the old Bigsby restring trick
- i love sharin foo
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the old Bigsby restring trick
This isn't something new, but I've been doing it for many years. I figured maybe showing a couple photos could help somebody else out down the line.
I take a pair of needle nose pliers and bend a loop at the ball end of the string. Then when you slip it on the peg, it stays put.
In this picture you can see the string just laying there before I started to wind it. They basically snap into place and stay put. No string through bar, none of those Vibramate adapters, no capo, just one quick bend with a pair of pliers is all it takes.
I take a pair of needle nose pliers and bend a loop at the ball end of the string. Then when you slip it on the peg, it stays put.
In this picture you can see the string just laying there before I started to wind it. They basically snap into place and stay put. No string through bar, none of those Vibramate adapters, no capo, just one quick bend with a pair of pliers is all it takes.
This isn’t some kind of metaphor
Goddamn this is real
Goddamn this is real
- Telliot
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Re: the old Bigsby restring trick
Yep! It works great as long as you keep tension on the ball end as you’re working.
The cool thing about fretless is you can hit a note...and then renegotiate.
- i love sharin foo
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Re: the old Bigsby restring trick
I don't even do that ! I just bend it to a smaller diameter than the bar and they snap on and stay put.
This isn’t some kind of metaphor
Goddamn this is real
Goddamn this is real
- HNB
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Re: the old Bigsby restring trick
I make my son hold the ball end in place.
Christopher
Lilith Guitars
Lilith Guitars
- sciuri
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Re: the old Bigsby restring trick
Every guitar tech/setup tip should be done with a sparkle guitar.
- Surfysonic
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Re: the old Bigsby restring trick
Same here. Good topic for folks new to dealing with re-stringing a Bigsby!i love sharin foo wrote: ↑Sun Dec 17, 2023 1:49 pmI don't even do that ! I just bend it to a smaller diameter than the bar and they snap on and stay put.
The doofus formerly known as Snorre...
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- OffYourFace
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Re: the old Bigsby restring trick
NGL, I HATE restringing Bigsbys... I personally would use this: CG
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Re: the old Bigsby restring trick
Try the plier method next time Mike! I promise, it’ll save you time and aggravation. I’d rather restring 12 Bigsbys than 1 Rickenbacker R tailpiece. I hate those bastards!!OffYourFace wrote: ↑Sun Dec 17, 2023 7:50 pmNGL, I HATE restringing Bigsbys... I personally would use this: CG
This isn’t some kind of metaphor
Goddamn this is real
Goddamn this is real
- OffYourFace
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Re: the old Bigsby restring trick
i've done the plier thing for about 20 years (off and on)i love sharin foo wrote: ↑Sun Dec 17, 2023 8:39 pmTry the plier method next time Mike! I promise, it’ll save you time and aggravation. I’d rather restring 12 Bigsbys than 1 Rickenbacker R tailpiece. I hate those bastards!!OffYourFace wrote: ↑Sun Dec 17, 2023 7:50 pmNGL, I HATE restringing Bigsbys... I personally would use this: CG
- bessieboporbach
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Re: the old Bigsby restring trick
I am bewildered that people have trouble stringing up Bigsby-equipped guitars. All you have to do is hook the ball end in place, and put a capo on. Boom, you're done.
- Fiddy
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Re: the old Bigsby restring trick
Works for a Mustang vibrato assembly too.
- lizardville
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- Jonesie
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Re: the old Bigsby restring trick
I even do it without the capo. I do bend the ball end though to make it easier to hang on to the post. The trick is just keeping tension with your right hand when going to the headstock.bessieboporbach wrote: ↑Mon Dec 18, 2023 5:02 amI am bewildered that people have trouble stringing up Bigsby-equipped guitars. All you have to do is hook the ball end in place, and put a capo on. Boom, you're done.
- cestlamort
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Re: the old Bigsby restring trick
Thanks for sharing the tip. I've been bending the ball end for stringing a bigsby probably since the second time I had to change strings (and, oh, the bridge isn't attached either! aaack ---> makes you figure out how to do it). It's always bit baffling that people have trouble figuring it out.
The hardest part of stringing a Ric tailpiece is the crappy manufacturing of the R tailpieces themselves, due to uneven slots etc.
I found that using a bit of thread/dental floss/string/fishing line/whatever threaded through the ball end (and pulled away from headstock) helps keep the string in a poorly manufactured slot until it catches. It also works to be able to reseat the ball end if it comes loose.
The hardest part of stringing a Ric tailpiece is the crappy manufacturing of the R tailpieces themselves, due to uneven slots etc.
I found that using a bit of thread/dental floss/string/fishing line/whatever threaded through the ball end (and pulled away from headstock) helps keep the string in a poorly manufactured slot until it catches. It also works to be able to reseat the ball end if it comes loose.