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Bigsby on a ES-339?


guytar1

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Posted

Hi Friends, anybody done it yet? any reason not to do it other than the warranty? Big fan of Johnny A , but that puppy is out of reach. Thanx

Posted

I too had wondered about ordering my CS 356 with a Bigsby. I was advised by others on this board and Wildwood, Authorized Gibson dealer not too due de-tune issues when using with string bends for Blues, etc. Apparrently, unknown to me, when you bend a string with a Bigsby, it stay out of tune. Go figure, why would anybody want that?

 

8-[

Posted
I too had wondered about ordering my CS 356 with a Bigsby. I was advised by others on this board and Wildwood, Authorized Gibson dealer not too due de-tune issues when using with string bends for Blues, etc. Apparrently, unknown to me, when you bend a string with a Bigsby, it stay out of tune. Go figure, why would anybody want that?

 

Hi, I love that Paul Jackson Jr. model...simply gorgeous. Thanx much for the reply. Ever see the Johnny A Open Forum on the gibson website? He talks a bit about his use of the Bigsby. There are 5 episodes, not sure which one he mentions the Bigsby in but all are great viewing. I got to see him front row here in Cleveland and boy did he bend the heck out of those strings! He brought 3 guitars in the club , but only 1 made it out of the case the entire show. I wonder if some of the folks are trying to "overuse" what is meant to be a subtle tool? Maybe poor nut? Thanx for the info, if I decide to do it, I'll be your guinea pig. I'll try to post pics as well

Posted

Guytar1,

 

Thanks. She's a keeper for life. My personal problem with the Gibson CS 356 w/ bigsby model is not having one to try out. And @$4,000, it's too big of a risk to be unhappy. Additionally, with low stock issue at Gibson, everything you order will be considered a custom order by the dealers despite additional features on the guitar. I don't have the head for this mess. I just want to rock!](*,)

  • 2 weeks later...
Posted
DSC00028.jpgDSC00031.jpgcket.com/albums/rr324/guytar1/DSC00024.jpg[/img] Sorry , haven't figured an easy way to post these pics.. but, there is 3 of them.[/img]
  • 1 year later...
Posted
Hi Friends' date=' anybody done it yet? any reason not to do it other than the warranty? Big fan of Johnny A , but that puppy is out of reach. Thanx [/quote']

 

Is the Johnny A signature the same size as the 339?

Posted

Gibsonlespaul1319,I wish I knew... I'm still looking to find one in a store to try one out. I do know the scale length is longer on the Johnny A. I'm quite comfy with the shorter scale of the les paul as to the Fender scale of the J.A. Johnny A says the longer scale helps him get the bottom end "twang ".

Posted
Gibsonlespaul1319' date='I wish I knew... I'm still looking to find one in a store to try one out. I do know the scale length is longer on the Johnny A. I'm quite comfy with the shorter scale of the les paul as to the Fender scale of the J.A. Johnny A says the longer scale helps him get the bottom end "twang ". [/quote']

 

Yea I know, the custom is a lot different

 

maple top and mahogany body ebony board longer scale length

 

compared to

 

laminate top and sides, rosewood board 24.5 scale length.

 

But I checked here and on another website and the guitars are the same size

 

the Johnny A width at the lower bout being:

 

14 1/8 inches

 

and the ES 339

 

14 1/4 inches

 

the length of the body on the Johnny A is

 

16 9/16 inches.

 

the 339:

 

17 inches

 

So they are extremely close in size

  • 1 month later...
Posted
I too had wondered about ordering my CS 356 with a Bigsby. I was advised by others on this board and Wildwood' date=' Authorized Gibson dealer not too due de-tune issues when using with string bends for Blues, etc. Apparrently, unknown to me, when you bend a string with a Bigsby, it stay out of tune. Go figure, why would anybody want that?

 

[crying

 

Just signed up to reply to this thread, since it was helful in finding a solution to the tuning problems mentioned by guytar1. As suggested by JazzGtr, string bends were causing me particular headaches on my Bigsby LP, but since I already own 2 Bigsby-equipped Telecasters without such problems, I was reluctant to accept that this is an inherent flaw of a Bigsby setup.

 

To cut a long story short, after trying MANY suggested solutions (Roller bridge, reduced break angle, heavier strings, lubrication at nut & bridge), the single modification that fixed everything for me was a self lubricating nut from GraphTech (no affiliation). After slightly widening the nut slots with a fine file to eliminate string pinch, all tuning issues immediately dissapeared, even after mental string bends.

 

Just thought I'd share that with you folks, since it's taken me a while to finally find a 100% working fix.

Posted
ZZGuitarworks Genuine Guitar Products

 

Gibson ES339/359 Vibrato Aluminum EZ-Mount Systems

 

"PATENTED" EZ-Mount adaptor plate to quickly & easily mount Bigsby vibratos with NO MODIFICATIONS!!

 

http://www.zzguitarworks.com/servlet/the-120/guitar-bridge-bigsby-vibrato/Detail

 

 

Haven't used the EZ-Mount adapter' date=' but I can vouch for the excellent quality of the Vibramate. I've set up this chambered Telecaster using the Vibramate (cavities in the body made drilling infeasible), and it's rock-solid and lightweight. You'll also get less of a break angle over the bridge, due to the adapter raising the tremolo arm around 5mm from the body.

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