Not that it looks hard, but with all this wisdom in one place it's worth asking. Is there any issues that I'm going to run into. Will the stock TOM bridge work ok, or should I swap it out? And with what? I'm also considering dropping in Power`trons. Any thoughts or problems?
Has anyone Bigsby-ed an SG?
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- Rated: 8 ↑
Aug 8, 2008 4:03 p.m. Ripley1046:
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- Rated: 61 ↑
Aug 8, 2008 4:27 p.m. Bear:
All you will need to do is bolt on the B5 and have fun. I would consider either changing your bridge saddles to GraphTech saddles or rollers just to make it a little easier for your guitar to return to proper tune. You don't have to, but I've found it helps. Also, keep the nut well lubed with "Nut Sauce" or brand of your choice.
The PowerTrons should sound awesome.
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- Rated: 41 ↑
Aug 8, 2008 4:52 p.m. dubkitty:
It depends on whether you have the ABR-1 style Tunomatic with the steel spring holding the saddles in place or the "Nashville"-style with the saddle screws that are held by the bridge frame at both ends. The Nashville type should give you no problems. the ABR-1 gave me severe problems with my Epiphone 65 SG RI, which has a Vibrola tailpiece; since the only thing keeping the heads of the saddle screws in place is that one length of spring, any vibrato with reasonable down-angle behind the bridge will make the saddles wobble back and forth with every touch of the arm. this will give you a one-way ticket to Intonation Hell.
to replace the ABR-1, you'll need a Nashville-style Tuna which will either have to fit the stud diameter of the stock bridge, or have the same threading where the studs screw into their sockets. I used a Gotoh Tuna on the Epi, since it fit on the existing studs.
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- Rated: 25 ↑
Aug 8, 2008 4:53 p.m. Parabar:
Here's a pic of my Samick Artist Series SG that I added a Bigsby to. I opted not to remove the metal bushings from the stoptail mounts; if you do likewise you might want to put a circle of felt (like you'd put on the back of a picture frame) over them before installing the Bigsby to prevent any possible buzz or rattle from metal-to-metal contact between the Bigs and the bushings). It was an easy install --- no problems, works great, including the existing TOM bridge!
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- Rated: 55 ↑
Aug 8, 2008 5:41 p.m. tartan phantom:
Ripley, this topic has come up before. Here's an old thread for you to reference. Hope this helps.
As Parabar states, it's a pretty easy conversion. Also, apparently there are some quick-mount kits that install directly into the existing tailpiece holes:
Haven't seen one of these in real life, but they look pretty cool. They are available from ZZ Guitar Works.
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- Rated: 10 ↑
Aug 8, 2008 6:12 p.m. Just Dropped In:
I had a factory Bigsby equipped 73/74 SG for a number of years. Seems to have been mounted a little too close to the bridge, which creates too much string pressure for the unit to operate smoothly. Played hell on the bridge posts too (and this was one of those 70s Gibby rectangular bridges).
To be honest, I'm not sure if an SG is the best guitar for a Bigsby, just seems a bit busy for the small body. Although, the original Gibson-stamped style units had smaller frames, and didn't look as bulky as the usual B-5 units. That ZZ unit above really seems a bit massive for the guitar (but looks like a rather clever idea).
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- Rated: 55 ↑
Aug 8, 2008 6:55 p.m. tartan phantom:
There is a NEW alternative to the ZZ unit! I was just looking through my new issue of Vintage Guitar Magazine(Oct. '08 issue). It hasn't hit the newsstands yet, but subscribers get it about 2 weeks earlier.
There is a recap of the Summer NAMM show with pics, and it looks like Bigsby has just come up with their own version of a direct Gibson-type bolt-on B-5. I looked at the Bigsby website, but there is no info on it there... yet. I haven't been able to find a picture of it online, but there IS a picture in the magazine!
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- Rated: 19 ↑
Aug 8, 2008 8:04 p.m. Gretschington:
This is hear/say, I've never tried it myself to verify or disprove it, but I've heard from more than one source that SG's are prone to constant tuning problems with Bigsbys. The reason given was the way the neck joint is (not much mass there, kind of delicate) and the flexibility of the thin mahogany necks.
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- Rated: 41 ↑
Aug 9, 2008 8:53 p.m. dubkitty:
John Cippolina didn't seem to have tuning problems with his Bigsby-ed SGs. and once i swapped the bridge on mine, the tuning problems i'd had before went away. but then, my Epi SG has a chunkier neck than the original Gibson SGs, which were notoriously fragile.
i think i prefer the Vibrola on an SG, because it has less mass than the Bigsby and is thus better-suited to a light guitar. maybe this new, smaller Gibson-style B5 will work better...i've never played an SG with that tailpiece on.
I totally screwed up above, and wrote "sharp end of the saddle screws" etc. when i should have said "the head end." i'm gonna go back and fix it so it doesn't confuse folks.
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- Rated: 7 ↑
Aug 9, 2008 9:03 p.m. Joe Hi-LoTron:
Mine came from Kalamazoo that way, way back in '62. Can't think of any guitar being complete w/out one to this day.
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- Rated: 48 ↑
Aug 9, 2008 9:55 p.m. BillyZoom:
I saw a new Bigsby bracket at Summer NAMM for mounting in the original tailpiece hole. It seemed to work really well. I should be on the Bigsby site. The SG's with the flexible necks are hard to tune with or without a Bigsby. I have the same trouble with my 1960 Epiphone Coronet, but the Bigsby doesn't make it any better or worse. Personally, I'm too self-conscience to play without a Bigsby. I need to hold on to that lever to steady my nerves. BZ
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- Rated: 8 ↑
Aug 10, 2008 12:07 a.m. Ripley1046:
I've never had any problems with my SG staying in tune really. I am curious to see this new Bigsby bracket, not making new holes makes the decision a lot easier.
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- Rated: 8 ↑
Aug 10, 2008 12:07 a.m. Ripley1046:
This post has been deleted
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- Rated: 19 ↑
Aug 10, 2008 8:07 p.m. Gretschington:
Go here:
http://www.gretschstore.com/cgi-bin/store/commerce.cgi?product=Accessories&car...
For this:
http://www.gretschstore.com/cgi-bin/store/html/images/Vibramate-V5-640.gif
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- Rated: 8 ↑
Aug 10, 2008 10:21 p.m. Ripley1046:
Thanks Gretschington! That looks perfect.
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- Rated: 25 ↑
Aug 11, 2008 5:41 p.m. Parabar:
Just Dropped In mused:
To be honest, I'm not sure if an SG is the best guitar for a Bigsby, just seems a bit busy for the small body.
An SG with Bigsby seemed to be just the ticket for:
Mick Taylor during his stint with the Rolling Stones
Barry Melton of Country Joe and the Fish circa 1967-69
John Cipollina of Quicksilver Messenger Service, Copperhead, and various other bands whose unique style was forged with that exact combination
Even Jerry Garcia played one for a while with the Dead during their more adventurous period (Anthem of the Sun- Aoxomoxoa - Live Dead) -
- Rated: 48 ↑
Aug 11, 2008 5:57 p.m. BillyZoom:
That was a popular combo in the day. I don't know why we don't many these days. Possibly too many poeple are obsessed with returning instruments to factory stock, as though everything that ever came off an assembly line was perfect and should never be improved.
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- Rated: 10 ↑
Aug 11, 2008 6:24 p.m. Just Dropped In:
I just prefer the Gibby Vibrola look on SGs, as back in the day I was a big fan of Blue Cheer's Leigh Stephens. And particularly with Link Wray's '63 SG that he modded with the Vibrola off his busted up Firebird III.
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- Rated: 1 ↑
Aug 11, 2008 10:05 p.m. BenJammin:
The Les Trem is another good option, especially for an SG in my opinion. No holes to drill, light weight (actually improves balance on an SG it seems) and works quite like a Bigsby. Way easier to change strings!
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- Rated: 22 ↑
Aug 12, 2008 3:36 a.m. Konrad:
Last time I was in Austin I saw a cat with an SG and a Bigs. Holy moly what a sound (incredible player too).
I've also always loved Lonnie Mack's idea of a Bigs on a Flying V.
K
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- Rated: 8 ↑
Aug 12, 2008 8:33 a.m. lowbrow:
Mine has one. SG Special. I didn't instal it, got it this way. It also has (and needed) a roller bridge. Stays in tune very well now. Had I done the instal, I would have moved it back quite a bit...but the original owner wanted to try to hide the stop tail holes as much as possible...
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- Rated: 19 ↑
Aug 12, 2008 11:08 a.m. Gretschington:
I've always wanted an SG with a Bigsby since BEFORE I could even play a guitar, due to the back album cover of Alice Cooper's "Love it to death" featuring BOTH guitarists playing SG's with Bigsbys. As a kid, it was a very striking image to me that got me interested in electric guitars in the first place.
http://graphics.ink19.com/issues/may2004/alice1.jpeg
I'm glad to read the success stories here. It's reawakened my own desire to do it.
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- Rated: 45 ↑
Aug 13, 2008 12:16 p.m. Tsar Nicholas :
If they made one that worked with a B7 I'd be all over it for my Sheraton. Can't bear to drill holes in it!
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- Rated: 38 ↑
Aug 13, 2008 12:35 p.m. bobbyrivera:
ZZ makes an EZ mount for 335 style guitars (but you would still have to use a B5).
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- Rated: 40 ↑
Aug 13, 2008 10:57 p.m. Pseudo Man:
Tsar said: Can't bear to drill holes in it!
Man up and drill boy! We all know the only true mods are non reversible ones.
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