality of the neck join? only a guess Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Johnny Z Posted February 15, 2009 Members Share Posted February 15, 2009 Are you wraping the strings around the bar before installing the bobin on the pins? Or just putting them on the pins? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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