Bigsby

[Silenced Fred]

Because Jax threw Epiphones into the Bigsby thread and Damian noted unwarranted attachment many of their owners suffer with.

Just call 'em like I see 'em - and Duane hates that.

 

Just out of curiosity, how many Epiphones have you played? The Sheraton and the sort are great guitars!

 

But I plan on purchasing a Bigsby soon, after Christmas and install it on the LP

[milod]

Neo...

 

My grammar construct probably wasn't what I should have done...

 

Functionally it's that it would be better were most "Westerners" able to afford a Gibson. I agree more than you might ever imagine that there are significant reasons to be concerned about China.

 

To keep it from becoming political as well as economic in the discussion, I think it likely best to leave it there.

 

But again, I think one reason Epi owners are as happy with them as they are comes down to the fact that they're very nice instruments for the money, all other issues aside. If that's what you can afford, they're incredibly superior to what was available at a similar inflation-adjusted price point compared to what I could buy in the '60s.

 

m

[Geert1976]

They work great - as a tremolo/vibrato arm.

 

They're not intended for dive bombing like a Floyd style.

 

No drilling or routing - Vibramate mount - http://www.vibramate.com/ - For a carved top Les Paul - http://www.vibramate.com/vibramate-v7-lp-install.php

 

Use only with an original B7 Bigsby (not a third party licensed Bigsby, the mounting holes won't fit).

 

You might lose a tad of your bridge break angle, but the impact on sustain is negligible.

 

 

Ik like Bigsby´s en Vibrola´s.

 

In combination with a vibramate, you can also install a Bigsby B5/B50 on your Les Paul:

 

 

 

[NeoConMan]

Just out of curiosity, how many Epiphones have you played?

Hmmmm....

 

Over the last 30 years?

Probably a hundred - split between new ones, used ones, and those owned by people I know.

Many of them had bolt-on necks, which makes ANY comparison to Gibson so much musical masturbation.

(Remember all the Fender hate, eh?)

 

Owned half a dozen myself.

Bought them cheap, or traded them for work I performed on other guitars.

Two were actually pretty cool - 1958 Korina Flying V and an SG Junior with a P-90.

Both were made of some sort of mystery wood, the V was a veneer over something akin to Balsa wood and blackboard chalk.

But they played well and sounded decent. Took a loss on every one when I parted with them.

 

I will agree the Sheraton is a great guitar - FOR THE MONEY.

I also understand what the Epiphone name used to be and what an insult it has suffered from Gibson.

 

 

 

 

Fred,

Just out of curiosity, how many Epiphones have you repaired?

At least a dozen for me, the electronics failed every time.

 

Friends and coworkers know I'm a "guitar guy" so when their kid's Epi dies they come to me for advice.

This is usually after they have been to Guitar Center and found out what Customer Service is all about....

Get the electrons channeled properly with quality components, and most were decent players.

The time and effort (often done as a favor) can be substantial when wood removal is required.

 

 

You guys can derail every thread you want in defense of Epiphone - the truth doesn't change.

Hurry up and read this - I'm sure Duane will kill this post in a nanosecond.

 

 

Now - back to the Bigsby thread!!!!

[chase1410]

Hey sorry to go off topic..but since were on the subject of Epiphone's...is there just one factory in China that distributes or are there multiple factories in the far-east?

[NeoConMan]

Multiple - unless something has changed recently.

 

Gibson may have a single plant under their control now - matters not one bit to me.

 

Samick had an ad in a magazine years ago that they were the world's largest guitar manufacturer.

The fine print detailed that they make stuff under license for EVERYBODY.

 

Most of those plants are built to fulfill a contract, then converted to something else.

 

There's no Kalamazoo over there...

 

 

 

Now - back to the Bigsby thread!!!!

[Silenced Fred]

Hmmmm....

 

Over the last 30 years?

Probably a hundred - split between new ones, used ones, and those owned by people I know.

Many of them had bolt-on necks, which makes ANY comparison to Gibson so much musical masturbation.

(Remember all the Fender hate, eh?)

 

Owned half a dozen myself.

Bought them cheap, or traded them for work I performed on other guitars.

Two were actually pretty cool - 1958 Korina Flying V and an SG Junior with a P-90.

Both were made of some sort of mystery wood, the V was a veneer over something akin to Balsa wood and blackboard chalk.

But they played well and sounded decent. Took a loss on every one when I parted with them.

 

I will agree the Sheraton is a great guitar - FOR THE MONEY.

I also understand what the Epiphone name used to be and what an insult it has suffered from Gibson.

 

 

 

 

Fred,

Just out of curiosity, how many Epiphones have you repaired?

At least a dozen for me, the electronics failed every time.

 

Friends and coworkers know I'm a "guitar guy" so when their kid's Epi dies they come to me for advice.

This is usually after they have been to Guitar Center and found out what Customer Service is all about....

Get the electrons channeled properly with quality components, and most were decent players.

The time and effort (often done as a favor) can be substantial when wood removal is required.

 

 

You guys can derail every thread you want in defense of Epiphone - the truth doesn't change.

Hurry up and read this - I'm sure Duane will kill this post in a nanosecond.

 

 

Now - back to the Bigsby thread!!!!

 

I was jsut curious as to how many you had played. A lot of people spit hate, but have never even touched one. I would completely replace the electronics on the Sheraton, but then again, Phil X uses a Sheraton... BONE STOCK! No idea, but I have some plans for the Sheraton that will one day in my possession

[Mr. Natural]

I was jsut curious as to how many you had played. A lot of people spit hate, but have never even touched one. I would completely replace the electronics on the Sheraton, but then again, Phil X uses a Sheraton... BONE STOCK! No idea, but I have some plans for the Sheraton that will one day in my possession

 

I'm thinking about getting a Sheraton. If it's good enough for The Hook, it's good enough for me.

[NeoConMan]

I NEVER spit hate.

You know my feelings about that word - should be GONE from the lexicon of leisure.

 

I ALWAYS call a spade a spade.

If I don't know something, I'll be the first to add these magic words - I dunno.

 

Epiphone?

I KNOW what I'm saying - believe me.

 

 

 

Now - back to the Bigsby thread!!!!

[Silenced Fred]

I'm thinking about getting a Sheraton. If it's good enough for The Hook, it's good enough for me.

 

true that. great guitars, and I can't justify 3 grand on a guitar, when I can get essentially the same guitar after I completely replace all the electronics for a third of the price. but that's just me

[NeoConMan]

I can get essentially the same guitar

You sure about that?

 

Epiphone marketing wants you to believe that, and since Gibson owns them they just want you to buy something.

 

How could Gibson POSSIBLY justify the prices on their semi-hollow line?

And how much playing time do you have with them?

 

I can tell you that when I bought my 335 ten years ago, I wished I had done it ten years before.

 

 

 

There was a time when Gibson's ad slogan was "Only a Gibson is good enough."

 

Now it's "Just buy something already!"

 

Now - back to the Bigsby thread!!!!

[Maestro Vibratoer]

The only issue I would have with a bigsby is changing strings. Make sure the first time you string it up, you read some tips on how to do it. It can be an exaserbating experience. I have a maestro (with the lyre plate) on a couple of my guitars and love 'em. The lyre does add some weight, but is incredibly easy to restring, unlike a bigbsy. There's nothing like a good tremelo arm.

[Mr. Natural]

true that. great guitars, and I can't justify 3 grand on a guitar, when I can get essentially the same guitar after I completely replace all the electronics for a third of the price. but that's just me

 

Actually, Fred, I used to have an Epi Dot. I liked it. I enjoyed it. I thought I would never have the bread for an ES-335, but several years later, I found a good, lefty ES-335, and I had the money by then. I thought for a while about keeping both, but when A/B-ed, one against the other, the Dot just didn't compare, so I sold it.

 

But I do have an Epi Joe Pass Emperor that I love playing, and I really am thinking about getting a Sheraton, just for kicks.

 

Speaking of Bigsbys, I've got a B5 on my GIBSON SG Standard. I love it. I'm thinking about installing a B7 on my GIBSON Les Paul Studio.

[Silenced Fred]

You sure about that?

 

Epiphone marketing wants you to believe that, and since Gibson owns them they just want you to buy something.

 

How could Gibson POSSIBLY justify the prices on their semi-hollow line?

And how much playing time do you have with them?

 

I can tell you that when I bought my 335 ten years ago, I wished I had done it ten years before.

 

 

 

There was a time when Gibson's ad slogan was "Only a Gibson is good enough."

 

Now it's "Just buy something already!"

 

Now - back to the Bigsby thread!!!!

 

I have no argument against Gibson being better. It obviously is. For me, I can get the guitar I want for about a grand. I plan on swapping out the pups, add a bigsby, change the electronics out. I would leave the 335 bone stock for the most part. It'll be a while before I get 3 grand for a guitar though, I can handle a grand pretty soon

[jaxson50]

Because Jax threw Epiphones into the Bigsby thread and Damian noted unwarranted attachment many of their owners suffer with.

Just call 'em like I see 'em - and Duane hates that.

Jax was asking about the Bigsby system on a Epi...I like the bent arm on the whammy bar, then the question took on a life of it's own. From what I have seen depending on the model, the quality of all guitars has gotten better in the past 10 years. There will always be a few duds out there...

[NeoConMan]

Jax - I have learned over time to file ANY post you make in the same column as Milo and a select few others.

 

I call it the "Believe It" column.

 

I'm sure your vast experience with Epiphones has been rewarding, because you understand the marketing games.

You know how to get what suits you, and pay a decent price for it.

Few here have that luxury, or ambition.

 

Please do not take my posts here as an affront.

[milod]

I guess no matter what, I'll never quite understand a need for a whammy bar.

 

I've bent the heck out of strings over the years, both single and doubles, and being a mostly fingerpicker I guess I should use the thing on some stuff kinda a la Chet.

 

But I've never been interested. As I say, even with that pretty Gretsch, I just disabled the thing. Ditto some others.

 

OTOH, I'll say this, even prior to disabling the Bigsby, I never found restringing a problem. None of my current brood have any sort of whammy.

 

I thought about the swingster but decided since the "job" was simply to be a more "solid" guitar than the 175 in Northern climates, especially weather, the Dot made better sense.

 

In fact, I think if I were playing a lot for money and made a lot playing, I'd probably have a 335 and a duplicated Dot for really bad weather. It can change pretty quickly here. The full hollow takes longer to catch onto a move even of a mile outside in winter, hence the semi.

 

Get this for 11 miles south of where I live: "On January 22, 1943 at about 7:30 a.m. MST, the temperature in Spearfish was -4° degrees F (-20°C). The chinook wind picked up speed rapidly, and two minutes later (7:32 a.m.) the temperature was +45°F above zero (+7°C). The 49-degree rise (27°C) in two minutes set a world record that still holds. By 9:00 a.m., the temperature had risen to 54°F (12°C). Suddenly, the chinook died down and the temperature tumbled back to -4°F (-20°C). The 58-degree drop (32°C) took only 27 minutes."

 

m

[jaxson50]

Jax - I have learned over time to file ANY post you make in the same column as Milo and a select few others.

 

I call it the "Believe It" column.

 

I'm sure your vast experience with Epiphones has been rewarding, because you understand the marketing games.

You know how to get what suits you, and pay a decent price for it.

Few here have that luxury, or ambition.

 

Please do not take my posts here as an affront.

I didn't take affront, just didn't want to hijack someone's thread, life is good. I have very little experience with Epi's, I have never owned one, the closest thing I have owned to a Epi hollow body would be my Gibson Howard Roberts, but I sold it a few years back. I have the itch for a decent twin pickup guitar,,,maybe a Tele, maybe a Wildkat, heck I don't know, maybe a Ibanez. I have a few high end guitars (what I would call high end, 2K or more) and have been thinking about selling off a few and thinning the heard down from 12 to maybe, I don't know, maybe 5?

[jaxson50]

I guess no matter what, I'll never quite understand a need for a whammy bar.

 

I've bent the heck out of strings over the years, both single and doubles, and being a mostly fingerpicker I guess I should use the thing on some stuff kinda a la Chet.

 

But I've never been interested. As I say, even with that pretty Gretsch, I just disabled the thing. Ditto some others.

 

OTOH, I'll say this, even prior to disabling the Bigsby, I never found restringing a problem. None of my current brood have any sort of whammy.

 

I thought about the swingster but decided since the "job" was simply to be a more "solid" guitar than the 175 in Northern climates, especially weather, the Dot made better sense.

 

In fact, I think if I were playing a lot for money and made a lot playing, I'd probably have a 335 and a duplicated Dot for really bad weather. It can change pretty quickly here. The full hollow takes longer to catch onto a move even of a mile outside in winter, hence the semi.

 

Get this for 11 miles south of where I live: "On January 22, 1943 at about 7:30 a.m. MST, the temperature in Spearfish was -4° degrees F (-20°C). The chinook wind picked up speed rapidly, and two minutes later (7:32 a.m.) the temperature was +45°F above zero (+7°C). The 49-degree rise (27°C) in two minutes set a world record that still holds. By 9:00 a.m., the temperature had risen to 54°F (12°C). Suddenly, the chinook died down and the temperature tumbled back to -4°F (-20°C). The 58-degree drop (32°C) took only 27 minutes."

 

m

I think the Bigsby was developed at a time when many players used flat wound strings that didn't lend themselves to bending. The Bigsby is not designed for extreme vibrato like a Strat style vibrato is capable of. But with flat wounds and a light touch on the Bigsby you can get that Hank Garland style "chime". On the other hand my experience with flat wounds is bending sounds mushy. I think that would be a good combo, Chromes and a smooth Bigsby! But again, a light touch is needed.

Those Chinooks can play havoc with the weather, I wish we would get one now and blow out the inversion we have now. But I have seen them cause flooding when they follow a heavy snow, nothing more miserable than a flood of ice cold mud and water. I'm glad we live on high ground...

[NeoConMan]

maybe a Wildkat

I came this close to buying one myself - love P-90s!!!

 

Country of origin was the hurdle I couldn't clear.

[damian]

I'm looking at an Epi Riviera P3.....You all have given the Bigsby a thumbs up....I'll be retro-fitting some guitars...so much info here on the lounge.

 

It suprises me that a tremelo system was named after a Beatles song; Eloner Bibsby...

[Silenced Fred]

I came this close to buying one myself - love P-90s!!!

 

Country of origin was the hurdle I couldn't clear.

 

I just wish it had a plain top and was a double cut away. That would be like the perfect guitar then

[Duende]

I came this close to buying one myself - love P-90s!!!

 

Country of origin was the hurdle I couldn't clear.

 

 

My friend has a wildcat and it is a fine guitar.

Are all Epiphones Chinese now? I thought a lot of the good stuff ie the Zakk Wylde Signature Les', some of the archtops etcwere made in Korea at the Unsung plant?

 

 

Matt

 

 

[milod]

My understanding is that the Epis all are made in two plants in China now, not in Korea.

 

m