Accent vs Bigsby B5, pros and cons?

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Marn99
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Accent vs Bigsby B5, pros and cons?

Post by Marn99 »

So I've decided for my Jetglo 360 (or 370, I haven't decided yet) capri build that I would like to have a vibrato (I guess making it a 365 or 375 build), but I'd like some input into which one would be best for the guitar I am building. A historically correct Kauffman Vibrola is definitely out of the question for me, not only are they hard to find, both originals and reissues, but they're quite frankly not a great design, and one could argue that they were outdated even by 1958. However, I do believe that some later Capri's had the Accent Vibrato, which to my understanding, is much more reliable and functions in a manner similar to the Gibson Maestro Vibrola. However, I am also weighing a third option, and that is a Bigsby B5, which is also a very good choice. Which one do you all think I should go with? Which do you find to be more reliable, and what are their individual pro's and cons?
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collin
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Re: Accent vs Bigsby B5, pros and cons?

Post by collin »

There is a reason for the similarity between the Accent & Gibson Maestro - they were both invented by the same man (Paul Butts). They are covered under the same patent filing and functionally they’re the same concept.

I don’t recommend bolting a Bigsby B5 to any Rickenbacker because of the screw holes but you’re building a copy so it doesn’t really matter. That the best possible vibrato you can use, from a player perspective.

The Accent vibrato looks really nice, I just don’t find it very useful as a vibrato unit. Good for impaling your hand on the sharp arm.... that’s about it.
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jdogric12
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Re: Accent vs Bigsby B5, pros and cons?

Post by jdogric12 »

Bigsby
stringsncords
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Re: Accent vs Bigsby B5, pros and cons?

Post by stringsncords »

Fewer injuries with a Bigsby.
Marn99
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Re: Accent vs Bigsby B5, pros and cons?

Post by Marn99 »

Okay, so yesterday, I got a chance to play a 1967 fireglo 375, and I have to say, I didn't find the accent obtrusive at all. Never hit it or really noticed it that much, so I think I will go for a accent for my Capri build!
Clifton
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Re: Accent vs Bigsby B5, pros and cons?

Post by Clifton »

Marn99 wrote:Okay, so yesterday, I got a chance to play a 1967 fireglo 375, and I have to say, I didn't find the accent obtrusive at all. Never hit it or really noticed it that much, so I think I will go for a accent for my Capri build!
I think the older Ac'cents are much better than the modern ones. I had original 60s Model 1997 in the 80s, and the Ac'cent on it was great. I sold that guitar to a friend, and bought a Model 1997 reissue in 1994 with a new Ac'cent. Boy, did it suck! No matter what I did to it, even buying a new spring section from Winfield Vintage, nothing helped. It was stiff and awkward. So I ended up putting a B5 on that guitar--problem solved! What a great change it made in the guitar!
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girllennon76
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Re: Accent vs Bigsby B5, pros and cons?

Post by girllennon76 »

collin wrote:There is a reason for the similarity between the Accent & Gibson Maestro - they were both invented by the same man (Paul Butts). They are covered under the same patent filing and functionally they’re the same concept.

I don’t recommend bolting a Bigsby B5 to any Rickenbacker because of the screw holes but you’re building a copy so it doesn’t really matter. That the best possible vibrato you can use, from a player perspective.

The Accent vibrato looks really nice, I just don’t find it very useful as a vibrato unit. Good for impaling your hand on the sharp arm.... that’s about it.
That's a myth.I don't know why people think they can "impale" on an Accent. I've been playing 325s and now 320 [with an Accent] since '97. Never hurt myself on it. Unless you're windmilling like Pete Townsend, you can't realistically injure yourself on it. If one does, then they have no business playing guitar.
maxwell
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Re: Accent vs Bigsby B5, pros and cons?

Post by maxwell »

“Impale” is being used in a facetious manner. When I first got mine, I accidentally poked myself too many times; no blood, of course, but annoying enough that I slipped a short section of tubing over that sharp end. A real PITA if there ever was one.
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collin
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Re: Accent vs Bigsby B5, pros and cons?

Post by collin »

maxwell wrote:“Impale” is being used in a facetious manner. When I first got mine, I accidentally poked myself too many times; no blood, of course, but annoying enough that I slipped a short section of tubing over that sharp end. A real PITA if there ever was one.

Yep, exactly. Being facetious... but it’s no surprise that when the Accent was reborn as the Gibson Maesteo, it suddenly had a big plastic safety tip on the end.

While not “impaling” my hand literally, I have painfully poked myself on an Accent many time.
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