Jay's Mandatory Bigsby Tele Mods | TONE LAB
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CHAPTERS
0:00 Intro
1:35 Tuning Stability Improvements
3:41 Reverse Control Plate
4:34 String Shaft Mods
6:21 Setting Up Your Bridge
9:46 Mastery Vs Jazzmaster Bridge
16:40 A Word From Our Sponsor/Goodbyes
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There's something about a bigsby on a relic'd tele that just looks so right
You are not wrong :)
I hate bigsby with passion but it looks sooo nice
Awesome, Love the look of Bigsby over any other. Keeps the classic look of the guitar. I will certainly employ these tips. Thanks!
I would love to be a fly on the wall listening to you and Zac from the “Ask Zac” TH-cam page talking Telecaster tone, techniques, and players.
That jazzmaster bridge has a really cool vintage sound/feel to it. Love it! This is a great video!
This is an amazing vid. Your speaking/presentation style is super accessible. Thanks for the info!
I've been trying to add a Bigsby on my Tele and it's so complicated (due to all the model variations and stuff), but your videos have helped me so much. Thanks a lot for the valuable info and advice!
This may be the most informative video you've put up yet. I had a custom shop Tele with a Bigsby about 10 years ago. If I would have known what I've recently learned from you, I probably would have kept it. Probably should have kept it.
Compliments on your vid firstly Jay! I installed a Jag trem on mine, threading strings through the backplate.Left standard block bridge. Strung with .08 but .09 1st string. Given the decreased range of arm movement tuning is no major problem .The cavity dig is a serious job though.
Super awesome video on Teles and Bigsby. Thank you!
Hi Jay! I just purchased a 2013 TL62B Bigs and your suggestions have helped me a lot! Thank you!!
Great info. it's amazing what a difference the bridge makes between the two.
Jay...
Always enjoy your vids. Teles are my favorites. The riffs you throw in for your examples are exemplary. Wish I had those licks. Too cool.
I've got to put a Bigsby on one of my Teles. The sound is more appealing (to me) than a Strat's trem bar's results.
I love Bigsby equipped teles! I installed one on mine and kept the 3 saddles ashtray bridge setup. IF there was a difference in tone it’s so small that I’m not even sure if it’s there, it sounds like any great tele should!
Lovin ur content Jay, cheers from Chile. Sick playing!
Thanks!
Wow! great video very informative.
Thanks Jay! This was very helpful! I have a paranormal thinline tele that has Jazzmaster pickups, so I'm going to go with a B5 with the string thing. As well as a Jazzmaster bridge! I want this axe to sound different from my MIJ Fender E series TL67-SPL70 tele, and this will guarantee that it will. Cheers.
The knob configuration makes a lot of sense. The switch gets in the way. I dig that string spoiler. Such cool guitars. I’m making an Esquire and I think I’ll use these ideas.
Thanks, I hope the tips help with the build!
LOOOOOOVE THIS VIDEO! Thanks Jay Leonard J, Super inspiring!
Thanks :)
Man, those fast little chicka chickas shortly after 12:45 get me everytime Jay! Love it, love it. Awesome guitars and playing as always!
I come from through body telecasters, and I always loved the look of a good tele with a bigsby, but was always affraid to loose some tone. Will definitely consider ading a mastery bridge. Thanks a lot !
Both my Gretsch 5420T and my Schecter TS/H1 wear Bigsby's. Love em!
Great vid! I am going to get a Bigsby for my tele copy and follow your advice and tips. Thanks!
Have fun!
I have a Bigsby on my Gretsch and I have no problem with tuning.
But it’s not a wide vibrato it’s only for about a half step to a step of trem and if you use it in that range it stays in tune quite well.
Also I put graphite in the groves of my bridge and nut also it helps a lot!!
That.... was very good... I am glad I watched it. Thank you Jay....
My pleasure! Thanks for watching :)
Nice job on this video...enjoyed it. Nice playing as well...👍
Thanks!
Just about to watch, but I'll go right in and suggest that a reverend soft touch spring feels so right. Also I curved my arm for more hand space.
Flipping the JM bridge also prevents the strings touching the intonation screws.
🙏
These tips worked for me, thanks Jay!
Glad to help!
really useful....thanks for this and great playing
Glad it helped!
I had a Bigsby on a Classic Vibe Custom when they first came out in 09?10?
That with a SD Mini Humbucker because I couldnt afford a 52 Hot Rod (now discontinued)
Lovely thing, played like butter after all that time
Very informative, thanks!
Man, I remember the days when vintage guitars started to become a real thing. I wanted a '67 Telecaster for the simple fact that '67 is my year of birth, plus those '67 Tele's were a lot cheaper than the pre CBS ones, but still very similar. However, prices went up like crazy. Five years earlier you could get an original '67 Telecaster for 3000 guilders (that would be about the same amount of money as 3000 euro nowadays). By the time I thought I might be able to find something, the prices had come up to 6- or 7000, but (true story) you could get an original '67 Bigsby Telecaster for 2000!!! Nobody wanted those. Me neither.
Now I regret the fact that I didn't go for it. 😊
You've inspired me to install bigsby on my tele. Thanks for advices!!
Hope the project goes well! Welcome to the club :)
Gotta switch that control plate. Every Tele, every time. You rock J!
It's really become a main component for my style now!
I've been eyeing those Gotoh tuners for a partscaster build for eons. Now that I know they're Jay approved, I'm definitely gonna snag a set 👍
I just ordered a set of the GOTOH vintage inline locking tuners. Will be here today! Just put on a B5 Bigsby kit using the Vibromate system (no drilling) and also got the Vibromate String Spoiler. If I like the Bigsby on the Tele, I will remove the Vibromate and attach the Bigsby direct to the body.
Thanx so much for this! A long time ago (sigh)... I had a nice 1969 Tele w/ a Bigsby. I replaced the Rhythm Pickup with a Strat pickup that I had ground down the Bobbin. Sounded nice.
The Mastery Bridge is Brass, right? I'll bet most of the Jazz Master Bridges are Pot Metal. A cheap-o Mechanical Pencil is Perfect for adding Graphite to the Nut. You never have to sharpen them and they fit in the High "E" just fine.
Callaham makes several upgrade parts that are well worth the coin.
Also, Stew-Mac sells a zero-fret nut that will work well on a B-5 rig
JayLeonardJ signature Bigsby tele incoming from Fender :P
#lifegoals
I would want a blue signature model too!
@@Dad.IO2u hahah yeah I was only half kidding, it would be a popular model!
I just got a custom shop NOS 67 Bigsby tele (the only model with a "Bigsby" branded, non-F vibrato), and it's the best guitar I've ever owned. I may still be in the honeymoon phase, but I don't think I'd change anything. The standard JM style bridge stays in tune perfectly with the floating bridge.
Definitely! Jazzmaster bridges are really awesome once you get them dialed perfectly! Sounds like a killer guitar
Now I'm really thinking about reversing the knob plate on my Tele! Hate not being able to use the volume the way I do on my Strats!
Great little mod that really helps with playability :)
Amazing video! I stumbled across your Strat vs. Tele video with Mick Taylor - which was cool - he’s a lovely player! -
I love the detail you went into here about the mods you made....
did I miss it: what about the pickups?
You can check out my J-Mod Signature pickups from Tone Specific! They were voiced to sound amazing with my Blue Bigsby Tele :)
Loved this video Jay! Just got my self a bigsby tele - its a bit on the heavier side. How much does your bigsby Teles weigh?
Modern hardtail for life - intonation and stability > all. :)
I really appreciate your insights, that was fun! :)
I have a custom shop no caster bigsby tele with a Seth lover HB at the neck wired with a 500 and 250 pot in series. I went with a mastery and I love everything about it!!!
I really have grown a soft spot for those HB necked Teles lately. Really cool middle position!
I can’t agree more a Bigsby tele is a perfect fit for me!
The best Teles money can buy :)
@jayleonardj Callaham Guitars offers a replacement string shaft for Bigsbys. It’s a string through design, like the drill-modded bar on yours, but is counter-bored to hold the string ball in place. I’ve been very happy with the results!
Thanks for adding that comment! I actually have one of those in one of my other guitars and I forgot to mention it!
Have you ever tried the bigsby compatible callaham bridge? A standard ashtray tele bridge with compensated brass saddles and the end is routed out to accommodate the strings coming from the bigsby over the lip.
Hey Jay, cool video! I actually put a bigsby on my tele and a mastery bridge inspired by your blue tele. Went with a Seth Lover HB in the neck as well!
Great to hear 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
What model mastery bridge is it on the video? M1?
Gave me a greater appreciation of my Nashville tele with Bigsby + push pull to engage neck and bridge.
Great setup!
Put a Bigsby on my Tele because of you...one of the best choices I’ve made. Excited to try these new tips! Thankful for your insightful videos man.
So glad to have influenced your guitar mods! Hope some of these tips help :)
Awesome video, very informative! Question, did you have to drill holes to install the Mastery bridge?
Both of my Bigsby Teles were designed to be used with a Jazzmaster Bridge, so the Mastery popped right in with no issue.
I got a fender modshop telecaster that will come from the factory with a Bigsby and I bought a vibrate string spoiler and Master M1 bridge because of this video. Also my first top loaded tele
Congrats! I hope you get as much joy out of your Tele as I do mine :)
I built a bigsby Tele. I also installed the Vibromate, huge difference. It's one of my favorite guitars.
Those String Spoilers are a lifesaver when I break a string in the middle of a performance!
About to build a Tele myself and after watching a few of Jay's vids, am definitely going Bigsby...
The reverse control plate is a great idea! That should be standard from the factory.
I know! It was a gamechanger for me :)
It's incredible, you make videos answering my questions of the moment... After the pickups, now the Bigsby ! I found Bigsby from Fender and Bigsby from the brand Bigsby, Are they the same ? Thanks for your clear explanations Jay.
The Fender one is a little longer from front to back, so you might have a little more placement flexibility with the Bigsby one (I recommend mounting the Bigsby closer to the butt end of the guitar, so there is a little less break angle to get in the way of the bridge lip.
@@JayLeonardJ Thanks for your answer, I'll follow your advice.
Thumbs up for using the word ploppy to describe the tone
Both of your teles are solid bodies. What are your thoughts on a bigsby tele thinline? I have this idea in my head that I really want a thinline tele with TV Jones pickups and a bigsby. Oh, and I want it in Candy Green. Just don't know where I can get something like that without the Fender custom shop, and spending out the wazzoo for it.
Hi Jay and thanks for the video, full of insight. I recently bought my first ever tele (a gorgeous Fender Am Original 50's limited run, Mary Kay finish and golden hardware); I am considering adding a bigsby on it with the vibramate no-drill system as I am quite reluctant to damage the axe. Any insight on the vibramate system and its pros and cons? thanks a million.
I've seen some people really enjoy the Vibramate. It is a great option if you aren't 100% sure you want to commit to a Bigsby. Check it out and you can always drill it in for a little more stability if you decide Bigsby life is for you :)
In the process of adding a guyker trem to a tele i built. At the moment the most stable guitar i have. I dread the trem would make it unstable but i keep reaching for a trem that is not there😂.😂
Thank you Jay!
You helped me to make up my mind. I’m gonna install Mastery Bridge on my Bigsby Tele. Callaham shaft mods or Vibramates’ Spoiler, I don’t know yet but Mastery is a go!!
Awesome! Hope the mods work for you, rock on!
a good nut is the first thing i do on any guitar, it makes everything better. i have to say i really like that my tele is a hard tail, it feels rock solid. that bigsby really is pretty tho
Hey Jay. I like the way your lake placid blue tele sounds. Quick question. I noticed that I like the sound of a bridge with a sharp break angle. I was wondering with the method you mentioned of keeping the bridge low and the saddles high give you the same break angle as if you string it through the body or similar? My other question is do both guitars have the same pickups?
Hi, Jay, what do you think of the "11/56 Off Center V" on the Ltd. Ed. Cunife Blackuard Tele?
Great vid! I too own a '68 Bigsby tele (rosewood board)! Restringing drives me nuts... so with removing the pins from the Bigsby - do you simply take them out and you're good to go? Thanks!
You were able to do it with some old ones but you unfortunately can do that with the new Bigsbys. You can drill the holes yourselves (using the pin holes as guides) or buy an aftermarket bar from someone like Callaham.
Hey Jay! I picked up a 62 CIJ Tele w/ Bigsby and there were some shotty mods and I need to change the bridge. Which Jazzmaster Bridge and Mastery Bridge do you recommend for that?
Offset Bridge vs Mastery M4.1? Does the rocking bridge improve tuning stability over a "hard tail" style bridge?
What kind of Amp doi you play in this Video. Your guitar tone is amazing!
It's a Benson Chimera :)
This is the video I needed! Thank you sir! Now I am convinced I can change my bridge to a jazzmaster Mastery. My tele is a Fender Japan 62 custom and its bridge is killing me.
It'll definitely make a big difference!
Stewmac has a direct replacement (roller saddle) bridge for the JazzMaster bridge. Works way better.
Hey Jay L I have a shechter with a real Bigsby5 model I guess it will still work right
Don't own one, but I am a big fan of Bigsby Telecasters. Keep the nut cut right and keep it lubed, and it should stay in tune ... Stratocasters, as well.
Roller bridges tho
Instead of removing the pins and drilling holes in the string shaft, or getting the vibramate attachment, use a capo to hold the string in place while you get it around the tuner.
Great tip. I mention that exact technique in my vid on Bigsby string changing.
The reason why I went with the Callaham bar and Vibramate attachment is because it makes string changes significantly less stressful when I break strings in the middle of a show and need to get it switched out fast 👍
Use GOOD roller saddles. Can I get an amen?
Reduce the saddle break angle. Here are some easy options:
Shim the front of the entire frame up.
Remove the front roller entirely.
Only remove the front roller cylinder, but keep the solid axle.
Buy a Bricks Biggs fix tension bar for about $55 to $65 - Or get sheet metal and DIY.
what do you think of the reverend soft spring replacement for the regular spring? it makes the bigsby feel more responsive and i don't get the feeling that i'm breaking my guitar in two, but than again it's really soft and i need to relearn my subtle vibrato... maybe that the softer spring makes the guitar go out of tune easier when breaking a string also.... what do you think? have you tried it?
I haven't tried the soft spring, but I do use a pretty tall one with great results
Jay, do you shim the neck heel at all? I find it hard to get proper action and bridge height without doing that with the Bigsby/Tele setup.
No Shim. I actually try to get things as low as possible to make sure the string angle isn't too steep between the saddle in the Bigsby.
Hey Jay. Wondering what wiring schematic your blue Tele is, Fez Parker or Grease Bucket? Do you think your J mod tele pickups will work well with in and out of phase/ series push pull schematics or keep it traditional? Cheers mate.
Hi! I had my Blue Tele wired for Fez Parka for a long time, but have recently went back to the Standard wiring (albeit with a .47uf cap instead of a .22uf) and am definitely keeping it there for the foreseeable future. Personally, I never really found too many uses for the Series mod and typically leave them out of my wiring choices. That being said, some people love that mod, so it really comes down to if you see yourself needing that tone in the future :)
@@JayLeonardJ cheers legend appreciate it.
@jayleonardj What size strings do you use? Pure nickel?
I use the Stringjoy 10-48 Nickel plated sets :)
I think Bigsby Telecasters get a bad wrap because the Bigsby doesn’t have the same tremolo range it would on say a Gretsch. It’s very tight feeling on a tele because of the break angle.
I like to use the extra tall springs you can buy online! Thanks for bring that up, forgot to add that to the video!!
Shhh before you tank the sales of needle nose pliers 😂
haha :)
What knobs did you put on your telecasters? Are they just fender amp knobs?
That's right :)
I might modestly suggest that the "softness" of the Jazzmaster bridge might be from brass saddles. Because an original Jazzmaster bridge with steel saddles ain't soft. But compared to a Mastery, I don't know.
And as for the strings binding in the nut, I tell people to, when they make nuts, throw out the small E file and use the B file for the E slot, the G file for the B slot, and so forth. The files make slots with rounded bottoms anyway, so why make the nut grab onto the strings?
My guess is that, with the Jazzmaster bridge, there is a lot of energy transfer being lost through the individual saddles and from the fact the narrow bridge posts don't form a tight fit with the body thimbles (even the electrical tape will still dampen those vibrations if I try to beef out the pole circumference with tape). I feel that all of that energy loss leads to a softer transient and quicker decay. Because the Mastery has a 2 saddle design (which puts more string pressure on the bridge) and uses thicker posts for a tight thimble fit, less energy is lost and everything feels more powerful with a longer sustain trail.
What did you use for the output jack to enable a 90° jack
I use those Electrosocket ones :)
Hi Jay, what string gauge do you use with Bigsbies?
I use a Stringjoy 10-48 set
The new Fender Telecaster Vintera 60s w/Bigsby (made in Mexico) has got the same bridge, I think. Is this true?
You are correct- I have one the Vintera Bigsby Tele, although I have replaced it with a mustang bridge (which goes against the advice of this vid!)
Having watched this video, my preoccupation with modding one of my existing teles to include a bigsby is now officially over.
You're dissing 6 saddle bridges !
What part number is the mastery bridge? It doesn't look like the 4.1, but like you took a bigsby bridge plate and rivetted down a different mastery bridge model. Can you give me some insight please sir? Thanks!!
My guitar had the Bigsby installed at the factory the old school way (with a jazzmaster bridge and specialized tele bridge pickup plate), so I couldn't use something like the 4.1. What I use instead is the standard M1 bridge.
Does the jazzmaster bridge works with the vibramate bigsby adaptor? I’ve been having a hard time with those vintage 3 saddles ones
Unfortunately not. I've had luck with the 60s style threaded steel saddles with that setup over the round brass ones.
That is good to know cause I was about to (re)try it! My Japanese 62' tele came with those originally.
I also had no luck with brass ones neither the round or the one with the string slot.
Hey Jay, these are beautiful guitars. Thanks for the video, it's really helping me as I am exploring putting a bigsby on my tele. I am just wondering if I should go with the ashtray style bridge like what I have now or the mastery. I am looking to do standard bigsby effects as well as shoegazey glide guitar and sitar like emulations. Do you think the mastery would offer the most range of motion for the bigsby over the ashtray style bridge?
I would say if your guitar is already set up in the ashtray style, maybe start with the ashtray bridge. I did that with one of my guitars back in the day and it worked great (especially with those threaded 60s style saddles)
Hey Jay, what knobs are those?
Fender Amp Knobs :)
Can you give a link to the mastery bridge for tele?
It is just the standard Mastery Jazzmaster Bridge. masterybridge.com/
03/24/2021: Where are the Mastery Bridges sold? I only see B3, B5, and B7 Bridges sold.
You get it direct from the Mastery website. I don't think they have any distributers.
Who makes the Tuners?
Currently, my 1968 Tele has a set of Fender OEM 70s style tuners on it and my Blue Tele has the Vintage Locking Kluson tuners.
What’s your pickups?
The Blonde guitar are the stock 1968 pickups. The blue guitar are my Tone Specific J-Mod Signature guitar pickups.
I love how my bigsby make my tele out of tune 🤭
What all does one need to get to put a Bigsby on a mexican stadard telecaster?
Chimera?
Yup :)
The easiest way to string a Bigsby is to FIRST put a 90* bend at the ball end. That's it. Yer welcome. 😊
No bigsby for me, tone wise iits the string thru body, no way shall i install a bigsby on my tele.
When you’re stuck modding this much can we just admit - Bigsby bridge is shy of a century old and a bad design.
Like everything, it definitely has pros and cons. The reason why I keep coming back to it is, unlike most floating trems, it maintains its tuning relatively well when you break a string (which is something I do all the time).