[nickyboy]

Hiya folks?

Been reading up on random gretsch related stuff..

What is a bigsby compensated bridge?

[Drewgrass]

Aluminium compensated for each string.
I have one on my 6121, works great.

[nickyboy]

Ah! Many thanks! :-)

[pilgrim]

Originally Posted by Drewgrass

Aluminium compensated for each string.
I have one on my 6121, works great.

Talkin about a perfect answer!

[Drewgrass]

Originally Posted by Drewgrass

Aluminium compensated for each string.
I have one on my 6121, works great.

Should have pointed out that while the intonation is perfect with the strings I use, (10s and 11s) I don't know if it is as accurate with lighter or heavier string gauges.

[beep.click]

How do you keep them from flopping over? I have one on my 5127, and from time to time, I notice it ends up leaning towards the nut.

[SlinkyString]

had one on my 5120 but swapped it for a Space Control, Much better

[Lizardkinged]

I think they're junk.

I had one on my 5125 and it just wouldn't stay intonated, and the metal was really soft on it/

[Lizardkinged]

Originally Posted by beep.click

How do you keep them from flopping over? I have one on my 5127, and from time to time, I notice it ends up leaning towards the nut.

They're supposed to rock back and fourth, but they're crap.

[GattonFreak]

Originally Posted by Lizardkinged

They're supposed to rock back and fourth, but they're crap.

Everyone has an opinion...just like they have an ******* !!!!!

[fjr_wertheimber]

Originally Posted by Lizardkinged

They're supposed to rock back and fourth, but they're crap.

You know, Lizardking, I think you might need to get more in touch with your feelings, I think you're repressing what you truly think... LOL

[MyBootsOnFire]

I don't understand the hate for em. Mine does what it's supposed to, never had an issue with it. FWIW i use .10-.52's

[Drewgrass]

Originally Posted by MyBootsOnFire

I don't understand the hate for em. Mine does what it's supposed to, never had an issue with it. FWIW i use .10-.52's

No issues with mine.
Intonation is perfect and it rocks when it needs to rock.

Some people seem to feel that the more emotive they are the more credence it gives to their opinion.

[Bob M]

I have one on a Starfire 3 reissue. Had one on an original '65 Starfire 3 as well. Also have a Compton aluminum. Have switched the 2 and find no real difference. Not a knock on the Compton, I just think the Bigsby is a pretty decent bridge. They share some attributes-compensation, stability and simplicity.

[Gretsch-Stang]

I have one on my 512x and also on my RIC 325... No issues either... I like how they look. I find it hard to believe you could ever achieve "perfect" intonation though... I would assume pretty close but perfect would be a lucky chance with any bridge that is either floating or without movable saddles.

[workknot]

Perfect intonation on a fretted string instrument may never happen no matter what the bridge is. The simple act of pressing down a string anywhere along the neck is raising the pitch ever so slightly.
Most acoustic guitars have non adjustable intonating bridges and they seem to not have any more issues than our hollow body electrics.
Pops'

[Lee Erickson]

I never have had a Bigsby bridge but I think the ideas that Paul Bigsby were right on.

The early Bigsby bridge had two features that made some real sense at the time. At the time, I think Paul Bigsby realized that if he didn't solve these problems, his tailpiece didn't have much of a future.

1) When you push down on the Bigsby it shortens the strings. When you do this the string has to slide over the bridge. If you slide over the the mostly wooden bridges at the time, it probably doesn't totally return, causing intonation problem. When the string slides it saws a big groove in the bridge.

2) At the time it was recognized that the best guitars had some compensation for the large gage strings. I don't know if the general knowledge included both the bending and the fretting issues, but the large gage strings made it show up.

So, Paul Bigsby made a bridge that both rocked (to compensate for length and returned) and was compensated for the individual strings.

Over the past 50-60 years these have been applied to various guitars and the post width and rocking mechanism has been mostly left to history.

For those of you that have ended up with a Bigsby bridge, I say congratulations, you have ended up with the only bridge that has covered the problems with using a Bigsby.

There are a couple of cautions:

1) Does it rock, I suspect a couple of of applications omitted this detail.

2) Does it compensate for the string set you have. If you have a wound g-string it should have one of the shortest compensations, if you have a plain g-string it should have one of the longest compensations. Both are available.

I would like to have a Bigsby bridge to at least one my guitars, but there appears to be no source to cover pin width, rocking, compensation etc.

Most acoustic guitars have non adjustable intonating bridges and they seem to not have any more issues than our hollow body electrics.

Sorry Wayne, but my personal high end acoustics, Gibson J50 and Martin D28 have/had serious intonation issues. The Gibson about 0.100 too short on the high end and 0.100 too long on the long end, this one has been repared. The Martin looks about 0.200 too short all around.

Anyway, appropriate Bigsby bridges can be hard to find. If you have one, don't throw it away, if it fits you might have magic.

Lee

[stevo]

Originally Posted by Lee Erickson

I never have had a Bigsby bridge but I think the ideas that Paul Bigsby were right on...

So, Paul Bigsby made a bridge that both rocked (to compensate for length and returned) and was compensated for the individual strings...

I would like to have a Bigsby bridge to at least one my guitars, but there appears to be no source to cover pin width, rocking, compensation etc.

Lee - There are aftermarket bridges that are compensated for individual strings that also rock. Literally and figuratively. I mean - go for the Bigbsby if you're that impressed with it. But there are other very good ones being made now - better than the stock in my opinion. Compton and TruArc come to mind. I'm not aware of any others.

[Lee Erickson]

Thanks Stevo.

I think that the Bigsby bridges have some features that no other solid bridges reproduce. I don't usually rant on forums, but somehow was pushed over the edge yesterday. Maybe because my girlfriend thoughtlessly caused me a lot of trouble. Also, it bothers me when the Bigsby bridge is casually discarded as an option.

I'm not aware of any solid bridges on the market that rock and are compensated for individual strings. Neither the Tru-Arc nor the Compton bridge are compensated for individual strings. The Compton bridge has no possibility for rocking. The Tru-Arc bridge uses the same method for rocking as the current FMIC bar bridge. I've checked this out on my FMIC bar bridge, and don't believe it works very well.

Tim (Tru-Arc) and Wayne (Compton) have made available some nice bridges that solve a bunch of problems. A lot of people are happy with them, and I'm not going to argue with that.

However, the Bigsby bridge solves some problems not addressed by the above.

If you're familiar with some solid bridge that addresses the individual string intonation and the rocking issues, my ears are open.

Lee

[stevo]

Originally Posted by Lee Erickson

Thanks Stevo.

I think that the Bigsby bridges have some features that no other solid bridges reproduce. I don't usually rant on forums, but somehow was pushed over the edge yesterday. Maybe because my girlfriend thoughtlessly caused me a lot of trouble. Also, it bothers me when the Bigsby bridge is casually discarded as an option.

I'm not aware of any solid bridges on the market that rock and are compensated for individual strings. Neither the Tru-Arc nor the Compton bridge are compensated for individual strings. The Compton bridge has no possibility for rocking. The Tru-Arc bridge uses the same method for rocking as the current FMIC bar bridge. I've checked this out on my FMIC bar bridge, and don't believe it works very well.

Tim (Tru-Arc) and Wayne (Compton) have made available some nice bridges that solve a bunch of problems. A lot of people are happy with them, and I'm not going to argue with that.

However, the Bigsby bridge solves some problems not addressed by the above.

If you're familiar with some solid bridge that addresses the individual string intonation and the rocking issues, my ears are open.

Lee

So I realize that the Compton doesn't have the same stairstep compensation as the Bigsby, but do you have one installed on one of your guitars? I think you'd be surprised. The intonation isn't dead on on every string, but it is on all but one and that one is only .5 cents off. How much would you notice that/

While it may not be designed specifically to rock back and forth, it actually does as a result of the drilling. And frankly, the string movement isn't all that much. And return to pitch is fine.