Thoughts on a Bigsby trem?
- Thread starter Fatty
- Start date
Curly
Moe's Bluesman
Re: Thoughts on a Bigsby trem?
they're the best, just ask Neil Young!
actually, it's been so long since I played one - my first electric had one ... they have their own vibe, so I think you have to try one
the master of a Bigsby, IMO, was John Cippolina of Quicksilver Messenger Service
they're the best, just ask Neil Young!
actually, it's been so long since I played one - my first electric had one ... they have their own vibe, so I think you have to try one
the master of a Bigsby, IMO, was John Cippolina of Quicksilver Messenger Service
Re: Thoughts on a Bigsby trem?
Me either.. every guitar I have right now is a straight up hardtail. For whatever reason, the Bigsby caught my eye though. I'll have to take a few for a spin.
And, yea.. they really are expensive. When you mentioned that I hopped on StewMac. $259 for a gold one, $164 for a chrome one. I had no idea. :smack:
Blueline said:
Me either.. every guitar I have right now is a straight up hardtail. For whatever reason, the Bigsby caught my eye though. I'll have to take a few for a spin.
And, yea.. they really are expensive. When you mentioned that I hopped on StewMac. $259 for a gold one, $164 for a chrome one. I had no idea. :smack:
Re: Thoughts on a Bigsby trem?
How so? Do you mean from the initial stringing of the guitar, or after doing a bend? From what I've read, I've heard that most tuning problems resulting from a bend can be alleviated by a well cut nut and a good bridge (ex. Graphtech nut, graphtech saddles)
fusion101 said:
How so? Do you mean from the initial stringing of the guitar, or after doing a bend? From what I've read, I've heard that most tuning problems resulting from a bend can be alleviated by a well cut nut and a good bridge (ex. Graphtech nut, graphtech saddles)
Hellion
New member
Re: Thoughts on a Bigsby trem?
I hate them. They are the WORST. To be fair they have their vibe and you can get GREAT surf sounds out of them, but every guitar that I've ever purchased that had one on it was immediately deprived of its presence and replaced with a stud tailpiece. They sound wonderful on Gretches as long as you don't use them! LOL
I hate them. They are the WORST. To be fair they have their vibe and you can get GREAT surf sounds out of them, but every guitar that I've ever purchased that had one on it was immediately deprived of its presence and replaced with a stud tailpiece. They sound wonderful on Gretches as long as you don't use them! LOL
dystrust
Well-known member
Re: Thoughts on a Bigsby trem?
Bigsbys are cool. They can have tuning issues just like any other vintage trem, but a well cut nut solves about 75% of this and locking tuners takes care of the rest. Bigsbys tend to have the worst tuning issues when pushing the bar downward. Most of the time you can get the guitar to snap back into tune by quickly pulling up on the bar and letting it return to place.
Bigsbys are cool. They can have tuning issues just like any other vintage trem, but a well cut nut solves about 75% of this and locking tuners takes care of the rest. Bigsbys tend to have the worst tuning issues when pushing the bar downward. Most of the time you can get the guitar to snap back into tune by quickly pulling up on the bar and letting it return to place.
rspst14
Tone Cat
Re: Thoughts on a Bigsby trem?
Yeah, I think they look cool on the right guitar, but you'll definitely want locking tuners, and possibly a graphite nut and saddle set. They're not the best for dive-bombing, but for subtle vibrato, they're great, and can be kept in pretty good tune with the proper setup.
Ryan
Yeah, I think they look cool on the right guitar, but you'll definitely want locking tuners, and possibly a graphite nut and saddle set. They're not the best for dive-bombing, but for subtle vibrato, they're great, and can be kept in pretty good tune with the proper setup.
Ryan
Re: Thoughts on a Bigsby trem?
In talking to some of the local bigsby fanatics, if you use a bigsby with locking tuners, and a nut and saddles made of a slippery material (like graphtec nuts and saddles) then you can pretty much do anything you want, and it won't go out of tune. The key there being making sure all the moving parts are lightly oiled and free of gunk, so that they won't bind and have the tuning issues that dystrust mentioned. Not to mention, they've got a great vintage/classic look to 'em, and the only trem that comes close to being able to mimic a bigsby "sound" is a Kahler Pro.
In talking to some of the local bigsby fanatics, if you use a bigsby with locking tuners, and a nut and saddles made of a slippery material (like graphtec nuts and saddles) then you can pretty much do anything you want, and it won't go out of tune. The key there being making sure all the moving parts are lightly oiled and free of gunk, so that they won't bind and have the tuning issues that dystrust mentioned. Not to mention, they've got a great vintage/classic look to 'em, and the only trem that comes close to being able to mimic a bigsby "sound" is a Kahler Pro.
RushOfBlood
New member
Re: Thoughts on a Bigsby trem?
love them, getting one for the tele and one for the sg.
but it's exactly like he said^
love them, getting one for the tele and one for the sg.
but it's exactly like he said^
sgstrat
Member
Re: Thoughts on a Bigsby trem?
P.S. It's spelled Cipollina.https://forum.seymourduncan.com/att...duncan.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=&stc=1
:bigthumb: :bigthumb:Curly said:
P.S. It's spelled Cipollina.https://forum.seymourduncan.com/att...duncan.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=&stc=1
Gearjoneser
Gear Ho
Re: Thoughts on a Bigsby trem?
To me, they're like a period piece. And since I don't walk around in a pink suit or a bowling shirt with Elvis hair, I don't need one.
Honestly, tho, has anyone ever yanked on one and came back to perfect pitch?
It took Mr. Rose to get that one sorted out.
To me, they're like a period piece. And since I don't walk around in a pink suit or a bowling shirt with Elvis hair, I don't need one.
Honestly, tho, has anyone ever yanked on one and came back to perfect pitch?
It took Mr. Rose to get that one sorted out.
L
Lewguitar
Guest
Re: Thoughts on a Bigsby trem?
I think they look really cool but ruin the tone of a guitar and make it feel spongey and I have to bend a note further with my fingers to get it to raise up in pitch because the Bigsby rolls forward when I do a wide bend with my left hand.
But that's just me...lots of guys like 'em. Brian Setzer, Chet Atkins, Merle Travis, Duane Eddy, Neil Young (as Curly mentioned) as well as a few others.
No...a Bigsby is technicaly a VIBRATO...not a tremolo.
Tremolo pulsates the volume up and down, like the "vibrato" in a Fender amp...also misnamed.
Vibrato actually changes the pitch up and down...like a Bigsby, Floyd Rose, or Fender Strat VIBRATO.
Lew
I think they look really cool but ruin the tone of a guitar and make it feel spongey and I have to bend a note further with my fingers to get it to raise up in pitch because the Bigsby rolls forward when I do a wide bend with my left hand.
But that's just me...lots of guys like 'em. Brian Setzer, Chet Atkins, Merle Travis, Duane Eddy, Neil Young (as Curly mentioned) as well as a few others.
No...a Bigsby is technicaly a VIBRATO...not a tremolo.
Tremolo pulsates the volume up and down, like the "vibrato" in a Fender amp...also misnamed.
Vibrato actually changes the pitch up and down...like a Bigsby, Floyd Rose, or Fender Strat VIBRATO.
Lew
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Hot _Grits
Buttery Toneologist
Re: Thoughts on a Bigsby trem?
No pink suit? -your loss, tough guy.
I like bigsbys. Not a great option for anything other than subtle stuff, but it's very difficult to get that bigsby sound from any other trem.
Ibanez have several artcore models with licensed versions. Fender Japan make a tele with one. Lots of gretsches have them.
Gearjoneser said:
No pink suit? -your loss, tough guy.
I like bigsbys. Not a great option for anything other than subtle stuff, but it's very difficult to get that bigsby sound from any other trem.
Ibanez have several artcore models with licensed versions. Fender Japan make a tele with one. Lots of gretsches have them.
