Bigsby B5 questions

[waygorked]

I am planning to drop a Bigsby onto a Warmoth Jazzcaster body. This will be my first Bigsby experience, so please excuse the dumb questions.

Are there different grades of Bigsby? I see several "USA" B5s on eBay and Reverb for around $100, and what appears to be the same thing at Allparts for twice the price, Is that better quality, or a worse deal?

I have a vintage Tele bridge plate on the guitar right now. Callaham makes a Bigsby compatible plate, but it has traditional high sides that I always replace. My searches for other plates have been futile, Are there any others I should know about?

Callahan also makes some Bigsby upgrade parts. Is there any point to these?

 

[rgand]

This sounds like a fun project. Looking forward to following your build.

The B5 is made in the US and has roller bearings on the main shaft. The B50 and others made elsewhere are bushings. Definitely go for the B5. I got mine from ebay and it's a fine unit.

Do the Callaham upgrades. The front roller holds the strings slightly lower and gives a better break angle on the bridge. The main shaft is the best idea since sliced bread because you can actually string it up without any problems. I also like the 360 degree shaft arm so I can put the lever wherever I like. This is particularly useful for putting the guitar in the case.

I also used a Callaham bridge with the Bigsby cutouts. That isn't a must but you will have to file the bridge edge so the strings can get down to the Bigsby. Again, worth the money, there.

 

[Cagey]

I did a bunch of research on this very topic a few years ago for the same reason. Prices were all over the board for what looked like the same parts.

As it turns out, there are the original Bigsby vibrato tailpieces, the B5 and the B7. They're sandcast parts, and use ball bearings to support the moving parts. Those are the pricey made in USA ones. B5 is top-mount (like for a Tele) and B7 is the tail-dragger (like for carved tops).

Then, there are the B50s and B70s. These are imports that are die-cast and use bushings instead of ball bearings for the moving parts. They cost a LOT less.

Finally, sometimes you'll see B500s and B700s. I don't remember what the difference is there, but I think they're the Chinese versions of the Korean versions. Cheaper still.

Bigsbys aren't well-known for their return-to-neutral integrity, so if you intend on using the thing, you definitely want the ball-bearing version. You'll probably also want to use a roller bridge rather than a string-grabbing/breaking TOM, and locking tuners.

As for the Calaham upgrades, they're nice. There's a fairly comprehensive thread here where a member (VB) installed those parts. Lotsa pics and comments.

 

[TBurst Std]

Well Allparts is always high priced.  Just make sure you get an US item.  For the bridge, I haven’t found one.  You are left choosing between grinding the side walls, or the back wall. Every one I have read about using the Callaham upgraded Bigsby parts have really liked them. 

 

[rgand]

Finally, sometimes you'll see B500s and B700s. I don't remember what the difference is there, but I think they're the Chinese versions of the Korean versions. Cheaper still.

Imitations of imitations. Like Chang Jiang motorcycles are a copy of a Russian copy of a BMW. :tard:

 

[Cagey]

Hehe! Yeah. Keep going, it eventually becomes a Yamaho or something :icon_biggrin:

I forgot you did that mod on your guitar, too. I'm glad you saw this thread and included it. Nice piece of work.

 

[rgand]

I forgot you did that mod on your guitar, too. I'm glad you saw this thread and included it. Nice piece of work.

Thanks. I wouldn't have known about Callaham if I hadn't seen VB's thread on them, though.

 

[Verne Bunsen]

Do the Callaham upgrades. The front roller holds the strings slightly lower and gives a better break angle on the bridge. The main shaft is the best idea since sliced bread because you can actually string it up without any problems. ...

You've got that right! A real "why didn't they do it this way in the first place" kind of thing. Another good upgrade option is this front roller from Brick's Biggs Fix:

https://bricksbiggsfix.com/product/sbr5712/

A nice piece with better bearings. I've used a couple of them, in applications where more break angle was not desireable. His "Super Squishy Springs" are also heavenly, although on a 25 1/2 scale with heavy-ish strings they are a little too squishy and compress too far (for my liking) under the string tension....

 

[rgand]

Do the Callaham upgrades. The front roller holds the strings slightly lower and gives a better break angle on the bridge. The main shaft is the best idea since sliced bread because you can actually string it up without any problems. ...

You've got that right! A real "why didn't they do it this way in the first place" kind of thing. Another good upgrade option is this front roller from Brick's Biggs Fix:

https://bricksbiggsfix.com/product/sbr5712/

A nice piece with better bearings. I've used a couple of them, in applications where more break angle was not desireable. His "Super Squishy Springs" are also heavenly, although on a 25 1/2 scale with heavy-ish strings they are a little too squishy and compress too far (for my liking) under the string tension....

That's a nice roller. I didn't know anyone else made upgrades for them. When I set mine up, I just strung it up on the high and low strings then moved the Bigsby in until the angle and clearance was good. Then I drilled the mounting holes.

I use 10-46 strings and found the stock 3/4" spring the right resistance but too short for my preference. I put a 1" spring in it and it works just fine. Getting it into the case is a little more interesting, though. I point the lever right into the corner of the case and firmly push the lid down. I suppose in time, the foam in the case lid will adapt...

 

[Verne Bunsen]

That's a nice roller. I didn't know anyone else made upgrades for them. When I set mine up, I just strung it up on the high and low strings then moved the Bigsby in until the angle and clearance was good. Then I drilled the mounting holes.

I use 10-46 strings and found the stock 3/4" spring the right resistance but too short for my preference. I put a 1" spring in it and it works just fine. Getting it into the case is a little more interesting, though. I point the lever right into the corner of the case and firmly push the lid down. I suppose in time, the foam in the case lid will adapt...

Where I ran into difficulty was with the F-Logo B5 on my Telecasters. The frame is longer than a standard B5 and it takes up all available real estate, no room for backing it up to ease break angle. The Brick's rollers were a happy discovery there, as the larger diameter Callaham roller made the angle a little too steep which led to some issues with binding and hence tuning stability...  Good to have options!

My Fender-style cases have managed to take the Bigsbys pretty well, but the Gibson cases make me cringe every time I close them, lol!

 

[Cagey]

I've not had a problem with the Bigsby on my L5S. But, I fold it back and around the tail end of the guitar til the operator is pointing up, as viewed from a strapped-on position. Puts it pretty close to the body. Although, the case I use for it isn't exactly form-fitting, so that might be helping.