Bigsby/Vibramate on vintage s100?

[hessodreamy]

I'm digging my 1974 s-100, but I also dig bigsbys, and I wish it had one. And I don't fancy drilling holes in a vintage guitar.

On a Gibson flat-top I had a Bigsby b5 which attached to a vibramate plate (http://www.vibramate.com/vibramate-v5-install.php). The plate screws into the existing tailpiece screw holes and the bigsby screws into the plate. No holes needed!

Obviously, on the s-100 the tailpiece is angled, so the vibramate won't work. I had considered cutting my own vibramate-style thing but I seriously doubt my metalworking skills are up to the precision that would be required for the job.

Any other solutions for getting a vibrato on an s100?

 

[kakerlak]

I don't think there's a good non-invasive retrofit solution. If you really, really want the Bigsby, you might consider selling the S-100 and looking for an S-100 Deluxe (w/ the factory Bigsby). Depending on condition/circumstances, you might be looking at a few hundred out of pocket to go from one to the other. You could also try to hunt down the Guild-branded Bigsby from an S-100 and screw it onto your guitar. I'm not sure exactly where it would line up vs. the two screw holes from the old tailpiece, but, if it hid them, it would at least look factory correct, though it's definitely going to make some screw holes.

Fun fact: the Guild-branded Bigsbys on S-100s are actually cut-down B-7s.

 

[S100]

A Deluxe is tough to come by. Save up some money and have both, I say.

 

[S100]

As luck would have it, our very own 2nevets is selling a Deluxe in the FS/FT section right now. It is a gorgeous example, too

 

[Treem]

There is nothing like the real thing, get ur done.

 

[Los Angeles]

Hessodreamy, the alteration of the vibramate might actually be pretty easy. First, remember that the S-100's stop tail does not use bushings. It uses heavy screws that screw directly into the wood. The stop tail is also thicker than the vibra-mate, so those screws are likely too long to work (plus, they are not completely flush). So the challenge here is to find flat-top countersunk screws that match the thread of the original screws but are also shorter so that no drilling would be needed (that's the whole point of a vibramate, after all).

Once you've found the right screws, all you would need to do is put on the vibramate so that the screw on the treble side is lined up, and then mark where the "farther back" screw hole should be on the bass side.

But here's the thing, unless that hole is "dead center" in that metal, you probably don't want to drill the vibramate. In fact, it would probably be better if it DOESN'T hit the metal dead center.

Instead of drilling a new hole, you can actually "notch" the edge of the metal with a scroll saw or hack saw and clean it up with a 1/4" round metal file. using this method means that you can work slow and careful and you can use the file to put a nice bevel on there so the screw can be nice a flush.

One final note: you'll find that the guitar's ground wire is underneath the diagonal stop tail, so don't forget to either extend that wire or ground it to something that comes into contact with the strings.

Good luck!

 

[kakerlak]

LA, I think the screws would fall in the open space in the middle of the Vibramate.

 

[Los Angeles]

I see what you mean. It's still possible that my "notch" idea would work, but it would require two notches on the inside, not one.

 

[powerwagonjohn]

I think it would pretty easy to make your own adaptor with a plate of aluminum. Transfer the holes from the tail piece and attach to the guitar then line up the Bigsby and mark the Bigsby mounting holes. Cut it down to what ever shape or size you want and clean the edges and buff it up. Make a few extras and sell{at cost} the to friends and family.
Thanks John