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Bigsby B7 - B70 - B700


Lerxst1281733995

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AFAIK The B7 and B70 are the same, except the B70 is manufactured offshore while the B7 is American made (thus the price difference). So by extrapolation that must mean the B700 is made really far offshore. #-o

 

Seriously though, I have found the quality of the B70 to be just as good as the American made B7. Also the 3 mounting holes on the base of the B70 make installation easier than the B7 with it's 4 holes IMHO. Hopefully this helps.

 

- Jay

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I put a B-70 on mine. The only problem I had mounting it was that the end pin didn't line up exactly with the B-70, so I had to plug and redrill. I messed up a couple of holes on the end because of this, but you can't see them now cause they are covered up, and I'm not taking it off. The B-70 is an excellent choice and a little cheaper as well. I got mine off the Bay for $85 includdig shipping. Any of them will work.

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I recently installed a Bigsby B70 on my Riviera. Be aware that it tends to make the guitar a bit unbalanced towards the tail piece. I'm hoping that a set of Grover tuners will help even the weight distribution replacing the Kluson type. Other than that, no problem. I've contemplated putting one on my DOT as well.

 

Mine was purchased off ebay at a great price, will try to post the seller if possible...

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Lerxst, sorry for jacking your thread for a second here with a couple questions of my own......figured while on the Bigsby subject already...

 

First of all I know jack about the different types of Bigsby's, but I've been thinking of putting one on my Casino also. The ones I'm seeing here looks like they have a screw just past the Bigsby arm...by the spring. Looks like I would also have to put a screw hole on the face too. Is this so?

 

I have a Bigsby (B-60) on my Gretsch, came with it, and it's only screwed at the bottom of the guitar...by the strap button. Would these or similar work on the Casino? I'd prefer not put any screw holes on the face if possible.

 

Anyhow, sorry again Lerxst for the temporarily thread jack....and thanks in advance.

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Maybe I can help! The string angle on the Casino is less of an angle than your Gretsch. I've got the B6 style on both my Anniversary, and Gent. I put a B7 on my Riviera, the same guitar primarily as the Casino, only with mini humbuckers. You need the tension bar of the B7, otherwise your strings will tend to pop out of the bridge saddle's. The Casino GOM of last year came with the B7 already installed, that's gotta' tell you something. Hope this help's!

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Maybe I can help! The string angle on the Casino is less of an angle than your Gretsch. I've got the B6 style on both my Anniversary' date=' and Gent. I put a B7 on my Riviera, the same guitar primarily as the Casino, only with mini humbuckers. You need the tension bar of the B7, otherwise your strings will tend to pop out of the bridge saddle's. The Casino GOM of last year came with the B7 already installed, that's gotta' tell you something. Hope this help's![/quote']

 

Ohhh....I see. Makes sense too....unfortunately.

 

Thanks BENT E

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A friend stops by today and brings me an Epi Dot VS' date=' '02 made in Korea. What's wrong with these pics? Looks like a B5.......Crickey Mate..J

 

[img']http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y209/173bro/Epiphone%20Dot%20VS/2002KoreanDotVS006.jpg[/img]

 

2002KoreanDotVS011.jpg

 

Holy crap ! I wouldn't want to be standing in front if those screws pull through the top. Could be yet another Bigsby related death.

 

- Jay

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Lerxst asked:

 

Parabar, the Bigsby doesn't cause a problem with the floating bridge on that Carlo Robelli?

 

Nope --- nary a one. My Gretsch 5120 also has a floating bridge (unlike a lot of Gretsch players, I haven't pinned the bridge) with a Bigsby (B60) and I've had no problems with it, either.

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  • 5 months later...

Hello,

 

I've just bought an Epiphone Joe Pass Emperor II (lefty) and I would like to get some opinions about adding a Bigsby trem to it. I'm thinking that I want to use a B7, is that a good idea? Also, should I change the bridge? I currently have the stock one on it. Matter of fact, it's all stock (god I hate the lame *** signature on the pick guard). Are there any problems keeping in tune after installing a this kind of trem? Thanks a lot!

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Hello' date='

 

I've just bought an Epiphone Joe Pass Emperor II (lefty) and I would like to get some opinions about adding a Bigsby trem to it. I'm thinking that I want to use a B7, is that a good idea? Also, should I change the bridge? I currently have the stock one on it. Matter of fact, it's all stock (god I hate the lame *** signature on the pick guard). Are there any problems keeping in tune after installing a this kind of trem? Thanks a lot![/quote']

 

First of all, I would not use a B-7, Get the B-3 instead. The difference is that the B-7 has a tension bar at the top. It is designed to be screwed through the top into the center block of the semi-hollow guitar such as a Dot/335/Sheraton. You don't normally want to screw something like that into an unsupported top.

 

Second, if you don't like the signature, get rid of it. If it is not embossed into the pickguard, any number of chemicals shoud do the trick.

 

Are there tuning problems with a Bigsby. Well ... how do I put this ... ummm ... yeah, there are. The guitar will go out of tune a little more quickly. What can you do to minimize this? Use heavier strings, make sure the nut is cut correctly and maybe use a teflon or graphite nut, lubricate the nut, use a roller bridge or Gretsch bar bridge, use locking tuners. But the tuning problems are endemic to a vibrato/"tremolo" sustem.

 

I have added Bigsbys to both my Guild and my Sheraton.

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Hey thanks a lot. I was actually looking to buy a Sheraton before I got the JP. I ran across your mods and I have to say you did one hell of a good job! Anyway, thanks again for the advice. I can see what you mean. I'm a fledgling guitar player (well in skill-level, not in age unfortunately) and I've never known anyone with a hollow body. Nearly every member of my family plays guitar and not one has a trem. My father had one on his Mustang, but he locked it down way back in the 70s because he said it was a real pain in the *** to keep in tune. So I grew up thinking that trems were a bad idea. My brother used a Floyd Rose for a while, but that really doesn't apply since he never used a hollow body. Sorry for the life story. I'm very glad to get your input and I'll go with the B3!

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