Does Bigsby affect tone?
- Thread starter FAC
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Bezmotivnik
New member
Re: Does Bigsby affect tone?
It may have some effect due to an increase in string break angle at the saddle, but I'm skeptical of anything else.
What it will affect is tuning.
It may have some effect due to an increase in string break angle at the saddle, but I'm skeptical of anything else.
What it will affect is tuning.
Hellion
New member
Re: Does Bigsby affect tone?
I'm probably not the best person to answer this, but personally, I don't like Bigsby tailpieces and I don't like trapeze tailpieces much more. I think they sap sustain, though not necessarily tone, and if you try to double stop with a Bigsby, you get this odd modulation due to the movement of the tailpiece. I realize there's not a lot of choice with a hollow body, but given that, I'd scrap the Bigs and go with the trapeze.
I'm probably not the best person to answer this, but personally, I don't like Bigsby tailpieces and I don't like trapeze tailpieces much more. I think they sap sustain, though not necessarily tone, and if you try to double stop with a Bigsby, you get this odd modulation due to the movement of the tailpiece. I realize there's not a lot of choice with a hollow body, but given that, I'd scrap the Bigs and go with the trapeze.
C
CountFunkula
Guest
Re: Does Bigsby affect tone?
Sorry to threadjack, but does the same go for a Jazzmaster bridge?
Sorry to threadjack, but does the same go for a Jazzmaster bridge?
Bezmotivnik
New member
Re: Does Bigsby affect tone?
There's better point loading and much better mechanical coupling and vibrational transfer -- as would be the case on a stopbar tailpiece.
Still, I wouldn't want the added tuning hassle. I have a few Bigsby instruments and never play them, simply for this. I want vibrato, I use that butt-ugly locking-nut Floyd. I've grown to overlook the hideousness.
It's the relationship of the break angle and closer point of solid contact at the roller in the type of Bigsby shown (not so with the "flying" Bigsby).
There's better point loading and much better mechanical coupling and vibrational transfer -- as would be the case on a stopbar tailpiece.
Still, I wouldn't want the added tuning hassle. I have a few Bigsby instruments and never play them, simply for this. I want vibrato, I use that butt-ugly locking-nut Floyd. I've grown to overlook the hideousness.
J Moose
New member
Re: Does Bigsby affect tone?
I've never retrofitted, or even had a chance to a play a guitar before and after a jazzmaster bridge was installed... so I couldn't tell 'ya.
In the case of a Figsby... compared to a trapeze or regular tailpiece, there's a LOT more mass making more contact with the body. More string vibrations transfer to the wood and that's never a bad thing. Chunkier tone. Even on a Telecaster.
This comes directly from playing a handful of guitars over the years that had been converted to Bigsby trems from stock bridges.
If its a real Bigs, not some cheap-O pot metal thing, and its been properly installed they stay in tune great. My Tele's just as stable as my PRS, which stays in tune about as well as my Hamer with a floyd.
I've never retrofitted, or even had a chance to a play a guitar before and after a jazzmaster bridge was installed... so I couldn't tell 'ya.
In the case of a Figsby... compared to a trapeze or regular tailpiece, there's a LOT more mass making more contact with the body. More string vibrations transfer to the wood and that's never a bad thing. Chunkier tone. Even on a Telecaster.
This comes directly from playing a handful of guitars over the years that had been converted to Bigsby trems from stock bridges.
If its a real Bigs, not some cheap-O pot metal thing, and its been properly installed they stay in tune great. My Tele's just as stable as my PRS, which stays in tune about as well as my Hamer with a floyd.
Bezmotivnik
New member
Re: Does Bigsby affect tone?
A gang-sprung vibrato of any type will always be more work to get in tune and if you look at it the reason is obvious. Every time you uptune one string, there is incrementally less tension on the other five, so you usually have to make a couple of passes to get everything more or less balanced out if you were substantially out of tune to begin with. It's an imperfect system.
I can service Bigsbys to get them set up about as stable as they'll ever be, but even having done that, the real problems with friction points in the string path have to be minimized (they can't be eliminated, obviously) as well. And that's a royal pain to go through for me. I don't need a vibrato that bad.
I'm not talking about staying in tune (although I don't believe -- simply from a pretty obvious engineering standpoint -- that a Bigsby can ever be as stable as a dual-locking system), as much as getting in tune.
A gang-sprung vibrato of any type will always be more work to get in tune and if you look at it the reason is obvious. Every time you uptune one string, there is incrementally less tension on the other five, so you usually have to make a couple of passes to get everything more or less balanced out if you were substantially out of tune to begin with. It's an imperfect system.
I can service Bigsbys to get them set up about as stable as they'll ever be, but even having done that, the real problems with friction points in the string path have to be minimized (they can't be eliminated, obviously) as well. And that's a royal pain to go through for me. I don't need a vibrato that bad.
Bezmotivnik
New member
Re: Does Bigsby affect tone?
Here's the one you DON'T want:
I have one of these pricey creatures (about $3K now). Just take a look at the break angle and note that the vibrato is not connected to the guitar except by the hinge on the bottom. String tension is the only thing holding it in place.
After you're done shaking your head over that, check out that sliver weenie bridge. Oy!
Here's the one you DON'T want:
I have one of these pricey creatures (about $3K now). Just take a look at the break angle and note that the vibrato is not connected to the guitar except by the hinge on the bottom. String tension is the only thing holding it in place.
After you're done shaking your head over that, check out that sliver weenie bridge. Oy!
FAC
New member
Re: Does Bigsby affect tone?
What if the bridge were fixed into the wood (like the Casino), versus floating (pictured)? Also, isn't the break angle akin to top wrapping on a stop tailpiece?
Here's the one you DON'T want:
I have one of these pricey creatures (about $3K now). Just take a look at the break angle and note that the vibrato is not connected to the guitar except by the hinge on the bottom. String tension is the only thing holding it in place.
After you're done shaking your head over that, check out that sliver weenie bridge. Oy!
What if the bridge were fixed into the wood (like the Casino), versus floating (pictured)? Also, isn't the break angle akin to top wrapping on a stop tailpiece?
Bezmotivnik
New member
Re: Does Bigsby affect tone?
Also, I'm pretty sure that increasing the break angle would simply push over the bridge assembly.
The vibrato isn't exactly floating; it's held against the body, but just barely, and only by the strings' pressure, which is why it's wrapped over rather than under the bar. The entire bridge is only held on by string pressure, too.
Needless to say, you only replace one string at a time with this 1962 reissued (why?) technology! Otherwise, you have a big oops! on your hands.
No, not without moving it closer to the bridge and wrapping the strings under the bar rather than over it.
Also, I'm pretty sure that increasing the break angle would simply push over the bridge assembly.
The vibrato isn't exactly floating; it's held against the body, but just barely, and only by the strings' pressure, which is why it's wrapped over rather than under the bar. The entire bridge is only held on by string pressure, too.
Needless to say, you only replace one string at a time with this 1962 reissued (why?) technology! Otherwise, you have a big oops! on your hands.
drew_half_empty
Looking for Real Life
Re: Does Bigsby affect tone?
Yup, also a bit clearer sound overall. I have less tuning problems on my gretsch than I do on my strat, so i think the tuning thing is sort of blown out of proportion. Having a tube bridge helps a lot though, there's not that narrow point of contact like on TOM's where if the next sequential wind on the string slips up it's way outta tune
Yup, also a bit clearer sound overall. I have less tuning problems on my gretsch than I do on my strat, so i think the tuning thing is sort of blown out of proportion. Having a tube bridge helps a lot though, there's not that narrow point of contact like on TOM's where if the next sequential wind on the string slips up it's way outta tune
D
DLT
Guest
