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Anyone install A bigsby on their own??

sdgails

By sdgails
in Epiphone Electrics

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sdgails

sdgails

Posted
Posted

i know about the youtube epi dot studio video on youtube. I was wondering if someone can share their expierience. Im a cheap bastard. I just spent 180 beans on a gold b7. {which is outrageous but i bit the bullet}--should i do it, or send it to the Luth?

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bug music

bug music

Posted
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Piece of cake, especially if it's the B70 offshore model. I've done a few. The imports have 3 mounting holes in the baseplate (as opposed to the American models with 4) and the lower middle hole lines up with the strap pin hole on a 335 sized body. Then it's just a matter of putting on the outer 2 E strings (loosely) to align it and punching the 4 remaining holes. Of course it's up to you whether you feel comfortable drilling the holes yourself. Hopefully this helps.

 

- Jay

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kevin134

kevin134

Posted
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I will be putting a Bigsby on my black Beauty shortly, but will be having a Local Luthier at a guitar shop do it, no if I could just find a 6 way toggle i'd be in business....anyone know if I could get the 6way pickup setup by using push pull pots instead??

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rpach10115

rpach10115

Posted
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Make sure you use the string that came with it. Too many people discard this thinking they don't need it. IT WORKS! This string will make sure you line it up straight.

Run the string from the low E peg on the bigsby, up the fretboard, through the e channel on the nut, then over to the high E, abck down the fretboard, and attach it to the high E peg on the bigsby. Make sure that it is tight. This will tell you if the bigsby is straight. When you have it lined up, mark the holes.

 

After you do this, do it again.

 

Remember, measure twice, cut, or in this case , drill once.

 

Installing a bigsby is a piece of cake. I'm sure you can do it right. Just read the instructions that came with it.

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RotcanX

RotcanX

Posted
Posted

Then there's my buddy Brian who had an old Bigsby kicking around gathering rust and decided to build a Goldtop version of his Bluesmaster guitar series for it. I'll see if he'll let me take a picture of it.

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Redddog

Redddog

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Posted

Just did my Casino. It's not hard at all.

 

Be aware of something.

 

It's been said but use the string to allign it.

 

The reason that I bring it up again is that when the B-7 is installed correctly, it has this illusion that it is not straight. It is absolutely correct but it looks crooked. Make sure you use the string so that you don't secong guess yourself. Look at a bunch of pictures. They all look a bit off to the right. I thought I had screwed mine up until I saw a bunch of pictures.

 

It's awesome though. It adds a nice weight to the Casino. I can't imagine mine without it.

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jcwillow777

jcwillow777

Posted
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Just did my Casino. It's not hard at all.

 

Be aware of something.

 

It's been said but use the string to allign it.

 

The reason that I bring it up again is that when the B-7 is installed correctly' date=' it has this illusion that it is not straight. It is bit it looks crooked. Make sure you use the string so that you don't secong guess yourself. Look at a bunch of pictures. They all look a bit off to the right. I thought I had screwed mine up until I saw a bunch of pictures.

 

It's awesome though. It adds a nice weight to the Casino. I can't imagine mine without it.

[/quote']

 

You are absolutely right. I didn't get a string with mine, maybe why I got it so cheap. But I had some string laying around the house. They are pretty strainght forward to do, just make sure you line up the E strings with the string provided and it's no problem.

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71Dee-Luxe

71Dee-Luxe

Posted
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I just installed a Bigsby B7 (the USA made one) on my AlleyKat, and it wasn't too difficult. It seems to work great, and it probably helps that I also got a roller bridge and Grover locking tuners which really helps it stay in tune.

 

100_1630.jpg

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jcwillow777

jcwillow777

Posted
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That looks great!

 

Where did you get the "custom made" plate from?

 

Thanks. I went to a local trophy shop with my stop talipiece and had them make it the size of my stop tailepiece. They couldn't round the corners. It was only $5. If I had to to it again I would use a black permanent magic marker and color the edged of the plate, it is silver. It's not that noticable, but with a black guitar it would be.

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ricach

ricach

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Thanks guys. I finally put away the idea of putting a bigsby on my DOT - now I'm wanting it again. My buddy tells me not to do it. Says it'll drive me nuts constantly having to re-tune. I guess he's telling me this since the only reason I want to put one on is for the look. Not function.

 

Anybody see an increase in tuning issues after putting one on?

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jcwillow777

jcwillow777

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Posted
Thanks guys. I finally put away the idea of putting a bigsby on my DOT - now I'm wanting it again. My buddy tells me not to do it. Says it'll drive me nuts constantly having to re-tune. I guess he's telling me this since the only reason I want to put one on is for the look. Not function.

 

Anybody see an increase in tuning issues after putting one on?

 

I'm not constantly tuning. I put a roller bridge on and I have no problems. I have a Maestro on a G-400 and no problems tuning either. I did take that one in and have a tech do a set up. He filed the saddles down and that one stays in tune great too. I wouldn't let that stop me from putting a Bigsby on. I love mine.

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jonny_2_owls

jonny_2_owls

Posted
Posted

I've had bigsbys on two casinos and a sheraton, none of them had any tuning issues afterwards. I'd go so far as to say the Casinos were improved by replacing the trapeze with a B7 (I think) bigsby, they resonated better and balanced better on the strap! I really regret selling one of these, an Elitist. The nicest guitar I've ever played.

 

I have an '84 Japanese Riviera, which I absolutely love, it's the one with the stop tailpiece as opposed to the frequensator and I'd love to put a bigsby on it but I don't want the holes left in the top. I'm considering getting the holes filled and then have the whole guitar re-finished in a nitro-finish. But it's finding someone/somewhere to do it!

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jonny_2_owls

jonny_2_owls

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Posted

 

Thanks. I went to a local trophy shop with my stop talipiece and had them make it the size of my stop tailepiece. They couldn't round the corners. It was only $5. If I had to to it again I would use a black permanent magic marker and color the edged of the plate' date=' it is silver. It's not that noticable, but with a black guitar it would be.[/quote']

 

Cool! I thought it was a old Gibson one or something! How did you attach it to the body?

 

I'm looking at putting a bigsby on my riviera and don't want the holes left by the stop tailpiece.

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voodoo

voodoo

Posted
Posted

There is this option too:

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/CUSTOM-MADE-COVER-FOR-FOR-BIGSBY-MODIFIED-GUITARS_W0QQitemZ320158563227QQihZ011QQcategoryZ41424QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem

 

This did not exist when I put the Bigsby on my Dot Studio so I had one custom made here:

 

http://www.plaquemaker.com/Plates/OrderLaserPlate.html

 

They made one with Chinese Characters in Gold on a black metal plate for me - it really made the China Doll perfect since she is black with gold hardware.

 

Good luck on the mod.............

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jcwillow777

jcwillow777

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Cool! I thought it was a old Gibson one or something! How did you attach it to the body?

 

I'm looking at putting a bigsby on my riviera and don't want the holes left by the stop tailpiece.

 

Mine came with double faced tape. I just peeled off the back, lined it up and voila!

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jonny_2_owls

jonny_2_owls

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There is this option too:

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/CUSTOM-MADE-COVER-FOR-FOR-BIGSBY-MODIFIED-GUITARS_W0QQitemZ320158563227QQihZ011QQcategoryZ41424QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem

 

This did not exist when I put the Bigsby on my Dot Studio so I had one custom made here:

 

http://www.plaquemaker.com/Plates/OrderLaserPlate.html

 

They made one with Chinese Characters in Gold on a black metal plate for me - it really made the China Doll perfect since she is black with gold hardware.

 

Good luck on the mod.............

 

Thanks for that! Just ordered one from the ebay company, only £7.00!! Bargain!

 

Thanks again!

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