Tom Roller Bridge For Bigsby'd Guitar

[TheCross]

I want to put a Bigsby B50 on my SG and therefore I want to get a roller bridge... Schaller is outof the race because they supply real slow.

So there's ABM left for example the ABM Tunematic, Roller Saddles, Black, 2-1/16" String, Adjustable Post Spacing which would cost me 54$ or something cheaper like this: http://cgi.ebay.de/BLACK-TUNE-O-MATIC-STYL...1QQcmdZViewItem for 17$

or this: http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewIt...mMakeTrack=true for 26$

is the higher quality and the ABM's Tone pros locking screw style bridge worth the extra money in terms of intonation and staying in tune etc?

Edited June 28, 2006 by TheCross

[Mickguard]

One potential issue with roller bridges is that the rollers can rattle --not a big deal through an amplifier, but the one I had made it impossible to play the guitar unplugged or at low volumes--all you heard was the rattle. So that'd be one vote for higher quality, assuming the rollers are tighter.

But I don't think rollers are the only answer -- you can replace your TOM's saddles with GraphTech string savers--since they're slippery, and not metal, you shouldn't have any issues with the Bigsby.

You're going to want to add locking tuners too.

[TheCross]

You're going to want to add locking tuners too.

been there done that.

I'll add a GraphTech Nut anyway. for he saddles I wanted to test those rollers. wilkinson/Goth is nice quality as well, right`?

[j. pierce]

I actually have a bigsby (that I really abuse at times) and I have non-locking tuners. Actually, the plastic-key, vintage looking style that I got the whole set for like, $12. Junk tuners. And I really haven't had too much of a problem with tuning. My nut is cut well, and I have the schaller roller bridge. I make sure my tuning is spot on during each song, but I've really never had my guitar go wildly out of tune. Maybe I just string well, I don't know?

But I have the schaller roller bridges on a couple of guitars, and I love everything about them, I really do. Schaller does ship incredibly slow (I ordered some through all-parts via my local music store like a year ago, and we're still waiting for them to come in) like you said, but both Stew Mac and LMI list them as in stock, so they should come fairly quickly if you went through either of them. I don't know, I really like those bridges and am looking to using them on more of my instruments now. LMI has them for like $28 or something.

I've also heard really nice things about the wilkinsons as well, but I've never used one myself for any length of time. (Played a guitar with one once. It was nice.)

[GregP]

I just got my roller bridge like the second link from the original post (for posterity, since the e-bay link won't be up forever, it's a Wilkinson with locking studs like the kind that Guitarfetish also carries).

The build quality is good, the rollers are smooth, and I don't anticipate having any troubles with it. The post "locks" work well enough for what they are. The way the saddles sit on the bridge, you have to tighten them DOWN to the bridge. If you don't, there's the risk that they'll slide. But, I don't anticipate it being an issue since it takes some serious force to make them slide when the screw is finger-tight, never mind if you crank on'er.

In other words, I think that Wilkinson will do fine.

[Mickguard]

I actually have a bigsby (that I really abuse at times) and I have non-locking tuners.

You're a braver man than me!

But apart from the tuning stability part, the biggest reason I suggest locking tuners is because it's so damn hard to string up a Bigsby, the locking tuners just make that a little easier.