Gibson type vibrato/trems - how do they feel?

[Rob Stobbs]

Agreed, I was just being honest Hunter. I would have hated you to think that I was implying that everything would be 100% Fine, a miniscule amount of retuning required but again, dependent on many other factors too, such as string age etc.

[hunter]

[GAS]

 :mrgreen: Yes Yes Yes

Let's all go to the Vibramate shop!  :lol:

Would they give us a rebate if we'd order 5 VMs and B5s?

[hunter]

Agreed, I was just being honest Hunter. I would have hated you to think that I was implying that everything would be 100% Fine, a miniscule amount of retuning required but again, dependent on many other factors too, such as string age etc.

That would be no issue as I am very quick in running through all strings once for minor adjustments.

The problem only gets dramatic when you have to run through all six strings 3-4 times and then again after 1-2 minutes like on a floating Floyd.

[WezV]

the main issues with bigsbys is stringing them up - but its not too bad once you get the hang of it.  Pre-wrapping the ball end of string around a pencil really helps!!

[AndyR]

Wow this thread moved on while I was away for five minutes!

Wishbone Ash - yeah I was into the Laurie Wisefield era. I first saw them on the Just Testing tour - I'm on Live Dates II (Living Proof, I think, have to check) and on the live Helpless (I think this has been packaged in the remastered Just Testing?) - I was at Andy Powell's feet at the Colston Hall, absolutely amazing night. I saw them a year later with Trevor Bolder (Number the Brave, I think?) and they were very disappointing. I next saw them years later when they wheeled out Ted Turner for a re-union - that was a bit stunning. Their "modern" stuff at the time didn't really grab me though, so I haven't really looked into anything since then.

GAS has definitely struck on the Bigsby/Vibramate thing though :roll:... I do remember Ratrod's thread about it a while back now, but I wasn't interested at all at the time. I even passed up a Grestch Corvette a while back when I discovered they came with a Bigsby :lol:

But this is all sounding very interesting now...

[Rob Stobbs]

I would agree that "some" of the later material was certainly different. There was a period when I feared that they'd become yet another Boogie Band, but things seem to have calmed down again. Both Ben Grenfeld and Muddy Mannigan have bought something new to the table in recent years and this can only be too the good.

Strange to hear numbers like Engine Overheat etc in the more recent Set Lists, but you have to appeal to everyone of course.

Going back to Vibrolas for a minute. Andy's are set up superbly thanks to Kev Chilcott and he doesn't seem to have too many issues with them now does he? His recent foray into Duesenburgs has been less successful from the stability point of view.

I have recently spent a great deal of time and effort getting my old vintage style Strat trem to work properly. This is the old 6 screw version and I am really thrilled with the results. It took a lot of tweaking, but now.... it is "almost" capable of doing a Floyd!! Not that this is my thing, but I just fancied a Floating Trem for a while and had the old bitsa Strat sitting here.

With the Bigsbys, there is a trick about restringing them as Wez pointed out. That works and so does having an ild wooden Clothes Peg!! :D

[Philly Q]

Now what about bridges to go with the Bigsby? 

I was planning to change the bridge on my LP Special anyway, is it a good idea to go for rollers, or Graph Tech saddles?  I don't plan on getting the type of bridge that rocks back and forth on the posts.

[AndyR]

Now what about bridges to go with the Bigsby? 

I was planning to change the bridge on my LP Special anyway, is it a good idea to go for rollers, or Graph Tech saddles?  I don't plan on getting the type of bridge that rocks back and forth on the posts.

Wot??! I can't just leave the tune-o-matic there? :lol:

Rob - I got the 6 screw strat trem on my current strat going beautifully a year or two ago, it would almost do floyd jobbies and stay in tune as well! But I couldn't cope with the string bending issues so I flattened it again and put 5 springs in :lol:

[hunter]

I really like the Schaller Roller Bridge I put in the LP Special a few years ago. Tone is good and it's smooth an the right hand as well as staying in tune better than the standard T-O-M bridge.

Might be a nice fit for a Bigsby, too ... but then it gets expensive ...

[Rob Stobbs]

I have one mate who swears that a Roller Bridge is the best thing since...... However, I have various other friends whom are more than happy with their standard Nashvilles and ABRs. I guess it is all down to which you find the better on a personal level?

[AndyR]

It's all expensive Hunter :lol:

I've been GAS-less for months, then I accidently buy a Gibson SG, and before I know it I'm getting excited about doing crazy-sh1t to the SG and to an Explorer...

Time for a lie down I think...

Aahh... the voice of reason :lol::

I have one mate who swears that a Roller Bridge is the best thing since...... However, I have various other friends whom are more than happy with their standard Nashvilles and ABRs. I guess it is all down to which you find the better on a personal level?

EDIT: Rob, you do realise some of us hear your every post in a "Terry Thomas" voice don't you? :lol:

[Philly Q]

I really like the Schaller Roller Bridge I put in the LP Special a few years ago. Tone is good and it's smooth an the right hand as well as staying in tune better than the standard T-O-M bridge.

Might be a nice fit for a Bigsby, too ... but then it gets expensive ...

Yeah, with the Vibramate, Bigsby and bridge (I do like the look of the Schaller) it's adding up to about £200..... for, in my case, a £350 Epiphone!  :lol:

(And that's not including the pickups, tuners, pots, knobs, straplocks.... fortunately I already have them so I'll pretend they cost nothing)

[hunter]

I really like the Schaller Roller Bridge I put in the LP Special a few years ago. Tone is good and it's smooth an the right hand as well as staying in tune better than the standard T-O-M bridge.

Might be a nice fit for a Bigsby, too ... but then it gets expensive ...

Yeah, with the Vibramate, Bigsby and bridge (I do like the look of the Schaller) it's adding up to about £200..... for, in my case, a £350 Epiphone!  :lol:

(And that's not including the pickups, tuners, pots, knobs, straplocks.... fortunately I already have them so I'll pretend they cost nothing)

You also already have the Epiphone, so that costs nothing, too. Makes 200GBP for an awesome guitar worth at least 400GBP  :lol:

[Rob Stobbs]

I rather think that the Terry Thomas Voice just might be an improvement.... What Ho Chaps! :D

[Philly Q]

You also already have the Epiphone, so that costs nothing, too. Makes 200GBP for an awesome guitar worth at least 400GBP  :lol:

You are 100% right!  So it's an absolute bargain really.  :D