Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

My only electrc guitar from 95 through 2005 was a Rickenbacker 330. I had never played a guitar with a "whammy bar" at that point. I used to push down on the R tailpiece for that effect and later realized that it's the equivalent of pulling up on a whammy bar. Does anyone use the R as a makeshift bigsby? Does anyone pull up on it a little to get the effect of pushing down on a "bigsby"? I'm considering getting back into a Rick but like to play with a bigsby. I'm not convinced that I would want to install an aftermarket bigsby. Sorry for the dumb question. Thanks -- Matt

Here's a whole thread all about that subject. Personally, I wouldn't hesitate to install a Bigsby B3 on a 330 after reading through the thread.

JimK

pocaloc wrote:Does anyone use the R as a makeshift bigsby? Does anyone pull up on it a little to get the effect of pushing down on a "bigsby"? I'm considering getting back into a Rick but like to play with a bigsby.

You can't achieve the effect of pushing down on a Bigsby using a R tailpiece. When you push down on a vibrato arm, you loosen the tension (and lower the pitch) of the strings. Whether you push or pull on an R tailpiece, you increase tension and raise the pitch.

beatlefreak wrote:

pocaloc wrote:Does anyone use the R as a makeshift bigsby? Does anyone pull up on it a little to get the effect of pushing down on a "bigsby"? I'm considering getting back into a Rick but like to play with a bigsby.

You can't achieve the effect of pushing down on a Bigsby using a R tailpiece. When you push down on a vibrato arm, you loosen the tension (and lower the pitch) of the strings. Whether you push or pull on an R tailpiece, you increase tension and raise the pitch.

Oh..OK. That answers my question. Thanks

Tou could always find a Rick with an Accent vibrato.

beatlefreak wrote:

pocaloc wrote:Does anyone use the R as a makeshift bigsby? Does anyone pull up on it a little to get the effect of pushing down on a "bigsby"? I'm considering getting back into a Rick but like to play with a bigsby.

You can't achieve the effect of pushing down on a Bigsby using a R tailpiece. When you push down on a vibrato arm, you loosen the tension (and lower the pitch) of the strings. Whether you push or pull on an R tailpiece, you increase tension and raise the pitch.

While perhaps not recommended, you can grab the headstock and push forward - lowering the pitch, albeit not a dive-bomb.... Didn't Pete Townshend do this?

Ric-O-Buc wrote:

beatlefreak wrote:

pocaloc wrote:Does anyone use the R as a makeshift bigsby? Does anyone pull up on it a little to get the effect of pushing down on a "bigsby"? I'm considering getting back into a Rick but like to play with a bigsby.

You can't achieve the effect of pushing down on a Bigsby using a R tailpiece. When you push down on a vibrato arm, you loosen the tension (and lower the pitch) of the strings. Whether you push or pull on an R tailpiece, you increase tension and raise the pitch.

While perhaps not recommended, you can grab the headstock and push forward - lowering the pitch, albeit not a dive-bomb.... Didn't Pete Townshend do this?

Yeah, I do remember him making that action in old videos I've seen of him. I'll have to try that on my current guitar.

Call me when you need that neck reset...

Ric-O-Buc wrote:While perhaps not recommended, you can grab the headstock and push forward - lowering the pitch, albeit not a dive-bomb.... Didn't Pete Townshend do this?

No biggie on a recent model, but don't do it on an old one!!!

jingle_jangle wrote:Call me when you need that neck reset...

Rock and Roll ain't supposed to be safe....

My main instrument is drums....so pummeling things is part of my nature.

Actually, I get a pretty good vibrato just shaking the neck back and forth while I'm holding a chord. Everyone's happy and I don't have to bother Paul with neck resets when he's busy doing other nice work...

Ric-O-Buc wrote:While perhaps not recommended, you can grab the headstock and push forward - lowering the pitch, albeit not a dive-bomb.... Didn't Pete Townshend do this?

Works best on first-position chords-which Pete uses a lot of-so I'd bet he did. The approved technique is:

Brace upper bout with forearm and elbow
Grab neck between first and third fret
Push or pull neck to achieve desired pitch
Call Rickenbacker and schedule your neck reset
Donate your now-worthless guitar to the Foundation to Get El Rey Some More Ricks

kennyhowes wrote:

Ric-O-Buc wrote:While perhaps not recommended, you can grab the headstock and push forward - lowering the pitch, albeit not a dive-bomb.... Didn't Pete Townshend do this?

No biggie on a recent model, but don't do it on an old one!!!

ABSOLUTELY +10000

whojamfan wrote:

kennyhowes wrote:

Ric-O-Buc wrote:While perhaps not recommended, you can grab the headstock and push forward - lowering the pitch, albeit not a dive-bomb.... Didn't Pete Townshend do this?

No biggie on a recent model, but don't do it on an old one!!!

ABSOLUTELY +10000

Let the music move you, but proceed with caution.