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Fretshack, do you see any reason why a lefty bigsby won't work on a right handed Telly?

Posted on 12/21/23 at 6:15 pm
Posted by auggie
Opelika, Alabama
Member since Aug 2013
30966 posts
Posted on 12/21/23 at 6:15 pm
I would make my own short handle for it, to get it in the position that I want, so I can just use the heel of my palm on it.
I like the idea of the handle hanging from the top and not getting in the way of the controls. The only guitar that I have owned with a Bigsby, that was the thing I didn't like about it. I think the lefty version could solve that with some work.

Is there something that I may not be taking into account, due to lack of experience with a Bigsby?
I'm going to go to Birmingham Saturday and check some lefty guitars with bigsbies and flip them over and see how it works out.
Posted by Ace Midnight
Between sanity and madness
Member since Dec 2006
94813 posts
Posted on 12/22/23 at 8:56 am to
I'M NOT FRETSHACK.



If you're going with a short handle and it works, that's probably the biggest hurdle. Using it with the more typical long handle and it will likely get in the way of strumming.

I don't use a tremolo much, so take that FWIW.
Posted by TheFretShack
Member since Oct 2015
1347 posts
Posted on 12/22/23 at 10:05 am to
There is a ridge on a Bigsby bar's mounting plate/ledge that limits the circular range of motion of the bar. Bigsby bars typically do not spin around 360 degrees - they can either be in the playing position or pointed down towards the controls or pointed towards the butt out of the way. You can't point the bar "up" if that makes sense due to the ledge.

Transpose that to a lefty Bigsby on a righty guitar, and you won't be able to point the bar "down" if the Bigsby you use has that motion-limiting ledge on the mounting plate.

My hunch is that due to the limited and inverted range of wiggle bar motion, no, you will not see the results you are chasing.
Posted by auggie
Opelika, Alabama
Member since Aug 2013
30966 posts
Posted on 12/22/23 at 12:38 pm to
I'M NOT FRETSHACK.
you damn sure aint
I appreciate your reply though, and I agree that the handle is going to be the biggest problem.
This post was edited on 12/22/23 at 1:23 pm
Posted by auggie
Opelika, Alabama
Member since Aug 2013
30966 posts
Posted on 12/22/23 at 1:14 pm to
quote:

Transpose that to a lefty Bigsby on a righty guitar, and you won't be able to point the bar "down" if the Bigsby you use has that motion-limiting ledge on the mounting plate.

My hunch is that due to the limited and inverted range of wiggle bar motion, no, you will not see the results you are chasing.


Thanks for replying and putting thought in on this.
I'm thinking that the bar/ handle only needs to swing towards the center of the strings to operate, but the factory handle won't be comfortable for this.

You know I got this idea, after noticing that SRV had a left handed trem on his Strat..and I aint even a huge SRV fan. I thought that was genius though.

I have the access to machines, to make a custom handle from aluminum and I only want to be able to do subtle stuff on the top strings.
I'll know more after tomorrow.
Posted by auggie
Opelika, Alabama
Member since Aug 2013
30966 posts
Posted on 12/22/23 at 3:39 pm to
quote:

I don't use a tremolo much, so take that FWIW.


I don't either, because most of them don't work with the way I play. If I get a trem setup that's right for me, I will use the hell out of it. Maybe too much
Posted by TheFretShack
Member since Oct 2015
1347 posts
Posted on 12/22/23 at 5:39 pm to
quote:

I have the access to machines, to make a custom handle from aluminum


That's great but the problem isn't the bar, it's the ledge on the platform/shelf on which the lever sits. Which is part of the axle, aka the heart, of the tremolo. You will have to grind the ledge off the shelf to get 360 degrees of bar movement range. Excessive heat could damage the axle's ability to move and/or to operate quietly and without slack/latency.

Nothing else to say on this, other than I wouldn't do it and best of luck to you should you roll the dice.

This is what you are potentially taking a grinder to ...



Posted by auggie
Opelika, Alabama
Member since Aug 2013
30966 posts
Posted on 12/22/23 at 7:06 pm to
quote:

You will have to grind the ledge off the shelf to get 360 degrees of bar movement range.

That's just it Fret, I won't need swinging movement of the handle, as long as it is in the right place.
I just want it to always be there right in the center of the saddles directly over the bridge, so all I have to do is lean back with my palm. I never want to reach and grab it.
I want it to work so subtlety that you barely can hear it happening.

This post was edited on 12/22/23 at 7:22 pm
Posted by Jon A thon
Member since May 2019
2405 posts
Posted on 12/23/23 at 1:58 pm to


Sounds like you basically want one of the g/b bender ergonomics but for all strings. Has to be someone that makes it that way.
Posted by Crow Pie
Neuro ICU - Tulane Med Center
Member since Feb 2010
27181 posts
Posted on 12/23/23 at 2:54 pm to
I dont have a Bigsby but I have a tremolo on a Epiphone SG and it very annoying that the the bar hits the toggle switch. Is there a fix for that?


This post was edited on 12/23/23 at 2:57 pm
Posted by TheFretShack
Member since Oct 2015
1347 posts
Posted on 12/23/23 at 2:55 pm to
Care to share a photo?
Posted by Crow Pie
Neuro ICU - Tulane Med Center
Member since Feb 2010
27181 posts
Posted on 12/23/23 at 2:57 pm to
Similar to the pic I just posted but mine doesnt have the engraving on the plate. The bar would do a 360 if it wasn't for the toggle.

see actual guitar below
This post was edited on 12/23/23 at 3:06 pm
Posted by Crow Pie
Neuro ICU - Tulane Med Center
Member since Feb 2010
27181 posts
Posted on 12/23/23 at 3:05 pm to
Here is the actual guitar showing the bar hitting the toggle.

Posted by auggie
Opelika, Alabama
Member since Aug 2013
30966 posts
Posted on 12/23/23 at 4:11 pm to
Just got from Birmingham I didn't find a single left hand guitar with a Bigsby on it.
Guitar Center didn't have a single left hand electric guitar in stock.
Posted by auggie
Opelika, Alabama
Member since Aug 2013
30966 posts
Posted on 12/23/23 at 4:39 pm to
Kahler makes a flat mount tremolo where you can use the handle in the center. They are very pricey though. More than I want to spend.
Posted by TheFretShack
Member since Oct 2015
1347 posts
Posted on 12/23/23 at 7:14 pm to
Not much you can do really. The bar can be physically bent to not sit that way in the hanging dormant position, but that will just make it in the way of something else when it hangs or when in use.

That bar is held on by a simple screw and nut. You may try using a longer screw with metal washers added to position the bar higher in relation to the vibrola plate. It won't bang against the switch tip plus you'll get a little more vibrato drop range.

Truth be told, the Gibson "vibrola" systems are so lackluster and unstable tuning-wise, most folks take the bar off completely or just point it back out of the way and don't use it.
Posted by Crow Pie
Neuro ICU - Tulane Med Center
Member since Feb 2010
27181 posts
Posted on 12/23/23 at 7:27 pm to
quote:

You may try using a longer screw with metal washers added to position the bar higher in relation to the vibrola plate. It won't bang against the switch tip plus you'll get a little more vibrato drop range.

Truth be told, the Gibson "vibrola" systems are so lackluster and unstable tuning-wise, most folks take the bar off completely or just point it back out of the way and don't use it..
Thanks. Lengthening the screw and adding a spacer may be an option but as you stated later...even when I do use it it not really worth the trouble. I had it off for a long time because I have Strat and PRS that have a better system but I dont really use any of them that much on them either. ( I aint no Jeff Beck)

I was just wondering why they would design it like that to begin with and you answered that cause it lackluster engineering.

Technically all of the tremolo systems I have now are mute now cause Santa has gotten me got me a Telecaster for Christmas and I'm going back to the raw sound of basic bluesy rock!!

Have a Happy Holiday.
This post was edited on 12/23/23 at 7:29 pm
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