Questions about Bigsby

[dbirchett]

I am considering adding a Bigsby to my "new" Sheraton. I am looking at the B-7 (American) and the B-70 (imported) models. Has anyone done any sort of comparison? Are they equally reliable (or unreliable for that matter)? The B-70 mounting tab has three holes to the five on the B-7 (four screws plus the end pin). Does that present a mounting problem? Does the bottom screw match up with the end pin on the Sheraton? Any recommedations?

[RotcanX]

They're going to be about the same in the end analysis. You'll save some $$$ with the B70. As to the end pin, well, you may have to re-drill that to match the hole in the Bigsby although the B-7 has a slot that allows more leeway in that respect. However since you're about to drill a whole whack of new holes in your guitar, having to drill another one for the end pin is kind of moot.

[jcwillow777]

I put a B-70 on my Dot. Like RotcanX said, I had to drill a new hole for the end pin on my Dot, not a big deal. I have done no side by side comparison, but I have no complaints about my B-70. It works great. I put a roller bridge on also, got it from stewmac. It stays in tune pretty good. They are really fairly easy to install. I've been thinking about doing the same to my Sherraton, but I'm not sure if I want to keep the hardware gold, so I'm holding off for a while.

[71Dee-Luxe]

I went for the B7 and roller bridge. It was a little more than the B70, but I felt it was worth it, given the moving parts could affect tuning stability, yada yada yada. But the bigger reason I did it was I wanted my Straplok end pin to fit without needing to move it.

[dbirchett]

Well, I bought a B7 off of Ebay yesterday, so I have decided that my ebony Sheraton will have a Bigsby. One thing that did inspire me was this picture of this beautiful guitar!

 

 

Another question. The ground wire now goes to one of the posts for the tailpiece to ground the strings, right? I assume that now it has to go to the Bigsby. Are there tricks of the trade to do this?

 

If I put on a roller bridge, am I going to have problems finding one? My Sheraton was made by Unsung. Does anyone know if the GFS roller bridge fits these?

[vanessa]

 

_More curious about Bigsby , read this : http://www.bigsbyguitars.com/faq.html

[jcwillow777]

 

The ground wire now goes to one of the posts for the tailpiece to ground the strings' date=' right? I assume that now it has to go to the Bigsby. Are there tricks of the trade to do this?

 

If I put on a roller bridge, am I going to have problems finding one? My Sheraton was made by Unsung. Does anyone know if the GFS roller bridge fits these?[/quote']

 

The ground wire goes to the bridge so you don't have anything to worry about. I did a roller bridge on my Dot too, but I got it from stewmac. I think it is the same bridge though. I have no tuning problems with mine. The B7 should be an easier mount because of not having to redrill the end strap pin. I want to see some pics when it is done. That will probably put me over the edge to put one on my Sherry.

[marcbc]

I did this to my sherry too. it came out great. i went with the b7 but in silver i have gold hardwear and i counld not find a gold bigsby.

[dbirchett]

OK, the Bigsby came today. Beautiful!

 

First problem. The string peg for the sixth peg is missing. Just a hole in the roller where it should go in. I don't suppose that's going to be too hard to replace but if anyone has one of the little babies lying around, please give me a shout.

 

Second problem. The end (strap) pin. The one I'm supposed to use to center the Bigsby is roughly 1/2 inch off center to the treble side. Wow! One reason I wanted the B7 was that I thought it would be easier to center with the big oval cutout. Now I have to relocate the end pin. Not exactly rocket science but it's a step I didn't think I would have to take.

[jcwillow777]

OK' date=' the Bigsby came today. Beautiful!

 

First problem. The string peg for the sixth peg is missing. Just a hole in the roller where it should go in. I don't suppose that's going to be too hard to replace but if anyone has one of the little babies lying around, please give me a shout.

 

Second problem. The end (strap) pin. The one I'm supposed to use to center the Bigsby is roughly 1/2 inch off center to the treble side. Wow! One reason I wanted the B7 was that I thought it would be easier to center with the big oval cutout. Now I have to relocate the end pin. Not exactly rocket science but it's a step I didn't think I would have to take.

[/quote']

 

If it is missing the peg I would send it back. I don't know where you got it or how it was advertised, but everything should be working. You shouldn't have to fix something on it unless they advertised that it had something wrong or was missing some parts.

 

It would be a lot easier to line up if the end pin fits in the hole in the B-70, but mine didn't either, still for the money I saved I figured I could work around that. Just fill the old hole and drill a new one.

[Ricochet]

I did this to my sherry too. it came out great. i went with the b7 but in silver i have gold hardwear and i counld not find a gold bigsby.

 

Next time you could try http://elderly.com/brand/BIGSBY.html

[dbirchett]

Just heard from the seller. Although this was sold as a display model, he is going to get a new one to send to me as a replacement.

[lpdeluxe]

That's cool. Both Stewart-McDonald and Elderly sell gold Bigsbys.

 

I have a Sheraton II that I got as a byproduct of some horse trading I've been doing to replace my heavy old gear with newer, lighter stuff (tally so far: started with 575 lb of amps, now have less than 100 lb). It's a pretty natural finish '98 that I figure I'll use when we play amplified music at church -- ordinarily I play Dobro, but sometimes the music director gets a wild hair.

 

Seymour Duncan Jazz neck pickup, JB bridge, new pots and switch, and I replaced the black plastic with creme, took off the tacky pickguard.

So I'm very tempted to add a Bigsby. I played a Gretsch Chet Atkins Country Gent for 15 years, and I miss the whammy.

 

Especially after looking at that black beauty. Is yours that finish? If so it'll be a killer.

[dbirchett]

"Black Beauty"? Yes indeed. I posted these pictures under another thread but I can copy them here. I have so far changed out the knobs, pickguard and brace. The Bigsby, bridge, truss rod cover and tuning buttons will come next. Stay tuned.

 

 

 

[lpdeluxe]

I see that yours has different knobs also. I don't know why Gibson puts those ugly "amber" knobs on. I notice that most of the current Gibson ES-335 models use similar ones.

 

Very pretty, even though I'm a fan of natural.

 

By the way, the link I posted to Flickr will work if you copy and paste the entire url...don't know why it didn't work.

[jimangelle]

Well' date=' I bought a B7 off of Ebay yesterday, so I have decided that my ebony Sheraton will have a Bigsby. One thing that did inspire me was this picture of this beautiful guitar!

 

[img']http://images.miretail.com/products/optionlarge/GibsonMemphis/423737jpg.jpg[/img]

 

Another question. The ground wire now goes to one of the posts for the tailpiece to ground the strings, right? I assume that now it has to go to the Bigsby. Are there tricks of the trade to do this?

 

If I put on a roller bridge, am I going to have problems finding one? My Sheraton was made by Unsung. Does anyone know if the GFS roller bridge fits these?

 

 

 

do YOU know where this guitar came from?

bigsby does NOT make a chrome B7

 

where is this guitar from

advise

thanks

jim

[dbirchett]

The guitar was a Gibson ES-356, I believe. The Bigsby, I believe, is actually gold. You are right that they do not make a chrome plated B7, it is aluminum and I think it looks better than Chrome.

 

 

My Sheraton pictures above have evidently been moved (oops found them again). This one shows the Bigsby fairly well. Its about to get a Chet arm.

 

[dbirchett]

Now that I look at the Gibson a little more closely, it may well be a B70 but you still don't have chrome plating.

 

 

I'm judging this by the lack of the raised lettering under the Bigsby name and the sharper edges and corners on the Bigsby name. But I may well be wrong. Its happened before and it will probably happen again.

[Sjael]

Now that I look at the Gibson a little more closely' date=' it may well be a B70 but you still don't have chrome plating.

<pic>

I'm judging this by the lack of the raised lettering under the Bigsby name and the sharper edges and corners on the Bigsby name. But I may well be wrong. Its happened before and it will probably happen again.[/quote']

That one on the gibson doesn't say 'Licensed' underneath the Bigsby logo. Ergo, it's a B7.

 

The B70 and B700 are outsourced and thus 'Licensed.'

[Doc Helliday]

Sjael speaks truth

[dbirchett]

Sjael, you may well be right. I do not see the "Licensed" label under the "Bigsby." But I also don't see the patent information that would be there on the B7. The other features looked more like a B70 to me and the "Licensed" would be easier to conceal or just not be able to see than the patent information. On the other hand why would Gibson skimp on this expensive of a guitar? Oh well.