NUGD - 1976 Ibanez Firebird
- Thread starter ICTGoober
- Start date
ICTGoober
Well-known member
Damn it! Strung it up and the Maestro-style vibrola is a POC!!!!!!!!! I kept winding the strings up to pitch, and when I looked at the bridge the trem bar was laying on the pickguard! The spring must be made of mild steel - not spring steel. Pulling the chunk of vomit off and sending it back for a refund. I have had enough trouble with this thing.
Last edited:
ICTGoober
Well-known member
Okay, it's finally complete. I went through 3 vibrolas before I found a good one that wasn't made of mild steel. I ended up having a half dozen pickup rings made to get a decent price. If you recall, the outer dimensions are humbucking size, and the inner dimensions are mini-humbuckers. I have too much time and too much money in this project to make a profit - but at least it's done.
It looks great, sounds terrific, and plays great.
It looks great, sounds terrific, and plays great.
beaubrummels
Well-known member
If the neck join is stronger than a Gibson Firebird, it's probably a much better player.
Fender_Punk
BerriesAndCreamologist
It does look great! Way to bring it back to it's glory. I guess since you're in too deep to make a profit, you're best off keeping it! Rock on!
ICTGoober
Well-known member
It's a bolt-on, which makes no difference at all. I won't keep it. The neck is too narrow for my arthritic old hands. I favor wide stuff now, instead of toothpicks. I gotta say, the alnico 5 Firebird pickups I installed (Allparts brand) sound quite beefy compared to the vintage Gibson mini-humbuckers that were in it when I snagged it. This guitar sounds good - clean or crunchy. I tried it in the Fender, the Roland, and the Marshall. The tones are 4 aces - all the way. There is a lot of music left in this - I hope the next owner plays the heck out of this thing.
Bigsbys aren't known for dramatic trem effect, but a roller bridge would certainly help. In fact, I don't think I'd have a Bigsby on a guitar without a roller bridge, even if just for the smoother response it will get.
Securb
One of Jerry's Kids
Like any other piece of gear, it depends on how much time you spend with the Bigsby. A Floyd bends pitch, a Bigsgy bends pitch, how much pressure you put on the bar is the only difference, one takes less work.
Why not refret and run the frets the entire width of the fretboard (clipping the tang and run the crown over the binding)?
There is a HUGE difference in the amount of pitch change you can get with a Bigsby vs a Floyd. Even if you could put the Bigsby bar down to the face of the guitar the pitch is only going to be a tone or so lower, and not much increase in the pitch without dropping the spring out. With a Floyd you can make the strings go completely limp and as high as you want.
Securb
One of Jerry's Kids
The Bigsby will drop the pitch up to two full steps depending on where you are fretting on the neck. But even if it was only a half step, that doesn't mean a Bigsby can't be used as a dramatic effect. Like any other tool, it is about how you use and approach it. Drivebombs are a reality with a Bigsby, I can't think of a more dramatic tremolo effect. And yes, a Floyd can make the strings go completely limp and fall on the fretboard but at that point, the strings are no longer useful or producing anything musical.
I think this guy is using his Bigsby in a fairly aggressive and dramatic fashion.
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2506211999650677
