What kind of options do i have for bigsbys on my X-170?

[Jeffm]

I have been toying with the idea of adding a bigsby to my X-170 for a few days, and i found someone on the Gretsch pages that made blank bigsby hinges so you can fit any bigsby to your guitar without drilling extra holes.

I really would like to get something like this

Now my question is i've seen them gold plated and gold anodized if i'm saying that correctly, anyone know where and how i can get one for a good price? And what the model would be called that i'm looking for?

And what are these fixed arm gold anodized bigsbys called that Eddie Cochran used?

Thanks alot,
Jeff

 

[Walter Broes]

The very first Bigsby Tremolos in gold were either crudely painted gold, either gold anodized, because Paul Bigsby supposedly had trouble finding someone who could plate aluminum. But that was only for a very short amount of time - so anodized Bigsby vibratos are extremely rare. Gretsch has done some reissues of those for their custom shop American line, but that's about it.

A B6 Bigsby like the one in your top picture would probably fit your guitar, if the guitar has enough neck angle for one - that can be a problem with all Guilds, but with ES170's in particular.

 

[Jeffm]

Hey Walter,

Thanks. Yeah i saw some people on the Gretsch forum had their bigsby's anodized and one of the guys said it was like 30 or 40 bucks.
I've seen gold plated Gold Bigsby's though without the black paint in the middle, what are they called? I Can't seem to be able to find them anywhere specifically.

Ok. And otherwise i would have to get that bigsby they use on the Starfire? But that involves the screws going into your top!
I thought the B6 was the standard model for X-170's and other similar models, if i'm correct the X-170T use the same

Jeff

 

[Default]

Like Walter said, you are looking at a B-6 and some of them have the paint and the goldplated Guildsbys don't. The B-3s have a shorter length(iirc) and might be a choice if you don't want to screw into the top and have a very shallow neck angle.

 

[Jeffm]

Thanks alot guys,

The only one i've been able to find so far is this one:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bigsby-Guitar-V ... 1e6a564a86

I'm not really familiar with pricing on these things so is anyone able to tell me what a good price would be to pay for one like the above?

Thanks again!
Jeff

 

[GAD]

Please don't drill into that beautiful guitar, and if you must, please put the real deal on there. If you live near NJ, I'll let you play my X170T to get it out of your system.

 

[hideglue]

...or you could just try...

...The Guitar Mechanic (scroll down)

 

[guildman63]

I have been toying with the idea of adding a bigsby to my X-170 for a few days

Perhaps rather than adding a Bigsby to your current X-170 you find a nice X-170T which comes standard with a Guildsby. I'm not sure about earlier years, but per the 2001 catalog they came in Tennessee Orange, Antique Burst and Blonde. Then the big decision will be "do I get rid of my blonde X-170 in favor of the T, or do I keep them both?" The answer to that depends on how much "GAS" you have.

 

[Jeffm]

Please don't drill into that beautiful guitar, and if you must, please put the real deal on there. If you live near NJ, I'll let you play my X170T to get it out of your system.

No i will not, like i said, on the Gretsch forum someone is selling blank hinges, so you can match the screwholes exactly to the existing holes, so you can install the bigsby without drilling extra holes or modifying the guitar!

I saw the Guild bigsbys but i kind of like the all gold normal Bigsby's better. Plus those guild bigsbys seem to go for like double the price of a regular one!

 

[Jeffm]

...or you could just try...

...The Guitar Mechanic (scroll down)

Thanks, interesting, but a bit more than i was hoping to spend! Although he has some nice Mini HB1's