Bigsby B5 - bad fitting?

Hi

I've just picked up my Tele, having put it into a local workshop to fit a Bigsby and replace the pickups, and am concerned with the quality of the work.

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Sorry for the multiple queries, but I'd be grateful for any advice on the following:


Are the strings, especially the top E, not being aligned with the pole-pieces on the bridge pickup due to bad positioning of the bridge plate / tailpiece?
Is the bridge on the right way round (the pic on the box for the Bigsby shows it opposite to this)
The bottom of the tailpiece is overhanging the body by a few millimetres. Is this OK?


Many thanks in advance to anyone that can help me.

Sorry for the multiple queries, but I'd be grateful for any advice on the following:


Are the strings, especially the top E, not being aligned with the pole-pieces on the bridge pickup due to bad positioning of the bridge plate / tailpiece?
Is the bridge on the right way round (the pic on the box for the Bigsby shows it opposite to this)
The bottom of the tailpiece is overhanging the body by a few millimetres. Is this OK?


Many thanks in advance to anyone that can help me.

From the look of the saddles in the bridge (far forward) and the gap between the front edge and the pickguard, I'd say that the bridge plate was mounted too far towards the tail. That forced the B5 to move and overhang the edge.

The strings need to be set in the right groove on the saddles - just scoot them over to where they need to rest to align with the neck and pole pieces.

You can mount the bridge either way. It's in that way to a) make it easier to adjust the saddle position and b) be in the right spot for where the plate is. You probably wouldn't be able to dial them that far down with the bridge on the other way.

It's ok for the overhang, but not ideal. See my comments above.

EDIT:
Looks like the B5 wasn't mounted completely straight, either. Not a big deal - still works fine.

A competent tech could fix all this pretty easily. S/he could fill the bridge holes with dowel and re-drill, and the rest of the holes should be hidden under the hardware. The whole business just needs to scoot toward the neck a bit, not a major adjustment.

I was going to say the bigsby isn't straight, at least not with the bridge plate.
It's not bad, I'd just live with it. Might get worse if you take it back in.

I'd say that's about average of what you can expect when you have work done.
That's why I learned to do everything myself. I can mess it up as good as anybody, and don't have to pay for the priveledge.

Thanks pdxjoel & telex76, I did think the Bigsby wasn't mounted completely straight, so it's good that you both noticed it too, but not so good that it's been put on this way :sad:

Will probably just stick with it and move the strings over. Also, this has definitely encouraged me to do any future work myself!

Because that bridge plate is not positioned correctly, it has affected the saddles intonation. I'd be worried about fact that they are snug up against the bridge.

Here is a pic of a proper installation.

http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k182/IlapU2/Music/bigDSCN7039.jpg
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k182/IlapU2/Music/bigDSCN7051.jpg

DW

Upon a closer look, I see that the installer had had to remove the springs from from the EAB&E strings, thus the saddles are not staying in position. You can see the threads of the screws between the screw head and bridge on EB&E.

DW

I agree with the Bridge plate needing to be moved forward toward the neck and as a result the saddles or maxed or near maxed out, and springs re-installed on the saddle adjustment screws.

Whoever did this messed up. As others have said, that bridge plate should be forward and up much closer to the pickguard. Then the saddles can come back and the Bigsby moved forward too. Oh and maybe the Bigsby can be put on straight also.

You need to talk to the person who did this and maybe show some pics of how it's supposed to be done.

TIP: Sometimes when installing a Bigsby the installer uses the strap button screw as the reference point for the centre of the body. That can work OK, but not always. Sometimes the strap button isn't on dead centre. It's best to let your eyes tell you where exactly the Bigsby needs to be installed in order to get everything lining up.

It isn't a very good job! I would certainly have words with the person who did it! It should be possible to get the tailpiece straighter without too much trouble, apart from having more holes drilled, but my concern would be the positioning of the holes for the bridge thimbles, as they are quite large holes, and it doesn't look like they are in the right place here.

And is it possible to intonate the guitar properly?

Looks like maybe someone didn't use the old "red thread through the high and low e nut slots" to line it up trick!

You could probably rig up some kind of modified bridge that would allow the saddles to extend closer to the neck if you were skilled at metal working, but yeah, it would probably be easier (well, mainly it would look better) for someone to pull everything, fill the holes and redo it.

It's easy to screw up; I was totally nervous doing mine and I was just working on a cheapo Affinity! (Luckily I managed to get it in right though, after which I patted myself on the back numerous times.)

If you start having problems with your bridge there are a bunch of threads here on various adjustments and fixes.

Been thinking about it... maybe he couldn't push the bridge plate further towards the neck because the pickup was snug in its route. Where the route is placed may be OK for the original bridge but not the new one. So instead of enlarging the route he just screwed the plate down where the pickup/route determined. (I can't remember whether I had to enlarge the route when I did my install, but it's not a Fender anyway so no really relevant.)

I guess it's an easy mistake to make if you are in a hurry or didn't take time to measure everything up or look at dozens of pics of installed Bigsbys. Not something that is acceptable from a professional tech though.

I would not be happy that the bigsby is on my guitar like that. Take it back get it straight.

I do set-ups, mods and hot-rodding and I wouldn't let this outta the shop. Take it back and request it be done correctly, a reputable tech won't have a problem with correcting something so obviously unsat. A really reputable one will eat the cost.

I do set-ups, mods and hot-rodding and I wouldn't let this outta the shop. Take it back and request it be done correctly, a reputable tech won't have a problem with correcting something so obviously unsat. A really reputable one will eat the cost.

Very true but I don't think a reputable teck would have let that out in the first place. :shock:

Because that bridge plate is not positioned correctly, it has affected the saddles intonation. I'd be worried about fact that they are snug up against the bridge.

Here is a pic of a proper installation.

http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k182/IlapU2/Music/bigDSCN7039.jpg
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k182/IlapU2/Music/bigDSCN7051.jpg

DW

Thanks for these photos, I'll show them to the tech when I return the guitar to him. I don't suppose you (or anyone else) have any close-up photos of the bridge so that he does it properly 2nd time round.

Just another point. Since the saddle is installed "backwards" to allow access to the intonation screws, the saddle pieces are reversed. The ones with the wider string spacings are under the small strings, and the ones with the narrow spacings are under the heavier strings. I repaired one like this a couple of years ago that was worse. The holes for the screws that mount the bigsby will have to be filled. You may have to drill or ream them possibly so you can fit small dowell rods into the holes. Coat the dowells with a really good wood glue (dont get it on the finish). Then let it dry overnight. Now you can realign the bixby and install it. For one reason or another, there was no way to move the pickup plate on the guitar I worked either. I don't know if some body's are shorter or what. It was an American Standard about 10 year old. Anyway, after getting the Bixby realigned and so forth, take it of and carefully file the excess that hangs over. After you get it where it looks OK to you, polish it up, deburr etc and re-mount. Don't forget to reverse your bridge pieces.........good luck. If you do it yourself, follow the directions on how to line up the bigsby using string. Once you get that all straightened out, your strings should go over the pole pieces just fine, and stay in place. Let us know what you do and how it turns out for you. Sounds hard, but just take your time. Or you could go to whoever did this and see if they will fix it. Really sorry install. It should never have left the shop like this. From the looks of it, I would also bet thet the intonation is not right.

After looking a little harder at the pics, I wonder if the "tech" (loose term) moved the saddles forward to try and lower the action. I have installed four of these, and in all cases but one, the neck had to be shimmed or the microhite adjusted. You could leave it on there cocked, but I believe there may be some tuning issues. I cant believe the "tech" (there's that word again) didnt see that the saddles were backwards after he turned the bridge around. He had to take them off to remove the springs??? Weird job. Cross him off your go to list after you get this straightened out....

Hopefully your not going to take your guitar back to this guy to "fix". I wouldn't give this guy a second chance at mine. Get your money back, if you can, and search for someone actually quallified to do the re-install.

http://msengers.home.xs4all.nl/download/TeleBigsbyConversion.pdf

The instructions for a Fender Bigsby install. These might not be a bad idea.:idea::smile:

Notice the special caution warning at the front of the instructions!

I dont know if the pickup plate can be moved forward or not because of the body route. Even if you could, you may not be able to relocate everything and cover all the screws. Plus....the holes that were drilled for the bridge posts are large, and will be very hard to cover and relocate. Not undo-able but more of a job......It's really hard to say without actually having the guitar. That tech needs a nut smack.......

I dont know if the pickup plate can be moved forward or not because of the body route. Even if you could, you may not be able to relocate everything and cover all the screws. Plus....the holes that were drilled for the bridge posts are large, and will be very hard to cover and relocate. Not undo-able but more of a job......It's really hard to say without actually having the guitar. That tech needs a nut smack.......

It could be done. It would not be hard, and would cover the holes.

A. Move bridge 3/16" toward neck. If needed use dremel with rotary grinding wheel to remove no more than 3/16" on the neck side of the pickup cavity so the pickup could move forward and still operate freely. NOTE: this should move the saddles that are up against the edge to be able to move at or near the middle.

B. Fill present holes and drill new ones 3/16" toward neck from present holes.

C. Finally to straighten the tailpiece fill the present hole for the strap peg and move about 1/8" or whatever needed toward the bottom edge of the body (right edge if laying flat and looking at it).

Like I said, it is not hard but will just take more time than the tech probably wanted to devote to it when he did the install. That is unexceptable to me and is what an amature would do if they did not know how to correct it.

The Fender instructions don't include a possible pickup cavity rout. Not that someone hasn't had to do it to make it fit.

Are we dealing with a true Fender Tele body? Or an aftermarket? The hardware "should" fit with the exsisting rout on a true Tele body. I think some measurements need to be taken.

Did the guitar set up as normal with the original bridge? Bridge pieces in a somewhat "normal" position? Maybe the "tech" isn't 100% at fault. Only about 75-80%. Well, maybe 90%.

With the guitar the way it is, I don't see how it could possibly play in tune. What's done is already done. Now it just needs to be corrected whatever it takes. Good luck!:smile:

My apologies, I need to make one correction. I was thinking the tailpiece had a piece that hung over the back and covered the area where the strap peg is located but with a hole for the strap peg.
Now I totally do not understand the mounting of the B5 (being cocked) the way it is.

My apologies, I need to make one correction. I was thinking the tailpiece had a piece that hung over the back and covered the area where the strap peg is located but with a hole for the strap peg.
Now I totally do not understand the mounting of the B5 (being cocked) the way it is.

I know...when I first saw it, I thought it was the strap pin version too. But like I said, I DID have an American standard that couldn't quite get the "tail" inside the the body shape, and had to finally take some material off of the Bisby. The pup plate was tight against the pick guard too, but when installed and so forth, the intonation landed about the middle of the bridge. I find it hard to believe that anyone would do this poor a job, let it out of the shop, and actually charge for it. The first clue should have been that the pup plate was not located correctly and move on from there.

I know...when I first saw it, I thought it was the strap pin version too. But like I said, I DID have an American standard that couldn't quite get the "tail" inside the the body shape, and had to finally take some material off of the Bisby. The pup plate was tight against the pick guard too, but when installed and so forth, the intonation landed about the middle of the bridge. I find it hard to believe that anyone would do this poor a job, let it out of the shop, and actually charge for it. The first clue should have been that the pup plate was not located correctly and move on from there.

After seeing a youtube video on installing a Fender B5 kit (happened to be on a Squier Tele) I saw where the guy had to put some wood in the "tail side" of the pickup cavity to be able to screw a bridge screw in place so while I still believe no present screw holes will show their may have to be accommodations for 1 or more bridge screws that one could only see by actually removing the bridge on that guitar and seeing what it would intel

Moving the bridge is going to be a problem because the holes for the bridge support pins are pretty large to accommodate the aluminum sleeves that the pins fit in. Not an undo-able problem here, but it's gonna be fun.

I'm no expert but it doesn't look right at all.

What did you decide to do???

What did you decide to do???

I'm seeing the 'tech' later today. Have also taken a copy of all of the advice from this thread, thanks everyone :smile:

Will be interesting to hear what he has to say!

Don't mean to be a pest. Well maybe:smile:

But, what ever happened? Tell us please, please and pretty please.

Don't mean to be a pest. Well maybe:smile:

But, what ever happened? Tell us please, please and pretty please.

+1

Typical......

Maybe the luthier snapped and beat the crap out of him and he's been in the hospital since the 26th of April?:shock:

It's obvious that a very unstable person did the install.

You mean we're really not going to find out what happened?:cry: