Telecaster Gets a Bigsby Installed Looks Simple Right

[@matthewmp111]

Good work, Dave. Hey, in large part due to you I’ve done the most recent setup on each of my two guitars! Couldn’t have done it without all you’ve shown me these years. I appreciate you friend!

[@stephengent9974]

John Suhr (Sir), worked for the Fender Custom shop before going out on his own. This is a high end guitar.

[@jeffreyprice773]

He worked fo Schecter in the 70's/80's , he made Mark Knopfler's guitars. John Suhr & Tom Anderson.

[@jeffreyprice773]

John Suhr made Knopfler's white Shecter strat and the blue one.

[@seangeist9495]

John Suhr was also with Fender in the late 80s. Those "Suhr years" Fenders are highly desirable. The ones featuring his pickups and electronics at least.

[@AntonVittal]

The problem with the bigsby on a tele, you gotta watch out for the string angle on the bridge. The best Bigsby is F logo, because you can install it right next to the bridge plate and the angle will be steep enough. Otherwise even regular B5 install as close as possible. Disregard all of this if you're a fan of top loader teles and like that loose floppy feel on the strings. I personally don't, I like the regular string through tension and feel, and Bigsby will compromise that to a point, depending on a setup.

[@tomberlied7260]

I play a Telly with a Bigsby and I love it! Plus it looks pretty cool!!

[@MrSDFD18]

You have a great spirit my friend. I bet when the folks come over, it’s a boat load of fun. Get that drink going and grind a bud!

[@rcoveyduc]

"Sir". John's stuff is top notch.

[@davethepius]

I believe he worked for Fender's Custom Shop.

[@aGabay]

I don't like his guitars...

[@chucknkd]

vibramate makes saddle intonation screws that have a flathead slot on the end that sticks out toward the pickups, makes moving the saddles so much easier than having to do it in the tight spot with the hex wrench

[@TonyClarkGuitar]

Suhr. John was a master builder in Fender's Custom Shop from 1995 to 1997. He makes great stuff.

[@donkimble]

Tony C learn something new every day. I didn’t know the history of the brand. I’m sceptical of “high end” stuff generally because I find it fussy to work on, like mastery or suhr. Not that they aren’t great, but better is often deployed as complexity.

Worked for Rudy Pensa before that. They designed and built Mark Knopfler's Pensa-Suhr MK2.

[@ES335CD]

Ordered a string ray immediately! didn't know it existed thanks!

[@stephenmccarthy1597]

Just buy a tele with bigsby if that is what you want its worth about half now

[@RadioMartyT1B]

@R Gerard You're right. A Floyd would stay in tune.

[@Bedroomrips]

Gar Goil play a suhr and you’ll know why it’s better than fender. And that’s coming from a fender owner not a suhr owner

[@priceamp]

"Get it the hell out of my house". Funny. I work on tube amps and at some point I'll say the same thing. Mostly because I'm OCD and will fix every little thing that ain't right to the point of driving myself crazy and of course I don't charge for any extra TLC. Love your channel Dave.

[@jjstrumr692]

You can get duel ended screws for ease of intonation with a Bigsby. $14 from Vibramate. Allows you to intonate from the front of the bridge.

[@claudecat]

I've been playing one of my Tele copies (a modded cheapo Monoprice that's really really special believe it or not) a lot lately after a stretch of playing Strat copies. The thing is perfect but I'd love a tremolo on it. So here I am, the first place I came for the real story of how to get these installed. Looks a lot easier than I'd suspected, other than those ridiculous saddles. I'm gonna do it. Thanks!

[@giofugazz]

How did it go? I'm about to strap a bigsby on a cheap telecaster I got

[@Cheguebuddha]

Looks like Bill Frisell's Tele-porter guitar! Im now looking to make one such!

[@Mwhbmnabjms]

To screw in bigsby u need a thread or a string align with saddle and nut. Don’t use masking tape. Saddle may different width etc

[@hawkinthewind]

Watching your work makes me feel peaceful and reinforces what I've learned & teaches me even more. Subbed, from a half Canadien brother. Can you bring back Hockey Night in Canada too please?

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

Just glazed over the neck shim part, that would have been really Interesting to see.

[@grz66]

Get yourself a set of self centering drill bits, they are precise every time and it's all in one step.

[@shaft9000]

or awl

[@Mikishots]

Suhr is a really high quality brand - all the guys from Big Wreck are using them too. Pricey, but very nice playing guitars.

[@KozmykJ]

Nice n greasy so it slips in easy I finally finished putting a 5-way into my mate's Tele. Four bank 'SuperSwitch'. Fiddly enough to start with but this Tele has 2 Volume and 2 Tone pots . Figuring the wiring 'Truth Table' was a bit of a headache to say the least. 1 > Bridge 2 > B & N Series 3 > B & N Parallel 4 > N & B Series Out of Phase 5 > Neck

[@KozmykJ]

@MRGRUMPY53 It was learning to solder my broken guitar cables at age 12 that got me into electronics in the first place. Went on to study it and got my Black Belt in soldering some 40 odd years ago. 😉 My obstacle for fiddly stuff these days is eyesight. Bench magnifiers are all very well but depth perception really needs stereoscopic vision. I'll have to get some of those high mag specs. But first I need a cataract sorting.... Old age ... You start to get somewhere near understanding what it's all about then you die ...

[@aluminati9918]

Nice vid Dave. On a $$ guitar like that I would have suggested Vibramate assy for the sake of the resales. Customer decides I guess. Looks awesome though! Keep on trucking!

[@rabokarabekian409]

Classic Bigsby string post fix = they easily pull out. Drill the holes big enough for the string to go through. Chamfer the string exit holes on the top edge. Stringing troubles 100% gone. Oh, and the intonation screws - go to a hardware store and egt hex head screws the same size, and get or make a little wrench for them.

[@SwingingCreeper]

Why didn’t the owner go with a Vibramate? It doesn’t require drilling holes into a very expensive guitar

[@ledslinger4710]

Because the guitar isnt going to feel the same with a giant piece of metal in between the body and trem. Let people do what they want with they're guitars they are useless to the player if they cant mod it to they're specs.

[@jameskrys5286]

@@ledslinger4710 For all you know it might sound better.

[@johnstitt2615]

Dave makes the work he does look easy. Dave, the de-goocher.

[@michaelmoore7975]

*Pickup and Hardtail Install Trick* Load the screw and spring, compress the spring and put an alligator clip on the screw to hold the spring back while you thread it into pickup or saddle.

[@BasedRaven96]

Love watching your videos!

[@preacherjayk]

love your videos, but I have never understood why someone would want to ruin the perfect guitar design, by adding a bigsby,,LOL glad I got to see your process though,,

[@sunnys3325]

Not a fan of that Bigsby on that Suhr Tele but HEY, Its not my guitar...

[@brianmarker]

Suhr's are pretty nice guitars!

[@racpa5]

I have Suhr pickups on my Strat. Killer tone.

[@MrsG7swr]

Dave I have to thank you. That bit with the hammer made wearing headphones worth while. Thats the kinda sound that I like ! Praying for the vacuuum cleaner next time to really test out these high end cans, I never used to wear headphones to watch / listen but hearing you doing so many things just for the audience who were wearing cans I had to go out and by a set of karman hardon dom69's cost me a months wages but of boy is it great increased my watching pleasure 10 fold. Keep up the great work

[@BenCoombs]

Nice work as always Dave, surprised the guy didn't go with the Vibramate system which allows a much less invasive install. Cheers Dave!!

[@nicandknacksandseans]

Ben Coombs I guess if you never intend to change it back, or resell it it doesn’t matter much. But I do see what you mean.

[@jimm8594]

You could use a nut driver with a flex attachment and a hex tip to reach those screws.

[@M5guitar1]

I just put a Bigsby B3 on my Epiphone Casino Coupe. It took a couple of hours because I had to fill holes from the old trapeze tailpiece. I took my time aligning the B3 and it came out just fantastic. It stays in tune very well bcuase the break angle at the bridge is very shallow, as the B3 does not have the low tension bar like the B5 or B7. Now I want to add a B5 to my Tele. I'm worried about that sharp break angle, which I hear causes tuning stability issues. I really don't want to spend $200 on a Mastery bridge. Talk about rip-off, sounds like Stew-Mac pricing. No thanks. I'm going to try a slotted brass saddle.

[@fingalandersonedvardsson8905]

Looks pretty cool imo

[@caloss2]

Dave those Suhr guitars are top-notch machines if you haven't heard of them, brand new those Teles sell at about $4300 Canadian Dollars ;) I guess you don't get them in for repair in the same way you don't get PRS guitars in much either.

[@ColinStuart]

It looked right sown here, in Colorado, (at 32 degrees), freezing, okay!

[@itsbillyjoe7792]

What, no power tool Dave, thats just not like you. And as far as those springs, a small alligator clip should help. Lol like you said, use your imagination. Your one of the best Dave, keep it up. Love your vids. 😎

[@acmullane]

there are two kinds of people: those who can extrapolate from incomplete information

[@rabokarabekian409]

1 0

[@hchoe741]

I see wat u did there

[@acmullane]

@@hchoe741 u merst be wunnna dey extrapolader types

[@leeh.4453]

And those who can extrapolate from complete information....

[@acmullane]

@@leeh.4453 that takes special skills

[@SomeGuyInSandy]

Dave, find a good fine tooth file, and file a slight bevel around the end of your hex keys. It will change your life.

[@planespeaking]

Or buy quality PB SWISS hex keys that are forged and coloured by size. The choice of bike mechanics

[@MikeGervasi]

My first thought was not enough clearance for the arm with the controls right underneath.

[@barryhaynes103]

“Extrapolate the information” sounds like a line out of the song Vital Signs by Rush ... even though it’s not

[@stephenhookings1985]

I don't want to be "that guy" but extrapolation is when you take information past its boundaries (like stock market data prediction) - interpolation is when your estimate a value within bounds - so strictly if Dave did something off camera and we see the end result then I'm sure we interpolate what he did. Now that might just give me a math boner.

[@gunhedd5375]

Barry Haynes • Do you mean the function or the form? And your thoughts on reverse polarity? 😉

[@sydrose13]

Imagine putting an aftermarket bigsby on a beautifully balanced suhr guitar. This makes my heart hurt but to each their ownnnn

[@RadioMartyT1B]

@Gar Goil Don't confuse Suhr with the trash knock-offs on AliExpress. They aren't a Chibson tier swindle shop. Their guitars are actually very high quality...often better than much of Fender's offerings....and I'm saying that as a Fender fan-boy.

[@dennykeildrums9243]

Don’t need to imagine. This guy did it. But no one asked for your opinion

[@sydrose13]

@@dennykeildrums9243 I guess that makes two of us

[@powbobs]

Not your guitar.

[@sydrose13]

@@powbobs actually funny story, it is. I contacted Dave to get in touch with the first owner to buy it, just so I could come back here and tell you to stfu

[@coopersteele2324]

Love your videos man.

[@DavesWorldofFunStuff]

Glad to hear it

[@mikado5792]

Great video . For my next guitar I am leaning toward a Tele but the no whammy bar is a deal breaker for me. The affinity caught my attention and with a Bigsby addition it could be something special. Not sure though as the Miyavi Tele has whammy (Not a Bigsby) but it is only in Japan & roughly $3000.

[@briano.5746]

"Sur" like surf without the eFn' F! ✌🐉💀👽🎸🎶🎵

[@johna1160]

You know those cool drum nuts with a series of holes oriented perpendicularly to the truss rod at the body end making adjustment super easy? What about a smaller version for bridge to saddle screws? Has no one in manufacturing R&D thought of this, or is there a patent preventing it from happening? You're welcome...

[@goodun2974]

Xcelite makes, or used to make?, Hex wrench sets with 6" long hex bits and a modular handle. Available in both SAE and metric. No electronics or instrument repair shop should be without them. I've also got a set of no name foot-long Allen wrenches with T handles; You could probably find something similar at Harbor freight but I can't vouch for the quality of the steel if you really have to break something loose that's been over tightened or corroded. Even the Excelite hex bits tend to twist a little bit when you apply a lot of force. I generally prefer to break the screws or bolts free with a regular hex wrench, T handle style; or even the fold up Eklind hex wrench sets that have 8 or 9 wrenches jacknifed into one metal handle. Those things are tough and made to tight tolerances, and so it's almost impossible to round the edges of the hex bit and strip out the screw head.....

[@billdurham8575]

Xcelite 99-PS40 I think is what you are talking about.

[@goodun2974]

@@billdurham8575 that looks like the right kit number, yes....

[@dank8865]

Bet it didn't need a shim until it got the bridge the customer wanted.

[@onefatstratcat]

he named it Bill

[@TheCaptainsCog]

My exact thought was, "how you gonna get at those hex nuts when the bigsby is installed?" Haha. You handle it though.

[@mcspankies1799]

For the bypass of tone i believe its the bridge position they've probably wired it like an old broadcaster

[@grahamthompson4493]

If you look at other videos your supposed to change the bridge screws for those adjustable at both ends

[@wademiyataki9221]

Haven't seen a Bigsby thing in a while. Was the thought behind the bridge "We'll add a saddle, it'll be better because it's one higher. Looks like they just made it one worse...✌️

[@smbmxdirt3427]

Do you think it's possible to use the original ashtray bridge assembly and just cut notches for the strings to pass through?

[@DavesWorldofFunStuff]

no

[@smbmxdirt3427]

@@DavesWorldofFunStuff thanks for getting back to me. Happy new year.

[@jnelson1600]

Usually Gibson’s are the only $3000+ guitars that need “upgraded”? What a crime!!! I wish I had the kind of money where this would seem logical.....

[@bradleyfurer7847]

Is the Bigsby arm too low?

[@chroniclesofbap6170]

I hold Bigsby responsible.

[@stevebrighttheblackguitar653]

Dave, still would love to know where to find the cool string height gauge!!????

[@j-man72b72]

www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/Tools_by_Job/Tools_for_Measuring/String_Action_Gauge.html Confirmed in this vid here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mYSYeYKIlq6EiMk

[@stevebrighttheblackguitar653]

I wish he would too!

[@rchydrozz751]

I'm a, lets take the Bigsby off kind of guy.

[@stephenhookings1985]

It feels a bit like mixing Ford with GM. Porsche with Mercedes. But if it sounds good then great.

[@jnelson1600]

The Bigsby’s hold the trash can liners in the can perfectly as well.

[@raymari7658]

How much weight did it add ?

[@donkimble]

Now it looks like bob Dylan’s guitar he shared with Robby Robertson. They painted a butterscotch one and added a bigsby if my memory serves.

[@lordrudolph1037]

How did that sound in my headphones (6:13)? Like beautiful music.

[@amirkhalid5449]

I think you say it "Soor". "Sewer" would probably be considered rude.

[@waltrohrbach2459]

You are right, this family name "Suhr" is of german origin and thus correctly pronounced "Soor" most pronounce it kinda like "Sir" which is fine too, after all languages are a living thing.

[@Sonic_Ox]

Hello Dave It's pronounced "sir". They make really nice stuff but also really expensive. I think they are based in Lake Elsinore in Southern California and Suhr used to work in the Fender Custom Shop. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong. Working from memory not Google lol.

[@andrewhodgson8895]

Dave, do you ever look for parts/strings/stuff that was made in Canada?

[@donaldholman9070]

Ok..I like it that the owner knows what he or she wants!

[@giannirocco9099]

Is there a measurement or certain distance that Bigsby needs to be from the bridge?If it was in this video I must have missed it

[@jameskrys5286]

I have a Bigsby for my Gibson LP Doublecut but I'm using a Vibramate plate. Mounts the Bigsby without drilling holes and they make them for Teles. Available at Stu Mac.

[@davefoster6156]

Too late! Holes drilled

[@Lemmy30294]

Sir. Would you mind doing a video of a fender input for tele. The round jack plate keeps coming out. Do I need a special tool? I can’t get it flush with guitar either. Thanks in advance 🤙

[@egg5474]

The jack plate on tele's from the 50's is terrible and will always work it's way loose, even on the reissues because they're made the exact same way, if you're not bothered about modding there's plenty of modern alternatives, if you have vintage one you could try putting a few wraps of teflon tape(ptfe tape) on the threads and around the plate edge to make it snug, although make sure to use sparingly as you don't want to be giving it the ole' 3 ugga duggas on a priceless intrument.

[@egg5474]

Also try seeing if the top of the plate is warped by putting a straight edge (ruler)or a solid flat surface against it to see if it has gone concave if you can

[@TheAxe4Ever]

Put a B Bender mechanism on it. How about it Dave? Are you up for it?

[@thepaulmacfarlane]

Hey..did'jer get my mail? Always good to see you.

[@ferraridinoman]

Nice one Young Dave!!

[@donaldholman9070]

Nice job Boss.

[@theuglytruth886]

I put a bigsby on my American Standard Tele. It was a piece of piss. I went the Vibramate V5 route - can't vouch for Mastery but if their bridges are massively overpriced like the Jag/Jazz bridges they manufacture then Vibramate is probably a better option - you don't need to permanently disfigure your guitar drilling holes and the whole process is simple and can be done in minutes.

[@colinrobertson4569]

Think I would have used a vibramate version so I didn't need to drill holes etc. Hey, each to their own.

[@TonyClarkGuitar]

Who buys a $2500 Suhr and then puts a Bigsby on it. That guy.

[@goodun2974]

Tony C, yeah, buying a second guitar already equipped with a Bigsby or other vibrato system would seem to make more sense..... How many otherwise very nice guitars have been ruined by wannabe shredders to decide to try and turn it into something that it isn't and perhaps never was meant to be?

[@shaft9000]

Stratocaster: "Am i a joke to you?"

[@goodun2974]

@@shaft9000 , a Bigsby can be cool, especially on a Gretsch or a Gibson, but I can't see drilling holes in a $2K+ Tele to install one. Perhaps someone could make a Bigsby style vibrato mech that mounts to the strap button ( kinda like a tailpiece bridge) and with metal straps or wings that extend forward to line up with the holes for the original Tele ashtray bridge....

[@jimtalltheislandbrothers6639]

Stetsbar requires no drilling

[@SoulfulJim1]

Why not? If you don’t plan on selling it, and you want this guitar with a bigsby? I do.

[@jacobc.3694]

I wanna do this to a squire, what kind of bridge is that?

[@Jeffball610]

If the bridge had a phillips head, you couldn't turn it with the Bigsby on there. The hex key seems the only way other than a bolt head.

[@davidlawlor4317]

I've been screwing around with a "Tele". Well it's just a Mexican fender neck with a Tele shape body. I know for a fact the neck is genuine but the body looks Chinese. There's a thin nitro surf green pain on. Anyway I have been screwing around with it and stuck P90s in, a signal cutoff switch, new pot and wiring and am going to put a fake bigsby on it just for kicks. It's also relicked to hell. Stupid, but fun.

[@isherif6617]

How Is bigsby tuning stability compared with a floyd rose licensed ?

[@RadioMartyT1B]

Is this a joke?

[@powbobs]

Suhr is very high end. Boutique.

[@FantaFuture92]

You really should get some bit set wirh a screwdriver with extendable bit holder thingy. I use it with hex bits and it saves time and is way easier.

[@roytofilovski9530]

Bigsbys work best with heavy strings. 12s are best, but 10s and 11s can also work. Anything below 10s is a no go in my view. Dive bombing should be avoided as well.

[@Metalalbumreviewers]

I use 9s for my bigsby Frankencaster, but I also have a very light touch on the tremolo bar, and am obsessive about maintaining my setup and intonation.

[@kathyrams]

I have watched you do set ups on many guitars where the string height replicates the radius of the neck. I have a Tele I want to set up for slide. I think I want the strings to be flat. Any ideas?

[@MikeCindyWhite]

Try one of these out, I bought 1 just because it was so cheap I figured I'd try it, and it works great! The best part is it's not permanent and you can put it on any/all your guitars!! www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/PerfectNut--grover-perfect-guitar-nut-height-extender?mrkgadid=3308753059&mrkgcl=28&mrkgen=gpla&mrkgbflag=0&mrkgcat=guitars&&acctid=21700000001645388&dskeywordid=92700046937559450&dsproductgroupid=493993368224&product_id=PerfectNut&lid=92700046937559450&ds_s_kwgid=58700005285195579&ds_s_inventory_feed_id=97700000007215323&prodctry=US&prodlang=en&channel=online&storeid=%7bproduct_store_id%7d&device=c&network=g&matchtype=&locationid=%7bloc_phyiscal_ms%7d&creative=290335235183&targetid=pla-493993368224&campaignid=1465808371&gclid=CjwKCAiAzJLzBRAZEiwAmZb0amaCzlXHJlZNPtkRYah4QWmG9oqmeu49eUgrkPmkEOtSD4BUNhjGNRoCnNwQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

[@MikeCindyWhite]

Not sure why that link is so long, if it doesn't work try this one, there all pretty much the same, you put it over the nut, it raises up the strings. www.stewmac.com/Materials_and_Supplies/Nuts_and_Saddles/Grover_Perfect_Guitar_Extension_Nut.html?gclid=CjwKCAiAzJLzBRAZEiwAmZb0akJr9y3NR0xz4Rc_6zoVXMtu9QKtnBYPDk9k5euHdtgnavmWKdb9TRoC0pgQAvD_BwE

[@lunarpollen]

a Vibramate V5-TEV probably would have allowed the mounting without any drilling required

[@BradHutchings]

Yeah, that guitar is "kinda" nice. I'd go with a no-load tone pot, but that's just me.

[@edespitia9119]

how much do you charge sir?

[@jordanmayer5932]

Pronounced 'sir' they're super expensive, and honestly worth the money. I'm a metal guy but been looking into a suhr Tele for a while

[@randorider2801]

But WHY!?

[@johnsimms3957]

It's 2020. Every string should have its own separate and adjustable saddle.

[@shaft9000]

My Vintage Fetish sez NO WAY (, hoser ;o)

[@paulfrombrooklyn5409]

I would disagree with you. Look at PRS. They have very expensive guitars that only have a Stop bar bridge that does not allow for individual string adjustments. Just saying'.

[@johnlund2654]

sir it is sir

[@amyhelie6061]

Despite all the negative feedback, i think this guitar looks pretty sweet with the bigsby

[@silverpairaducks]

Flip the control plate!!!

[@johncorbin6238]

Your BadAss Dave

[@davefoster6156]

Bixby is very cool. But it looks like it might interfere with the controls?? Sounds very good though

[@darthdurkelthewise320]

Has to remove the neck multiple times after re-stringing a Bigsby and still says “Am I that lucky?” Either you are a very patient man or there’s much anger when the camera turns off 😂

[@zeroman614]

Bigsbys are for guys who hate power steering and traction control yet still complain when they wind up in a ditch.

[@rabokarabekian409]

Sorry, I don't remember you listening or watching me play my Bigsby guitars. How did you meet and hear all the others? Or are you extrapolating from incomp................?

[@roywarriner8441]

Traction control isn't for guys Susie.

[@robertrobertson3754]

Hi why don't you just add the mounting kit so you not need to drill holes from bigsby

[@DavesWorldofFunStuff]

ask the owner..I just do what's asked