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Lp Special 2 with tremolo...


Mr. E

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Posted

i'm using a little acoustic guitar' date=' thats all for now...[/quote']

Ouch!

Well, I'm not sure what your funds are, but I'd say go and do what it takes to get it to work, pronto!

Moddings alot more fun when it's not your only guitar...

Posted
last question' date=' before i go to sleep, my eyes are closing...

i have a question about guitar nuts....

first of all, do you have any epi? if so, can you help me to choose a nut.

i found one for gibson/epi's and one for gibsons, but the one for gibsons looks more like i one i had...

they are both here http://www.guitarpartsresource.com/guitar_nutstusq.htm[/quote']

That's actually the website I was going to point you right to, for nuts.

Gibson should work, seeing as the roller bridge will align to the gibby specs.

My suggestion is to get a graphie nut, and get it pre-slotted.

Graphites self-lubricate, and tonewise and tunewise are about on par with bone nuts, and they also don't stick out like a sore thumb against a rosewood board and black headstock.

http://www.guitarpartsresource.com/guitar_nutsgraphite.htm

Far right, that's what you want.

 

And lemme tally your parts total:

GFS pickup: $40

Rockfield Pickup: $50

Grapthite nut: $6

Floyd rose temolo:$60 (or stopbar tailpiece: $14)

Roller bridge: $22

Locking Tuners: $27 (or regular: $21)

Wiring: ???

Switch: ???

Total:

$200 approx with floyd

$160 Approx with stopbar.

 

A fair price for how much of an awesome axe this can be.

Posted

That's actually the website I was going to point you right to' date=' for nuts.

Gibson should work, seeing as the roller bridge will align to the gibby specs.

My suggestion is to get a graphie nut, and get it pre-slotted.

Graphites self-lubricate, and tonewise and tunewise are about on par with bone nuts, and they also don't stick out like a sore thumb against a rosewood board and black headstock.

http://www.guitarpartsresource.com/guitar_nutsgraphite.htm

Far right, that's what you want.

 

And lemme tally your parts total:

GFS pickup: $40

Rockfield Pickup: $50

Grapthite nut: $6

Floyd rose temolo:$60 (or stopbar tailpiece: $14)

Roller bridge: $22

Locking Tuners: $27 (or regular: $21)

Wiring: ???

Switch: ???

Total:

$200 approx with floyd

$160 Approx with stopbar.

 

A fair price for how much of an awesome axe this can be.[/quote']

thnx for your help. i'll figure out what i'm going to do tomorrow...

thnx. laterz

Posted

And I thought you just wanted a tremolo...LOL. Anyhow, the Floyd has a totally different feel and look than a Bigsby and requires a lot more bodymod work(routing). Something you may want to consider.

Posted
And I thought you just wanted a tremolo...LOL. Anyhow' date=' the Floyd has a totally different feel and look than a Bigsby and requires a lot more bodymod work(routing). Something you may want to consider. [/quote']

Yeah we kinds discussed the routing, but we never exactly addressed the feel...

 

Floyd rose are not EXACTLY like strat tremolos, but they're based somewhat off of them.

 

Bigsbys feel like bigsbys, those hofner things probably feel closer to that, looks aren't the same, though...

 

As for looks, bigsbys have a classic look, for sure.

But installation can be tedious, especially with making it line up with the TOM bridge, pickups, and eventually nut.

Also, the lowest price import bigsby you can get is 100 dollars, and it doesn't really have the perfect bigsby look, the next one up that does is 120 or so, then American models start at around 140-180.

Which would make this whole set-up VERY exspenvie, and bigsbys still do have SOME modification to the body.

Not to mention lack of ability to do upbends and holding tuning.

Posted

Yeah we kinds discussed the routing' date=' but we never exactly addressed the feel...

 

Floyd rose are not EXACTLY like strat tremolos, but they're based somewhat off of them.

 

Bigsbys feel like bigsbys, those hofner things probably feel closer to that, looks aren't the same, though...

 

As for looks, bigsbys have a classic look, for sure.

But installation can be tedious, especially with making it line up with the TOM bridge, pickups, and eventually nut.

Also, the lowest price import bigsby you can get is 100 dollars, and it doesn't really have the perfect bigsby look, the next one up that does is 120 or so, then American models start at around 140-180.

Which would make this whole set-up VERY exspenvie, and bigsbys still do have SOME modification to the body.

Not to mention lack of ability to do upbends and holding tuning.[/quote']

 

Don't know if you would be interested but here is a B-70 for $75 plus $9 shipping.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/import-BIGSBY-B-70-vibrato-by-Gretsch-Bigsby-B70-CH_W0QQitemZ260248955319QQihZ016QQcategoryZ41407QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

They really are pretty easy to install, easier than routing and installing a Floyd Rose. I intalled one on my Dot and I don't have any problems with it going out of tune. I also used a roller bridge. True, you can't up-bend and if you think that you would be doing that then it wouldn't be for you.

 

Edit:

 

After thinking I don't know if the B-70 would fit, I don't have an LP Special. Just the LPs in my Avatar but it would work on my GT or Custom.

 

By the way I put a Stetsbar on the Custom LP in my Avatar, and yeah it was expensive. I wouldn't put one on yours, but I love it. It has a much different feel than my Bigsby of Strat Trem. The response is immediate, and you can dive or bend up. It's a very nice unit to consider if you ever get a guitar that you might want to invest a little more into.

Posted

 

Don't know if you would be interested but here is a B-70 for $75 plus $9 shipping.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/import-BIGSBY-B-70-vibrato-by-Gretsch-Bigsby-B70-CH_W0QQitemZ260248955319QQihZ016QQcategoryZ41407QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

They really are pretty easy to install' date=' easier than routing and installing a Floyd Rose. I intalled one on my Dot and I don't have any problems with it going out of tune. I also used a roller bridge. True, you can't up-bend and if you think that you would be doing that then it wouldn't be for you.

 

Edit:

 

After thinking I don't know if the B-70 would fit, I don't have an LP Special. Just the LPs in my Avatar but it would work on my GT or Custom.

 

By the way I put a Stetsbar on the Custom LP in my Avatar, and yeah it was expensive. I wouldn't put one on yours, but I love it. It has a much different feel than my Bigsby of Strat Trem. The response is immediate, and you can dive or bend up. It's a very nice unit to consider if you ever get a guitar that you might want to invest a little more into.[/quote']

 

Specials are flat-top, B-7 and B-70s are for archtop.

B-5s are for flat top.

 

And those cost at least $105+bridge.

Posted

 

But installation can be tedious' date=' especially with making it line up with the TOM bridge, pickups, and eventually nut.

Also, the lowest price import bigsby you can get is 100 dollars, and it doesn't really have the perfect bigsby look, the next one up that does is 120 or so, then American models start at around 140-180.

Which would make this whole set-up VERY exspenvie, and bigsbys still do have SOME modification to the body.

Not to mention lack of ability to do upbends and holding tuning.[/quote']

 

What body-modification? Installing a Bigsby with a couple of screws is nothing compared to the extensive routing and precision required for a Floyd.

And a Bigsby does go up, otherwise it wouldn't be called vibrato(is to change the tone above and below normal pitch)

Also the B7 can still be made to fit a Special.

 

244499778.jpg

Posted

 

What body-modification? Installating a Bigsby with a couple of screws is nothing compared to the extensive routing and precision required for a Floyd.

And a Bigsby does go up' date=' otherwise it wouldn't be called [i']vibrato[/i](is to change the tone above and below normal pitch)

Also the B7 can still be made to fit a Special.

 

244499778.jpg

 

Is that a B7 or a B5?

And I wasn't comparing it to a floyd rose, I was comparing it to another stop tailpiece.

Also, I wouldn't say going up 1/2 of a semitone in pitch before your spring pops out makes it very upbend-friendly.

Posted

Is that a B7 or a B5?

And I wasn't comparing it to a floyd rose' date=' I was comparing it to another stop tailpiece.

Also, I wouldn't say going up 1/2 of a semitone in pitch before your spring pops out makes it very upbend-friendly.[/quote']

 

That is a B7... and very different from a B5.

You spend an entire page talking Mr.E into taking a Floyd, so the comparison is inevitable.

What "other tail piece"?

Upbend-friendly? In his first post Mr.E confessed to be very appreciative of the Bigsby-shimmer. I sorta assumed from there on he wasn't looking for 2-octave-divebomber-friendly-contraptions...

 

Sorry. I'm not trying to put you down or anything.

Posted

 

That is a B7... and very different from a B5.

You spend an entire page talking Mr.E into taking a Floyd' date=' so the comparison is inevitable.

What "other tail piece"?

Upbend-friendly? In his first post Mr.E confessed to be very appreciative of the Bigsby-shimmer. I sorta assumed from there on he wasn't looking for 2-octave-divebomber-friendly-contraptions...

 

Sorry. I'm not trying to put you down or anything.[/quote']

 

Oh, well I'm not super experienced in those, sorry...

 

Well yeah, of course.

 

The STOP tailpiece, as in standard gibson/epi issue.

No new holes at all.

 

Yeah, I guess there's a difference there, I'm not very well-versed in bigsby-heavy music, any suggestions?

I kind of assumed with a roller TOM in front of the floyd, it'd take on some characteristics associated with a bigsby, the mechanics make sense enough.

Well, the floyd was in the interest originally of keeping him from having to buy locking tuners, a new graphite nut, right off the bat, and for tuning stability even with the junkiest stock tuners.

I know they have a real metal reputation, for sure, but it's not like getting active or dirty fingers pickups, it doesn't totally wreck your ability to play softer styles.

 

No put-down, flames, etc. from me. I've seen enough on this forum lately and it's sad, since so many people on here just do their best to be good and helpful, liek you and myself(I'd hope).

Posted

Yeah' date=' I guess there's a difference there, I'm not very well-versed in bigsby-heavy music, any suggestions?

[/quote']

 

The only Bigsby-users I listen(ed) to are Chet Atkins, Brian Setzer, and Neil Young. There's a boatload of others, but never noticed much of them using one. Beatles, Jeff Beck, Joe Perry, Jimmy Page among others.

Posted

 

I kind of assumed with a roller TOM in front of the floyd' date=' it'd take on some characteristics associated with a bigsby, the mechanics make sense enough.

 

[/quote']

 

It certainly is a viable idea, but(apart from the funky look) I really think it's complicating matters for Mr.E. It's not taking account enough of his needs and level of experience working on guitars. While I commend you for your efforts, you can actually help too much... #-o

Posted

 

It certainly is a viable idea' date=' but(apart from the funky look) I really think it's complicating matters for Mr.E. It's not taking account enough of his needs and level of experience working on guitars. While I commend you for your efforts, you can actually help too much... O:) [/quote']

 

Well, funky it would be on most floyd-fitted guitars (strat styles), but on a les paul, it'd look more natural IMO.

I'd like it. I'm heavily considering doing all this stuff to a Special II when I get some money and time to kick around in that.

Yeah, I reckon when all you've done is a(partial) sanding job and removing hardware/electronics, setting actually 2 bridges on a guitar, with one requiring heavy routing, isn't the easiest thing in the world. I think having the roller TOM infront of a floyd WOULD make intonation alot easier, though... But I can't be sure without trying.

 

Yeah, I think I might be over-helping.

Posted

 

Well' date=' funky it would be on most floyd-fitted guitars (strat styles), but on a les paul, it'd look more natural IMO.

I'd like it. I'm heavily considering doing all this stuff to a Special II when I get some money and time to kick around in that.

Yeah, I reckon when all you've done is a(partial) sanding job and removing hardware/electronics, setting actually 2 bridges on a guitar, with one requiring heavy routing, isn't the easiest thing in the world. I think having the roller TOM infront of a floyd WOULD make intonation alot easier, though... But I can't be sure without trying.

[/quote']

 

 

I'd loose the TOM alltogether and just install the Floyd.

Hey, it's good enough for Neil Schon.

9.jpg

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