Bigsby B7 Installation

35012 · Post by **35012** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 4:25 pm

Is it possible to install a pressure bar equipped Bigsby (i.e. b7) on a guitar without drilling holes in the top, or would I be better off with a b3 (no pressure bar)?

dignan · Post by **dignan** » Thu Mar 16, 2006 3:29 am

Hi! First post here, but I've been active on the Gretsch & Fender forums for a few years.

What type of guitar are we talking about? I don't think a B7 would work without drilling into the top. Otherwise, the string tension would lift it off the body - If there's enough string angle behind the bridge, you might as well use a B3.

That said, I've put B3s on guitars that "shouldn't" have worked - Les Pauls, Epi Casinos, etc... I'm not a very heavy picker, so strings jumping out of their saddles wasn't a huge problem. Although, the lesser tension does change the tone somewhat.

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Thu Mar 16, 2006 5:17 am

Hey, Dignan. I see you've joined both RIC Forums now. Welcome!

Your posts on gretschpages.com, I've been reading with great interest and some entertainment, fo a year now. (I'm cardesnr99 there).)

I believe you and I have had this discussion before in print, and you are correct.

dignan · Post by **dignan** » Thu Mar 16, 2006 8:01 am

Hey, good to see (er, read?) you!

I didn't know this site existed until a few days ago. Since I bought RAO's 340 last week, I don't feel like such a poseur anymore. ;^)

35012 · Post by **35012** » Thu Mar 16, 2006 10:15 am

The guitar I planned on installing it on was a Korean Casino, but have something against drilling holes in the top of a perfectly fine guitar. What is the difference between a b3 and a b30, anyway? I noticed that the b30 is cheeper.

randyz · Post by **randyz** » Thu Mar 16, 2006 10:41 am

Isaac: I've installed Epi-Bigsbys on a Korean Sorrento and a Korean Casino. I have found variations in the tailpiece screw hole locations. On the older Sorrento, the Bigsby used the same mounting holes as the trapeze. On the newer Casino the holes were slightly different. Either way, you will have to drill two holes in the top. I put down multiple layers of masking tape (to help reinforce the finish) and pre-drill the holes. Then I put a little soap on the screws and carefully tighten them. The tops seem fairly thick near the tailpiece. I like to put some felt washers under the Bigsby to cushion the finish.

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Thu Mar 16, 2006 11:35 am

A B3 is the gennie, American-made article. A B30 is the licensed Korean-made version. They are identical unless you want to get really picky. I have seen individual Koreans better-made than individual Americans, but the Americans win out as a group.

dignan · Post by **dignan** » Thu Mar 16, 2006 12:36 pm

Isaac, that's exactly why I put a B3 on my Casino:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v445/C0mpt0nb/Guitar%20Mod/CasinoBody1.jpg

Not a whole lot of angle behind the bridge, but it worked.

35012 · Post by **35012** » Thu Mar 16, 2006 12:47 pm

Would I need a roller/rocking bridge, or is the stock bridge vibrato safe?

dignan · Post by **dignan** » Thu Mar 16, 2006 3:26 pm

Stock should be fine, so long as the saddles are cut cleanly. I've never had a problem with string binding on a well-cut tune-o-matic. Likewise, I've yet to find a roller bridge that noticeably improves friction & tuning.

As someone on the Gretsch pages said, they're like "a solution in search of a problem." Worse still, they can buzz & rattle if the rollers are loose. The Schaller roll-o-matic and vintage Gretsch Space-Control bridges are notorious for this (though modern ones are much better).

Same goes for rocking bridges - ironically, I've found they go out of tune faster than stationary ones. My Jazzmaster & Jaguar were much more stable once I blocked the bridge; as was my Roundup after installing a stationary bar bridge.

ric330 · Post by **ric330** » Mon Aug 14, 2006 11:54 am

Here's a Bigsby B-7 tension bar type on a Casino:

http://www.pbase.com/esquire/image/65169040/original

ric330 · Post by **ric330** » Mon Aug 14, 2006 12:03 pm

And then there's this Casino with a B-7 Bigsby:

http://www.pbase.com/image/65169630

But I really like to see some more pictures of RIC's with Bigsby's - although I not sure that I would do it, but you never know.......

qmoder · Post by **qmoder** » Sat Oct 14, 2006 7:22 am

Brian, I have and EE Duo Jet with a B-7. I just got one of the Tenny's that were blown out by MF. I really like the B-7 on the Duo Jet.
Do you see any problems with putting one on the Tenny? I was thinking of getting one of the Tunomatics that are available on the Setzer model and pinning it.
My thinking is that this should provide a much more stable tuning platform than the orginal setup and allow the usage of lighter guage strings as well.
What do you think?

admin · Post by **admin** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 3:23 pm

Dan: Some people like the action of the B3 better than the B7, as it is smoother without the tension produced by the added tension bar. On the other hand, the tension bar does hold the strings more tightly on the bridge for heavy strummers.

qmoder · Post by **qmoder** » Thu Oct 26, 2006 7:55 am

Elliot said that one of the reasons that he included the B-7 on the Duo Jet was for tuning stability. The Tenny could sure use some of that too.