Bigsby B5/ Vibramate V5, meet SG...

For guitars of the straight waisted variety (or reverse offset).
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finboy
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Re: Bigsby B5/ Vibramate V5, meet SG...

Post by finboy » Thu Jul 23, 2009 9:12 pm

hmm, $154 on ebay + $20 roller bridge + new pots & knobs = awesome

ugh, i need to find a job for the school year

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skarocker
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Re: Bigsby B5/ Vibramate V5, meet SG...

Post by skarocker » Fri Oct 02, 2015 6:20 am

The idea is good but after fitting it I found the flaw. The V5 causes the bridge studs to move a lot due to the string tension on the Bigsby, raising it up from the guitar body and causing terrible tuning problems. I have now removed it and screwed the Bigsby directly onto the guitar...Problem solved!!

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thanasis
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Re: Bigsby B5/ Vibramate V5, meet SG...

Post by thanasis » Tue Nov 21, 2017 11:28 pm

i love sharin foo wrote:
Wed Jul 08, 2009 7:30 pm
Here's the SG:
Image
and the Bigsby with the Vibramate adapter plate:
Image
The Vibramate adapter is their "SHort-Tail V5 Mounting Kit" that fits SGs with the large guards. In a couple of the photos, you will be able to see where the adapter comes VERY close to touching the guard. The standard model would need to be custom ground to fit.

With the aluminum Gotoh Stop Tail removed:
Image
Image

Vibramate plate installed:
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The slug on the teble side must not have been threaded as far as the bass side. On that side the included mounting bolt bottomed out before tightening the Vibramate plate down all the way. Then it DID NOT want to come back out! It took some ingenuity, a pair of Vise Grips, a jacked up screwdriver, and about 37 swear words, but the son of a bitch DID come out. I took it downstairs and sawed the last 3 or so threads off with a hacksaw and smoothed the end (of the bolt) with a file. Afterward it fit perfect. But it was still a pain in the ass.

Okay, Bigsby ON:
Image
Here you can see the thickness of the adapter plate and also how close it comes to the pickguard:
Image

And with a set of GHS .010 to .060 strings, tuned to C standard:
Image
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Hi I am new here. So I realise that I am very late to this thread.
I am considering doing this to my Gibson SG Standard (Bigsby B5 and Vibramate) but I don't want to buy a new case.
Did you find that the standard Gibson case was able to close easily once the B5 and Vibramate were fitted?

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i love sharin foo
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Re: Bigsby B5/ Vibramate V5, meet SG...

Post by i love sharin foo » Fri Dec 08, 2017 2:07 pm

Yeah. It fits just like it originally did. You just have to swing the arm back toward the tailpiece and then it fits perfectly.
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Logan
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Re: Bigsby B5/ Vibramate V5, meet SG...

Post by Logan » Fri Dec 08, 2017 8:10 pm

Oh man! An SG Classic with a Bigsby! You're not helpful for me getting rid of my want for one of those. I love SGs with Bigsbys. :? :? :?
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I mean, look at mine! I put a Bigsby on mine months ago with a B3 and the Towner kit. It stays in tune and I got behind the bridge sounds of a Jazzmaster too with it. ;D
I'm in Marching Band and play Guitar. That's about it, pretty boring, isn't it?

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Re: Bigsby B5/ Vibramate V5, meet SG...

Post by clef051 » Fri Dec 08, 2017 8:57 pm

Great looking bigsby'd sg's!

I put one on my les paul awhile ago with a vibramate, Im so glad I did I love it. I just added a 1 1/8" spring to mine, and the roller saddle to my bridge. I ordered the wrong bridge but the saddles fit in mine so i just switched them . I had graph tech saddles in before but the bigsby use ate through themImage

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