Swapping a traditional 3 saddle bridge for a tune-o-magic

Duppy03

I've just bought (well committed to buy) a Bigsby B5 from fellow forum member @stonevibe for my Telemaster project guitar. It wasn't until yesterday that I realised it won't work with the bridge I have installed (genius I know).

So it seems I have 2 choices:

1. File slots into the back of the current bridge so that strings pass straight through to the brass saddles.

2. Fit a Tune-O-Matic bridge.

At the moment I prefer the idea of fitting the Tune-O-Matic, but is this something that i'll fond hard to do? Would you advise against?

Plus i'd need to fill in the holes on the body from where the strings pass through and the screw holes that held the bridge in place. But it could all worth it it ends up looking anything like one of these:

http://www.fanoguitars.com/models/alt-de-facto-jm6/

Here's a pic of mine:

Duppy03

Just seen @axisus post. Excellent info chaps.

frankus

3. Buy a new ashtray and file the slots in that.

4. Buy a Vibramate V5-TEV

 

 

Gagaryn

I dremelled little arches out of the back of the ashtray when i fitted a B% to my tele - works perfectly.

Rocker

Very neat work @Gagaryn. But I still cannot understand why fit a Bigsby on a Tele!

Duppy03

@gagaryn nice work! I'll give that a go I reckon.

ICBM

Rocker said:

Very neat work @Gagaryn. But I still cannot understand why fit a Bigsby on a Tele!

Because it's less work than a Jazzmaster trem.

Jeremiah

Don't you need an angled neck pocket for a TOM?

ICBM

Jeremiah said:

Don't you need an angled neck pocket for a TOM?

No, just a shim.

ThePrettyDamned

ICBM;673909" said:

Rocker said:

Very neat work @Gagaryn. But I still cannot understand why fit a Bigsby on a Tele!





Because it's less work than a Jazzmaster trem.

I've set up my jm trem very quickly and easily - saddles up high, bridge screwed low and neck shimmed a touch. It's set to float and stability is comparable to my strat - near perfect!

Bigsby trems look more involved to me... I fear them but I want one, I tried a MIJ 62 tele reissue in sunburst with binding and it had a bigsby. Was a great guitar.... 500 quid new, and now 600 used

ICBM

Yes, they're both great units and much more effective and tuning-stable than most people who have never set one up properly realise - which is not even that difficult once you understand why they can sometime cause trouble.

I had an original '65 Jaguar and a '69 factory Bigsby Tele, both were rock-solid for tuning. The main problem with Bigsbys is that they're usually fitted to guitars with wide headstocks and sharp nut angles, and/or floating bridges or fixed tune-o-matics, both of which cause trouble. A Bigsby Tele has neither.

What I meant was that *fitting* a Bigsby to a Tele is easier since you only have to drill, not rout .

ThePrettyDamned

ICBM;675322" said:

Yes, they're both great units and much more effective and tuning-stable than most people who have never set one up properly realise - which is not even that difficult once you understand why they can sometime cause trouble.

I had an original '65 Jaguar and a '69 factory Bigsby Tele, both were rock-solid for tuning. The main problem with Bigsbys is that they're usually fitted to guitars with wide headstocks and sharp nut angles, and/or floating bridges or fixed tune-o-matics, both of which cause trouble. A Bigsby Tele has neither.

What I meant was that *fitting* a Bigsby to a Tele is easier since you only have to drill, not rout .

Ahh gotcha!

I wonder how hard it would be to fit one to my thinline... I don't like the vibramate look though so I'll be a dremel and a drill I fear.

Maybe another day...

ICBM

It's not hard, it just needs a bit of care to get it all lined up right.

Bigsbys on Thinlines are great, they restore some of the slight lack of 'solidity' in the sound compared to a standard Tele.

Gagaryn

MY advice would be don't try fitting a Bigsby to a Tele at 10 in the morning with a raging hangover. No matter how sure you are you have it lined up, it won't be! ;-)

Of the two, I have to say I probably prefer the JM/Jag trem system, like ICBM I've never encountered any problem using them with the standard bridge - once it's properly set up they are rock solid, plus the ability to lock it to quickly move to drop D without messing with the other strings is handy. Only thing worth changing is the arm to the Staytrem version with a lined collet.

axisus

I'm going tune-o-matic with my tele build. I'd have been happy to butcher a bridge plate but for the fact I'm sticking a humbucker there, which over complicates everything

Duppy03

I'm going to go Dremel I think. I'll swap over to a T-O-M late down the line if I don't get on with it. But I was looking at these and thinking that will more straight forward than measuring and drilling for a T-O-M. Just like @Gagaryn has done.

http://www.callahamguitars.com/b_hardtail_b.jpg

http://chasingguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/telebigsby.jpg

I'll post pics when it's done.

Gagaryn

Dremel is definitely way to go - I didn't even bother taking the bridge off the guitar! masking tape over the pickups though, otherwise they'll grow steel filing beards!

Duppy03

@Gagaryn, that's my style. Awesome to hear some one is as lazy as me when it comes to messing with guitars.