Can I Do This

[Ryanesque]

I have not been able to finish the project guitar. I got the bigsby mounted and I have a neck...the finish on the guitar is done...etc...but I just don't have easy way to fit the neck pocket...

So I was sitting here thinking..

what's the possiblity I could put the Roller Tune o Matic I bought on my Strat with the Bigbsy B-5

the only issues I can see is maybe not having wood where the poles for the TOM go? I may be able to go forward of the cavity a bit but..then I'll have to do something with that hole.. or not.

what do you think? have I gone batty?

Ryan

[Southpa]

Yup batty, I see neck angle and string height issues if you mount a TOM on a strat. You need a neck angle or you will have to damn near bury the bridge into the body of the guitar to get it playable.

[Ryanesque]

but that could be done...I've already got a custom neck and stuff on the guitar now...it wouldn't be past me to shim it up a bit and make it even and stiff...

any other issues?

[psw]

Yes...batty...putting a bigsby on a strat...what is so bad about a synchronized tremolo that you would want to even attempt it?

Putting a tunomatic into a strat is also pretty daft and you can't just move it forward and expect it to intonate. Regardless...you say you have done the finish and now you are thinking of routing out a sunken TOM???!!!!!

maybe there needs to be some pictures, you can add a fair amount of height at the bridge with a relatively small shim...but yes, the whole thing sounds a bit batty and perhaps lacking in planning...put the strat trem back on it!

[ihocky2]

These are the type of things that need to be figured in from the start. You won't be jsut adding a few thousandths to get a better action, you'll be adding quite a bit in the way of shims to make a TOM playable on a strat. Or as said you would need to recess the TOM which is a good option, but you said you already have this finished.

How much trem work are you planning on doing? Other than a simple wiggles you don't get much out of a Bigsby, nothing like a Floyd Rose, and not close to a Strat's trem. Bigsby's are know for tuning issues worse than a Strat trem as well. They have their place, but you have to know their limits and problematic areas.

[Mickguard]

...the finish on the guitar is done...etc...but I just don't have easy way to fit the neck pocket...

What does that mean? You went ahead and painted the guitar before you cut the neck pocket? Or the neck you have doesn't fit?

I'd focus on moving on with this project, rather than destroying an existing guitar just because you have the part on hand. Patience is a big part of building.

If you insist on mounting the bigsby, then look into getting a three-barrel top-mounted telecaster bridge plate -- you'll cut off the forward bit (that holds the pickup). The rest of it will cover the bridge cavity. Then you can file notches into the back wall of the bridge plate to allow the strings to pass through. The three-barrel design will allow you to do this -- this type of plate is often found on low-end telecaster knockoffs.

Although I don't really see the point of replacing the strat trem system with the Bigsby. The Bigsby is only for graceful fluttering vibrato sounds, it's really not stable enough for anything extreme.

[Ryanesque]

No no no no... sorry I wasn't more clear.

a few months ago when I joined this board, I was in the process of refinishing a no-name custom body I got.

I had planned on using the B-5 and the TOM on it (the project guitar), and got a neck from eBay thinking it would fit(silly me). Once I got the neck, the neck was too wide for the pocket. I have NO tools to remedy that here at our apartment, so what happened? it has been sitting and sitting and sitting.

so I was just thinking about it last night and wanted to know whether or not it could be done. I was giving up on my project!

I understand the issues and I will forget it.. Thank you for the replies.

[Mickguard]

Well, surely you have sandpaper? Does your apartment have a balcony? A garage? A sidewalk?

If so, you should be able to adjust the width of the neck to fit the pocket. A little care and patience is all that's needed, really.

Alternatively, and perhaps better -- get ahold of a sharp chisel, mark the body where you need to widen the pocket (a bit of masking tape will help), work slowly and you'll get there. The pickguard will hide most of the work. And the chisel won't make much dust, so you'll be able to work in your apartment.

It really all depends on how much you want this.

[Ryanesque]

good idea. i have a REALLY nice mortice chisel I think would do well. razor sharp...hand forged...