Johnny A Custom - Bigsby, or Stop Tailpiece?

[reederbill]

I'm thinking of purchasing a Johnny A Custom, but I can't decide whether to get the Bigsby version or not. It looks great, but I'm not sure I would use it. Other questions are: Would it create any tuning problems? Would sustain be less with the Bigsby? Would the value of the guitar be less without the Bigsby?

 

Bill

[patadeculebra]

 

beautiful!!!!! no more words

[Robin Nahum]

My take on this is that a tremolo arm is a tool and if you need one for what you play, then you should have one (provided the downside, say tuning and sustain is acceptable to you).

 

I associate tremolo arms with various kinds of rock including surf, Shadows, rockabilly, whammy bar metal and Jimi Hendrix and have always found it a bit over the top, though I'm sure it works in the ear of the beholder.

 

But then I saw John McLaughlin playing with Chick Corea a few months ago and I noticed that he uses one. His technique is very understated. Just occasionally, he applies it subtly at the end of a phrase just to give that bit of colour to the decaying note. And I'm listening to Balkan music at the moment and trying to pick out some notes on the guitar and am wondering if a tremolo would emulate the "wavering" notes I am hearing in the gaida playing.

 

RN

[Andre S]

I'm thinking of purchasing a Johnny A Custom' date=' but I can't decide whether to get the Bigsby version or not. It looks great, but I'm not sure I would use it. Other questions are: Would it create any tuning problems? Would sustain be less with the Bigsby? Would the value of the guitar be less without the Bigsby?

 

Bill[/quote']

I'm biased

<-----------------

 

But:

 

Bigsby

Bigsby

Bigsby

 

 

[drool]

[whirligig]

A new one in the works at gibson.... ohh the beauty it will be... enjoy

 

[milod]

I've had a cupla guitars with Bigsbys including a Gretsch Chet version many years ago. Chet used his tastefully, but I noticed that it seemed the older he got, the less he used one and the more likely to use an EA of some sort as well.

 

I've played with 'em but never used them at a gig regardless of style I was playing at the time.

 

I think the Bigsby is among more stable designs for such things and have the advantage of being able to be "turned off" mechanically in case the player determines he doesn't want the darned thing messing with his tuning. I did just that on a couple of 'em. Your bridge, nut and even tuners, other action factors, all come into play along those lines too.

 

One way or another, it's my personal opinion that using a whammy bar of any sort will somewhat shorten the life of strings. But then probably so does a lotta heavy bending. I doubt seriously that if you block it, it will do much different from many other types of tailpieces, depending on how you string up.

 

So... I'd say the price tag and what you think of the looks are more a part of the decision than anything else.

 

m

[kevoT]

IMO i would get the bigsby version, it will give you more chance to explore what you can do on you're guitar and if you're covering a song that uses a tremolo you won't be stuck in a pickle!