Jazz guitar with a Bigsby

**jazzbow** · 08-24-2015, 03:08 PM

I thought you might like...

**mangotango** · 08-24-2015, 03:43 PM

My local music shop has recently moved location and when I went into the new shop today, they had a whole bunch of new guitars including an Ibanez AGR - a small bodied, single cutaway semi with a Bigsby-style arm on it. So, I gave it a go. Guitar kind of OK, though not the kind of thing that would tempt me away from what I have

BUT

every time I gave the arm even the slightest wiggle, the tuning went out. I put a clip-on tuner on there to check it. When I let it down, it stayed flat. When I pulled it up, it stayed sharp. Strings binding in the nut, maybe?

Certainly not the kind of experience that would tempt me to take one on.

**Marty Grass** · 08-24-2015, 03:58 PM

I have a long history of a getting along with Bigsbys. It is true that they add a little weight. It is true that string changes are about 15% more difficult with them. And it is true you have to deal with the handle. But it can be worth it.

I find the Bigsby to be most helpful when it is used sparingly and slightly. There are few opportunities to warble with it in jazz than in other styles.

Johnny A does a fabulous job with it. There are those long sustains he makes the most of.

I have not had trouble with string breakage or keeping in tune.

The Fender vibrato system is harder to do subtleties on but easier for more dramatic effects. I just tap the arm with my little finger, which is a little harder to control.

Some of you may have noticed that many older Gibsons came with Bigsbys. I spent my teen years with a 345 with a Bigsby, and I thought all 335s, 345s, and 355s came with them, at least the good Gibsons had them. Much later I learned that Bigsbys were made in Kalamazoo near the Gibson plant, which was not far from my house. I'm sure the geographical proximity wasn't coincidental.

No more hating on the Bigsbys!

**Bluedawg** · 08-24-2015, 04:19 PM

I just picked up a Gretsch Power Jet with a Bigsby

Besides some nice rock sounds it does a good job with sparkly Ted Greene style chord solos ...

A little touch of hillbilly crowbar is nice now and then

**Cobra** · 08-24-2015, 07:11 PM

Lots of excellent takes on the Bigsby. I'm looking hard at a Yanuziello guitar, and he offers a stoptail, a traditional brass trapeze tailpiece, and a modified Bigsby with a handmade aluminum bridge, so I wondered why not a Bigsby? I have 2 Strats that have the bridges locked down, never use the whammy on them.
The guitar in the pix below is pushing me over the edge!

**entresz** · 08-24-2015, 07:45 PM

That Yanuziello looks stunning!

**neatomic** · 08-24-2015, 07:48 PM

Yanuziello guitar..that guy's a master..beautiful stuff...got turned on to him via frisell…oh canada

Welcome To Yanuziello Stringed Instruments

cheers

**Bigsbyguy** · 08-26-2015, 03:26 PM

Jazz with a Bigsby...

**Marty Grass** · 08-26-2015, 08:25 PM

Holy crap! Fantastic sound! Where can I get more of that band, Bigsbyguy? I love it!

**neatomic** · 08-26-2015, 08:53 PM

wow late great tom morrel…guitar players a bit steel influenced as well..haha..razor sharp

milkman amps anyone?

cheers

**Bigsbyguy** · 08-26-2015, 11:35 PM

every time I gave the arm even the slightest wiggle, the tuning went out. I put a clip-on tuner on there to check it. When I let it down, it stayed flat. When I pulled it up, it stayed sharp. Strings binding in the nut, maybe?

On just about every guitar with one, it's either the nut or the bridge. I'm using a TUSK XL nut on the guitar with a Bigsby. It's got Teflon in it. I cut the slots one size up from what I'm using, like a 12 file on 11 high E. The saddle is an old Gretsch part, I forget what they call them, It's a round bridge and there's no hang up at all. There's guys making bridges especially for use with them.

That's him. Tom Morrell and the TimeWarp~TopHands. That album is called Pterodactyl Ptales. But all his stuff is killer. Amazon, eBay, Down Home Records might have his stuff. The website is westernswing.net I don't know how current it is but you could order from there in the past.
Tom played a Bigsby built steel on a lot of his stuff.

**barrymclark** · 08-27-2015, 02:05 PM

Originally Posted by Bigsbyguy

Jazz with a Bigsby...

Love it! I also used the Bigsby to mimic a slide guitar. Now... whoever is doing this is using it much more than I did and better.

**barrymclark** · 08-27-2015, 02:07 PM

Originally Posted by Bigsbyguy

On just about every guitar with one, it's either the nut or the bridge. I'm using a TUSK XL nut on the guitar with a Bigsby. It's got Teflon in it. I cut the slots one size up from what I'm using, like a 12 file on 11 high E. The saddle is an old Gretsch part, I forget what they call them, It's a round bridge and there's no hang up at all. There's guys making bridges especially for use with them.

...and that's the trick. Getting it set up properly will have it come right back. I can't say I tuned up anymore than I do now even without the Bigsby. Having a good setup is kinda the key to anything.

**blkjazz** · 08-27-2015, 07:14 PM

I respect the opinions of those who find the Bigsby useful and stuff. Personally, I think they are ugly and add nothing to anything I would want to play. I realize my view may be considered narrow minded, prejudiced and and other horrible words. Every time I see one of those monstrosities on an otherwise beautiful guitar, I cringe. I listened to the clips above but, frankly, none of them represent examples of "jazz" guitar IMO. But to each their own.

**Marty Grass** · 08-27-2015, 07:30 PM

I agree with you mostly. I don't think the Bigsby looks good. I do occasionally like the sound. I would not put one on a great archtop, but obviously opinions differ there.

Thanks.

Originally Posted by blkjazz

I respect the opinions of those who find the Bigsby useful and stuff. Personally, I think they are ugly and add nothing to anything I would want to play. I realize my view may be considered narrow minded, prejudiced and and other horrible words. Every time I see one of those monstrosities on an otherwise beautiful guitar, I cringe. I listened to the clips above but, frankly, none of them represent examples of "jazz" guitar IMO. But to each their own.

**hybridjazzer** · 12-05-2016, 10:35 AM

Ted Green a.k.a The Yoda of jazz guitar ( for me) uses it.

**JazzNote** · 12-05-2016, 03:43 PM

Originally Posted by jads57

Here you go!

So he really WAS keen on Johnny Smith archtops with Bigsbys. There are some clips where he is using a sunburst.

**Doctor Jeff** · 12-05-2016, 04:18 PM

A trem works great with a Tele--this is a GFS version of a Bigsby:

Jazz guitar with a Bigsby-null_zpsd916fbf8-jpg

Really nice for mixing it up when comping--just play a single cord and let it ring out, then bend it a bit.

**Fred Archtop** · 12-06-2016, 02:42 AM

As for me, Bigsby=Gretsch. No question about this rule. When I ordered my White Falcon 6136, I asked for an old style logo, 2 dynasonic mikes AND YES, a Bigsby. I have also a Tenessian equipped with. Great guitars for twang jazz.

Here is a track where I am using my Tennessian & the Bigsby:
http://fbourgaud.free.fr/FaithfulM.mp3

Jazz guitar with a Bigsby-dsc07542-jpg

Cheers.

**GNAPPI** · 12-06-2016, 05:38 AM

Weight, and tuning.

That said, I have only owned two hollow / semi hollows with a Bigsby, both were removed.

My Strats all have 5 springs and the claw / spring hook is adjusted to bottom out the block.

The roller bridge may actually be a good idea that came from the Bigsby.

**Herbie** · 12-08-2016, 04:44 PM

I tried for some years to play with a Bigsby LP and stay in tune. Couldn't do it and sold the guitar.

But I like the looks and the sound. Lately I read that the trick of staying in tune w/ Bigsby is very simple – but of course I don't remember it.

The most surprising fact is that the guy behind Les Paul guitar, Ted McCarty bought the Bigsby factory in early 60's and that's the reason he left Gibson.

And it is a bit of a surprise to read a story in a Vintage Guitar magazine that " a noonmusical product, the Flex-Lite, may have ultimately been responsible for the salvation of the Bigsby accessory company"!

Ted McCarty | Vintage Guitar(R) magazine

**Doctor Jeff** · 12-08-2016, 05:35 PM

I have a dobro with a Bigsby Palm Bender, which they don't make anymore. It's a really cool idea, I just haven't found a use for it yet.

**OrionsBLT** · 06-10-2020, 12:45 PM

Originally Posted by TheGrandWazoo

I put a Bigsby on my 6193 as I do double duty with it doing rock and swing. I intended to use it more with my swing gigs but find the problem is that common jazz phrasing and chomping leave little room for periods of sustain where a Bigsby would be used. It's not that I don't want to use it but the opportunities just aren't there enough to justify it for
me.

BTW, I'm selling my 17" spruce topped Country Club in the for sale section. And yes it has a Bigsby.

I've been contemplating installing a B6 on my American Guild x150 and was curious to your experience with the woodbridge interacting with the Trem. Have you had any issues or specific success?

**neatomic** · 06-10-2020, 06:34 PM

Originally Posted by OrionsBLT

I've been contemplating installing a B6 on my American Guild x150 and was curious to your experience with the woodbridge interacting with the Trem. Have you had any issues or specific success?

depending on the hardness of the wooden saddle, and type of strings, they could cut through the slots...bigsby makes an aluminum bridge saddle...and many use tuneamatics or roller saddles with their bigsbys

cheers

**RomanS** · 06-12-2020, 04:31 AM

Originally Posted by neatomic

depending on the hardness of the wooden saddle, and type of strings, they could cut through the slots...bigsby makes an aluminum bridge saddle...and many use tuneamatics or roller saddles with their bigsbys

cheers

I've got two archtops with wooden saddles AND Bigsbys (I LOVE Bigsbys, but then, I don't play jazz, but rockabilly, western swing, jump blues, honkytonk country...), and on neither it was a problem - one is a Loar LH300 that I put a B11 on, the other is an Epiphone Zephyr John Lee Hooker reissue with a B6. Both have replacement bridges (just those generic ebony ones from China), because I use 11s with unwound G strings, and both had original bridges compensated for wound G.
I've had the Loar for a couple of years, and the Epi for a bit over a year (the Epi has been used A LOT in that short time, though), and neither bridge shows signs from the strings cutting through the saddles - but then, the strings don't slide across the saddle when using the tremolo - the whole bridge assemnly rocks back and forth ever so gently when pressing the trem bar, with the strings staying put in their spots...
That's how a bridge on a Bigsby-equipped guitar is supposed to work, anyway. A Bigsby isn't intended for doing "dive bombs" - it's there for adding "shimmer" to chords, maybe do the occasional half note dip - and there's not a lot of movement of the string needed for those - so the strings don't need to slide across the saddle, if there's enough "give" (like on an archtop bridge sitting very high above the top of the guitar), that will suffice, and if not: original Bigsby aluminium saddles where not flat on the bottom, but curved, so they could "rock" on their posts; Bigsby B5 for Telecasters where intended to be used with Jazzmaster bridges that also rock, etc. Tuning stability problems only start creepin in once you try to lock down the bridge solid, and force the strings to slide through the saddle slots (particularly problematic with cheap TOM bridges, which often have V-shaped narrow slots, and pot metal saddles that will wear down easily).
BTW, I'm currently gathering parts for a second Thinline Tele with a Bigsby B16 - I already have one, where I use a Compton aluminium bar bridge, I want the new one to have a more old-fashioned, less twangy, more swingy/jazzy tone, so I intend to use an ebony saddle for that one, too!