Best bridge with a Bigsby?

[kiramdear]

My (sweet)1982 jetglo 320 has a top-mount Bigsby tailpiece which I use regularly but gently. I don't have any tuning or intonation problems with the stock bridge; I figure it just rocks a bit on the four screws when I hit the whammy. But could it be cutting the strings a bit? Would roller saddles be better for my strings, or another kind of bridge? I'm using D'Adario Chrome flats 12-52.
I love my Bigsby, BTW. It never pulls me out of tune

[beatlefreak]

I'd leave the standard bridge on there. Many people who have the roller bridge report problems of buzzing with them. The Rick bridge is designed to rock with vibrato use - It helps for keeping the guitar in tune.

[kiramdear]

Thanks, I was hoping someone would say just that: If it ain't broken, don't fix it. But I'm curious what some other people might be using with their Bigsbys.

[jingle_jangle]

I've used the "dog bone" bridge with a Bigsby on a couple of conversions...it's made of cast aluminum, is height-adjustable only, and is pretty trouble-free, too...it's a simple alternative...

[beatlefreak]

I have one of those too, on my 325V59. Intonation isn't perfect, but it works pretty well.

[paologregorio]

I don't use a Bigsby on my Rics, but on my Gretsch silver Jet and Duo Jet I like the Space controller bridge. On my 6120 DSW I have the original "dog bone", or bow tie, whichever one it came with. I use an Accent on my Rics with the fatory bridge and have no issues.

[red_rob]

The best bridge for bigsby is a gretsch or gibson one because they shouldn't be on bloody Rickenbackers in the first place!

Look sterrible and no one will ever persuade me otherwise.

Ever.

[beatlefreak]

Guess John Lennon and John Fogerty were wrong, huh?

[kiramdear]

The best bridge for bigsby is a gretsch or gibson one because they shouldn't be on bloody Rickenbackers in the first place!

Look sterrible and no one will ever persuade me otherwise.

Ever.

I respect the purist esthetic, but I actually need this guitar to serve me. The bigsby whammy is unique and I love what it does to my hi-gains' sound. Nice set of flatwounds, mmm mmm, doesn't get any better If I want to restore her appearance to sell someday it's not a huge project, and the way it looks meantime doesn't bother me at all; quite the contrary...

[jingle_jangle]

The best bridge for bigsby is a gretsch or gibson one because they shouldn't be on bloody Rickenbackers in the first place!

Look sterrible and no one will ever persuade me otherwise.

Ever.

I appreciate and applaud your steadfastness, Rob. The Bigsby is a terrifically-engineered unit. Its looks are not everyone's cup of tea; we're used to seeing them on Gretsches and Gibsons and even the occasional Tele, but not so much on Ricks, even though there's no real reason why not. You think they're ugly (only on Ricks?), but of course that's an opinion.

I have one (a B5) on my 430 and it looks like it grew there.

[paologregorio]

Rob, how do you feel about the Accent VB?

[grazioso]

bigsby bridge is good but in my experience roller rick/winfield is the best.
http://www.winfieldvintage.com/parts/roller-bridge.html the best would be to get them all and try it.

[red_rob]

Alright guys, I was being a bit facetious there, and I *do* think they work on 325s. But I'm not sure if that's because we're used to seeing Lennon's and Fogerty's or because they do ACTUALLY look good on 325s. However, I've seen a few on 330s and 360s and I think I once said before it was akin to putting a towbar on the back of a Ferrari. I don't know guys, each to his own I guess but I am a bit stubbornly traditional about Rics. If it were up to me they'd all go back to 21 frets and toasters tomorrow.

I love the look of the Accents - although I don't have one on any of my Rickenbackers so I can't opine on functionality.

I guess one of the great things about Rickenbackers is that, although the standard models are superb straight out of the factory, there is a vast scope for individual modifications which seem somewhat more special on rics than they would on other guitars. You know, say, a purpleburst strat would be rather "whatever" whereas Mellibee's 330 is a "stop the press moment". Know what I mean?

(and for clarification: I don't think Bigsbys themselves are ugly. My Gretsch 6120DC looks and plays a treat - love it!)

[kiramdear]

You know, say, a purpleburst strat would be rather "whatever" whereas Mellibee's 330 is a "stop the press moment".

I do know what you mean; I'm rather "whatever" about Strats in general after seeing so many ugly versions but I continue to be (pretty much) taken in a nice custom Rick as well as each new innovation in the Rickenbacker catalog.
Hard to say if I'd like the Bigsby/325 combination if not for JL. Then again I don't know if I'd have even become a rocker without him. I admit to Lennon envy, and Macca envy, too. Don't think I can separate my vision of cool from my love for the fab four.

[DesertDawg]

I've been through this with Gibson bridges. Bigsby himself recognized the need for the strings to return to their original postion every time the bar was used, otherwise the guitar would soon go hopelessly out of tune. His solution was the "rocking" bridge, which works....to a certain extent.

With modern materials Bigsby would have made the bridge totally rigid but employing Teflon saddles. The bridge doesn't move at all, but the strings slide on the slick, but tough, Teflon. It's THE way to go for the modern Bigsby player.