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Monkeybear · September 26th, 2009, 01:02 AM

Hello,

I am new to guitar and I am going to purchase a Gretsch as soon as I get paid. I originally planned to get a Telecaster but I just fell in love with that Gretsch sound.

I have been playing on a budget acoustic that a friend gave me. I plan on getting whatever they have at the store that I can afford, so likely a new Electromatic unless the store just happens to have a used 6219 or something for a reasonable price.

I have been doing my homework on the different Gretsch guitars and I hear that a real US made Bigsby works better, somehow, than the liscensed ones. Not that I plan on switching them out but I was just wondering how easy it is to do. Is it simply a matter of dropping one in where the other went or do you have to drill new holes?

araT · September 26th, 2009, 01:19 AM

Hey Monkeybear! Welcome to GT

Nice taste there on the 6129! Love those silver jets! keep your eyes on a mash - there are a few there that are quite reasonable!

http://cgi.ebay.com/Gretsch-Silver-J...:B:SRCH:US:101

http://cgi.ebay.com/GRETSCH-G6129-SI...:B:SRCH:US:101

for example

Meanwhile, I'll sling you an invite to the jet group so you can drool over ours

araT · September 26th, 2009, 01:23 AM

Oh and I should add, yes you can replace the bigsby on an electromatic with a licensed one easily, there are corresponding models in both lines

Sarah93003 · September 26th, 2009, 02:08 AM

Welcom to the forum and good luck finding your Gretsch!

Bear · September 26th, 2009, 02:43 AM

[quote=Monkeybear;90970]Hello,
I have been doing my homework on the different Gretsch guitars and I hear that a real US made Bigsby works better, somehow, than the liscensed ones. QUOTE]

Welcome Monkeybear from just plain old Bear. The information you have on the licensed Bigsby being inferior to the US made one is a bunch of hooey that was probably started be someone who believes that just because it is made in the US, it must be better.

Don't you find it funny that that perception only applies to guitars? We don't see Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Kia Hyundai, Subaru, Mazda, etc., filing for bankruptcy and asking the government for a handout to keep the doors open.

A licensed Bigsby is an excellent unit and it is cast and finished with closer tolerances and better polishing on the metal and a lot more consistancy of fit and quality control than the US made units. The real difference in the US vs. the licensed models is the spring. US models come with a 1" spring and licensed come with a stiffer 7/8" spring since most of the entry level buyers prefer and use a lighter gauge string. If you use .011s or heavier strings, a simple purchase of a $7.00 1" spring will make your licensed Bigsby perform on an equal level with the US model.

I'm going to take some heat for this posting by some of the members here who feel differently but in my 50 years of playing, I feel confident in my statement.

Good luck with your new Gretsch; you'll love it.

Crooner · September 26th, 2009, 02:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by araT

Hey Monkeybear! Welcome to GT

Nice taste there on the 6129! Love those silver jets! keep your eyes on a mash - there are a few there that are quite reasonable!

http://cgi.ebay.com/Gretsch-Silver-J...:B:SRCH:US:101

http://cgi.ebay.com/GRETSCH-G6129-SI...:B:SRCH:US:101

for example

Meanwhile, I'll sling you an invite to the jet group so you can drool over ours

That first one is awesome! Has the potential to be an insane deal. The second one already sold! Fast! Heres's another:

http://cgi.ebay.com/GRETSCH-G6129T-S...#ht_1276wt_941

gigatron · September 26th, 2009, 05:47 AM

One thing I learned in all those years tramping through the north woods of Canada: never argue with a bear.

coolbus18 · September 26th, 2009, 06:54 AM

Bear, you are so right. I like the analogy.I have a 5120 and by jove the thing is just superb.The only thing that has been changed on mine is the jack. The only other thing I'll change are the p'ups.GFS has some buckers that sound neato to my ears.
So welcome and enjoy and dig what you have before changing it.

Synchro · September 26th, 2009, 08:56 AM

What Bear said. Licesnsed does not mean inferior. Frankly, IMHO, some of the non-licensed Bigsbys I've seen have struck me as wanting in the quality control area . . . and I own four of them at the moment. I would at least wait until you see how the bigsby on your new Electro looks and feels before making any plans. If you aren't satisfied with it, then by all means go for it and swap it out. It requires a screwdriver and a little caution. Drink the screwdriver, then carefully remove the strings. After that, remove the screws the hold the Bigsby in place with ont of them thingies that remove screws. In most cases a #2 Phillips thingie will do the trick. Reverse the process and treat yourself to another screwdriver when you are finished. Don't drive until the screwdrivers have fully metabolized.

Renegade · September 26th, 2009, 10:12 AM

Monkeybear,
Bear and Synchro are on the mark here...I own both and there is absolutely nothing wrong with the Bigsby Licensed tremolo. A common upgrade is to switch out to a 1" spring or put a penny under the original to give the arm more travel, but I have not even done that on my G5120 and the Bigsby works just fine.
Good luck on your purchase and be sure to post pictures when you get one and one more thing...Welcome to the Family.

Monkeybear · September 26th, 2009, 12:02 PM

Oh, I have no plans on shelling out $100+ to change out the tremolo. I was just curious if it could be done. I read here and there about certain Gretsch models having a "real" Bigsby and it just popped into my head "I wonder if a "real" Bigsby is similar enough that you could just drop one in the same place?"

tartanphantom · September 26th, 2009, 02:27 PM

You can easily swap them, but the mounting screw patterns are different between the USA and the import Bigsbys, so you may have to drill new holes.

Monkeybear · September 26th, 2009, 03:39 PM

Could you just use the old mounting plate?

tartanphantom · September 26th, 2009, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Monkeybear

Could you just use the old mounting plate?

On non-tension bar models (B3, B6) you may have to drill the hinge rivet out of the hinge plate, swap it, and then put a new hinge pin in.

On tension bar models (B5, B7) the top-mount screws are in different positions than the import versions (B50, B70, B700), and there is no getting around that.

B-Moo · September 26th, 2009, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Synchro

What Bear said. Licesnsed does not mean inferior. Frankly, IMHO, some of the non-licensed Bigsbys I've seen have struck me as wanting in the quality control area . . . and I own four of them at the moment. I would at least wait until you see how the bigsby on your new Electro looks and feels before making any plans. If you aren't satisfied with it, then by all means go for it and swap it out. It requires a screwdriver and a little caution. Drink the screwdriver, then carefully remove the strings. After that, remove the screws the hold the Bigsby in place with ont of them thingies that remove screws. In most cases a #2 Phillips thingie will do the trick. Reverse the process and treat yourself to another screwdriver when you are finished. Don't drive until the screwdrivers have fully metabolized.

If I might hijack this thread... I'm going to be replacing a bigsby on the Tenn Rose I've bought from Jukebox, so I'm interested in this business.

Synchro, not really being much of a toolman - what do you mean "drink the screwdriver" or "metabolized"?