BillD13: Can you tell me more about bracing the bridge studs?
Whats on there is a B7. I was thinking the B3 might work better if its retrofittable since it doesn't have that first bar. Apparently that would leave holes though.
That angle over the bar doesn't help things.
Even with a stoptail, that hard angle does a few things bad. It creates a huge amount of friction over the bridge saddles, which tends to make things go out of tune when you bend; it also puts a huge amount of downward pressure on your bridge and will flatten it over time. I've seen quite a few ABRs ruined by people assuming that clamping down the tailpiece is what is supposed to happen, but its not. On my stoptails I raise the tailpiece til there is just enough downward tension to keep the strings on the saddles and not rattling, and thats it. They stay in tune fine and sound fine, and they dont flatten out my bridges. Even with 9s and 10s the bridge will go flat over time with the tailpiece clamped down hard; with the piano wire I use it would probably happen pretty fast.
Having worked with other trems for 25 years or so, the key with all of them is eliminating friction and slop in the movement. I don't use string trees on my G&Ls for that reason. I do use locking tuners and graphtech nuts. On the G&Ls I can beat the living hell out of them and they stay in tune perfectly, for weeks and even when travelling. Most other strat style 2 point bridges, and to some degree an old 6 screw, can be made to stay in tune very well or well enough if set up right. I've been doing those so long that I can set them up in my sleep.
But, I havent dealt with the Bigsby before, so before I work this thing over when I change the strings, I'm trying to get all the relevant info about tips and tricks. Since the Bigsby doesnt have near the range of a strat style trem, it may do ok without the locking tuners. I'll probably go with a slipstone nut to keep it white instead of the black graphtech.
So far:
Nut slots, saddles, check movement on the ABR (I always do this stuff on any guitar anyway). Really thinking about going with a tonepros with graphtech saddles.
Lube the Bigsby (do you lube the little bearing rollers where the bar rotates in the bridge? I'd assume so).
Brace the bridge studs? Not sure what you mean, can you give more info?
Thanks guys!
Whats on there is a B7. I was thinking the B3 might work better if its retrofittable since it doesn't have that first bar. Apparently that would leave holes though.
That angle over the bar doesn't help things.
Even with a stoptail, that hard angle does a few things bad. It creates a huge amount of friction over the bridge saddles, which tends to make things go out of tune when you bend; it also puts a huge amount of downward pressure on your bridge and will flatten it over time. I've seen quite a few ABRs ruined by people assuming that clamping down the tailpiece is what is supposed to happen, but its not. On my stoptails I raise the tailpiece til there is just enough downward tension to keep the strings on the saddles and not rattling, and thats it. They stay in tune fine and sound fine, and they dont flatten out my bridges. Even with 9s and 10s the bridge will go flat over time with the tailpiece clamped down hard; with the piano wire I use it would probably happen pretty fast.
Having worked with other trems for 25 years or so, the key with all of them is eliminating friction and slop in the movement. I don't use string trees on my G&Ls for that reason. I do use locking tuners and graphtech nuts. On the G&Ls I can beat the living hell out of them and they stay in tune perfectly, for weeks and even when travelling. Most other strat style 2 point bridges, and to some degree an old 6 screw, can be made to stay in tune very well or well enough if set up right. I've been doing those so long that I can set them up in my sleep.
But, I havent dealt with the Bigsby before, so before I work this thing over when I change the strings, I'm trying to get all the relevant info about tips and tricks. Since the Bigsby doesnt have near the range of a strat style trem, it may do ok without the locking tuners. I'll probably go with a slipstone nut to keep it white instead of the black graphtech.
So far:
Nut slots, saddles, check movement on the ABR (I always do this stuff on any guitar anyway). Really thinking about going with a tonepros with graphtech saddles.
Lube the Bigsby (do you lube the little bearing rollers where the bar rotates in the bridge? I'd assume so).
Brace the bridge studs? Not sure what you mean, can you give more info?
Thanks guys!