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Hi everybody! I just bought a (modified) MIJ Epiphone Broadway Elitist. It has 2 Lollar p90s (reason why I bought it!) and a bigsby. I will not use that Bigsby for sure but Ilike the way that guitar looks with it! The original frequensator was included with the sale but I I’m not sure if I want to install it.
The guitar needs a full setup but its sounds already good with 13-56...do you think that Bigsby is a « tone sucker »? Will the sound improve with a traditional tailpiece?
thanks!
Éric
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03-22-2020 05:40 PM
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If you remove it you might find some body scratches where it contacted the body. I don't think its a tone sucker if it is used as an electric but as far as acousticaly it will deaden the top some and cut down on the resonance of the body.
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well the good news is that its a bigsby B6 so no holes in top!!..so you can trade out...but bigsbys can be pretty stable as they keep the angle from tailpiece to bridge better than most tailpieces..which can lift and bend under tension
i'd give it a go as is
the epi elitists were super nice..and lollar p-90's icing on the cake
congrats & enjoy
cheers
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If you do - and it’s your guitar so why not - you could get a cool wood tailpiece which would cover any issues of the missing Bigsby
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Not a fan of Bigsbys, myself, but it does look cool, might come in handy once in a while, and damping the top a bit won't hurt plugged in. Frequensators I like, but the rods must be kept taut and preferably discretely damped to minimize over-ring. A least, that's my experience with my EER. Big fan of Broadways. A colleague had one and we duo'ed quite a bit to good effect. Congratulations, and play it in good health!
Last edited by citizenk74; 03-26-2020 at 07:00 PM. Reason: space
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I can only speak to my experience when I put Bigsby via the vibramate system on my Les Paul Deluxe which has a Kinman P90 in the bridge and a Lollar mini-hum in the neck. Forget the weight increase as I knew that going in but in my case the guitar lost a good bit of its natural sustain and was noticeably brighter i.e. less mid range. I ended up taking it off as I wasn't pleased with the tonal difference and I have other guitars with vibrato bars. Now if you are looking for the "traditional" jazz tone e.g. Kenny Burrell, etc you in my opinion will do better to take it off. If you want something more versatile and have an amp with good EQ controls then I say leave it in place.
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That guitar looks badASS!
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I own one of these and it might be the best sounding jazz hollowbody I’ve ever owned, and I’ve had 175s, 125s, 335s, L-5s, Aria Pro, Ibanez, etc.
Reverend Guitars - Pete Anderson PA-1
Right now it’s strung with 12-48 Monel roundwound strings, but I also frequently use flatwounds on it. I notice no issues related to the Bigsby - maybe having the strings fastened to a big piece of metal screwed into the body is a plus, not a minus.
That being said, use your ears - if the guitar sounds good to YOU, it is good.
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Yes! But I just dislike Bigsbys and other trems, period, so I am prejudiced.
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The Bigsby is a serious tailpiece. Congratulations on the NGD! I own one Epi, an Emperor. The history of Epiphone and Gibson is really interesting. After Gibson 'acquired' Epiphone, and during the transition, which took a few years, Epiphone burned through it's best wood, so many of their guitars just after the deal are amazing.
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I'm not a Bigsby fan, and with no experience owning one I don't have an informed opinion. It's a beaut and whatever you decide to do with it play the hell out of it.
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I'd play it for six months or so until you decide whether you will keep it long term.
Also, I suggest you experiment with the subtle use of the Bigsby. There is a reason that it has been around for about 70 years. Most guitarists grossly over use it.
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I picked up an Epi Johnny A. I played it for a dew months then replaced the Bigsby with a fixed tailpiece. Tone was the same. I switched back. It is cool for that subtle aching chord bend at the end of a phrase.
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If you’re not bigsby fan at least try it without. Comparing apples and elephants but I removed the Bigsby from my MIC casino and immediately noticed an improvement and not a slight one at that
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I don't doubt that there could be a change in tone, and there certainly is less weight, by removing the Bigsby. The break angle change depends on which Bigsby you have and what you change it to. That's probably the main difference.
I have archtops with two bridges to swap between, TOM vs. ebony. Which sounds better? Neither. But they are different. I have a couple of Les Pauls with wraparound bridges, which contrast sharply from the usual from the usual. Yet I'd be hard pressed to tell them apart from those with separate bridges and tailpieces based on sound. The point is that this can be complicated and at times surprising. Maybe focusing on the 5% tone difference is a trip down a rabbit hole.
What I have learned over the decades is very little yet very important. First, Robben Ford was right when he recommended playing a guitar for six months before deciding to get rid of it. I wish I knew that lesson in the beginning. Second, the "best" guitars look played because they have been- a lot.
I recently saw the Rolling Stones documentary on their Latin American tour in 2016. It's amazing. I noted that Ronnie's and Keith's guitars are well worn, not quite where Willie Nelson's Trigger is. Keith played a few guitars, including his famous Gibson ES-355. He's used that for decades and considers it his expensive guitar. It has a Bigsby but I've never heard him use it.
These guys sound good. They look completely comfortable with their gear. That's a beautiful thing.
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[QUOTE=Marty Grass;1018638]
"......What I have learned over the decades is very little yet very important. First, Robben Ford was right when he recommended playing a guitar for six months before deciding to get rid of it. I wish I knew that lesson in the beginning. Second, the "best" guitars look played because they have been- a lot."
Marty, yours are words of wisdom brother.
I love old guitars
The guitar that gets played has a personality
that speaks about it's journey
and is a vessel upon which is carried,
music yet to be realized.
There is a resonance with the past that it reflects,
and I can only dream about each time I pick it up.
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The question here isn't the bigsby. of course it stays. the ladies love it.
The real question is what happened to the original knobs? If they are still there and you don't want them, I'd be happy to take them.
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I look at bigsby's on archtops and always think it'll break the top if you use it.
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The downward force is offset by relaxing the strings. The upward force on the handle pulls tension off the top.
Originally Posted by arielcee
Nonetheless I cringe, too. But then I use pretty heavy strings on archtops with Bigsbys, and that also makes me cringe.
Bigsbys were designed for heavy strings BTW. That's what were mostly used in the 1950s. I got a lighter spring for 10's. This makes a difference in allowing more subtle pitch changes.
Bigsby tremolo replacement soft touch spring
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Thanks all for you for your replies!
will wait to see if I keep the bigsby but I really love those Lollar p90s! Wow!!!!
Sorry Feet, the original knobs, were not in the sale!
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Remove, burn, bury.
Itll be an awesome guitar once you get that shit off of it
I've often thought about getting a cheaper Broadway and sticking P-90's in it...this is that, 10x better.
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I could not even take a nap or go for a night of sleep without first removing that crazy mess. Then a get a real tailpiece and you have glory.
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Geesh, the strong feelings against it seem a little over the top. It's not like it's a dead cat hanging off it or the quintessential display or essence of bad taste.
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Interesting tuners on there. Are they white?
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Yes they’re white! The seller changed the pegs on those Grover!
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