Guildsby Advice

[Dan Beckley]

Hi all,

Second post here....

I was hoping for some advice regarding a guildsby I have just fitted to my 62 Starfire 2. The job went smoothly enough butwhat I've noticed since fitting it is that the guildsby arm stops quite short of the strings meaning that I can't pick strings whilst holding the trem arm. Not an issue when wobbling at the end of chords but it's just not what I'm used to with bigsbys. Are all guildsby's like this? Are there aftermarket arms that allow more movement towards the strings?

Also, I think I'm going to take it back off and age the chrome using the distilled vinegar trick I've seen on YouTube. Any ideas on removing the black paint from the tail piece?

Any info on these two topics will be be appreciated.

Thanks,

Dan

 

[teleharmonium]

Yes you can get an aftermarket bracket that allows full 360 degree movement. Callaham I think ?

 

[geoguy]

Can a little careful filing of the stop (not the arm) get you a better range of motion?

FYI, it also appears your bridge saddle is mounted backwards.

 

[Default]

Possibly someone put in a taller spring. I would check that at next string change.
I can't offer an opinion on aging a sixty year old guitar.

 

[Default]

Also, that isn't the proper trem, but you know that.

 

[GAD]

Also, that isn't the proper trem, but you know that.

Well it looks like it's screwed into the top now.

 

[Dan Beckley]

Can a little careful filing of the stop (not the arm) get you a better range of motion?

FYI, it also appears your bridge saddle is mounted backwards.

Yes, I was thinking that may be an option. I may give this a try before buying a replacement arm assembly.

Thanks - just spun the saddle around.

 

[Walter Broes]

Yikes....did you really just put the licensed version of the wrong model Bigsby on a 62 Starfire???

 

[Dan Beckley]

Yikes....did you really just put the licensed version of the wrong model Bigsby on a 62 Starfire???

It would seem so

 

[Dan Beckley]

Yikes....did you really just put the licensed version of the wrong model Bigsby on a 62 Starfire???

Is this the wrong bigsby to use on this model as it leaves a break angle that's too steep over the saddle? I haven't noticed any tuning stability issues and it plays well. Should I be concerned about any potential issues that could arise from having fitted the wrong one?

 

[Walter Broes]

Main issue is you just devalued your guitar, that aside a lot of people including myself prefer the B6 type single roller Bigsby for feel action, tuning stability and looks.



The one you have on there will probably work pretty well, but it did put two wood screws in your guitar's top. Structural issues, no, you should be fine. But you did make at least a couple of people on here cry a little bit. Or at least shake their head and sigh.

 

[Walter Broes]

Oh, and that isn't chrome or nickel btw, it's polished aluminum and the arm is stainless. No plating.

 

[Dan Beckley]

Main issue is you just devalued your guitar, that aside a lot of people including myself prefer the B6 type single roller Bigsby for feel action, tuning stability and looks.



The one you have on there will probably work pretty well, but it did put two wood screws in your guitar's top. Structural issues, no, you should be fine. But you did make at least a couple of people on here cry a little bit. Or at least shake their head and sigh.

Thanks for the info - I feel a bit silly. I'm not too bothered about devaluation as I don't want to sell the guitar however I would like to have the best bigsby for the job.

 

[Walter Broes]

It'll work just fine once you get it dialed in to your liking. If you want the arm to move freely, just file off the little stop. It's aluminum, it takes very little effort. Take it off the guitar first so you don't get metal filing inside your pickups - those are the most unobtanium/expensive things on your guitar.

 

[awagner]

That is not the original finish, is it? Very attractive, but if it has already been refinished, the 2 unnecessary screw holes won't make much of a difference on the guitar's value.

 

[jp]

Hi, Dan -

Cool Starfire!
As others mentioned above, you can file off that little nib stop pretty easily.

If you'd rather swap out that piece, this is the mod piece from Callahan mentioned above that will allow the handle to swivel 360 degrees.

Callaham Vintage Guitars and Parts (Callaham 360 Arm Bracket for Bigsby Vibratos)

We also sell most of the parts used on our vintage Strat reproduction guitars. ie. Callaham Tremolo Blocks, Lindy Fralin Pickups, etc.

www.callahamguitars.com

 

[lungimsam]

1. Don’t know if it’s true but I heard that proper alignment of those types of movable wooden based bridges are as thus:
Bottom lower bout of bridge corner aligns with lower bout f hole corner, and vice versa for the other side(see pic attached).
2. They do sell Bigsby arms that could reach almost to the florentine cutaway, iirc.
3. Acetone might work to remove the black paint?
4. Try stringing it over the tension roller (I.e.-don’t use it) for less break angle. They say that also helps it keep tuning better.

 

[Dan Beckley]

That is not the original finish, is it? Very attractive, but if it has already been refinished, the 2 unnecessary screw holes won't make much of a difference on the guitar's value.

Yes I believe it probably is a refinish so I suppose this guitar could be classed as a player - Certainly now I've put two holes in the top 🫤

 

[Dan Beckley]

1. Don’t know if it’s true but I heard that proper alignment of those types of movable wooden based bridges are as thus:
Bottom lower bout of bridge corner aligns with lower bout f hole corner, and vice versa for the other side(see pic attached).
2. They do sell Bigsby arms that could reach almost to the florentine cutaway, iirc.
3. Acetone might work to remove the black paint?
4. Try stringing it over the tension roller (I.e.-don’t use it) for less break angle. They say that also helps it keep tuning better.

Thanks for the advice.
Regarding number 4, this is something I've done by accident before on my Eastman T64, certainly gives a different feel that I quite liked in a way - I may give it a go on the Starfire.

 

[Dan Beckley]

Hi, Dan -

Cool Starfire!
As others mentioned above, you can file off that little nib stop pretty easily.

If you'd rather swap out that piece, this is the mod piece from Callahan mentioned above that will allow the handle to swivel 360 degrees.

Callaham Vintage Guitars and Parts (Callaham 360 Arm Bracket for Bigsby Vibratos)

We also sell most of the parts used on our vintage Strat reproduction guitars. ie. Callaham Tremolo Blocks, Lindy Fralin Pickups, etc.

www.callahamguitars.com

Thanks for link. Think I'll try sanding the nib down as you and others have mentioned.