Going from Guildsby to a harp. What GOOD stuff will I lose ?

JohnW63

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I have been sitting on this harp tail piece I bought from Guild to replace the big hunk O metal on the end of my strings, on my NS X-175, that I don't use. It's just not my style. I am playing more Jazz stuff and no surf stuff, so I figured I should remove it. Then, I just read a bit in another post about how it may be adding to the sustain of my guitar, which I like.

So, aside from not being able to make my strings tend to go out of tune by messing with the Guildsby arm, what other changes might happen, when I put on the harp tail piece. I'm already leery of drilling new holes in the guitar anyway, I would hate to do all that and then end up liking it BETTER before the surgery.
 

GAD

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I would just sell the X175B and an get an X175 if that's what you want.
 

Quantum Strummer

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My approach to unwanted Bigsby action is to remove the arm but otherwise leave the thing intact. Like so:

0C546833-66D4-4F21-8186-B25B96C28031_zpsztgzoxm3.jpg


I suppose I could ditch the spring too, but I usually like the playing feel of a Bigsby-equipped guitar even when I don't wiggle with it…so I leave the spring in place. (This guitar also has a Vibramate Spoiler…makes string changing a snap.)

-Dave-
 

GAD

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I suppose I could ditch the spring too, but I usually like the playing feel of a Bigsby-equipped guitar even when I don't wiggle with it…so I leave the spring in place. (This guitar also has a Vibramate Spoiler…makes string changing a snap.)

So, when you wiggle with your guitar, what's that like? :friendly_wink:
 
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I sorta agree with GAD. Sell it...ESPECIALLY if you got it at a good price! You should come out ahead with enough money to get a X175...and keep your harp tail-piece for another project, or sell that too! You might have fun with making mods, but sometimes it's better to just get the guitar you really want, instead of trying to make a guitar be something it isn't.

I remember back in the day, guys with Gretsch Tennesseans would remove the Bigsby handle and spring because of tuning issues. I never did, I just made my Tenny play in tune! :)
 

MichelP

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I've made the change on my X175B you are considering and haven't regretted it. I made the change for a similar reason to you, that I use the guitar for jazz. If you are happy with the guitar otherwise, that might be a good reason for not simply exchanging it for an X175, unless you can guarantee that this new X175 will be as good as the X175B you already have. The harp tailpiece covers the screws from the Bigsby fitting, so no blemish shows. The only downside would be if I sell the guitar and put the Bigsby back; there will then be one small screw hole showing, but I would hope that some cosmetic treatment would make it barely noticeable.
 

dbirchett

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To respond to your original question, many feel that the mass of the Bigsby gives you more sustain.
 

JohnW63

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^ I was wondering if that were the case.

Well, I found a new, with warranty, NS X-175 Sunburst for the same amount as I paid for my X-175-B model. I guess we'll find out what the difference is.
 

JohnW63

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After a slightly flawed scientific test, ( Basically, I now have a X-175B and a X-175 to A/B with ), because the strings on the 175B are older, and the non Guildsby version are brand spanking new, my ear tells me this.

There is not a lot of difference. Played unplugged in, the non B version sounds a little more acoustic and a touch louder. Perhaps the Guildsby dampens the top some. Plugged in, I think there is a little more highs present with the harp tail piece. The bathroom scale says the Guildsby adds 1.4lbs to the guitar. My ears didn't like the stock strings that come on the guitar. D'Addario EXL 115 Nickle Wound ( 0.11-0.49 ) after a year of playing my other one with D'Addario ECG24s , flatwound ( 0.11-0.50 ). So, I put those on, for the A/B test. I did have to raise the bridge a bit to not get some string buzz. I think the flatwounds were less prone to that as well.

I should really put new strings on the 175-B to be completely fair.
 

GAD

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After a slightly flawed scientific test, ( Basically, I now have a X-175B and a X-175 to A/B with ), because the strings on the 175B are older, and the non Guildsby version are brand spanking new, my ear tells me this.

There is not a lot of difference. Played unplugged in, the non B version sounds a little more acoustic and a touch louder. Perhaps the Guildsby dampens the top some. Plugged in, I think there is a little more highs present with the harp tail piece. The bathroom scale says the Guildsby adds 1.4lbs to the guitar. My ears didn't like the stock strings that come on the guitar. D'Addario EXL 115 Nickle Wound ( 0.11-0.49 ) after a year of playing my other one with D'Addario ECG24s , flatwound ( 0.11-0.50 ). So, I put those on, for the A/B test. I did have to raise the bridge a bit to not get some string buzz. I think the flatwounds were less prone to that as well.

I should really put new strings on the 175-B to be completely fair.

Yeah - gotta A/B with the same stuff. Trust me when I say I know how much of a PITA that can be, but you'll never know for sure until you can make them as similar as possible.
 

JohnW63

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Yeah, I figured so. I bought two sets of the darn strings for just THIS reason. Tomorrow, then. Straight up, no chords barred, knock down drag out, tone fight !
 

GAD

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Yeah, I figured so. I bought two sets of the darn strings for just THIS reason. Tomorrow, then. Straight up, no chords barred, knock down drag out, tone fight !

I look forward to hearing about all the dom79s! Throw in a nice 13 for me. :livid:

Ooh and a nice G[SUP]7(911)[/SUP]
 

marcellis

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I would just sell the X175B and an get an X175 if that's what you want.

Agree wit dat sentiment ek-zak-lee.

I don't like the Guildsby B6 type on my SFIII. I'm forced to have another bridge made - at least partly because of the B6.

I use the B6 now & then. I think even in Jazz - which I play now & then - it can help you emphasize parts of a lead.
But a B7 with its extra tension bar would have been better on my guitar. Until I get a thicker floating bridge, I'm stuck playing
.12's on my SF III. With a harp tailpiece, I think I could string it with .10's. But I wouldn't remove it on the SFIII. I like the
potential of what it can do.
 
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adorshki

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I look forward to hearing about all the dom79s! Throw in a nice 13 for me. :livid:

Ooh and a nice G[SUP]7(911)[/SUP]

Just play the same mistake 3 times in a row and call it jazz.
I'm getting pretty good at that now.
:highly_amused:
 

GAD

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Just play the same mistake 3 times in a row and call it jazz.
I'm getting pretty good at that now.
:highly_amused:


That's right!

Me in the audience: "Clearly that was a mistake. Wait, he did it again! Three times! He must know more about music than I do!"
 
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