Can I add a Bigsby tailpiece to the Dark Fire?

[elantric]

Can I add a Bigsby tailpiece to the Dark Fire?

 

end up with something like this:

 

http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Divisions/Gibson%20USA/Products/GOTM/LesPaulLP-295Goldtop/

 

I know this may seem a crazy idea to some -

 

However I'd love to have one installed on the Dark Fire.

 

I do observe from various pics that it appears there is something "trick " under the existing Dark Fire Stop Tailpiece - perhaps part of the Tronical system ( maybe individual string tension CPU feedback sensors?) which would rule out any thoughts of adding a Bigsby.

 

Can anyone share thoughts on this ?

 

Also

 

Is there a PDF Owners Manual in the works?

[MLB]

Elantric, I was thinkin about that very idea also. I'm very much a tremolo guy. I'll bet Gibson is wrapped up in getting the current DF model out thee first and hasn't really given thought to this yet. I believe the existing DF tailpiece is what houses the piezo's (which feeds the tuning circuit) and they would have to develop a way to house the piezo's in the Bigsby tailipece.....great question !

[elantric]

Well my take is that this is basically an updated Gibson Robot - and various pics of the older model show this odd "third stud" right inder the tailpiece.

 

see here:

 

http://www.gibson.com/robotguitar/gallery.html

 

 

also note the white plastic inserts for each string inside the tailpiece.

 

 

smells like complex string communication inside the tailpiece, and cable harness ( the hidden stud underneath ) to the Tronical tuners at the headstock to me - using the strings as the signal path.

 

( the Piezo Saddles on the T.O.M Bridge are where the piezo transducers are for pitch)

 

But I would really love a bigsby on this, ( I currently play a Gretsch Brian Setzer 6120, as my main axe)

 

there are also these options.

 

Stetsbar

http://stetsbar.com/

 

LesTrem

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Bridges,_tailpieces/Electric_guitar_tremolos/Les_Trem_Stop-Tailpiece_Tremolo.html

 

Vibramate

http://www.vibramate.com/vibramate-v5-install.html

 

Maybe I should contact Tronical !

 

www.tronical.com

 

These docs shed light on the technical hurdles.

 

http://www.tronical.com/mediacenter/downloadarea/0

[elantric]

I'm still getting a Dark Fire regardless - But I may seriously explore fabricating a custom piezo loaded "string roller" for my spare Bigsby - to adapt it to the Tronical tuning system

[elantric]

OK - after watching this:

 

http://www.tronical.com/mediacenter/videopopup/1

 

I believe I figured out the deal with the "special" robot piezo tailpiece -( still not certain.)

 

Each tuner (up at the headstock) obtains its digital control signal and Power for the Motors using the 6 string as a serial communication path ( Can Bus) and +12V DC Power and Ground to operate the Tuning motors.

 

thus the need for isolation and individual electrical bushings mounted in the tailpiece.

 

I still might tool up a custom bigsby roller with these "tuner communication piezos" mounted on the bigsby roller bar where the strings end are anchored.

[nolongermike@gibson]

I don't believe you'd be able to do that. The owners manual is in the works and will be up in a few days once we get it translated, proofread, etc.

 

Can I add a Bigsby tailpiece to the Dark Fire?

 

end up with something like this:

 

http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Divisions/Gibson%20USA/Products/GOTM/LesPaulLP-295Goldtop/

 

I know this may seem a crazy idea to some -

 

However I'd love to have one installed on the Dark Fire.

 

I do observe from various pics that it appears there is something "trick " under the existing Dark Fire Stop Tailpiece - perhaps part of the Tronical system ( maybe individual string tension CPU feedback sensors?) which would rule out any thoughts of adding a Bigsby.

 

Can anyone share thoughts on this ?

 

Also

 

Is there a PDF Owners Manual in the works?

[elantric]

I will use this until I sort out the bigsby mod.

 

[elantric]

FWIW - Here's more about the "hurdles" for adding tremolo to the Dark Fire

Source:

http://www.eetasia.com/ART_8800522926_1034362_NP_4b45a59b.HTM

Unwrap Robot Guitar's autotuning secret

 

To communicate with and power the headstock electronics, the Tronical solution takes another clever step toward retaining as standard a guitar as possible. A cable running through the guitar neck would, of course, work, but it would also be a major modification to the basic guitar design and nearly impossible to retrofit. Instead, the Robot guitar uses the guitar strings to provide six points of connection between body and headstock electronics.

Each line is isolated behind the special tailpiece. The traditionally all-metal part instead has ceramic insulating ferrules in each string feedthrough and a bottom-side circuit board to allow each string to connect from the body to the head. A flex circuit out of the body electronics and to the tailpiece distribution board wires things up, and a thin circuit board sits underneath each tuner peg to pick off and deliver power and communication signals to the headstock electronics assembly. To add redundancy in case of a broken string, 12V power and ground each appear to be delivered over two strings.

Signal communication lets the headstock electronics know which way to tune each peg. Redundancy is again seen, with what appear to be duplicate data signals over two remaining strings."

 

[niemepet]

elantric, thank you for this picture. I couldn't find it by myself.