GibsonExplorer Posted May 14, 2010 Share Posted May 14, 2010 I'm looking at getting a chrome Bigsby B5 for my ebony Gibson Explorer. I'm going to get a Vibramate so I wont have to drill into the guitar, and so installation will be easier. Anybody have experience with a Bigsby on the Explorer? Pics Puhleasssse? Btw, for anyone interested in hearing about it- this is one of many mods and accessories I'm installing on my Explorer. Here's my shopping list. Gibson 57 Classic neck chrome Gibson 57 Classic Plus bridge chrome (Coil tappable both pickups) Black top hat knobs with metal inserts Black toggle washer "Standard" Truss Rod cover Bone nut Planet Waves Auto Trim tuners (already have these installed and I love them) Feel free to comment on any of that :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mvk20 Posted May 17, 2010 Share Posted May 17, 2010 Did you have to enlarge the pegholes to use the Planet Waves tuners? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morten M Posted May 17, 2010 Share Posted May 17, 2010 If you install a trem on your Explorer you'll find out it won't stay in tune without a locking nut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GibsonExplorer Posted May 17, 2010 Author Share Posted May 17, 2010 I can't remember, I had a tech install them for me. But i do know they are kind angled slightly. Instead of being slanted away from the neck, it's more perpendicular to the neck. If that makes any sense haha That's one thing I was thinking about. The Bigsby's I've played on didn't detune too badly (at least not as bad as some strats I've played..). I've seen some roller nuts and rolling bridges, but I dont know very much about them. Have you heard of these rolling nuts and bridges? I'd prefer not to go locking, I dont want to drill. not to mention the maintenance and crap that goes into locking nuts. Btw, if I install the B5, it'll be with a Vibramate so I wont have to drill and can easily remove it. If it'll just keep going out of tune and be too costly, I'll forget the Bigsby hahaha. I dont like headaches and I like money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
e/2 Explorer Posted May 18, 2010 Share Posted May 18, 2010 A Bigsby on an Explorer makes for a very ugly guitar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GibsonExplorer Posted May 18, 2010 Author Share Posted May 18, 2010 I actually dig the look if it's centered right. It's really ugly when the Bigsby is back really really far, but when it's in the right spot, i think it looks great. http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3311/3236650471_3257331f5c.jpg?v=0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MojoRedFoot Posted May 18, 2010 Share Posted May 18, 2010 I actually dig the look if it's centered right. It's really ugly when the Bigsby is back really really far' date=' but when it's in the right spot, i think it looks great. http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3311/3236650471_3257331f5c.jpg?v=0[/quote'] Whatever floats your boat, man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riffster Posted May 18, 2010 Share Posted May 18, 2010 A few original Explorers came with a bigsby, Slash owns one of them, here is another I frankly do not care for the look of the bigsby on it I prefer the vibrola 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brundaddy Posted May 18, 2010 Share Posted May 18, 2010 Go for it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morten M Posted May 19, 2010 Share Posted May 19, 2010 That's one thing I was thinking about. The Bigsby's I've played on didn't detune too badly (at least not as bad as some strats I've played..). I've seen some roller nuts and rolling bridges' date=' but I dont know very much about them. Have you heard of these rolling nuts and bridges? I'd prefer not to go locking, I dont want to drill. not to mention the maintenance and crap that goes into locking nuts. Btw, if I install the B5, it'll be with a Vibramate so I wont have to drill and can easily remove it. If it'll just keep going out of tune and be too costly, I'll forget the Bigsby hahaha. I dont like headaches and I like money.[/quote'] I installed a Stetsbar on an Explorer just to find out there's an inherent problem with the travel distance of the string from the tuner to the nut. So found me one with a Kahler + locking nut for the whammy stuff. I have 2 well adjusted strats. You can lift the instrument in the trem arm and they're still in tune. That's only a question of correct setup. Roller nut on an Explorer? Sounds like major surgery to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
e/2 Explorer Posted May 19, 2010 Share Posted May 19, 2010 DON"T DO IT Dude, I reiterate, it will be fugly. Looks like some kind of vintage surgical apparatus of torture . Man, you could mount it with a quick release and whip it off for some emergency heart surgery Buy an Epi Explorer, they play kickass and you can hack it to pieces and ugly it up with a completely clear conscience. $300 used Korina, add $100 for good used pups (unless you have a few laying around) and Bigsby it up, hell, even Clapton cut it. You could make a Holy Explorer with a Bigsby!!!! I'm telling you as an Explorer Brother, I will find out where you live if you hurt that poor girl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GibsonExplorer Posted May 19, 2010 Author Share Posted May 19, 2010 I would never in a million years drill into my Explorer dude. There's no need to hack it up or anything to install the Bigsby with a Vibramate. They are a metal plate that attaches to the screws on the stopbar. You just attach the Bigsby to that, so there's no need for drilling and removing it is fast and easy. I think tuning will become too big of an issue though, so my interest has definitely gone down. Btw, I actually like strange looking equipment. I have an Orange Tiny Terror and Orange PPC412 and coil cable (looks and sounds freakin sweet) so i've got the oddness started. I look forward to the future when I've gigged so much and so hard that my Explorer is relic'ed and beat like SRV's str*ts. When I play, I get into it and jump around and throw my hair and Explorer around. It's going to get beat up someday hahaha. It'll be like a timeline of shows and crazy events that caused each little memory, a bruise or scuff or even a chunk of finish missing. So having an odd looking vibrato arm would be fine for me. I mean, afterall, I play stuff like experimental rock and mathrock. So an odd looking guitar wouldnt be too out of place, especially not if I'm going crazy with my hair while alternating between 11/8 and 7/8 time. hahaha 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chase1410 Posted May 25, 2010 Share Posted May 25, 2010 e2explorer..i just gotta say i love your tobacco burst explorer...Ive never seen another one like it...If you'd ever wana sell it (i doubt it) let me know!!!..but seriously its sweet.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
e/2 Explorer Posted May 26, 2010 Share Posted May 26, 2010 e2explorer..i just gotta say i love your tobacco burst explorer...Ive never seen another one like it...If you'd ever wana sell it (i doubt it) let me know!!!..but seriously its sweet.... Thanks Chase, it's a 1981 CMT e/2, there are a few on eBay for around $1700 Buy It Now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coolpapawilly Posted April 4, 2020 Share Posted April 4, 2020 (edited) Little late to the party but I have a 120th Anniversary Explorer with a Bigsby B5 installed with a Vibramate. Plays great( kind of a pain to restring but not terrible), stays in tune fine and looks cool as hell IMO( which is the onlyopinion that matters since it’s my axe). Edited April 4, 2020 by Coolpapawilly Spelling error Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinch Posted April 4, 2020 Share Posted April 4, 2020 On 5/18/2010 at 6:20 AM, e/2 Explorer said: A Bigsby on an Explorer makes for a very ugly guitar Well, you said feel free to comment. But to each their own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merciful-evans Posted April 4, 2020 Share Posted April 4, 2020 On 5/19/2010 at 5:14 PM, e/2 Explorer said: DON"T DO IT Dude, I reiterate, it will be fugly. Looks like some kind of vintage surgical apparatus of torture . Man, you could mount it with a quick release and whip it off for some emergency heart surgery Its in the eye of the beholder. To me, a Bigsby looks sh!t on any guitar. But when I was 19, I though they looked incredible. There are no taste monopolies, and it never stands still. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larsongs Posted April 4, 2020 Share Posted April 4, 2020 I have a Bigsby & Vibramate on a Gibson ES Les Paul.. No hole drilling necessary.. No Tuning issues.. Looks awesome & works perfectly. Plus it's completely reversible & leaves no scars.. Best Guitar Mod product to come along in years! Although on that Guitar I would prefer the long Maestro... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coolpapawilly Posted April 4, 2020 Share Posted April 4, 2020 Just to poke all the haters😘 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
01GT eibach Posted April 4, 2020 Share Posted April 4, 2020 1 hour ago, Coolpapawilly said: Just to poke all the haters😘 No hate here. I like it, bro. It seems like black and natural would be especially good looking. 😁 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coolpapawilly Posted April 4, 2020 Share Posted April 4, 2020 42 minutes ago, 01GT eibach said: No hate here. I like it, bro. It seems like black and natural would be especially good looking. 😁 Thanks and yeah I agree black against natural would be sexy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larsongs Posted April 6, 2020 Share Posted April 6, 2020 On April 4, 2020 at 3:07 PM, 01GT eibach said: No hate here. I like it, bro. It seems like black and natural would be especially good looking. 😁 None here either.. Looks great.. And, you can use a Vibramate. Plus, it's a Bigsby. They work great with no issues.. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mihcmac Posted April 12, 2020 Share Posted April 12, 2020 (edited) On 5/19/2010 at 6:39 AM, GibsonExplorer said: I would never in a million years drill into my Explorer dude. There's no need to hack it up or anything to install the Bigsby with a Vibramate. They are a metal plate that attaches to the screws on the stopbar. You just attach the Bigsby to that, so there's no need for drilling and removing it is fast and easy. I think tuning will become too big of an issue though, so my interest has definitely gone down. Btw, I actually like strange looking equipment. I have an Orange Tiny Terror and Orange PPC412 and coil cable (looks and sounds freakin sweet) so i've got the oddness started. I look forward to the future when I've gigged so much and so hard that my Explorer is relic'ed and beat like SRV's str*ts. When I play, I get into it and jump around and throw my hair and Explorer around. It's going to get beat up someday hahaha. It'll be like a timeline of shows and crazy events that caused each little memory, a bruise or scuff or even a chunk of finish missing. So having an odd looking vibrato arm would be fine for me. I mean, afterall, I play stuff like experimental rock and mathrock. So an odd looking guitar wouldnt be too out of place, especially not if I'm going crazy with my hair while alternating between 11/8 and 7/8 time. hahaha There is the cool look of the B5 on an Explorer. But for a trem that is non-damaging, simple easy to install, excellent working, very high quality, with an adjustable dive bar that has a very wide range, my favorite is the German made "Duesenberg Les Trem II". No adapters, just bolts on in place of the stop bar. I currently have 6 of them, as well as a B5 style Duesenberg Short and a Stetsbar. Warning... When you have a good working trem on one guitar it tends to be the only one you play, its very addictive.. Edited April 13, 2020 by mihcmac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merciful-evans Posted April 16, 2020 Share Posted April 16, 2020 On 4/12/2020 at 10:39 PM, mihcmac said: Warning... When you have a good working trem on one guitar it tends to be the only one you play, its very addictive.. Not in my experience. The only good working trem I have that will permit double stop bends without detuning is on a PRS. Its hardly used and I'm going to put it up for sale this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mihcmac Posted April 17, 2020 Share Posted April 17, 2020 On 4/15/2020 at 8:37 PM, merciful-evans said: Not in my experience. The only good working trem I have that will permit double stop bends without detuning is on a PRS. Its hardly used and I'm going to put it up for sale this year. Most fulcrum Strat styles usually need to be blocked for dive only set up by a pro and trems need to be exercised regularly to return to zero with any consistency. On non-locking systems, free string movement over nut is the most critical. Different strokes for different folks.. 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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