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BIGSBY B7 ON AN SG.


VoxeyLady

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I got bought a SG G-400. Lovely wonderful guitar... shred-tastic for sure. I'm curious about putting a Bigsby B7 on it. I had considered a Lyre but I'm a lefty and as far as I know... they don't exist except on specialty guitars... but not as a seperately sold part. So I've gotten used to the idea of a B7.

 

I think B5's are ugly and don't look right on the SG personally so don't try to try me into that! I'm just curious if anyone here has done this and what I can expect. I installed a B7 on my casino so I can handle doing it. Just learning as much as I can first! :-)

 

<3

Julie

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That is pretty hot. Not really a fan of the haphazard explosion of pickups that barfed its way onto that beautiful flamed top there though. lol

[crying] ...

 

& just so you don't waste your time... a very knowledgable 'secret squirrel' just advised me that B7s can't work on SGs

 

imagescalnrghp.jpg

 

"@Stu, tell Julie a B7 won't go on an SG, the fold over bracket at the end is made for guitars with a square shoulder between the top and the sides, it's also too deep for the thin body on the SG."

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Haha... you fell for my cunning ploy to extract pics...

 

vvv THIS IS AWESOME VVV

 

Photo2.jpg

 

I shall await further advice from my man in the field [cool]

 

PS: at the beginning & end of your links will display your pics [thumbup]

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The "Secret Squrriel" is always right.............

 

However, B-7s will work on S.G.s with a bit of work..........Check out the S.G. sub forum, pages one AND two..........

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I think 'SS' is at lunch [biggrin]

 

35419bigthumbnail1.jpg

 

@damian: A link for the good lady if you would be so kind sir #-o

 

EDIT: OK, 'SS' eats fast =D>

 

@Stu: Yeah, but that B7 isn't fitted properly, there'll be a large gap under the edge of the guitar where the body is chamfered, and the tail of it will either overlap past the back surface, or will have to be filed away to match the shallow depth of the SG body. It's a hack job at best, not a proper fitting. I have an unfitted B7 and SG sitting right next to me.

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I haven't mastered "links" yet.........:unsure: [blush] :blink: ............

 

"They" switch around the B7 hinge somehow, and mod it otherwise.....But, yeah, B7s aren't a good S.G. fit, as S.S. states.........

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@VoxeyLady: a final word from the SS:

 

@Stu: It's not a straight install, the B7 will have to be modified to fit, even then, it wont fit over the rounded edge of the body properly, there will be a gap. That end of the trem has a flat pad that's supposed to sit flat on the top of the body, much of that pad will be sitting in mid air rather than on the body. Quite simply, they're not designed for that body shape. Also the end plate won't secure to the body properly, modified or not, the edge of an SG is rounded, the plate is supposed to screw to a flat surface.

 

I thought from the OP that a direct fit was wanted, not something that needed modifications, and, even then, didn't fit as intended.

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I'd also like to extend a Welcome To The Forum.. always good to have another Epiphone fan join, plus a lefty at that.

 

The comments received so far have indicated that the B7 wasn't specifically designed for guitars with sculpted/chamfered edges. The pics in the links you supplied show that B7s have been installed on SG bodies, although as some comments suggest, some additional shaping of the hinged tailpiece/endplate may be required.

If the hinged endplate can be reshaped without making it too fragile/easily broken, then go for it.

 

I understand what you said regarding the B5.. But, there is supposedly a mounting plate available which changes the appearance considerably..

My link

 

I mentioned supposedly because I wasn't able to locate a dealer selling them, but there are numerous mentions including a Youtube video demonstration.

The plate wouldn't be extremely difficult to fabricate, but the highly polished and plated finish would likely result in a high price.. if a brushed or matte finish was acceptable, it would be much easier to fabricate from sheet metal.

 

A different vibrato is a Wilkinson Wigsby, although installation requires routing a pocket/recess in the top of the body. The wigsby will be approximately the same size as a B7, and has a flashy/retro look, but they're no longer being produced (I found a new lefty model on eBay recently, but a RH model can be adapted to lefty fairly easily).

 

6927683077_934da090e4_z.jpg

 

Wilkinson Wigsby

 

There are a couple of other options, but they look more like a B5 than the B7. One is Stetsbar (should be spelled $tet$bar) and another is a Duesenberg

My link

 

The most commonly available left handed vibrato will most likely be a Bigsby.

 

Bill

 

 

I got bought a SG G-400. Lovely wonderful guitar... shred-tastic for sure. I'm curious about putting a Bigsby B7 on it. I had considered a Lyre but I'm a lefty and as far as I know... they don't exist except on specialty guitars... but not as a seperately sold part. So I've gotten used to the idea of a B7.

I think B5's are ugly and don't look right on the SG personally so don't try to try me into that! I'm just curious if anyone here has done this and what I can expect. I installed a B7 on my casino so I can handle doing it. Just learning as much as I can first! :-)

 

<3

Julie

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Oh that looks interesting... any pics of one on a guitar? :-O

 

And yeah I'm not afraid of a little modifying. I had to modify a little bit on the casino to even get stuff to fit. The strap button was far to big to let the bigsby go over it but I filed it down and it looks nice and works. I got all the tools here. My roommate builds acoustic guitars. Doesn't really have the knowhow on this sorta stuff but has the tools I need haha

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'd also like to extend a Welcome To The Forum.. always good to have another Epiphone fan join, plus a lefty at that.

 

The comments received so far have indicated that the B7 wasn't specifically designed for guitars with sculpted/chamfered edges. The pics in the links you supplied show that B7s have been installed on SG bodies, although as some comments suggest, some additional shaping of the hinged tailpiece/endplate may be required.

If the hinged endplate can be reshaped without making it too fragile/easily broken, then go for it.

 

I understand what you said regarding the B5.. But, there is supposedly a mounting plate available which changes the appearance considerably..

My link

 

I mentioned supposedly because I wasn't able to locate a dealer selling them, but there are numerous mentions including a Youtube video demonstration.

The plate wouldn't be extremely difficult to fabricate, but the highly polished and plated finish would likely result in a high price.. if a brushed or matte finish was acceptable, it would be much easier to fabricate from sheet metal.

 

A different vibrato is a Wilkinson Wigsby, although installation requires routing a pocket/recess in the top of the body. The wigsby will be approximately the same size as a B7, and has a flashy/retro look, but they're no longer being produced (I found a new lefty model on eBay recently, but a RH model can be adapted to lefty fairly easily).

 

6927683077_934da090e4_z.jpg

 

Wilkinson Wigsby

 

There are a couple of other options, but they look more like a B5 than the B7. One is Stetsbar (should be spelled $tet$bar) and another is a Duesenberg

My link

 

The most commonly available left handed vibrato will most likely be a Bigsby.

 

Bill

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Some images of installed Wilkinson Wigsbys can be seen in this thread from the Agile Forum..

Wigsby Vibratos

 

By scrolling up to message #14, one can see the required recess that needs to be created to install a Wigsby.. probably the reason why they didn't achieve much popularity.. although they do have a unique appearance.

 

That Agile SX (body style like an Explorer) owner/builder used a RH Wigsby by bending the bar and flipping it over.. although it's possible to relocate the bar on the other side by drilling and tapping another hole for the bar anchor screw, essentially converting the Wigsby RH model to an ambidextrous vibrato.

 

I haven't tried out the Wigsby I have yet.. I'm undecided about a new color combination for a laminated (ack, cherry sunburst) Les Paul Special II body to mount it in/on.

 

I made a thin cardboard template of the Wigsby to see how much space it would require, and found that it's kind-of a tight fit on an Epiphone G-310 SG, although a G-400 may have a little more space.

I wouldn't want the Wigsby working the strings over ordinary tuneOmatic saddles, especially since the front guide rollers are so close to the bridge (and lower than the tops of the saddles).. so, I'd most likely install a roller bridge, likely the Wilkinson deluxe locking type (which are a very good value at about $20).

 

Epiphone 1998 G-310 Lefty

 

6927683277_d63c131838_z.jpg

 

Epiphone LP Special II modified with a Wilkinson-type locking roller bridge and various other doodads..

(yep, looks odd.. it was a RH model)

 

6927683163_975db77e70_z.jpg

 

Bill

 

 

Oh that looks interesting... any pics of one on a guitar? :-O

And yeah I'm not afraid of a little modifying. I had to modify a little bit on the casino to even get stuff to fit. The strap button was far to big to let the bigsby go over it but I filed it down and it looks nice and works. I got all the tools here. My roommate builds acoustic guitars. Doesn't really have the knowhow on this sorta stuff but has the tools I need haha

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