Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Told 'ya...and I paid a luthier(????????????) good American bucks for this....h--- I could have done it that bad...added note...Question is what do I do? I'm not taking it back to him. I'm afraid of what else might happen

Stan: How does the guitar play? Are you happy with the setup in general and the distance between the toasters and the strings? My next step would be to reduce the spring size until it suits. It is unlikely that you will use the Bigsby much in any event with the 325.

This is not a bend the arm issue, either. You need a shorter (not less stiff) spring. I'd estimate about 3/16" less in height unloaded as a starter. BTW, Pyramids will use different tension on the arm; possibly a different spring, too, from Ricks or others.

The guitar is fine as far as action, intonation (needs a little adjusting, tad sharp) and distance between strings and pickups, for that much I am pleased and you're right, Peter, the Bigsby is purely aesthetic. I will tear it down myself and get a much smaller spring.

Some questions. Why is this happening, is it peculier to a 325, or could it happen on a 330? Is the Bigsby the Ric version, or a standard model?

Tony, my Bigsby was ordered from one of their dealers, it's a B5 not a B50. If you go to Bigsby.com, they recommend for a 325, either one. But I could only find two kinds of springs from Bigsby a one inch or 7/8ths.

Stan, your Bigsby set-up looks like mine except in Mapleglo. If I use it during playing it can be a reach but, the guitar set-up on mine is fine. I believe the last time I put strings on mine I put round 13s (Pyramid)on.

it's pretty obvious the problem is those damn knobs he's using!


Stan, i doubt it's the luthier's fault, unless the bolt holding the arm on is not seated correctly. And also check to see there's no washer under the spring; the washers should be on top and the bolt and nuts should fit easily inside the spring. There should be no binding as you rotate the arm.

Thanks Paul, Peter, Murali, Mike ,I will get it rectified. I do partially blame the luthier if I see something wrong with the arm, he surely should have, or at least questioned it and I should have immediately.

It is also worth mentioning that there are tonality differences that take place when the Bigsby is added. I would be grateful if those who have made the B5 modification would comment. The Bigsby allows for more contact with the body of the instrument and the sharper string angle with the bridge may lead to more pressure on the bridge and greater sustain.

And it's a nice burly casting, not a nicely-chromed stamping with a lot of rivet points like a Kaufmann.

Hi

I can't quite tell from your photo, but I think I may of had the same problem:

Last time I changed the strings on my 325 the bigsby arm ended up sitting much higher than it normally does. When I looked closely I realised that the spring was not seated properly... the end of the spring was resting on the nut that holds the arm on, rather than sitting over it.

Just loosen the strings and try moving the spring to see if it can be better positioned.

Otherwise, you'll have to go with changing the springs, removing washers etc as other people have indicated.

Good luck!

Cheers, Ben

Finally got the Bigsby fixed. Removed a link from the spring and it works fine, more flexible and certainly more aligned to the body.

Good things happen when a young man's fancy is focused on the spring.