Better Tuning Stability With Bigsby | Guitar Tech Tips | Ep. 79 | Thomann

A Bigsby vibrato is great for that subtle, tasteful effect and it looks absolutely gorgeous too. That being said, it's a little tricky to make it stay in tune. Let's check out what you can do about it without swapping the original parts on the guitar. Enjoy Guitar Tech Tips!

Interesting bits and pieces:
0:00 Introduction
0:50 First important step: the nut
1:38 Second step: modify the bridge saddles
3:11 What's up with roller saddles?
3:30 Time for a test ride
4:15 Outtakes

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[troythompson]

It's nice to see and hear a tasteful use of a Bigsby during a video. Some of of really appreciate it.

[JohnShalamskas]

For the cost of that tiny syringe of nut sauce, you can get about a pound of Super Lube, a food grade white grease with teflon particles suspended in it. Remove any pencil lead before using grease. If you already have the nut sauce syringe, you can refill it with the Super Lube. Otherwise, just use a toothpick to apply it.

[wandering_satellite]

You need to install a Roller Type Bridge (like the excellent ABM Roller Bridge), that you need to lubricated every now and then (with gun oil, for instance, applied inside each roller using the tip of a needle).
You also need to REMOVE the "angle bar" (between vibrato and bridge) on B5, B7, B12, etc, and REPLACE IT with a 3mm bar on which you install 6 independent micro "V Groove Ball Bearings" (3x12x4mm) that you'll equally space on the 3mm bar using "shrink tubing" as spacers. And you need to lubricate these mini ball bearings too, every now and then.
That's what is on my custom made TearDrop solid body guitar with a V headstock, and since the mid 80s, and it still works and PERFECTLY stays in tune, as this guitar was later upgraded with locking tuners and finally a Graphtech nut.
I did the exact same "Bigsby ball bearings modification" on a friend's 1998 Epiphone SG, and it's still his favorite guitar to this day.

Now, quite obviously, the Bigsby bridges which don't have the "angle bar" don't require any upgrade at all ... but still the Roller Bridge is necessary, and a high quality one.
ABM Roller Bridge is my favorite ... for instance, I simply trashed the garbage bridge on my 2002 Gretsch 6120 JR to put the ABM Roller Bridge, I installed a White Earvana nut and locking tuners, and I've been happy with my Gretsch ever since.

[michaelreese]

Kris, I wish this video was available when I purchased a used Gretsch 2655T two and a half years ago.
The tuning stability was terrible with or without the Bigsby being used.
So I set out on a journey to solve the problem. I replaced the tuners with GraphTech Ratio tuners, partially because I just wanted to see how easily they were to place, and partially wondering whether they might hold the strings from slipping better. But that didn't solve the issue.
So I replaced the tune-o-Matic bridge with a roller bridge. That helped more but still not enough.
Being a neophyte in guitar tech I came to truss rod adjustment later than I should have. I forget now which way I had to adjust it but once it was fairly straight I had much better tuning stability.
HOWEVER, the G string (and to a lesser extent the B string) had rattling sounds that bothered me. I took the guitar to a tech and had him replace the nut (which was bone) with a new bone nut thinking the previous owner might have adjusted the slots improperly.
But that didn't solve the rattling either. Recently I tried fret wraps because the rattling seemed to be from the bridge area but that didn't totally help either but it did seem to help if I rested the palm of my hand on top of the wrap I had placed behind the bridge.
So yesterday, thinking about he problem it seemed that the break angle behind the roller bridge might not be high enough to keep the G and B strings from producing that rattle.
Now my action was the same as other guitars I own and the string gauge was .10 too. But I tried raising the bridge a quarter turn on both ends and, lo and behold, that seems to have eliminated the rattle.
I have had a love -hate relationship with this guitar since I bought it because I have loved the pick-ups it has and the overall sound but hated the rattle.
Now I love it. The hate part has been eliminated (I think). The action is a bit higher than my other guitars but not so much it is a problem plus the tone of the strings seems improved.
So, IMO, beware of setting your roller bridge too low!

[guithawk-ijis]

Thanks! Tried your advice with my Gretsch with TOM bridge and Bigsby and it really helped. I also switched from 10s to 11s and that also helps keep it in tune. Saved me from having to buy a new bridge 😊

[illegallystalked]

I drilled a hole in the handle and ran a drywall screw through it and into the wood on my les paul. Now it stays in tune.👍

[DINGOS]

Gretsch AdjustoMatic bridges are “tilting” or “rocking “ bridges and the strings are not meant to slide over each saddle. They are meant to stay put and the bridge tilts.

[skylineXpert]

I used pencil on nut of my Harley benton st62 and went all hendrix on it with the danish national anthem.
Surprisingly stable.

Would like to see converting left hand to right hand and vice versa

[khan.tanvir]

WOW!!!

Would you please post a review on Les Trem II in future? Will be looking forward to it.

[eddierayvanlynch]

0:52
What is your opinion/experience with the Wilkinson roller nut?
I have a nice old Yamaha Tele copy that's fairly stable, but I'd like to be able to go all Danny Gatton on it. (Who wouldn't, right?)
I'd want a luthier to do the install, but is it worth the effort?
Thanks again!

[matthewbolduc]

Good playing. Groovy. I know that the guitar belongs to you, for sure. These are the best videos. When the presenter owns the item reviewed and you can sense that the person has really been into this item. The presenter has a deeper sense of the product obtained from actually using the item over a long period of time. The product has passed the test of time.

[josephhughes]

Kris,
Awesome job as always. You are a professional tech now. Love Bigsbys on a guitar 👍👍👍

[steveo]

This is such a great series. Thanks for taking the time. I'm not a fan of the bigsby but love the way they look.... Very cool

[Thebandrocketscience]

Yes but you should test in a tuner after playing and useing the
Arm I do this as a test myself when adjusting my guitar, my Gretsch Brian Setzer hot rod. I use the nut lube on the nut and saddles. Thanks for the video anyway for sharing

[Thebandrocketscience]

Yes but you should test in a tuner after playing and useing the
Arm I do this as a test myself when adjusting my guitar, my Gretsch Brian Setzer hot rod. I use the nut lube on the nut and saddles. Thanks for the video anyway for sharing and PS I am a gigging guitarist and the nut -sauce and knowing how to use the wammy bar will do wonders

[xermanpequeno]

I have a Mexican player strat. Glossy fretboard and satin neck. The fretboard edges are quite sharp. Is there any way to roll them without messing up the gloss fretboard? Thanks in advance!

[caseykittel]

Would like to have seen a few chords played at the end of the demo! Did it really stay in tune after using the bigsby?

[johnnyandthedevil]

Best thing is fitting a roller bridge like the Wilkinson roller bridge (around 30 Euros). Did d it a lot of times and no trouble any more.

[TheRealThomasPaine]

Thanks for that video. I enjoyed the playing at the end especially because I'm waiting for my ES355AW to come in! Mine has a bigsby vibrato and I'm want to be up to date on taking care of it. It's my first so I'm a little concerned. I've seen some of them that have some kind of a saddle, a heavy metal saddle, and it's tucked all the way up against the bridge pickup. I don't know exactly what that setup is called but I know that they don't all have that. So I wonder if that's bench to increase the sustain.
Starting the 355 Journey!

[boskomshanti]

Kris. Great video there. I am thinking about mounting a Bigsby to my 335. Which one should I order? Thank you for the quick reply, Santa is waiting :):):).