Bigsby Design/install Considerations

[strummer2k]

I am in the process of planning a build for a friend of mine who wants a Bigsby installed on the guitar. I don't know anything about Bigsby's. It will be a flattop electric guitar, bolt-on neck. So, after looking on the net a bit, are the following correct assumptions?

1) There are two models which seem to fit the bill, but I don't know which would be more appropriate:

B-5 solid body electrics (although the guitar will be chambered, it will be solid where the Bigsby attaches)

B-7 more downward pressure??

2) I would still have to buy a bridge to go along with the Bigbsy. Are my only options the tune-o-matic style bridges?

3) If I have to get a tune-o-matic style bridge, then I need to make sure the neck is a 12" radius neck and I will probably have to angle the neck into the pocket to account for the height of the bridge?

[Mickguard]

I am in the process of planning a build for a friend of mine who wants a Bigsby installed on the guitar. I don't know anything about Bigsby's. It will be a flattop electric guitar, bolt-on neck. So, after looking on the net a bit, are the following correct assumptions?

1) There are two models which seem to fit the bill, but I don't know which would be more appropriate:

B-5 solid body electrics (although the guitar will be chambered, it will be solid where the Bigsby attaches)

B-7 more downward pressure??

2) I would still have to buy a bridge to go along with the Bigbsy. Are my only options the tune-o-matic style bridges?

3) If I have to get a tune-o-matic style bridge, then I need to make sure the neck is a 12" radius neck and I will probably have to angle the neck into the pocket to account for the height of the bridge?

I think with the B7 you have to make sure there's plenty of wood behind the bridge --it's a pretty long trem. The bigsby site has measurement's I think. Other than that, both look cool in their own way. I think the downward pressure is the same, since they both use tension bars. I think the B7 is more common on archtops, and the B5 more for flattops.

There are other bridge options, sure. You could go with the Bigsby rocker bridge or the compensated wraparound (doesn't matter where the strings come from), although, true they're both TOM style.

But if you look at this guitar:

I modified the bridge for the Bigsby by carving slots for the strings. Worked great (I eventually took off the Bigsby when I modded the guitar again, then sold the Bigsby...kind of wish I hadn't now...I'll have to get a new one).

You could do exactly the same with a hardtail bridge, maybe with a three-barrel type.

[strummer2k]

I am in the process of planning a build for a friend of mine who wants a Bigsby installed on the guitar. I don't know anything about Bigsby's. It will be a flattop electric guitar, bolt-on neck. So, after looking on the net a bit, are the following correct assumptions?

1) There are two models which seem to fit the bill, but I don't know which would be more appropriate:

B-5 solid body electrics (although the guitar will be chambered, it will be solid where the Bigsby attaches)

B-7 more downward pressure??

2) I would still have to buy a bridge to go along with the Bigbsy. Are my only options the tune-o-matic style bridges?

3) If I have to get a tune-o-matic style bridge, then I need to make sure the neck is a 12" radius neck and I will probably have to angle the neck into the pocket to account for the height of the bridge?

I think with the B7 you have to make sure there's plenty of wood behind the bridge --it's a pretty long trem. The bigsby site has measurement's I think. Other than that, both look cool in their own way. I think the downward pressure is the same, since they both use tension bars. I think the B7 is more common on archtops, and the B5 more for flattops.

There are other bridge options, sure. You could go with the Bigsby rocker bridge or the compensated wraparound (doesn't matter where the strings come from), although, true they're both TOM style.

But if you look at this guitar:

I modified the bridge for the Bigsby by carving slots for the strings. Worked great (I eventually took off the Bigsby when I modded the guitar again, then sold the Bigsby...kind of wish I hadn't now...I'll have to get a new one).

You could do exactly the same with a hardtail bridge, maybe with a three-barrel type.

Didn't the strings bind up in the slots when the Bigsby was used? Seems like a roller bridge or maybe graphite saddles would help the Bigsby work smoother? Again, I don't have any experience with one, but I would prefer to not have to use a tunematic style bridge and angle the neck pocket.

[Mickguard]

Didn't the strings bind up in the slots when the Bigsby was used? Seems like a roller bridge or maybe graphite saddles would help the Bigsby work smoother? Again, I don't have any experience with one, but I would prefer to not have to use a tunematic style bridge and angle the neck pocket.

Those are Graph Tech string savers in the photo, so things were pretty smooth --I also had a graph tech nut and string trees, and locking tuners. So it was pretty stable. But even when I had the stock saddles on there, it stayed in tune really well.

I'm pretty sure I've seen a hardtail with the three barrels --with a six saddle bridge, it might not be possible to make the grooves, since you have the saddle screws there.

Pigtail makes a low profile Badass-style bridge, and you can cut the grooves to any radius you want, that might work too.