Any good Bigsby clones? (Tele-copy content)

[golias]

Okay, so I scored this CHEAP Telecaster copy recently. My first Tele ever. It's a Made-in-China S101 sweat-shop special.

 

It's a fun little axe. Not enough fun to convert me from my LP-loving ways, but still, a fun change of pace. I don't know if I'm going to keep it or flip it yet, but I do know that I'm going to mod the bejeezus out of it first.

 

(No HNGDs are necessary. I haven't taken any pics, and might not get around to it, especially since I haven't decided whether I'll keep it when I'm done with my mods.)

 

Anyway, it's a relatively good guitar, especially for the money. Nice set-up, okay pups... but the one odd thing is that the strings are mounted to the end of the tailpiece instead of the usual string-through design one expects from a Tele.

 

Which is fine by me, because it saves me the trouble of plugging up string holes in the body. I want to BIGSBIFY this sucker!

 

The problem is, a real B5 Bigsby (with the Telecaster plate-style bridge assembly) costs at least $150 new.

 

I don't mind putting a $150 mod on to a $100 guitar if I must, but it seems to me that the patent on the B5 must have run out a long time ago. Does anybody know of a cheap-ass clone of the B5 Tele mod that I could pick up? Or even perhaps a licensed copy that might represent a better value, either in terms of quality or price?

 

 

(EDIT: To be clear, I want something that's basically B5-like. I'm not really interested in the Teisco-copy tremolo that GFS sells. Maybe on some other guitar, but not this one.)

[Big Pimpin' T]

The B50 is the officially licensed Bigbsy and is cheaper than the B5. If it's a 3-saddle bridge, chances are that you can just cut some grooves into the back and not even replace the bridge assembly. It will also save you from having to shim the neck because of the added height of a TOM-style bridge.

 

Like this:

 

[BootRoots]

Big Pimpin' has the correct answer.

[iansmitchell]

as far as I know, nope.

[3red]

nonononononononono do not do

[BootRoots]

here are a few other pictures of standard tele bridges set up for a bigsby

[golias]

 

The B50 is the officially licensed Bigbsy and is cheaper than the B5. If it's a 3-saddle bridge, chances are that you can just cut some grooves into the back and not even replace the bridge assembly. It will also save you from having to shim the neck because of the added height of a TOM-style bridge.

 

 

It's a 6-saddle bridge, but I might be able to make it work anyway.

 

Thanks for the heads-up.

 

So, where would be the best place to buy a B50? I see an eBay vendor has 'em for about $75 plus shipping. Can I do better somewhere?

[golias]

nonononononononono do not do

 

Why not? Bigsby trems are like salt - They make EVERYTHING better.

[blueshawk1]

Here's a chrome bigsby clone for 70. pu 8. for shipping;

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vibrato-Tremolo-Tail-Piece-CHROME-Never-Used_W0QQitemZ270280437206QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item270280437206&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C39%3A1%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C240%3A1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

 

And here's a gold clone for 55. plus 6. shipping;

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Gold-Retro-Vintage-style-Vibrato-Tremolo-Tailpiece_W0QQitemZ130258521570QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item130258521570&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C39%3A1%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C240%3A1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

 

I used to have a parts dealer that sold these, but they don't have any more, said the manufacturer stopped making them. They do still have some B7 clones, but they wouldn't work on your tele.

[golias]

So, over in another thread, Ratae insisted that this mod would completely ruin the tone. "Take the Tele out of the Telecaster" was the expression he used.

 

I've never done this mod before (like I said, first Tele ever), but I've heard Teles with Bigsbys being played, and always thought they sounded good.

 

Is there anything to this? What harm, specifically, would the addition of a Bigsby do to the tone of the guitar (if any)?

[Bubbluz]

 

So, over in another thread, Ratae insisted that this mod would completely ruin the tone. "Take the Tele out of the Telecaster" was the expression he used. I've never done this mod before (like I said, first Tele ever), but I've heard Teles with Bigsbys being played, and always thought they sounded good. Is there anything to this? What harm, specifically, would the addition of a Bigsby do to the tone of the guitar (if any)?

 

I think the main arguement there is with Standard Tele's they eliminate the stringthru,so it doesn't apply to your guitar anyway.

[Big Pimpin' T]

So, over in another thread, Ratae insisted that this mod would completely ruin the tone. "Take the Tele out of the Telecaster" was the expression he used. I've never done this mod before (like I said, first Tele ever), but I've heard Teles with Bigsbys being played, and always thought they sounded good. Is there anything to this? What harm, specifically, would the addition of a Bigsby do to the tone of the guitar (if any)?

 

It's give and take. It gave more beef and sustain to my Tele, while taking a little off of the top end. I actually like it more now than I did before. And the middle position sounds great with the warble of a Bigsby.

[iansmitchell]

Some folks say top-mounted tele bridges are even twangier than string through.

 

Really, I doubt there's a difference.

[Ratae Corieltauvorum]

 

Some folks say top-mounted tele bridges are even twangier than string through. Really, I doubt there's a difference.

 

 

It's got little to do wth twang, which is mainly dwon to the sound of a tele pickup, but mainly about overall tone. I've fitted B5s, B50s and the cheapo Vibrotones to Teles and they just simply seem to take something away.

 

To Golias I'd say simply this, as it's a 101, got for it, it's better than listening to anybodies advice, but 101 pickups are utterly {censored}ing horrible. I have a pretty proud boast that I can make most guitars playable, but S101s are truly appalling guitars, equalled only by the brand Wesley that we have in the UK.

Look for Bigsby clones, but don't even bother to splash out on a B50, which for the record have better tolerances that the US made Bigsbys, and the castings are better, but the alloy isn't quite as good.

 

Either way, Bigsbys look bloody beautiful, sound meh, and divide opinion. The best that can be said for them is they provide jobs for good sandcasters

[golias]

It's got little to do wth twang, which is mainly dwon to the sound of a tele pickup, but mainly about overall tone. I've fitted B5s, B50s and the cheapo Vibrotones to Teles and they just simply seem to take something away. To Golias I'd say simply this, as it's a 101, got for it, it's better than listening to anybodies advice, but 101 pickups are utterly fucking horrible. I have a pretty proud boast that I can make most guitars playable, but S101s are truly appalling guitars, equalled only by the brand Wesley that we have in the UK. Look for Bigsby clones, but don't even bother to splash out on a B50, which for the record have better tolerances that the US made Bigsbys, and the castings are better, but the alloy isn't quite as good. Either way, Bigsbys look bloody beautiful, sound meh, and divide opinion. The best that can be said for them is they provide jobs for good sandcasters

 

I've heard horror stories about S101 guitars, but honestly, other than it being a little on the heavy side for a Telecaster, it's not half bad. The neck is nicer than many tele clones I've tried, both pups (which I was planning on replacing and still might) sound half-way decent, certainly better than various Squier teles I've tried out in stores, and the fit & finish is better than I was expecting.

 

Maybe some runs of S101s are better than others. I seriously doubt they are all made in the same factory, year after year. Or maybe I just happened to stumble on a decent one.

 

In any case, this is my new Turd Polish project. I'm going to make this goofy sweat-shop tele into something special.

[Chrys O]

Did you end up keeping the tele?

[daddymack]

you are 12 years too late on that question...Golias hasn't been here in over 6 years, btw, so don't expect an answer any time soon...

[6down1togo]

I've heard that he traveled the world for years in search of the elusive, low-cost Bigsby. It seemed every city he searched, it had just been sold and eluded his grasp. Upon arriving in Bhutan, he was befriended by, and received enlightenment from, a Buddhist monk who showed him the Chinese knock-off in the banner ad at the top of this page on Amazon and changed his life forever.