Bigsby Contemplations

[LarsXI]

For my custom semi-hollow, I was thinking a strat-style trem for a while, eventually decided on tremking. However, I've recently noticed that I tend to lean on the tune-o-matic on my ibanez quite a bit. I've always wanted to see what I could do with a bigsby, so I may end up with a graphtech saddle TOM and perhaps a bigsby b5.

In making this consideration, I've come up with a lot of wild ideas, so I figured I'd through them out here just for the pure joy of it. I want to try regular string-through holes at the same time as the bigsby. It could be interesting stringing some strings through the body and others into the trem. Especially with heavy distortion/drive, a drone and a flutter could sound pretty nasty.

Also, I've been wondering about the possibility of heavily modifying the bigsby by fitting it with a much thicker string bar. On top of that, I may experiment with gear ratios on the arm itself and see where it takes me. Having the look of a bigsby along with extended range would be worth it, I think.

One more down to earth question would be about scale length. I'm led to believe that a shorter scale lends itself to slightly looser strings. It's probably just a question of feel, but would this actually allow more upbend capacity? If the strings are a bit looser to begin with, perhaps the threshold for tightening them is greater?

 

[onedrop]

In making this consideration, I've come up with a lot of wild ideas, so I figured I'd through them out here just for the pure joy of it. I want to try regular string-through holes at the same time as the bigsby. It could be interesting stringing some strings through the body and others into the trem. Especially with heavy distortion/drive, a drone and a flutter could sound pretty nasty.

Maybe it's just me, but that sounds like a stroke of genius.  :sign13:

With a shorter scale length (less string tension) you will technically get a little more warble out of the bigsby. Maybe a quarter tone difference, maybe not even enough to tell.

 

[-CB-]

It could be interesting stringing some strings through the body and others into the trem.
Only interesting if you like a totally out of tune sound, about like the sound you get when Evil Schmevel attempts to jump 50 Liberals with a steam roller.  When you bend into a prescribed and measured pitch, the effect is that of a steel guitar (Bigsby Palm Pedal), but generally... on a vibrato bar, it wont work well at all.


Also, I've been wondering about the possibility of heavily modifying the bigsby by fitting it with a much thicker string bar.
For what reason...

On top of that, I may experiment with gear ratios on the arm itself
No Bigsbys are geared, nor do that have any easy provision for gearing.  Pretty much a one trick pony, but a really nice trick

would this actually allow more upbend capacity?
Bigsbys have a very limited range.  Strats and Phloid Roze put Bigsby to shame, except the Bigsby is a very elegant apparatus, and very very controllable.

 

[LarsXI]

It could be interesting stringing some strings through the body and others into the trem.
Only interesting if you like a totally out of tune sound, about like the sound you get when Evil Schmevel attempts to jump 50 Liberals with a steam roller.  When you bend into a prescribed and measured pitch, the effect is that of a steel guitar (Bigsby Palm Pedal), but generally... on a vibrato bar, it wont work well at all.

Yeah, that's more or less what one could expect.

Also, I've been wondering about the possibility of heavily modifying the bigsby by fitting it with a much thicker string bar.
For what reason...

On top of that, I may experiment with gear ratios on the arm itself
No Bigsbys are geared, nor do that have any easy provision for gearing.  Pretty much a one trick pony, but a really nice trick

I'm thinking that a thicker bar would equal more string travel. Correct me if I'm wrong, but that could mean a wider range of tension change. Gear ratio would just be for the fun of it. Might help if the action of the bar gets screwed up along the way.

Don't get me wrong, a Bigsby itself is excellent in my opinion. This is just some idle thinking about string bars. A more proper name for the thread might have been "string-bar based vibrato system contemplations."

 

[dbw]

I really like the idea of some hardtail strings, some trem strings.  CB, it's not a "traditional" sound but I've heard Tool songs (Stinkfist, for example) where Adam Jones frets an octave and bends one of the strings, so the note starts out harmonious and then beats appear... of course this is an offshoot of a Hendrix trick where he frets two different notes and bends one of them to match the other (Manic Depression, for example).

You could have an interesting trick there!

Unfortunately a Bigsby doesn't have a real big range, but I understand what you're saying about a larger string bar.  You could also weld a smaller steel bar to the "front" (neckward) side of the Bigsby's bar, so when you push the Bigsby, it hits the strings (and moves them a lot farther than the bar itself could).

You would definitely want a roller bridge for this, though... I don't think Graphtech saddles will be good enough.

 

[Patrick from Davis]

What I got out of what CB wrote was there would be trouble in Mudville if it was strung with some trem bar-ed and some hardtail.  The spring on the Bigsby would be tensioning less than 6 strings and I am guessing that would need adjustment.  Also when the bar is used to change pitch there is going to be an asymmetric load on the instrument.  The hardtail strings could still drop or raise in pitch in the same manner as if you pressure the head of the guitar while holding the body.  I dunno.  It sounds interesting as an idea, but there are a lot of factors that could be killers to the instrument.  As far as modifying the bridge to get more pitch change, just get a Fender or Floyd for that and avoid the can of worms entirely.  But, if you want to be super odd ball and quirky, then try these ala Adrian Legg.  Of course, I don't imagine it is easy to sound like Adrian Legg...
Patrick

 

[DocNrock]

If you've got a concept, then go for it!  That's the beauty of Warmoth.

 

[Rickgrxbass]

didn't Stewart Macdonald offer replacement springs for bigsbys at one time, with different k-values ("tension" for non-engineers, sorry)?  A thicker bar would give a wider pitch range via further travel, but it would also increase the force necessary to bend, since you're moving the load further from the fulcrum.  And yeah, there isn't really "gear ratios" to be considered unless you're talking about fabricating some kind of geared monstrosity, which sounds scary for fingers...

Sounds like a Hipshot bending system would get you close to what you want to do pitch-bending wise, they've got all kinds of crazy crap that bolts onto that thing.

Anyone remember the double whammy?  Whatever happened to that thing?