Great video Steve! I have that same SG Special (Cherry Red) on the way. Should be here in a couple days and this will most likely be a "must have" upgrade for it. That Bigsby with the roller bridge, really dresses it up! Well done!
Great video, makes me wanna look for an SG! I have 2 Epi SGs, both with Maestros and I love them. I also have 4 guitars with Bigsbys on them, and 2 Strats with Trems. I feel naked playing a guitar without some kind of tremelo system. Definitely love Bigsbys!
To me it is important to get the vibrato arm in exactly the right spot as i am used to have constant contact with it. i also want my picking fingers in between the 2 pickups
The proper Bigsby for this SG is a Bigsby B5 and the Vibrate plate for easy installation is a Vibrate V5. Great modification. I'd get rid of those tuners also. Cheap Epiphone tuners in my experience are shockingly bad. Thanks...
Why didn’t you install the bigsby a little further away, and install a Towner tension bar where the tailpiece goes? This way it not only looks better, but allows you to retain adjustment of the strings break angle over the bridge saddles.
Nice work looks amazing, and this video is very useful, I have a question, If I want to install this on my SG Epiphone, do I need to change the bridge as well?
Question: So, is there a specific vibramate that I should use on this guitar? I have the same Epiphone SG Special. And also, is the purpose of the vibramate to basically cover the holes left in the body, after removing the tailpiece bushings? This is my first attempt at a bigsby style vibrato and after I saw this video and how beautiful it turned out, I knew I had to give it a whirl! Thanks in advance, for any advice on the vibramate adaptor and or link to the right part needed! Much appreciated
Great job Steve. Be interested to hear what you think about it after playing for a while. Do some strings work better than others with the "Bigsby-type" vibrato systems?
Thicker gauge like 10's will give you a more subtle vibrato; 9's would have more response but not sure if their tuning stability over time would be as good. However, you should change your strings every few weeks if you are playing a lot
check out what Gotoh has - they make good vintage style tuners... check all the measurements! The kill switch probably has a loose wire or cold solder connection.
That is an option, but I wont be taking the Bigsby off this guitar (and it is a cheap guitar as well). I would recommend a plate on a USA Gibson SG so it could be reversed.
I think I would go with the les trem. I'm surprised at how many Epiphones I am seeing Luthiers work on. I think I would go with the duesenberg les trem II on that machine.
I put a cheap bigbsy copy on my cheap sg copy, it works well and looks cool and also put a les trem copy on my epiphone firebird. Both are cool but les trem copy you don't need to drill your guitar it just fits pre existing slots and also dives up and down further but if you want aesthetics to just mildly vibrato and don't mind drilling holes then a bigsby style is good
Dude, I mean, I don't know anything about anything so maybe I'm wrong here but often in this video you are handling nuts, bolts, etc over the guitar itself - at one point you drop a nut onto the guitar and you can see little speckled chips where it landed - is it not insane to be handling hardware over a laquer finished guitar like this? I don't mean to have a go I just, it seems like such an obvious thing. I dunno.
the gfs xtrem is a way better than these Chinese Bigsby knockoffs...........i have 3 of their stud mount xtrems and they are even better than the Korean made licensed Bigsby b50......i have one real American made Bigsby b6 and the xtrems i have are nearly as good as it is at a much cheaper price..........
Installing a Bigsby b50 on my Squier Mustang and this video answered my question on how to line it up right with the bridge! Great video !
Glad I could help - I hope you have subscribed to my channel?
THAT looks AWESOME!!! I'm not a huge SG fan but with the Bigsby Vibrato it changes it!!
They correct the neck dive on most of them, so I agree. A Bigsby also works and sounds better than any other vibrato I've ever played.
Almost "other wordly" sound
Great vid, sir! And a job well done!
Great video Steve! I have that same SG Special (Cherry Red) on the way. Should be here in a couple days and this will most likely be a "must have" upgrade for it. That Bigsby with the roller bridge, really dresses it up! Well done!
The roller bridge is the key to any Bigsby install
Great video, makes me wanna look for an SG! I have 2 Epi SGs, both with Maestros and I love them. I also have 4 guitars with Bigsbys on them, and 2 Strats with Trems.
I feel naked playing a guitar without some kind of tremelo system. Definitely love Bigsbys!
You might have a problem... seek help! LOL
@@ManotickGuitarTechno thanks! 😂
To me it is important to get the vibrato arm in exactly the right spot as i am used to have constant contact with it. i also want my picking fingers in between the 2 pickups
Looks really great the Bigsby. I like them on a Gibson Les Paul Custom Black beauty.
The proper Bigsby for this SG is a Bigsby B5 and the Vibrate plate for easy installation is a Vibrate V5. Great modification. I'd get rid of those tuners also. Cheap Epiphone tuners in my experience are shockingly bad. Thanks...
Nice job. Looks, sounds and seems to perform really nicely !
It does!
nice video, i have that guitar and it is not that expensive but it sounds great. I know I am thinking to get another for this project.
nice work
Thanks!
Why didn’t you install the bigsby a little further away, and install a Towner tension bar where the tailpiece goes? This way it not only looks better, but allows you to retain adjustment of the strings break angle over the bridge saddles.
Any rubbers underneath the metal between the Bigsby and the body? I believe they are needed..
not with this kit
Just one question, why didn't you plug the holes? Just feels low rent
LOL - in case I wanted to put the original tailpiece back on...then I would plug up the Bigsby holes.
Nice work looks amazing, and this video is very useful, I have a question, If I want to install this on my SG Epiphone, do I need to change the bridge as well?
I definitely recommend using a roller bridge with a Bigsby. Check out the Musiclily store on Amazon. I hope you have subscribed to my channel?
@@ManotickGuitarTech I have now haha thanks man!
Question: So, is there a specific vibramate that I should use on this guitar? I have the same Epiphone SG Special. And also, is the purpose of the vibramate to basically cover the holes left in the body, after removing the tailpiece bushings? This is my first attempt at a bigsby style vibrato and after I saw this video and how beautiful it turned out, I knew I had to give it a whirl! Thanks in advance, for any advice on the vibramate adaptor and or link to the right part needed! Much appreciated
I didn't use a Vibramate Bigsby - just an import screw in one for this modification.
Great job Steve. Be interested to hear what you think about it after playing for a while.
Do some strings work better than others with the "Bigsby-type" vibrato systems?
Thicker gauge like 10's will give you a more subtle vibrato; 9's would have more response but not sure if their tuning stability over time would be as good. However, you should change your strings every few weeks if you are playing a lot
I have two questions which tuners should I get for this model and my Killswitch isn’t working properly. It sometimes won’t kill the switch lol
check out what Gotoh has - they make good vintage style tuners... check all the measurements! The kill switch probably has a loose wire or cold solder connection.
Why not just use a Vibramate? It’s reversible and no drilling required. StuMac has a video about it on RUclips.
That is an option, but I wont be taking the Bigsby off this guitar (and it is a cheap guitar as well). I would recommend a plate on a USA Gibson SG so it could be reversed.
Plus it adds some weight which helps with neck dive.
I think I would go with the les trem. I'm surprised at how many Epiphones I am seeing Luthiers work on. I think I would go with the duesenberg les trem II on that machine.
Interesting choice- that would be cool
The Les Trem arm is too long for me and gets in the way. Im replacing it w a B50
@@MrBallynally2 Did you like the les trem other than the arm?
I put a cheap bigbsy copy on my cheap sg copy, it works well and looks cool and also put a les trem copy on my epiphone firebird. Both are cool but les trem copy you don't need to drill your guitar it just fits pre existing slots and also dives up and down further but if you want aesthetics to just mildly vibrato and don't mind drilling holes then a bigsby style is good
tricky to intonate that bridge. Didn't the strings touch the screws on that bridge..?
You do have to loosen the strings to adjust the set screw...not difficult at all. Worth the little extra work for the roller feature.
HELLO...WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HEAR SOME "PLAYING" TIME AFTER THE INSTALLATION...A COUPLE OF SINGLE STRUMS WASNT SUFFICIENT ✌
Dude, I mean, I don't know anything about anything so maybe I'm wrong here but often in this video you are handling nuts, bolts, etc over the guitar itself - at one point you drop a nut onto the guitar and you can see little speckled chips where it landed - is it not insane to be handling hardware over a laquer finished guitar like this? I don't mean to have a go I just, it seems like such an obvious thing. I dunno.
lol - it was guitar with a factory poly finish... pretty hard to damage. I am normally very careful with other peoples guitars 😁
the gfs xtrem is a way better than these Chinese Bigsby knockoffs...........i have 3 of their stud mount xtrems and they are even better than the Korean made licensed Bigsby b50......i have one real American made Bigsby b6 and the xtrems i have are nearly as good as it is at a much cheaper price..........
Your guitar will never hold tune again.
The charm of a Bigsby -lol
Not knowing how to properly setup a bigsby equipped guitar will keep you from holding tune.
cool video. looks like i need one of these now! 😆