Bigsby Question

[GAD]

The handle on my new Guildsby tailpiece feels like it has play in it. That is if I pull it up, I can pull the handle without pulling the tailpiece. Same pushing down.

There are two nuts and a spring that attach the handle to the tailpiece. This assembly fits inside the main spring that separates the hinged handle from the plate that sits on the guitar body. Here's a pic of what I'm talking about:

Now the only "Bigsby" I've ever had before was on a $300 Ibanez Artcore that didn't have this as I recall. When I moved the handle, it moved the tailpiece with no play at all. As a result of playing that, I feel like this should be tightened. Am I wrong? Is this the right way? Is this play by design for some reason?

Thanks,

GAD

 

[kakerlak]

Yeah, you can adjust that, if'n you want. The double nut is to keep the adjustment from changing (tighten them against eachother and neither will move) Seems like there's usually a slight bit of play inherent to Bigsbys, othewise they'd be so tight the arm wouldn't swivel easliy. If you're "noticing" the play though, I have to assume it could stand a tightening.

 

[matsickma]

Based on my experiance with Guild Bigsbys most of them have a design flaw that makes it impossible to eliminate this problem by just tightening the nut(s). The problem is that the threaded stud does not have enough threads on it to tighen it down enough to eliminate the "slop" you described. You could add additional bigsby plastic washers on the handle side to to make up the difference. I personally make new washers out of a sheet of rubber material I have to take up the slack. This approach works but the handle doesn't glide when being swivled. The best thing to do is get a flat piece of teflon to make washers but I haven't done that yet.

M

 

[GAD]

Thanks all.

I tightened up the nuts and it's *much* better. The handle won't swivel all the way down now, but it goes far enough to fit in the case without stress, and it's so much better to play.

GAD

 

[Walter Broes]

Just tightening the nuts is going to work for a while, but a problem with Bigsbies is that the little spring in the arm assembly is steel, and the part of the arm assembly it rubs against is aluminum. The spring eats itself into the aluminum after a while, causing less compression from the spring, in turn causing slop again.

What I do to any Bigsby, Guild or other, is put a metal washer in between the spring and the aluminum, and usually I also replace the dual nut assembly by a single nut with one of those plastic inserts that keeps it from loosening.
It eliminates any slop or play from the arm, and the slop won't re-appear because that little spring can't wear into the aluminum any more. Highly recommended!

 

[cc_mac]

Another quick fix is to place a penny in the cup below the washer and put the nylon washer on top.

 

[GAD]

Penny raises the arm, which I might prefer anyway.

Thanks for all the tips!

GAD

 

[billydlight]

I usually tighten to my liking then play it a shit-ton as my sweat drips in there it fuses the whole thing together an it never moves again. 8) 8) 8) 8)

I'm actually sort of serious, it kinda does happen like that