# Bigsby Parts Question



## elbandito (Oct 14, 2009)

Does anybody know where to find parts for the Bigsby B5 Telecaster kit? I can't seem to find any place that sells the tele bridge plate seperately... ?

Since I'm working on a Squier Affinity series Telecaster I'm thinking that I might just slap the B5 on and hope that the string will line up correctly with the rear-loaded, modern-style 6-saddle bridge. 

Does anybody think this will work? It'd be a real pain to re-string but it seems to be the best option, if i can't find a B5 bridge plate.


----------



## rollingdam (May 11, 2006)

do a search on the Gear Page-I saw one guy selling the bridge and plate alone.


----------



## elbandito (Oct 14, 2009)

did a pretty thorough search and found nothing... if it was there, it's gone now.


----------



## Jimmypaz (Sep 15, 2009)

I've seen toploader bridges used with Bigsbys on Teles. You may have to modify the bridge plate slightly to allow the string movment. Good luck with it and let us know how it works, I've been kinda thinking about getting an Affinity Tele to make into a Esquire with Bigsby myself, would be interested to know. I reckon it would make a rockabilly guitar, of course the Bigsby would cost more than the guitar,,,,,


----------



## elbandito (Oct 14, 2009)

Jimmypaz said:


> I've seen toploader bridges used with Bigsbys on Teles. You may have to modify the bridge plate slightly to allow the string movment. Good luck with it and let us know how it works, I've been kinda thinking about getting an Affinity Tele to make into a Esquire with Bigsby myself, would be interested to know. I reckon it would make a rockabilly guitar, of course the Bigsby would cost more than the guitar,,,,,


That's exactly my plan, as a matter of fact. I was lucky, as I got both the guitar and the bigsby for pretty cheap, though as you can see, the Bigsby is missing parts. When you say "modify the bridge plate", do you mean notching the backside of it? Cuz that only seems possible with the three-saddle style ashtray bridges. I've got the stock, modern 6 saddle bridge that come on the Affinity.


----------



## Jimmypaz (Sep 15, 2009)

Well, I was thinking that you might have to open out the string holes on the back of the toploader bridge so the strings don't hang up when you use the Bigsby, may not be an issue, I'd give it a try and see. If the string holes interfere it would be easy enough to drill them out a little larger, they wouldn't need to anchor the string ends anymore. 6 saddle bridge should work alright for this IMHO. Has anyone here actually done this? I am seriuosly thinking about doing one of these for myself. I've always hankered sfter a Bigsby Esquire.


----------



## mrmatt1972 (Apr 3, 2008)

Quick search forund this:

http://www.elderly.com/accessories/items/VIBV5.htm

and this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bN2MLRbIC5M

and this:

http://www.xs4all.nl/~msengers/htm/gallery.htm

I think this one is like your idea;

http://www.xs4all.nl/~msengers/gallery/fabesquire51.htm


----------



## Jimmypaz (Sep 15, 2009)

Yep. thats what I had in mind alright, except in black , white pickguard, lightly reliced . Should be able to make GOOD rockabilly noises with that puppy!


----------



## elbandito (Oct 14, 2009)

I've been drooling over the guitars of the Project Telecaster page for a while... that's what pushed me into this project.

The thing is, in that installation video, he uses the bigsby replacement bridgeplate and on that last pic, it's a three saddle ashtray bridge. I've been looking around for a while and the closest I could find is this: 









...but it's not the stratocaster-style saddles, like the Affinity Tele has.

This is a good idea too, but I haven't got the proper tools to get it done:









Another thought is to just abandon the bridgeplate altogether and just stick in a TOM bridge, but I'd be really worried about not placing it in the right place. *sigh*

So I think I'll just go ahead and try it with the stock stuff... I'll keep you all abreast of the outcome with pics and a description. 9kkhhd


----------



## elbandito (Oct 14, 2009)

I don't know why those pics aren't working but here are the actual links:

Pic 1: http://www.xs4all.nl/~msengers/gallery/brando2.htm
Pic 2:http://www.xs4all.nl/~msengers/gallery/gene2.htm

And I just found this, which would have been amazingly helpful, if the person who owns it had actually strung up the bigsby. *rolls eyes*

http://www.xs4all.nl/~msengers/gallery/naturalfstyle.htm


----------



## Odry (Nov 5, 2009)

Ive always felt and have personal experience that roller bridges are tone-kilers, so id hafta thow my vote in the direction of the Mustang or Jazzmaster bridge. My Tele Custom was originally built for a factory-fitted Bigsby, but unfortunately it was long-gone before I bought it. Actually it took years back then to work out why there were no holes through the body for the strings, hehe.

There is a kit available from Bigsby called the B5 kit, for Teles, and you can even get it with the Fender F at the back of the horseshoe base. It has all the parts, bridge included.


----------



## bcmatt (Aug 25, 2007)

http://www.tubesandmore.com/scripts...H_TREE01=24_PICKUPS&SEARCH_TREE02=01_GJBIGSBY


----------



## elbandito (Oct 14, 2009)

So I went ahead and mounted the B5 to my tele, using the 6 saddle bridge that came with it. Everything works but it remains to be seen whether or not I'll have a problem with string breakage.

As the strings pass thru the holes of the bridgeplate (it's a top-loader), they touch the top. This worries me slightly. Other than that, it works perfectly and she stays in tune nicely, even after some semi-aggressive vibrato usage. 

The thing that surprised me is the marked tone change now that the tailpiece is attached. I knew it would affect the tone but it made a *significant* difference. The tone is now much darker than it originally was and the floppy "rubber band" feeling is gone from the strings. Also, the sustain seems like it's increased slightly. I really didn't like the super-twang of the guitar before but the B5 really took it down a notch and now it sounds a lot more pleasing, to my ears. I would definitely recommend putting one of these on your affinity tele, if you'd like to reduce the toy-like feeling of the guitar.

For the record, I replaced the stock bridge pup with one that is supposedly from and '88 american tele... to be honest, I didn't hear a huge difference between the two but I left it in cuz I didn't feel like swapping again. I plan to buy either a GuitarFetish lipstick pup for teles or (maybe) an SD Little '59. 

I'm charging the batteries on my camera and I'll get pics up in the next post.


----------



## elbandito (Oct 14, 2009)

And here's a crappy pedalboard I made cuz I was finished with the Bugsby and needed something to do with my hands.


----------



## bcmatt (Aug 25, 2007)

elbandito said:


> Hey, that is fascinating! I've been wrestling with this same issue for my John5 tele that I've been desperate forever to put a Bigsby on. I didn't want to give up the humbucker in the bridge though, because this is the only humbucker in either of my electrics and I have a burstbucker pro in there right now and love it.
> Anyways, it looks like I have the same saddle types as you:NOPE
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## bcmatt (Aug 25, 2007)

I'm coming to the conclusion again that I am screwed. There is no way for me to put a bigsby on this guitar unless I completely manufacture a new bridge-plate that does not currently exist. It would need to cover all the other ugly screw holes. but then the mounting holes for the roller-bridge mounters would be right touching the 2 outer screw holes that mount the current bridgeplate. Everything would be a mess, no matter what. I think I should just move on to a new guitar if I MUST have a Bigsby. It keeps coming back to that.


----------



## elbandito (Oct 14, 2009)

You do have a couple of options, BCMatt. 

1) You could drill three new holes in between the six that are already there, mount three tele-style compensated saddles and then cut the back of the bridgeplate to allow the strings to go across the top, over the saddles... the typical way that most ppl do when they have an ashtray bridge.

2) You can, in fact, mount your rollerbridge in place of your current saddles and keep your current bridgeplate. Check this out:










It'd be a little more work, but probably worth it, I think.


----------



## elbandito (Oct 14, 2009)

You would probably have to shim the neck as well, since the roller bridge would be sitting on top of the bridge plate. I'd try the first option, if I were you. A new six-saddle bridge can be found for between $10 - $30, so if you mess the first one up, it's really not a big deal. Plus, using this method, you won't have to cut into your guitar (except for the bigsby screw holes).


----------

