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Post subject: Tele with Bigsby not a good idea, but ....
Posted: Wed Jan 18, 2012 3:19 am
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I just figured out why a Tele with Bigsby isn't a good idea.

1: The Bigsby arm hits the pickup selector and vol/tone knobs
2: The bending is not even across all strings (more pronounced in the lower strings)
3: The Bigsby's action does not produce a smooth drop and return.
4: The Bigsby is only effective when pressed in its closed position.

I think most issues can be fixed by moving the pickup selector to the top horn, removing the chrome plate and relocating the vol/tone knobs to the lower right of the guitar. We now have a wider working range for the Bigsby. I'm not sure how to tackle the action - perhaps a better spring.

All said on the assumption that the Tele was designed this way in the first place for a clean finish. :)

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Post subject: Re: Tele with Bigsby not a good idea, but ....
Posted: Wed Jan 18, 2012 5:58 am
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jacksonmoon wrote:
I just figured out why a Tele with Bigsby isn't a good idea.

1: The Bigsby arm hits the pickup selector and vol/tone knobs
2: The bending is not even across all strings (more pronounced in the lower strings)
3: The Bigsby's action does not produce a smooth drop and return.
4: The Bigsby is only effective when pressed in its closed position.

I think most issues can be fixed by moving the pickup selector to the top horn, removing the chrome plate and relocating the vol/tone knobs to the lower right of the guitar. We now have a wider working range for the Bigsby. I'm not sure how to tackle the action - perhaps a better spring.

All said on the assumption that the Tele was designed this way in the first place for a clean finish. :)


In the 50s and early 60s, all the Bigsby was designed to do was essentially 'wave' a note or chord for minor effect. Or to be technical, put a mordent on it/them. Per today's stylings, a Bigsby is an imprecise, inefficient device. Even if used for the above purpose(s), consider too that most players' strings sets of today are like 'threads' compared to the 'cables' of back then where with the 'cables', returning to proper pitch would still be imprecise but closer. So, aside from the above and giving a guitar a pseudo-classic look, by design, there isn't much that Bigsbys are good for and certainly, not redesigning an entire guitar around.

As always, this is merely IMO where YMMV.

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Post subject: Re: Tele with Bigsby not a good idea, but ....
Posted: Wed Jan 18, 2012 1:25 pm
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Location: Melbourne, Australia
The Bigsby works perfectly on my Gretsch 6120 and Black Phoenix guitars and both guitars are fitted with heavier strings.

Martian makes a good point and maybe the Bigsby was never available on a standard Tele production model for more reasons than those stated here in just 2 posts.

Anyhow, from an appearance factor, I have to say a Bigsby equipped Tele Thinline looks awesome but I'll reserve practical use after I get mine set up.

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