Is it crazy to buy something like this and put a Bigsby on it?

[ramonesfreak]

There is no hacking involved. There are a couple small screws down by the strap button that hold it in place. The rest of the unit just rests there on felt pads.

I have had many bigsby equipped guitars and they do not blow. They are beautiful, functional and sound amazing. It's a matter of style and taste and having the guitar set up properly.

I'm pretty sure Chet Atkins liked his bigsby

Bigsby blows imho, but even if you dig them, please don't take a 175 and hack it up. Just buy a guitar that has one already or get an Epiphone or something cheap to mess up.

[Cajundaddy]

For a me a Bigsby is simply a tool to accessorize the guitar and is neither particularly good or evil. It suits some players better than others. I would have no problem bolting it onto a $600 used Tele but would think long and hard about adding one to a $6k ES 175. It's like bolting rally lights onto the hood of a 67 911. I would rather gig with the Tele also because guitars get damaged and stolen all the time when out and about. To lose a treasure over a $300 juke joint gig would cut me deeply.

I'd say if that is your dream guitar and you've got the cash, go for it. We only go around once and this guy likes the Bigsby just fine:
Brian Setzer - Route 66 Live (rare video).avi - YouTube

[BlueSkyJaunte]

I'm not getting the Bigsby hate. But, then, I prefer a twangy guitar solo to the sounds of someone aimlessly wheedling around on a sax.

[herr_oberst]

Originally Posted by BlueSkyJaunte

I prefer a twangy guitar solo to the sounds of someone aimlessly wheedling around on a sax

I'd like your permission to use this as my signature line for a while!

[nostatic]

Compared to a well-setup Fender vibrato unit (or Wilkinson, etc), the Bigsby underperforms imho. It is about the last whammy setup I'd want on a guitar but ymmv. I still maintain that putting one after the fact on a nice ES175 w/P90s is something I personally wouldn't do but if the spirit moves you, go for it.

The number of aimless wanking guitar solos greatly outnumbers sax wheedlers

[BlueSkyJaunte]

I dunno. I've played 'em all. Fender vibratos. Wilkinson 2-point trems. Floyd-Roses (yuck) -- both knife-edge and ball bearing. The best of the lot (IMHO) are the configurable Parker units, but even those have their drawbacks.

A Bigsby with a roller bridge is pretty much perfect for me, but then I don't do Satch dive-bombing or Petrucci trem flutter.

Originally Posted by herr_oberst

I'd like your permission to use this as my signature line for a while!

Granted. I hate the sax. Nostatic's latest album would be on permanent rotation in my car if he didn't have that sax player on it.

[herr_oberst]

Originally Posted by BlueSkyJaunte

Granted. I hate the sax. ...

Thanks!

Full disclosure, I hate the sax, too, mostly, but for some reason, a band I hate, (Foreigner) has a song that by rights I should despise, ("Urgent") with an '80's era sax solo, that I will absolutely crank till the ears bleed if I think no one is watching!

Back to the Bigsby.

[nostatic]

Originally Posted by BlueSkyJaunte

Granted. I hate the sax. Nostatic's latest album would be on permanent rotation in my car if he didn't have that sax player on it.

Luckily no sax on Come Together, Just the Two of Us (banjo ftw), and My Romance.

Been slowly working on the next album, hope to have it done by next summer. At this point no sax - but we may have violin and electric mandolin

[BlueSkyJaunte]

Originally Posted by nostatic

Been slowly working on the next album, hope to have it done by next summer. At this point no sax - but we may have violin and electric mandolin

Sounds good. Same vocalist? I love her voice.

Also, if you can do another cut of Eleanor Rigby without the sax, that would be greatly appreciated.

[nostatic]

Originally Posted by BlueSkyJaunte

Sounds good. Same vocalist? I love her voice.

Also, if you can do another cut of Eleanor Rigby without the sax, that would be greatly appreciated.

Yeah, same vocalist. She is crazy good. I've also got another original project that is heading into the studio probably in Jan. Different vocalist but great tunes. Kind of Steely Dan meets Todd Rundgren in a dark alley and gets roughed up by Paul McCartney. No sax on that project...

I'll try to whip up an alternative take of ER this weekend for you.

Hey, maybe this is the future - personalized tracks...

[BlueSkyJaunte]

Originally Posted by nostatic

I'll try to whip up an alternative take of ER this weekend for you.

Hey, maybe this is the future - personalized tracks...

I like this idea. I can send you a kazoo solo if you want to splice it in.

[911dean]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

A Tele is a whole different ballgame from a hollow body Gibsonl; like night and day. If you're not an experienced player, I would question whether your Epi was really a lemon or just needed a good setup. Generally, they're good guitars and, for beginners, they're great guitars. I've been doing my own setups for about 20 yrs. and I still run into guitars now and then that are above my ability and end up taking them to a pro. I've left some really nice guitars in their cases for years because I was convinced they sucked and I had done all I could. But I have finally found a local tech who can make anything play like butter and he identifies stuff I couldn't. I'd still spend no more than $700 on a starter guitar, one that's nice enough that you'll look forward to practicing and cheap enough that you won't feel bad about modifying it. My first guitar was a $160 Hondo and I later made it into a partscaster that I played all through high school and was a killer, cheapo guitar.

I understand a Tele and a hollow body Gibson are completely two different animals, but I'm going to buy a guitar and one or the other is what I want. The hollow body is definitely a big commitment and a whole other world from what I'm used to and a considerable investment. The Tele is a no brainer. I'm still weighing the pros and cons and will be taking the hollow body for another spin tomorrow and Friday.

I bought the Epi back in the 90's which basically sat in my closet up until couple winters ago when I first started taking lessons as an adult. I had a friend with considerable experience set up the Epiphone, he just couldn't eliminate a fret buzz that drove me crazy. It also had a string spacing issue . He recommended a phenomenal tech known for exceptional fret work. The tech told me the fret board was mess and a fret job and nut would really improve the guitar. Since it was the cost of another cheap guitar I said go ahead. When I got the guitar back it absolutely blew me away. Money well spent. I later had him put a bridge on it. Not that I don't like this guitar, I just want another sound and a Tele or full hollow body is what I'm after.

[911dean]

There should be no hate for the Bigsby. The first guitar player I saw use one, was Lonnie Mack. Some of the Rockabilly players I see use them too. Since Rockabilly and country seems to be where my interests are going I wouldn't mind having one.

What's with the sax hating? It seems, I'm more frequently seeing a single baritone being used and these players have been killing it. Nothing wrong with a good bone player either.

Now back to my 10,000 hrs.

[ramonesfreak]

Is the Gibson your considering a new or vintage instrument? I don't think you stated.

Either way I think you should spend a good deal of time testing the feel above the 12th fret. At times I wish I had gotten a Gretsch with a longer scale as I am so used to my strat or SG

and also, play it loud as though you were playing with a drummer to see how it behaves with feedback. My Gretsch will howl like mad at band levels, although I can control it well. And that is what I love about the bigsby.....feedback and bigsby, or any whammy bridge, is great with feedback and not something you can really produce with your fingers alone. However if the Gibson is going to feedback uncontrollably and your goal is to play live, you need to be aware of it now during the decision making process

[Rick Lee]

Originally Posted by BlueSkyJaunte

Also, if you can do another cut of Eleanor Rigby without the sax, that would be greatly appreciated.

Here you go. Gets pretty insane around 1:20.

[Rick Lee]

Originally Posted by ramonesfreak

and also, play it loud as though you were playing with a drummer to see how it behaves with feedback. My Gretsch will howl like mad at band levels, although I can control it well. And that is what I love about the bigsby.....feedback and bigsby, or any whammy bridge, is great with feedback and not something you can really produce with your fingers alone. However if the Gibson is going to feedback uncontrollably and your goal is to play live, you need to be aware of it now during the decision making process

I've struggled with this, since I play loud VH-style stuff. I practice at home with a 50w EVH or 100w Soldano head, which is insanely overkill. And I practice in a small room and usually facing my 4x12 cab. So it feeds back when I play loud. But it's a lot more controllable at band practice, which is always in a bigger room and I'm usually not facing the cabinet. I still think it's great to practice as loud as you can stand it because it really amplifies mistakes and forces you to work on techniques that don't matter at low volume like string muting and volume knob (on the guitar) control.

[911dean]

Originally Posted by ramonesfreak

Is the Gibson your considering a new or vintage instrument? I don't think you stated.

Either way I think you should spend a good deal of time testing the feel above the 12th fret. At times I wish I had gotten a Gretsch with a longer scale as I am so used to my strat or SG

and also, play it loud as though you were playing with a drummer to see how it behaves with feedback. My Gretsch will howl like mad at band levels, although I can control it well. And that is what I love about the bigsby.....feedback and bigsby, or any whammy bridge, is great with feedback and not something you can really produce with your fingers alone. However if the Gibson is going to feedback uncontrollably and your goal is to play live, you need to be aware of it now during the decision making process

The guitar I'm considering is a 2006 that was limitedly produced w/ p90s. I really liked a ES 295 I played about a year ago, but just couldn't pull the trigger. I want a full hollow body with p90s and gold isn't my first choice, though it is growing on me. An ES 175 essentially provides a better color choice. A Tele will probably win out at this juncture.

[nostatic]

I hope you guys wear ear protection. I use it on every rock gig. Thankfully the jazz gigs are at lower volumes. Of course if a guitar player is involved invariably we end up asking him to turn down. I swear to god that guitar players can hear everyone but themselves in a mix unless they run the amp on 11...

[stuartj]

Bigsby=Boat Anchor.

[Nostril Cheese]

Vintage 175 action.