# Installing a Bigsby on a Les Paul Studio, good or bad idea?



## zurn (Oct 21, 2009)

I've been thinking about installing a Bigsby on my LP Studio, bare in mind I have never installed one before and I have never modded a guitar. I know you problably have to drill new wholes in the body. Some say that it will decrease the resale value of the guitar, I don't really mind that since I'm keeping it. 

So here are my questions:

- Will it function well, stay in tune etc.
- Can I do it myself?
- It a Vibramate adapter a good solution? (http://www.vibramate.com/vibramate-v5-install.html)


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## sivs (Aug 5, 2009)

One of my good friends has a studio with a bigsby. I think it looks cool and can add a cool effect, but the guitar won't stay in tune. I find that generally a lot of studios are hard to keep in tune, but you can't get through a song with this thing without it slipping. It's really annoying actually - my feeling would be that if you want to do a bigsby, make sure you have good machine heads (locking?) a good nut (not plastic) and good saddles - maybe even rolling saddles.


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## torndownunit (May 14, 2006)

I don't know if they still make Les Trems, or if he can find one used, but they are/were a great option as well. I have one on my Reverend, and combined with locking tuners, the guitar never goes out of tune. I prefer the action on them to a Bigsby as well.

I think a good nut, and good tuners are needed anytime a Bigsby is involved though. I don't think the issues mentioned in the previous post are just an LP issue by any means. As sivs said, the guitar needs to be setup to use the Bigsby/Les Trem/whatever other type of trem.

As for if it's a good idea in general, if he gets the functionality he wants then sure. But as for resale, it's not. You won't get any of the value back on the Bigsby selling the guitar. And if you remove it, the value of the guitar takes a beating because of the mod. YOu keep it on, you have to find someone who wants an LP with a Bigsby which is a more limited market. So that may be a factor to him, and it may not.


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## ajcoholic (Feb 5, 2006)

My experience with Bigsby's is this - the ones that have no "hold down bar" stay in tune excellently. Assuming of course a properly cut nut, good tuners and stringing practice, and a decent bridge.

The ones with the bar do not...

The hold down bar seems to add a lot of pressure to the bridge (maybe a roller bridge would help?) due to the pretty severe angle of the strings coming up form underneath the bar and over the saddles.

A LP is no where thick enough to use the Bigs without the bar, so its a hit or miss IMO.

If you want the same sound and feel of a Bigsby, but with AMAZING ability to stay in tune, and also a lot more range up and down, you can try a Stetsbar unit. I know they get a bad rap on the boards due to (1) the cost and (2) some dont like the appearance but I have one on my Ibanez AS80 and it is just a great unit. 

Also, there is NO mods to be done to the guitar. The stop tail posts mount the Stetsbar unit. and the rerason it works so well IMO is the whole bridge moves back and forth (no rocking, but true sliding back and forth) on bearings. The strings dont have to slide over the saddles.

Here is a photo of mine...


















AJC


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## starjag (Jan 30, 2008)

Just to be sure... get a graphtech bridge and a graphtech nut. Get a vibramate attachment so you do not have to drill holes. Get the appropriate Bigsby and try it for yourself.

Forum member snacker just installed a Bigsby on an LP Special using the vibramate attachment. No issues at all even with stock bridge and nut.


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## ajcoholic (Feb 5, 2006)

I know there are lots of Bigsby equipped guitars with the bar and I would assume they all cant be as bad as the two I had. Or no one would use them (mine just would not come back to tune).

Maybe I have to try one again just to see....

AJC


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## snacker (Jun 26, 2008)

starjag said:


> Just to be sure... get a graphtech bridge and a graphtech nut. Get a vibramate attachment so you do not have to drill holes. Get the appropriate Bigsby and try it for yourself.
> 
> Forum member snacker just installed a Bigsby on an LP Special using the vibramate attachment. No issues at all even with stock bridge and nut.



starjag speaks the truth.......the vibramate / bigsby b5 combination on my LP special is great and with the vibramate, if i ever change my mind i can just take it off!




torndownunit said:


> I don't know if they still make Les Trems, or if he can find one used, but they are/were a great option as well. I have one on my Reverend, and combined with locking tuners, the guitar never goes out of tune. I prefer the action on them to a Bigsby as well.


i've also used the les trem and it's also an awesome feeling trem - it's a bit less bulky and still has a very bigsby-esque feel...........if you're looking for one, i have a used one for sale - i'd do $125 shipped and ppl'd


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## zurn (Oct 21, 2009)

Wow awesome feedback guys, I'm still on the fence about installing one. They are not cheap so and i'm not even sure i'll use it that much. I have one on my Fender Mustang but if I slightly touch it, the whole guitar gets out of tune.

Here are my guitars:
http://www.guitarscanada.com/Board/showpost.php?p=249305&postcount=769


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## torndownunit (May 14, 2006)

I'd take the tips mentioned about about locking tuners and a good nut, and apply them to your Mustang which already has the trem. You can likely find some type of locking tuners that would be a drop in replacement if you search around (so you don't have to put screw holes in it).

Another thing that helps with the tuning is adding 'nut sauce' to the nut slots.

A lot of the tuning issues with trem guitars originate at the nut when string binding occurs.


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## Hypno Toad (Aug 1, 2009)

torndownunit said:


> I don't know if they still make Les Trems, or if he can find one used, but they are/were a great option as well.


http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Bridges...tremolos/Les_Trem_Stop-Tailpiece_Tremolo.html

Expensive as f***, though. Then again, so are bigsbys, so this one would hurt your wallet less.


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## Kaillen (Jan 11, 2010)

sivs said:


> One of my good friends has a studio with a bigsby. I think it looks cool and can add a cool effect, but the guitar won't stay in tune. I find that generally a lot of studios are hard to keep in tune, but you can't get through a song with this thing without it slipping. It's really annoying actually - my feeling would be that if you want to do a bigsby, make sure you have good machine heads (locking?) a good nut (not plastic) and good saddles - maybe even rolling saddles.


The guitar will stay in tune so long as you couple the Bigsby with locking machine heads (tuners), a shaller roller bridge and make sure you stretch out your strings for 5 minutes.


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## Kaillen (Jan 11, 2010)

torndownunit said:


> I'd take the tips mentioned about about locking tuners and a good nut, and apply them to your Mustang which already has the trem. You can likely find some type of locking tuners that would be a drop in replacement if you search around (so you don't have to put screw holes in it).
> 
> Another thing that helps with the tuning is adding 'nut sauce' to the nut slots.
> 
> A lot of the tuning issues with trem guitars originate at the nut when string binding occurs.


I have these tuners on my guitar. They are totally different than any tuners I've ever used and they never go out of tune. Tons of color options too.
http://www.sperzel.com/


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## bolero (Oct 11, 2006)

I had a LP studio with a bigsby & it played/stayed in tune fine, unless you were doing hendrix stuff

usually checked the tuning between songs, couple tweaks here & there but nothing major

it's important to have a properly cut nut so the strings slide freely, no need for a roller bridge IMO or locking tuners, but you do need good tuners

obviously it's not going to be as stable as a stoptail


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## Rich Rice (Feb 5, 2008)

Bigsby is a limited use trem, not designed for dive-bombing. More of a smooth shimmering effect. No need for locking tuners, but good quality tuners are a must. Also a properly cut nut- (I insist on bone or similar) softer nuts are tone sucking, friction inducing, keep-your-axe-out-of-tune devices. I have had much better results for much lower cost by using a dab of plain old ChapStik rather than nut sauce. I like the Schaller roller bridges with Bigsby B-5 (or B-50) trem, others have had success with non-roller bridges. I ran a B-5 across a TOM for years, with minimal tuning issues.

The trick with the Bigsby units is to disassemble them (new or used) and polish the shafts everywhere they need to move. Most of the problems can be solved by polishing the thick plating off the shaft ends where it tends to bind against the bearings. Also make sure to lubricate the bearings excessively before installation, and really work the moving parts until they roll free and smooth. It's all about decreasing friction as much as you can, all along the string path. Once everything runs smooth, tuning stability is excellent. If your Bigsby isn't stable, it may or may not be the Bigsby unit. The entire string path has to be working freely in order to get stability. Friction anywhere will kill ya.

One more thing before you screw the unit to the face of your favorite LP.. be sure the string angle clears the back side of the bridge, and don't locate it too far back. If it drags on the back side of the bridge, you have additional (unnecessary) friction. If you mount it too far back, your D and G strings may not be long enough- don't ask me how I know...


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## zurn (Oct 21, 2009)

snacker said:


> starjag speaks the truth.......the vibramate / bigsby b5 combination on my LP special is great and with the vibramate, if i ever change my mind i can just take it off!
> 
> i've also used the les trem and it's also an awesome feeling trem - it's a bit less bulky and still has a very bigsby-esque feel...........if you're looking for one, i have a used one for sale - i'd do $125 shipped and ppl'd


Do you have any pics of both? I'll think about your offer, thanks!


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## zurn (Oct 21, 2009)

Hypno Toad said:


> http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Bridges...tremolos/Les_Trem_Stop-Tailpiece_Tremolo.html
> 
> Expensive as f***, though. Then again, so are bigsbys, so this one would hurt your wallet less.


Looks easy to install, not as good looking as a Bigsby though


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## zurn (Oct 21, 2009)

Kaillen said:


> I have these tuners on my guitar. They are totally different than any tuners I've ever used and they never go out of tune. Tons of color options too.
> http://www.sperzel.com/


Whoa those look awesome but how do you install them, I don't see any screws?


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