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2018 RO Bigsby Installation

V

Victory Pete

Member
Joined
Dec 2, 2009
Messages
254
I had this Bigsby on a 2006 USA Les Paul Standard, time to put it on the Historic. The Vibramate adapter system is great, no holes or any evidence it was ever on a guitar. I also swapped the pickups with my newest RO so this one one gets the lesser output of the 2.

B0jmYuq.jpg


aoa5IW8.jpg



dJGQD1Y.jpg


UV8eDjU.jpg


Jg8qHJZ.jpg


mraMCL1.jpg
 
rockabilly69

rockabilly69

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 29, 2001
Messages
2,875
Victory Pete said:
I had this Bigsby on a 2006 USA Les Paul Standard, time to put it on the Historic. The Vibramate adapter system is great, no holes or any evidence it was ever on a guitar. I also swapped the pickups with my newest RO so this one one gets the lesser output of the 2.

B0jmYuq.jpg


aoa5IW8.jpg



dJGQD1Y.jpg


UV8eDjU.jpg


Jg8qHJZ.jpg


mraMCL1.jpg
Click to expand...

First off, let me say, I love Bigsby Vibratos. I have them on three Gretsch guitars, and they work great on all three (DuoJet, Double Annie, and a 6120), but...

I've used a Vibramate on two Gibson guitars and it were less than successful on both. One was a Firebird, and the other a Les Paul Special. And they left marks on both guitars (small imprints in the finish). On both of them the break angle really didn't work with the stock Nashville bridges, or the replacement FABER ABR bridges that I tried them with. The tuning stability went to hell on a handbasket, and yes, I tried every trick known to fix that (I lubricated every contact point that string had throughout it's path, and made sure their was absolutely no binding at nut at bridge). I also didn't like how it impeded the use of the volume and tone knobs. I considered them a fail on both and would not recommend them for those types of guitars, I hope they work better on a carved top LP.

The Special is here...

P5I5NlJ.jpg


The Firebird...

eAdyEkH.jpg
 
ej.

ej.

Member
Joined
Apr 2, 2019
Messages
61
That looks great! I've been considering putting a Bigsby on my 335, but I've also been curious about a Bigsby on my R9.
 
V

Victory Pete

Member
Joined
Dec 2, 2009
Messages
254
rockabilly69 said:
First off, let me say, I love Bigsby Vibratos. I have them on three Gretsch guitars, and they work great on all three (DuoJet, Double Annie, and a 6120), but...

I've used a Vibramate on two Gibson guitars and it were less than successful on both. One was a Firebird, and the other a Les Paul Special. And they left marks on both guitars (small imprints in the finish). On both of them the break angle really didn't work with the stock Nashville bridges, or the replacement FABER ABR bridges that I tried them with. The tuning stability went to hell on a handbasket, and yes, I tried every trick known to fix that (I lubricated every contact point that string had throughout it's path, and made sure their was absolutely no binding at nut at bridge). I also didn't like how it impeded the use of the volume and tone knobs. I considered them a fail on both and would not recommend them for those types of guitars, I hope they work better on a carved top LP.

The Special is here...

P5I5NlJ.jpg


The Firebird...

eAdyEkH.jpg
Click to expand...

My B7 with the Vibramate has been great on my previous Les Paul. No marks whatsoever and it stays in tune fairly well.
 
rockabilly69

rockabilly69

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 29, 2001
Messages
2,875
Victory Pete said:
My B7 with the Vibramate has been great on my previous Les Paul. No marks whatsoever and it stays in tune fairly well.
Click to expand...

Good for you that it didn't leave any marks! And looking at my Special and Firebird I noticed there was a separate plate used on the shorter Bigsby and that's where the marks were left under! As for tuning, I'm glad that also works for you, but I've noticed in my studio (where tuning is under much more of a micorscope), where I record a lot of guitar parts for people that I was constantly re-tuning with just the most subtle use of the Bigs. And as I've said, I use Bigsby tails on my Gretsches and I've had little to no problems with them, so I went in to it open-minded and knowing how to set up a Bigsby to work. I have since found these thumbwheels for ABRs that may have helped me with my problems with the ABRs on my Gibsons, many old time users of Bigsbys on Gibsons would talk about them, but this is the first time I've seen them for sale...

https://www.ebay.com/i/143466469360...MI17uhwKbS6AIVg_7jBx28iAexEAQYAyABEgIzX_D_BwE
 
V

Victory Pete

Member
Joined
Dec 2, 2009
Messages
254
rockabilly69 said:
Good for you that it didn't leave any marks! And looking at my Special and Firebird I noticed there was a separate plate used on the shorter Bigsby and that's where the marks were left under! As for tuning, I'm glad that also works for you, but I've noticed in my studio (where tuning is under much more of a micorscope), where I record a lot of guitar parts for people that I was constantly re-tuning with just the most subtle use of the Bigs. And as I've said, I use Bigsby tails on my Gretsches and I've had little to no problems with them, so I went in to it open-minded and knowing how to set up a Bigsby to work. I have since found these thumbwheels for ABRs that may have helped me with my problems with the ABRs on my Gibsons, many old time users of Bigsbys on Gibsons would talk about them, but this is the first time I've seen them for sale...

https://www.ebay.com/i/143466469360...MI17uhwKbS6AIVg_7jBx28iAexEAQYAyABEgIzX_D_BwE
Click to expand...

Those things look great, just bought some, arriving by April 29 though.
 
Texas Blues

Texas Blues

Active member
Joined
Apr 13, 2008
Messages
4,641
I have a LP and 2 V's with Bigsby's.

All with Vibramate's.

I'll never change 'em.

They stay in tune.

They sound killer.

They're not for ever body.


But it'd be a lot cooler if you did.
 
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