Gibson Explorer with Bigsby?

[GibsonExplorer]

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 :)

[mvk20]

Did you have to enlarge the pegholes to use the Planet Waves tuners?

[Morten M]

If you install a trem on your Explorer you'll find out it won't stay in tune without a locking nut.

[GibsonExplorer]

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.

[e/2 Explorer]

A Bigsby on an Explorer makes for a very ugly guitar

[GibsonExplorer]

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

[MojoRedFoot]

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.

[Riffster]

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

 

[brundaddy]

Go for it!

[Morten M]

 

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.

[e/2 Explorer]

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

[GibsonExplorer]

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

[chase1410]

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....

[e/2 Explorer]

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

[Coolpapawilly]

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

[Pinch]

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. 

[merciful-evans]

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.

[Larsongs]

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... 

[Coolpapawilly]

Just to poke all the haters😘

[01GT eibach]

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. 😁

[Coolpapawilly]

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

[Larsongs]

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.. 

[mihcmac]

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

[merciful-evans]

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.

[mihcmac]

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.. 🙂