zigzag Posted May 15, 2013 Share Posted May 15, 2013 When I use the Bigsby vibrato on my Gretsch even a little, not even doing any real dive bombing, the tuning goes way out. Short of doing anything severe with the nut, does anyone know how to reduce the severity of that problem? I have tried using graphite in the nut, but this doesn't help much. Would using flat wound strings help? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rct Posted May 15, 2013 Share Posted May 15, 2013 Trade it in on a BeegsBee-less guitar. Yer welcome. rct Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twang Gang Posted May 15, 2013 Share Posted May 15, 2013 I don't think changing the type of strings will help. This is something that has been inherent with Bigsbys forever. Hopefully someone who has used them for a long time has a solution. <_< Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Searcy Posted May 15, 2013 Share Posted May 15, 2013 Locking tuners and lubricating the nut and bridge will make the biggest improvement in stability. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveg Posted May 15, 2013 Share Posted May 15, 2013 ROLLER BRIDGE!! DG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVOL! Posted May 15, 2013 Share Posted May 15, 2013 Locking tuners and lubricating the nut and bridge will make the biggest improvement in stability. ROLLER BRIDGE!! DG These two suggestions. I abuse a Bigsby on my SG Classic and have pretty good tuning stability due to lubricating the nut and using a roller bridge. Tuning instability with a Bigsby usually means that the strings are not moving freely; they are catching on either the nut or bridge saddles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pin Posted May 15, 2013 Share Posted May 15, 2013 Good suggestions so far. But can I say that a Bigsby is certainly not any kind of whammy bar - it is really a device for (relatively) gentle vibrato which means rocking the strings on the bridge rather than actually moving them (much) to an fro. If real backwards / forwards movement is generated then a roller bridge and locking tuners / graphite nut are absolutely required. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveg Posted May 15, 2013 Share Posted May 15, 2013 When a Bigsby was supplied for use on a guitar such as the 50' / 60's Gibsons and Gretches it a came with a Bridge which allowed for significant rocking motion toward in line with the strings. Look at an ORIGINAL Guild Duane Eddy to see what I mean. It is not a new problem. On solids Schaller made Roller Bridges and these cope really well with anything you can throw at it. I changed to this back in the 70's: DG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zigzag Posted May 15, 2013 Author Share Posted May 15, 2013 It is not a new problem. On solids Schaller made Roller Bridges and these cope really well with anything you can throw at it. [thumbup] Thanks rct, not an option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted May 15, 2013 Share Posted May 15, 2013 three of my gitfiddles have em. I do not have issues. Before you go nuts and do something rash... get some Big Bends Nut Sauce, and then check the Vid on Youtube on how to correctly use the nut sauce on an axe with a bigsby. (essentially, you lube all the witness points. where ever the string touches something.) I'd want to make sure my nut was properly cut too boot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdgm Posted May 15, 2013 Share Posted May 15, 2013 There was a thread on this some months ago, might have been in the Epi forums. Someone said they stay in tune much better with an 11 set of strings. I tried it, yeah better but mine still goes out a bit eventually. I don't have a roller bridge (yet) but a good one of those, stretching new strings when you put 'em on, and some lube should do the job. Also knowing exactly where the string is binding. Could be on the tuning posts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1998StandardSG Posted May 16, 2013 Share Posted May 16, 2013 On my gretsch I replaced the stock tuners with sperzel lockers, put a bone nut in place of the plastic one, an swapped the tune-o-matic style bridge for a rocker bar bridge. I don't have any problems with being out of tune not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brundaddy Posted May 18, 2013 Share Posted May 18, 2013 The biggest culprit for detuning is improperly or poorly stretched strings. When you string up, you *gotta* make good & sure there is no slack on the capstans. Crucial! Slack around the capstans will exaggerate any other tuning issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riffster Posted May 18, 2013 Share Posted May 18, 2013 I replaced the nut on my Gretsch Electromatic with a Tusq XL permanently lubricated nut and a roller bridge and tunning is quite stable even with the stock Chinese tuners. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaxson50 Posted May 18, 2013 Share Posted May 18, 2013 If you do experiment with flat wounds get good ones! The cheap ones are just...cheap.. Try a set of Pyramids which do not have hex shaped cores, they have round cores, and are made of high quality German materials, these are the strings that were popular with many artist in the 60s, including the Fab Four and most studio players,they last forever is you keep them clean. I prefer the round core Golds. http://www.stringsan...-el-fw-rnd.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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