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Kidblast does Vibramate...


kidblast

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Hello!

 

Good question. I was wondering about it too.

 

So, I Googled it:

 

babe3.jpg

 

Judging it from the picture above, it should fit.

 

Note the impression on this Custom Shop case's lid lining.

 

Cheers... Bence

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about the hardtail, I guess you mean the b5? that would git on a flat topped solid body like a LP special or an SG

 

There's a combo kit available, (Vibramate V5 and Bigsby B5) see it here: http://www.stewmac.c...d_Aluminum.html

 

regarding the case, yes, it fits fine. just rotate the arm so that it is turned all the way clock wise, it will then sit over the back of the body opposite the volume and tone controls.

 

Tuning stability is pretty good so far. No real surprises based on my experience with the 3 guitars with these on them. Didn't really change the feel/tension, and I don't notice any real tone differences yet.

 

the great part about it is you can remove it in less time than you installed it. Like if for some reason you wanted to put it a second LP Std instead, you could, or,, just wanted to go back to the stop bar. easily done. It really requires no modifications at all.

 

the only thing that you need to be wary of, is the angle that the bigsy installs on.

 

It wont sit totally flush on the vibramate mount plate. to install it properly, first secure the bigsy to the bottom with the strap pin, then align the mounting holes on to the mount plate, then just secure it to the top. do not over tighten. There will be a small gap at the front edges where the bigsby rests on the plate (maybe 1/64"), but after doing some research, that's the way it fits. It took me a few minutes of looking around the different web pages to confirm, but on guitars with carved tops, it's right.

 

So far, I am totally digging it. I was slightly skeptical as this is my #1 axe which I've had for close to 20 years. Part of me didn't want to touch it, but since this is so easily reversed, there is no risk other than loosing some time to install, restring. No regrets.

 

It aint all that cheap ($230+ usd for the whole kit) but if you're interested in adding one to your favorite les paul, it's worth the extra to not have to do any drilling to install it.

 

/ray

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the only thing that you need to be wary of, is the angle that the bigsy installs on.

 

It wont sit totally flush on the vibramate mount plate. to install it properly, first secure the bigsy to the bottom with the strap pin, then align the mounting holes on to the mount plate, then just secure it to the top. do not over tighten. There will be a small gap at the front edges where the bigsby rests on the plate (maybe 1/64"), but after doing some research, that's the way it fits. It took me a few minutes of looking around the different web pages to confirm, but on guitars with carved tops, it's right.

I actually worked that part out myself. By slowly raising the bridge screws then tightening the other screws eventually everything became flush and not over tightened, nice and snug. It just takes a little fiddling but it is possible.

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Is that a 50th Anniversary 24 in yer avatar? You can't do it to that, I won't let you.

 

rct

Lol...that's the one I was thinking about bigsbyfying. Maybe not....this will give me an excuse to buy a special maybe....

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Lol...that's the one I was thinking about bigsbyfying. Maybe not....this will give me an excuse to buy a special maybe....

 

I'm not much on SGs, my 50th 24 is the first I've ever owned, first I've seriously played since the 70's. It's a great guitar! Put a beegsbee on it if you must and enjoy it!

 

rct

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I actually worked that part out myself. By slowly raising the bridge screws then tightening the other screws eventually everything became flush and not over tightened, nice and snug. It just takes a little fiddling but it is possible.

 

Ah. Yes. That could be the trick. The for the tip billy

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I revisited the installation, here's what I found the trouble is.

 

The bottom strap pin is not lined up correctly with where the bigsby wants it to be.

 

so what I do recall Once I went back at it, is that I had to loosen up the mount screws so that I could use the hole

 

this offsets the unit just enough where it doesn't sit flush on the vibramate's mounting plate, or, the "dog bone"

 

so, it will mean that I live with it, or drill a new hole for the strap pin, (it's WAY off line.)

 

I'm not sure which way I'll go with this yet.

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^- yea man, my thoughts exactly. So after chewing on it for a bit this morning I'm leaving it as is.

 

I've looked at quite a number of photos to compare this with, and I see that for sure, this looks like it could be common.

 

and not to be OCD, but I've reached out to Vibramate to give them this feedback and will see what they have to say.

 

it doesn't NOT effect the operation at all. the "gap" I speak of is not even 1/64"

 

thx Billy!

 

EDIT:

 

I talked to Brian from the company. he was most helpful. he mentioned that depending on specific the guitar (as we know, all carved top guitars will be slightly different) and when the guitar was made, there's also the variance on where the strap pin is installed. (mine is a 95, that hole was hand drilled)

 

the answer in this case is to leave a little room on the dogbone so that it can pivot a bit. that goes right back to what you said Billy from your reply last week which is exactly what I did.

 

but the other issue, where my strap pin is not quite centered, I did the right thing there too by leaving a little play in screwing the unit to the dogbone. he did say if it's way off, (it happens) the only option is to drill another hole, or don't install it.

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