I accidentally untightened the nut under the bar and the whole world fell out , tried to put it together bit kept getting pieces left over 🙃 so this video is well and timely received by me ,thanks man.
You can definitely teach an old dog new tricks. This video was incredible, thank you!!!! So many great tips. I can’t believe how helpful this is for a Bigsby Owner.
An update! I got the same roller bridge installed, did the switch out and thanks to your video it was a very simple and needed update! Did the inspection of all moving parts and all. Installed on my 2016 Gold Dust Gretsch with ease and I now have a Bigsby that stays in tune! manny thanks for your video!
Great video!! I'm gonna get a roller bridge for mine. Something I've discovered when restringing these is after I run the string under the tremolo and over the bridge, I'll put a capo to help hold keep the ball coming loose. Once I get the string pulled through the post, I'll remove the capo and wind it. Works great!!
Phenomenal tutorial, the best that I've found, and I've been hesitating to install a Bigsby on my Tele, but after watching this video, I think I'll do it.
Great job and thank you for your time👍👍, also i bought a BP-5707 Vibramate Spoiler string retainer, FOR ALL PEOPLE WHO HATE RE STRINGING A BIGSBY, i had never heard of it before i checked comments on another Bigsby video, so i am passing on the top tip 👍
After a year of frustration with my 2023 Gretsch G5232T Double Jet, I finally discovered the easiest (and cost free) way to fix the detuning problems associated with the Bigsby B5 vibrato. It dawned on me that my 1965 Gretsch Country Gentleman's Bigsby lack the roller bar to pass the strings under on their way to the tailpiece string retention pins. I simply strung the Jet with the strings going straight from the saddles to the pins without passing them under the front roller bar. That roller is just a cheap hollow tube which puts undue upward force on the whole Bigsby unit - this is why so many comments include loosening the or tightening the Bigsby mounting screws. There's enough break angle from the saddles directly to the pins without stringing under the bar.
Good video! I have a G2604T semi-hollowbody, and it has 72mm pole spacing as opposed to the usual 73.5mm, so I had to modify my TonePros metric roller bridge to get it to fit. A little grinding with a Wen rotary tool did the trick. I'm still have some tuning stability issues with the Bigsby, but hopefully I'll get it sorted out. It is better with the roller bridge. I saw a guy here on YT use Chapstick for nut lubrication. Seems like another inexpensive solution for nut lubrication. Cheers!
THANK YOU I've been gifted an epiphone wildkat with a Bickby and in ruff shape. A project guitar for sure and I (a novice) will take on the task. Keep it coming
I don’t have a Bigsby which has that roller bar like yours but I do restring mine in the same way. You’re right about the knot not being needed on the tuner, if anything, I’ve found that knots make it worse! Little tip I’ve found when I’ve removed all strings ( to clean fretboard etc ) is actually to string the guitar from the inside out. ( I do the D and G, A and B then the two E’s ). I have found it’s easier that way if you have big hands ( like me ).
Really well put together video. Great stuff! Just acquired a Bigsby for my Tele and your video has made me question the string path that the strings will have to go through. (the existing bridge plate is a top loader and I’ll be very lucky if the strings don’t snag on the opening). It’s gonna to require some imaginative thinking to find a solution. Thanks again!
Glad you found it useful! Some people do that on purpose, it's kind of like the "top wrap" on Les Paul's, it puts less pressure on the bridge and in some cases helps with tuning stability but depending on the geometry of your guitar may be impossible to do or cause a lot of other issues. Not worth the trouble IMHO
With string bind on the saddles & edge of the saddle piece with a B5/B50/B500, lowering the string action by lowering the saddles eliminates that binding or any friction by reducing the string break angle. A Vibramate spacer under the Bigsby reduces the string break angle as well by raising the Bigsby Vibrato itself. The issue is a matter of the design of the roller/retention bar of the Bigsby itself. On some Bigsby models that bar isn't even designed into those Vibratos. I put a Bigsby on an Epiphone LP Special I P90, I fabricated my own version of the Vibramate and eliminated a lot of the string break angle in that process. The results were that the strings no longer rubbed the back edge of the 1 piece wrapover & intonated tail/saddle piece. The strings were able to glide more freely thru the saddle slots and lower friction, destroy the strings themselves prematurely. I have lower action, the guitar intonates better & stays in tune. Granted that isn't roller saddles, but it saves the effort & cost of chasing a replacement roller saddle piece. And you aren't out anything more than the time to set up the guitar for lower rock & roll string action height. The covers on the P90's and there is no artifacts or weird noises from the pickups, they can be raised & lowered to perference as the action height is improved.
Thanks for sharing your experiences! That's another posible solution, anything that reduces friction on the saddles and avoid the strings rubbing against the back of the bridge should work. Roller bridges are usually a drop in replacement and the easiest solution
Great Vid. One thing i noticed is with the new bridge before installing the strings it is very sloppy. what i do is wrap teflon plumbers tape around the treads and then install. It makes the bridge nice and snug so once you put the strings on and activate the bigsby the bridge won't roll.
It seems to me that if you change the bridge for a roller type, you’ve got to retune the guitar as the geometry has changed. Adjusting the bridge rollers horizontally to produce true octaves and harmonics…..I’ve got several Gretsches all of then need roller type bridges…..why Gretsch doesn’t install roller bridges on all their bigsby equipped guitars is beyond me.
great video. im having trouble finding parts. have a guild bigsby.i need a 9" tremolo standard flat to make easier on reach and id like a roller bridge (same as in video.) is there a link somewhere ?
Hola, Pablo. Muy bueno el vídeo. Una pregunta: Sabes si el puente que recomiendas de amazon sirve para la Gretsch G5232T? Esta guitarra tiene el mismo modelo Bigsby. Muchas gracias de antemano! Un saludo desde Tenerife (España).
This is a really good and useful video. I use a Vibramate for the string loading. It has been a good solution when changing strings and avoid the pain of bending the strings each a time. I always ask myself why they sell the guitar with the tuneomatic bridge if they know it doesn't work. Many years of frustration going out of tune. I don't see that a Bigsby is a good design. Mechanically, is not an efficient solution in my experience. Anyhow, I really appreciate your videos, full of useful tips! Thanks!
Thanks, glad you like the video! Never tried one of those Vibramate things but they look interesting. Tuning stability is the same with it installed? Maybe I'm wrong but seems to add another potential point of string movement/friction
@@InspiringTracks I have an SG '71 that I bought and came with the Bigsby. Then after a long time, because I didn't want to modify it, I finally put a roller bridge. And one day I saw that Vibramate and decide to install it as really changing the string was a pain in the butt. So far I think it works very well and is not a permanent modification. A friend has a Gretsch and uses that and so far has worked pretty good. I think is a good thing, and changing strings is a breeze. I have been applying oil like you show in your videos and really appreciate that tip. Works great.
Thanks! If you talk about the bridge being slightly closer to the neck on the trebble side yes, that's normal. This helps with intonation and makes all the six strings being in tune across all the fretboard
The Bigsby works by break angles and not like a regular tremolo. The strings all move at the exact same tension and the Bigsby is fixed to its movements it does not use sting tension for any action so your Bigsby always returns to position. But the roller bar takes the majority of the tension and puts it at the roller bars angle then the strings are sloped upward to the bridge where tension is displaced at the bridge. So when you dump the bar the string slacken at the two points in between the bar that the strings attach to and the roller bar then from the roller bar to the bridge. But since there are those two points of tension the force stays on the bridge and roller bar and the slack goes to the length of the strings between the point where the strings are attached and in between the roller bar then from the roller bar to the bridge then the strings going from the bridge to the full length of the strings over the feet board. So your string don’t truly travel through the slots of the nut and bridge they simply slacken at there points without tension while the points with tension stay in place. If you look at your Bigsby while you dump the bar you’ll see very little movement only a release of tension between points of tension. By making the strings go down then up and to the bridge the tension points have a massive amount of tension and that tension allows those points to remain fixed and the slack goes to the points where the strings have no tension and the angles allow for the strings to remain in position and because the bridge remains fixed it retains the same tension and does not apply any to the strings and when you dump the bar the strings slacken but the tension remains at the break angles and the slack goes to the points without tension and because there’s no pull back on the bridge and it remains the same tension the slack is transferred to the stings which causes them to simply lose tension and become slack because the tension is the least and the break angles hold in position allowing the strings to keep fixed at those points.
@@davewilliams2405 sorry I used the word tension to many times which probably threw you off then you most likely had doubt in my words. All I was saying in a nutshell is that the tension is produced at the break angle where the bar is. Then the downward tension of the strings remains at the break point. So your strings slacken but not really move because the tension is held at the break angle. You must know what a break angle is also. I am sorry I tend to get over descriptive sometimes and go on about one sms thing to much and it can boggle them mind especially with the long spans I go without a period. I may have been sleepy when I wrote it to I have an iron deficiency and I tend to write on FB and YT while half asleep so it may be a bit messed up. Thank you for simply stating the error and not making me feel like a idiot or deliberately ridiculing me that was decent of you. Some people can be really rude about making a blunder and I have always been called stupid and I was bullied a lot and the other children made sport of me a lot cause I was a easy target so I am really sensitive about being belittled and I feel really down on myself and can take it to heart and feel bad. So thank you for not degrading me!! Cheers!!
Thanks, glad you liked the video! The bridge is a generic made in china one (basically just like the original). It came in a plain no-name bag and found it at my local music store. At least until now I'm quite surprised by how well made it is, flawless finish, no play, everything fits perfect and works great. I'll search someting similar online and post the link in the description.
It's tricky. Basically same as the nut. Really small jeweler files to make the slots as smooth as possible and regular lubrication. Low friction saddles like Graphtech may help too but they can also reduce sustain (and are more expensive than this whole bridge) so its a compromise.
I just bought a Musiclily ABR-1 style roller bridge off Amazon. It was $20 CAD, and it’s excellent in both construction and practical use. Was really easy to swap out with my old one.
My high E string keep slipping out of the bridge saddle since I restrung my guitar…wasn’t doing that before…I’m looking everywhere for a solution to my problem and can’t find it…
Never understood why bigsby didn't do a pass through instead of the pins which makes stringing this very difficult for a lot of people it took fender to reinvent the bigsby so it's more user friendly
It's an old system and at this point I think is part of the charm. The Vibramate thing for fast string change works great in case you dont like the stock pins
@@InspiringTracks I agree with you totally - I have one Gretsch with a "vibramate thing" and one of the modern Gretsch models with a string through Bigbsy. I actually prefer the Vibramate solution to be honest for a number of reasons.
This is EXCELLENT VIDEO BRO! So, I'd like buy the same gretsch but I've question about the Bisby. Is possible take off the bar ? Or isn't possible? Tks
I noticed that the new bridge is all the way down to the body. Will I have room for adjustment so I can keep my action where I like it? Currently at 1.25 millimeters
In my case the action was just perfect but is a good idea to measure the height of the bridge you have installed and compare it with new one. There's also several different models of roller bridges, some have a lower profile than others
why the 6 screws on the bridge are facing left? this way you have to use left hand for intonation adjustment which is awkward (unless you are a leftie) plus you have to twist around pickup and strings. Why not put it facing backward?
Man no matter what I do I can’t seem to get this result. I’ve done everything in this video and the tuning issues seem worse now.. definitely something on my end obviously 😢
Had this Gretsch no Bigsby ? Because if it had one , Gretsch always make them with a non fixed bridge ( floating bridge ) to prevent the issues you show in this clip. Because a floating bridge moves allong with the strings while using the Bigsby . Never fasten such a bridge with double sided tape because in that case it can't move anymore ; pin the bridge ( Look this up on You Tube ) or replace it , like in this clip , with a roller bridge which fits on the wooden foot of the original bridge and than you can fasten it with double tape.
Si la LP es Epiphone seguramente si, tenes que medir la distancia entre los anclajes y el diámetro que tienen, si coinciden podes usarlo sin problema. En una Gibson con seguridad no te va a funcionar porque las medidas son distintas
This is great info, but the amount of flex in the guitar's top behind the bridge (@ about 1:00) made me cringe! I know Gretsch has done things this way for years, but...😯
The guitar is (almost) solidbody, there's no flex at all. Maybe it looks like that because all the guitar moved while I pushed the trem arm and the reflections on the top makes it appears like its bending but it's just an optical illusion
The comment in the video at 1:24 of "even the saddles move with the change in tension" needs correction. The whole bridge is moving, not just the saddles, As can be clearly seen. That is because the guitar is a Gretsch (as evidenced by the pickups which are Filtertrons) and the bridge is a Gretsch Adjustamatic bridge that is designed specifically to work like that. When the bridge moves (not just the saddles) as showing the video it helps eliminate the problems and is not part of the cause of them as the caption in the video wrongly states. I own two Gretsch guitars and that is how they work. Other parts of this video may be helpful but that part is wrong for the guitar shown. Also a roller bridge can suck tone in my experience (even the more expensive ones) and is a last resort rather than a clever fix although if you play with a fair amount of gain you will notice any tone impairment less. An adjustamatic bridge (silly name but great idea) is, in effect, essentially doing a similar job to a roller bridge without impairing tone. Most Gretsch bridges work that way as does a Fender Jazzmaster bridge I believe.
The video is correct. Maybe in more expensive Gretsch models you are right but this bridge is 100% the same generic import one as on Epiphones, not Adjust-o-matic at all - thats its correct name - Indeed the roller bridge I used is marketed for Epis and works great here. Even if that was the case the whole bridge should rock as a single solid unit and not saddle by saddle (watch the video carefully at 1:17, sometimes some saddles moves with the strings, sometimes don't and the string just slide over it, that unpredictable behavior is a recipe for tuning nightmares). Also you didnt mentioned that at the same time mark the strings are rubbing against the back of the bridge, which you should know is a complete no-no and was 100% solved with the new bridge. All the tone sucking thing is a complete myth, the guitar sound just as good as before and stays in tune like a champ, even with heavy trem use.
@@InspiringTracks I have watched that part of the video again and can see the entire bridge assembly moving as of course it should. The discrepancy between the movement of individual saddles is much harder to see but if that is what is happening then yes you had major problems even without strings touching the back of the bridge. Taking another look at the guitar I can see it is not a Japanese or Korean model and that is all I'm familiar with but it is poor for a problem like that to exist on any guitar at any price point. The controversy over roller bridges is a perennial one - I tried one on my early Korean 6120 type and noticed the difference in tone straight away - I even tried an extremely expensive one that some "tone snobs" said was fine. I didn't like it. I took the "cowards way out" when it comes to Gretsch bridges and installed a genuine Grestch bar bridge on an Ebony base. A big hunk of brass, no individual saddles or moving parts, just one piece of metal that moves back and forth as intended with nothing to go wrong. Not everybody likes them but for functionality they're great. Much more solid sound and the intonation is fine. You don't have that option, of course, you couldn't fit it on yours - different beast entirely. So, yes, different bridges sound different but I suppose that doesn't necessarily make one "better" than the other. To my ears rollers suck tone because they tend to affect tone in a way that I don't personally like but to what degree that difference is audible depends to a great extent on the amount of gain used. I sweet talked my wonderful wife into letting me buy a Gretsch G6129T Red Sparkle. Similarish to yours in design in that it has a lower neck angle than a normal Jet, the same type of bridge as yours and a tension bar Bigsby like yours but everything is very high quality. It worked straight out of the case and stays in tune really well. But at that price it damn well should! The most expensive guitar I have ever bought and, according to my wife, my last purchase (we'll see).
The strings are previously detuned, to avoid sudden tension changes and more important, to protect your eyes from a string flying after cutting it under tension. The neck is perfectly fine without the strings if that is your concern. Every tech in the world takes all the strings at once to do any work in the neck/bridge/pickups area
1:20 I means this is not dangerous to have a metal strings who will scrach and move against metal pice witch can worn the strings and maybe break them into your face ????
Inspiring tracks....In order to make a clip about ''How to Setup Your Bigsby Vibrato Like a Pro''...you must first own a '' Bigsby Vibrato''....Your Vibrato is not a Bigsby and is not made by Bigsby...It is in fact a cheap Licenced copy made in Asia by a company who pays a licencing fee to Bigsby for the use of the Bigsby name and design...They do not use quality bearings and bushings to reduce costs and it is quite easy to spot the cheap white plastic bushings and the word Licensed is right on the casting....A real Bigsby does not have plastic bushings or the word licensed on it and cost twice as much as they do not use cheap parts...
I don’t like This Bigsby ! Those strings up under the bar it don’t work at all because you pushing into the strings it’s hard to get good vibration like when the string runs over the bar.
No need for the bar, the Duesenberg I have on my Gretsch comes without, but it requires a good rollerbridge, there should be no slip and the string groves should fit for each individual string, so at least Schaller or even better ABM. Got a guitar recently with a Bigsby clone and a cheap roller bridge, bending is horrible with that bridge when the strings run over the bar, so needs to be replaced with better.
@InspiringTracks Really? Maybe I'm doing it wrong, but the placement of the pins toward the body make it next to impossible without the pliers like you show. Thanks again for the video
@@InspiringTracks I’ve been down that road years ago. That’s my opinion after hundreds of dollars of trial and error. Compton bridge is the best for what you’re going for. Check it out if you want to set up your Bigsby like a Pro
I don't like the fact that you can't adjust intonation at all with them, that doesn't mean they are garbage but if you need to tweak an individual string you are out of luck. Roller bridges are superior. Of course that's also just my opinion
Very confused why you're mailiyng a video of words. Wouldn't it make more sense to talk and explain things? Send like this could have just been an article in a forum. "Mills" don't understand how video works. And anything you show is distracted by a page of words over the screen. Not much common sense in that generation. And zoomers are even more stupid.
Replicating the curved shape of the string that comes off the Bigsby is unnecessary. Just grasp the two flat sides of the ball end with long nose pliers and roll the pliers so that the string starts to wrap around the pliers. You just need to curve or bend the string. You don't need to actually match the shape of the string that you just removed from the guitar.
Thank you so much for every close up and macro shot. I have this guitar and I've never appreciated the Bigsby bridge in such detail.
Glad you liked it and thanks for appreciating the camera work!
What a terrific video. Every Gretsch-Bigsby owner could benefit for this. Thanks so much, my Bigsby runs nice!
Wow thanks! Glad you liked it!!!
I accidentally untightened the nut under the bar and the whole world fell out , tried to put it together bit kept getting pieces left over 🙃 so this video is well and timely received by me ,thanks man.
Glad it was helpful!
Dude that's amazing 😂 did you ever get it working, and what guitar is it on.😅
I did the same except that apparently the one I bought doesn’t have the correct “stock” pieces in there so it’s a total mystery now lol
You can definitely teach an old dog new tricks. This video was incredible, thank you!!!! So many great tips. I can’t believe how helpful this is for a Bigsby Owner.
Great video. No talking just showing how to do stuff. I looked all over for a video showing Bigsby spring replacement and your is the only one I found
Thanks! Glad you liked the format. I made this video precisely because there isn't much info about Bigbies out there
An update! I got the same roller bridge installed, did the switch out and thanks to your video it was a very simple and needed update! Did the inspection of all moving parts and all. Installed on my 2016 Gold Dust Gretsch with ease and I now have a Bigsby that stays in tune! manny thanks for your video!
Great video!! I'm gonna get a roller bridge for mine. Something I've discovered when restringing these is after I run the string under the tremolo and over the bridge, I'll put a capo to help hold keep the ball coming loose. Once I get the string pulled through the post, I'll remove the capo and wind it. Works great!!
Wow. MInd blown. This is how it's done. Zero verbal banter in the way. Precise and concise. Video and Audio presentation flawless.
Thanks! Glad you liked the format!
Phenomenal tutorial, the best that I've found, and I've been hesitating to install a Bigsby on my Tele, but after watching this video, I think I'll do it.
Great job and thank you for your time👍👍, also i bought a BP-5707 Vibramate Spoiler string retainer, FOR ALL PEOPLE WHO HATE RE STRINGING A BIGSBY, i had never heard of it before i checked comments on another Bigsby video, so i am passing on the top tip 👍
Great video. I just ordered an SG with the B 5 and realized I didn't know how to re-string and maintain. Thanks man.
After a year of frustration with my 2023 Gretsch G5232T Double Jet, I finally discovered the easiest (and cost free) way to fix the detuning problems associated with the Bigsby B5 vibrato. It dawned on me that my 1965 Gretsch Country Gentleman's Bigsby lack the roller bar to pass the strings under on their way to the tailpiece string retention pins. I simply strung the Jet with the strings going straight from the saddles to the pins without passing them under the front roller bar. That roller is just a cheap hollow tube which puts undue upward force on the whole Bigsby unit - this is why so many comments include loosening the or tightening the Bigsby mounting screws. There's enough break angle from the saddles directly to the pins without stringing under the bar.
This is EXCELLENT! Very detailed, useful and informative. Thank you!
Glad you liked it!!!
Thanks for this video. Now I can install it to my Gibson LP with lots of knowledge that I did not have before.
Good video! I have a G2604T semi-hollowbody, and it has 72mm pole spacing as opposed to the usual 73.5mm, so I had to modify my TonePros metric roller bridge to get it to fit. A little grinding with a Wen rotary tool did the trick. I'm still have some tuning stability issues with the Bigsby, but hopefully I'll get it sorted out. It is better with the roller bridge. I saw a guy here on YT use Chapstick for nut lubrication. Seems like another inexpensive solution for nut lubrication. Cheers!
The dives you were doing at the end is what caused my arm to come loose and then pop off, which brought me to this video lmao
The best and clearest video ever about the subject !!! Thanks a lot ! :)
Glad you liked it!
Fantastic! I also decided to eliminate the padding under the saddle, thinking that it was a sturdier improvement, and it was
THANK YOU
I've been gifted an epiphone wildkat with a Bickby and in ruff shape.
A project guitar for sure and I (a novice) will take on the task.
Keep it coming
I don’t have a Bigsby which has that roller bar like yours but I do restring mine in the same way. You’re right about the knot not being needed on the tuner, if anything, I’ve found that knots make it worse!
Little tip I’ve found when I’ve removed all strings ( to clean fretboard etc ) is actually to string the guitar from the inside out. ( I do the D and G, A and B then the two E’s ). I have found it’s easier that way if you have big hands ( like me ).
Well produced, concise, and detailed! Subscribed!
Thanks!! Glad you liked it!!
Really well put together video. Great stuff! Just acquired a Bigsby for my Tele and your video has made me question the string path that the strings will have to go through. (the existing bridge plate is a top loader and I’ll be very lucky if the strings don’t snag on the opening). It’s gonna to require some imaginative thinking to find a solution. Thanks again!
On my 1950's Gretschy the bridge and anchor bar are completely unparallel to each other !!! 😅 I never looked at that, thank you !
Thanks so much for your awesome tips, dude! I've just got my first Gretsch Jet and this is going to be a life saver!!
Hi, thaks for the spring break in procedure tip, it helped me with some les trem i have
Thank you for the video. I was having a lot of problems because i put the string over the roller instead of under it haha
Glad you found it useful! Some people do that on purpose, it's kind of like the "top wrap" on Les Paul's, it puts less pressure on the bridge and in some cases helps with tuning stability but depending on the geometry of your guitar may be impossible to do or cause a lot of other issues. Not worth the trouble IMHO
With string bind on the saddles & edge of the saddle piece with a B5/B50/B500, lowering the string action by lowering the saddles eliminates that binding or any friction by reducing the string break angle. A Vibramate spacer under the Bigsby reduces the string break angle as well by raising the Bigsby Vibrato itself. The issue is a matter of the design of the roller/retention bar of the Bigsby itself. On some Bigsby models that bar isn't even designed into those Vibratos. I put a Bigsby on an Epiphone LP Special I P90, I fabricated my own version of the Vibramate and eliminated a lot of the string break angle in that process. The results were that the strings no longer rubbed the back edge of the 1 piece wrapover & intonated tail/saddle piece. The strings were able to glide more freely thru the saddle slots and lower friction, destroy the strings themselves prematurely. I have lower action, the guitar intonates better & stays in tune. Granted that isn't roller saddles, but it saves the effort & cost of chasing a replacement roller saddle piece. And you aren't out anything more than the time to set up the guitar for lower rock & roll string action height. The covers on the P90's and there is no artifacts or weird noises from the pickups, they can be raised & lowered to perference as the action height is improved.
Thanks for sharing your experiences! That's another posible solution, anything that reduces friction on the saddles and avoid the strings rubbing against the back of the bridge should work. Roller bridges are usually a drop in replacement and the easiest solution
Great Vid. One thing i noticed is with the new bridge before installing the strings it is very sloppy. what i do is wrap teflon plumbers tape around the treads and then install. It makes the bridge nice and snug so once you put the strings on and activate the bigsby the bridge won't roll.
I've got a couple of Gretsch guitars and I just take the bottom roller completely out with circlip pliers, it works just fine for me, great video.
Fantastic video! I need to do this with a Hollow Body Gretsch and this really helped me! Thank you!
That was an excellent video fella. Many thanks for posting.
Great video. Learned a lot
Glad it was helpful!
Wonderful video - Thank You!
Glad you liked it!!
This has to be the best tutorial for a Bigsby I've ever seen on youtube...Also, the Porn music is epic...lol
Thanks!!
Thanks, really useful, just about to fit one of these to a new build
That's great, hope it helps with your build!
Thanks for this video. Amazing tutorial
It seems to me that if you change the bridge for a roller type, you’ve got to retune the guitar as the geometry has changed. Adjusting the bridge rollers horizontally to produce true octaves and harmonics…..I’ve got several Gretsches all of then need roller type bridges…..why Gretsch doesn’t install roller bridges on all their bigsby equipped guitars is beyond me.
It's called "intonating." Yes you need to do it when changing bridges, or even after changing string guage or adjusting the action.
You’re the man. Thanks for the lesson.
Thanks, glad you liked it!!
Awesome tutorail, thanks!
Thanks, glad you liked it!!
Brilliant tutorial. Thanks!
great video. im having trouble finding parts. have a guild bigsby.i need a 9" tremolo standard flat to make easier on reach and id like a roller bridge (same as in video.) is there a link somewhere ?
Best Bigsby video Thx
Hola, Pablo. Muy bueno el vídeo.
Una pregunta: Sabes si el puente que recomiendas de amazon sirve para la Gretsch G5232T? Esta guitarra tiene el mismo modelo Bigsby.
Muchas gracias de antemano!
Un saludo desde Tenerife (España).
Great video! Thanks mate.
Great video, thanks.
Really helpful, thanks for this :-)
This is a really good and useful video. I use a Vibramate for the string loading. It has been a good solution when changing strings and avoid the pain of bending the strings each a time. I always ask myself why they sell the guitar with the tuneomatic bridge if they know it doesn't work. Many years of frustration going out of tune. I don't see that a Bigsby is a good design. Mechanically, is not an efficient solution in my experience. Anyhow, I really appreciate your videos, full of useful tips! Thanks!
Thanks, glad you like the video! Never tried one of those Vibramate things but they look interesting. Tuning stability is the same with it installed? Maybe I'm wrong but seems to add another potential point of string movement/friction
@@InspiringTracks I have an SG '71 that I bought and came with the Bigsby. Then after a long time, because I didn't want to modify it, I finally put a roller bridge. And one day I saw that Vibramate and decide to install it as really changing the string was a pain in the butt. So far I think it works very well and is not a permanent modification. A friend has a Gretsch and uses that and so far has worked pretty good. I think is a good thing, and changing strings is a breeze. I have been applying oil like you show in your videos and really appreciate that tip. Works great.
@@AntonioCavicchioni u
This is so helpful thank you. Is it normal for my bridge to be slightly slanted?
Thanks! If you talk about the bridge being slightly closer to the neck on the trebble side yes, that's normal. This helps with intonation and makes all the six strings being in tune across all the fretboard
@@InspiringTracks I see thank you.
The Bigsby works by break angles and not like a regular tremolo.
The strings all move at the exact same tension and the Bigsby is fixed to its movements it does not use sting tension for any action so your Bigsby always returns to position.
But the roller bar takes the majority of the tension and puts it at the roller bars angle then the strings are sloped upward to the bridge where tension is displaced at the bridge.
So when you dump the bar the string slacken at the two points in between the bar that the strings attach to and the roller bar then from the roller bar to the bridge.
But since there are those two points of tension the force stays on the bridge and roller bar and the slack goes to the length of the strings between the point where the strings are attached and in between the roller bar then from the roller bar to the bridge then the strings going from the bridge to the full length of the strings over the feet board.
So your string don’t truly travel through the slots of the nut and bridge they simply slacken at there points without tension while the points with tension stay in place.
If you look at your Bigsby while you dump the bar you’ll see very little movement only a release of tension between points of tension.
By making the strings go down then up and to the bridge the tension points have a massive amount of tension and that tension allows those points to remain fixed and the slack goes to the points where the strings have no tension and the angles allow for the strings to remain in position and because the bridge remains fixed it retains the same tension and does not apply any to the strings and when you dump the bar the strings slacken but the tension remains at the break angles and the slack goes to the points without tension and because there’s no pull back on the bridge and it remains the same tension the slack is transferred to the stings which causes them to simply lose tension and become slack because the tension is the least and the break angles hold in position allowing the strings to keep fixed at those points.
man I didn't understand a single word of all that you wrote
@@davewilliams2405 sorry I used the word tension to many times which probably threw you off then you most likely had doubt in my words.
All I was saying in a nutshell is that the tension is produced at the break angle where the bar is.
Then the downward tension of the strings remains at the break point.
So your strings slacken but not really move because the tension is held at the break angle.
You must know what a break angle is also.
I am sorry I tend to get over descriptive sometimes and go on about one sms thing to much and it can boggle them mind especially with the long spans I go without a period.
I may have been sleepy when I wrote it to I have an iron deficiency and I tend to write on FB and YT while half asleep so it may be a bit messed up.
Thank you for simply stating the error and not making me feel like a idiot or deliberately ridiculing me that was decent of you.
Some people can be really rude about making a blunder and I have always been called stupid and I was bullied a lot and the other children made sport of me a lot cause I was a easy target so I am really sensitive about being belittled and I feel really down on myself and can take it to heart and feel bad.
So thank you for not degrading me!!
Cheers!!
Great video I learned lot thanks much
Quick question, can you put a Bigsby b5 in a ES 335 style guitar?
Nice Video !
Thanks!
Good video! I've been looking for a roller bridge like that for my G5230T; which make is that and where did you find it?
Thanks, glad you liked the video! The bridge is a generic made in china one (basically just like the original). It came in a plain no-name bag and found it at my local music store. At least until now I'm quite surprised by how well made it is, flawless finish, no play, everything fits perfect and works great. I'll search someting similar online and post the link in the description.
@@InspiringTracks Thanks!
Say you can’t afford a role bridge how would you set up with the stock. Bridge
It's tricky. Basically same as the nut. Really small jeweler files to make the slots as smooth as possible and regular lubrication. Low friction saddles like Graphtech may help too but they can also reduce sustain (and are more expensive than this whole bridge) so its a compromise.
I just bought a Musiclily ABR-1 style roller bridge off Amazon. It was $20 CAD, and it’s excellent in both construction and practical use. Was really easy to swap out with my old one.
My high E string keep slipping out of the bridge saddle since I restrung my guitar…wasn’t doing that before…I’m looking everywhere for a solution to my problem and can’t find it…
Thank you!
Do they make a roller bridge replacement like that for 50's reissue les pauls?
Never understood why bigsby didn't do a pass through instead of the pins which makes stringing this very difficult for a lot of people it took fender to reinvent the bigsby so it's more user friendly
It's an old system and at this point I think is part of the charm. The Vibramate thing for fast string change works great in case you dont like the stock pins
@@InspiringTracks I agree with you totally - I have one Gretsch with a "vibramate thing" and one of the modern Gretsch models with a string through Bigbsy. I actually prefer the Vibramate solution to be honest for a number of reasons.
Too good & really alot informative video.
Thanks, glad you liked it!
Hi, does the spring Is always loose? Or It has to be atached to the tremolo with a screw? Thanks
The spring is loose, only held in place by the string tension
@@InspiringTracksthanks man, it was very usefull, i mean, your answer
This is EXCELLENT VIDEO BRO! So, I'd like buy the same gretsch but I've question about the Bisby. Is possible take off the bar ? Or isn't possible? Tks
Thanks! Yes, in the B50 model is secured with some standard metal clips.
muy ilustrativo, gracias
I noticed that the new bridge is all the way down to the body. Will I have room for adjustment so I can keep my action where I like it? Currently at 1.25 millimeters
In my case the action was just perfect but is a good idea to measure the height of the bridge you have installed and compare it with new one. There's also several different models of roller bridges, some have a lower profile than others
How do you stop the pin roller from moving when applying pressure?
why the 6 screws on the bridge are facing left? this way you have to use left hand for intonation adjustment which is awkward (unless you are a leftie) plus you have to twist around pickup and strings. Why not put it facing backward?
Probably so the string doesn't rub against them.
How do you keep the arm from coming up
Are the bridge posts meant to fit that loosely, or did Gretsch f. up here?
Its normal. I have a Gibson SG Standard and the posts fit is even more loose
Couldn't you replace the rear tube holding the strings with pins to the string-through tube type?
I believe it's doable but I genuinely like the pins system
@@InspiringTracks Jay Leonard J. pulls his pins out and drills through the tube.
My Bigsby holds tune great.
is it possible to increase the arm's height ? mine feels too close to teh body and uncomfortable
Trembo new yes thank yuo!!!!!!❤❤❤❤❤❤❤!
Hi - Please can you tell us which kind of Roller Bridge do you use ? Thank you and thank you for this Video :-)
Glad you liked the video! The bridge used and some other things are linked in the description of the video
Man no matter what I do I can’t seem to get this result. I’ve done everything in this video and the tuning issues seem worse now.. definitely something on my end obviously 😢
Had this Gretsch no Bigsby ? Because if it had one , Gretsch always make them with a non fixed bridge ( floating bridge ) to prevent the issues you show in this clip. Because a floating bridge moves allong with the strings while using the Bigsby . Never fasten such a bridge with double sided tape because in that case it can't move anymore ; pin the bridge ( Look this up on You Tube ) or replace it , like in this clip , with a roller bridge which fits on the wooden foot of the original bridge and than you can fasten it with double tape.
the cheap roller bridges can be a little problematic though with the rollers getting stuck not rotating as they should
Do some bends on one string. Still in tune? My Bigsby puts it back in tune after a bend so god knows...
found link for roller bridge. anybody have a link for extension trems for bigsby?
Thank you
Glad you liked it!
How do you install one on an sg that don't have existing holes
Hola, compré un puente igual a ese pero pirata (no es original) ¿se lo puedo poner a una LP?
Si la LP es Epiphone seguramente si, tenes que medir la distancia entre los anclajes y el diámetro que tienen, si coinciden podes usarlo sin problema. En una Gibson con seguridad no te va a funcionar porque las medidas son distintas
Use a capo to hold the string when changing. But still, on stage, Bigsby's suck when you break one. Best thing is a string though bar.
so much work into this video, if only he hadn't used such cheesy backing tracks. I for one would have much preferred the sound of the work being done.
J'utilise une gomme comme je coince sous l'extrémité de la corde après l'avoir positionnée, ensuite j'enroule ma corde en utilisant une seule main.
This is great info, but the amount of flex in the guitar's top behind the bridge (@ about 1:00) made me cringe! I know Gretsch has done things this way for years, but...😯
The guitar is (almost) solidbody, there's no flex at all. Maybe it looks like that because all the guitar moved while I pushed the trem arm and the reflections on the top makes it appears like its bending but it's just an optical illusion
The comment in the video at 1:24 of "even the saddles move with the change in tension" needs correction. The whole bridge is moving, not just the saddles, As can be clearly seen. That is because the guitar is a Gretsch (as evidenced by the pickups which are Filtertrons) and the bridge is a Gretsch Adjustamatic bridge that is designed specifically to work like that. When the bridge moves (not just the saddles) as showing the video it helps eliminate the problems and is not part of the cause of them as the caption in the video wrongly states. I own two Gretsch guitars and that is how they work. Other parts of this video may be helpful but that part is wrong for the guitar shown. Also a roller bridge can suck tone in my experience (even the more expensive ones) and is a last resort rather than a clever fix although if you play with a fair amount of gain you will notice any tone impairment less. An adjustamatic bridge (silly name but great idea) is, in effect, essentially doing a similar job to a roller bridge without impairing tone. Most Gretsch bridges work that way as does a Fender Jazzmaster bridge I believe.
The video is correct. Maybe in more expensive Gretsch models you are right but this bridge is 100% the same generic import one as on Epiphones, not Adjust-o-matic at all - thats its correct name - Indeed the roller bridge I used is marketed for Epis and works great here. Even if that was the case the whole bridge should rock as a single solid unit and not saddle by saddle (watch the video carefully at 1:17, sometimes some saddles moves with the strings, sometimes don't and the string just slide over it, that unpredictable behavior is a recipe for tuning nightmares). Also you didnt mentioned that at the same time mark the strings are rubbing against the back of the bridge, which you should know is a complete no-no and was 100% solved with the new bridge. All the tone sucking thing is a complete myth, the guitar sound just as good as before and stays in tune like a champ, even with heavy trem use.
@@InspiringTracks I have watched that part of the video again and can see the entire bridge assembly moving as of course it should. The discrepancy between the movement of individual saddles is much harder to see but if that is what is happening then yes you had major problems even without strings touching the back of the bridge. Taking another look at the guitar I can see it is not a Japanese or Korean model and that is all I'm familiar with but it is poor for a problem like that to exist on any guitar at any price point. The controversy over roller bridges is a perennial one - I tried one on my early Korean 6120 type and noticed the difference in tone straight away - I even tried an extremely expensive one that some "tone snobs" said was fine. I didn't like it. I took the "cowards way out" when it comes to Gretsch bridges and installed a genuine Grestch bar bridge on an Ebony base. A big hunk of brass, no individual saddles or moving parts, just one piece of metal that moves back and forth as intended with nothing to go wrong. Not everybody likes them but for functionality they're great. Much more solid sound and the intonation is fine. You don't have that option, of course, you couldn't fit it on yours - different beast entirely. So, yes, different bridges sound different but I suppose that doesn't necessarily make one "better" than the other. To my ears rollers suck tone because they tend to affect tone in a way that I don't personally like but to what degree that difference is audible depends to a great extent on the amount of gain used. I sweet talked my wonderful wife into letting me buy a Gretsch G6129T Red Sparkle. Similarish to yours in design in that it has a lower neck angle than a normal Jet, the same type of bridge as yours and a tension bar Bigsby like yours but everything is very high quality. It worked straight out of the case and stays in tune really well. But at that price it damn well should! The most expensive guitar I have ever bought and, according to my wife, my last purchase (we'll see).
Will the B5 fit on top of streamliner G5622?
You would be best off with a B70 and towner stop bar replacement. You could also get the duesenberg les trem II as another great choice.
Next time; How to add water to a container and drink it.
lol you are funny
You cut all the strings off at once? Why?
To put new ones, it's faster and easier cutting them
@@InspiringTracks taking all the tension from the strings doesnt effect the neck at all?
The strings are previously detuned, to avoid sudden tension changes and more important, to protect your eyes from a string flying after cutting it under tension. The neck is perfectly fine without the strings if that is your concern. Every tech in the world takes all the strings at once to do any work in the neck/bridge/pickups area
1:20 I means this is not dangerous to have a metal strings who will scrach and move against metal pice witch can worn the strings and maybe break them into your face ????
Sorry, I don't understand. The strings shouldn't rub against the back of the bridge and the video shows how to correct that
@@InspiringTracks sorry i comment at watch ! But why these are the default configuration ! why not all vibrato have these wheel free for the strings ?
Inspiring tracks....In order to make a clip about ''How to Setup Your Bigsby Vibrato Like a Pro''...you must first own a '' Bigsby Vibrato''....Your Vibrato is not a Bigsby and is not made by Bigsby...It is in fact a cheap Licenced copy made in Asia by a company who pays a licencing fee to Bigsby for the use of the Bigsby name and design...They do not use quality bearings and bushings to reduce costs and it is quite easy to spot the cheap white plastic bushings and the word Licensed is right on the casting....A real Bigsby does not have plastic bushings or the word licensed on it and cost twice as much as they do not use cheap parts...
I don’t like This Bigsby ! Those strings up under the bar it don’t work at all because you pushing into the strings it’s hard to get good vibration like when the string runs over the bar.
No need for the bar, the Duesenberg I have on my Gretsch comes without, but it requires a good rollerbridge, there should be no slip and the string groves should fit for each individual string, so at least Schaller or even better ABM.
Got a guitar recently with a Bigsby clone and a cheap roller bridge, bending is horrible with that bridge when the strings run over the bar, so needs to be replaced with better.
I would never put motor oil on my nuts . . . think about it . . .
Right. Better alternatives than a petroleum product.
This is the most inconvenient design ever for restringing. Good video, but Bigsby sucks
Thanks! With some time and practice it doesn't take much more time than other systems. Floyd Rose is another story lol
@InspiringTracks Really? Maybe I'm doing it wrong, but the placement of the pins toward the body make it next to impossible without the pliers like you show. Thanks again for the video
remove the music and talk
No dialog,no watch!
Roller bridges are garbage. You loose intonation and sustain.
Wrong
@@InspiringTracks I’ve been down that road years ago. That’s my opinion after hundreds of dollars of trial and error.
Compton bridge is the best for what you’re going for. Check it out if you want to set up your Bigsby like a Pro
I don't like the fact that you can't adjust intonation at all with them, that doesn't mean they are garbage but if you need to tweak an individual string you are out of luck. Roller bridges are superior. Of course that's also just my opinion
@@rumblcatbruh looks way inferior than a normal tune o matic with graphite saddles
It's quite interesting you say that, I have a Es335 and it still has its normal sustain
Very confused why you're mailiyng a video of words. Wouldn't it make more sense to talk and explain things? Send like this could have just been an article in a forum. "Mills" don't understand how video works. And anything you show is distracted by a page of words over the screen. Not much common sense in that generation. And zoomers are even more stupid.
Most boomer comment ever lol
For me being completely deaf ' I'm glad he did it and also helps if you're completely blind like me' I usually hit the pause button so I can hear it.
Replicating the curved shape of the string that comes off the Bigsby is unnecessary. Just grasp the two flat sides of the ball end with long nose pliers and roll the pliers so that the string starts to wrap around the pliers. You just need to curve or bend the string. You don't need to actually match the shape of the string that you just removed from the guitar.
It makes it easier to understand to people which has some trouble with this string retaining mechanism
Great video! Thanks
Great video. Thanks!