Bigsby B7 Tailpiece Vibrato Kit Instructions
- June 11, 2024
- Bigsby
Table of Contents
Bigsby B7 Tailpiece Vibrato Kit
BEFORE YOU BEGIN TOOLS AND MATERIALS REQUIRED TO INSTALL THE BIGSBY B7 VIBRATO
TOOLS REQUIRED DRILL BITS:
5/64 (190 mm) AND 3/32 (2.30 mm DRILL PHILLIPS HEAD SCREWDRIVER
SET UP NOTES
READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY BEFORE YOU BEGIN. MAKE SURE THE FOLLOWING ITEMS ARE IN GOOD WORKING CONDITION AND THE GUITAR IS SET UP PROPERLY. INDICATE ANY NECESSARY PRE-INSTALLATION ADJUSTMENTS.
- TUNING PEGS
- NUT
- TRUSS ROD
- NECK ANGLE
- ACTION
- INTONATION
- BRIDGE
- STRING GAUGE
POSITION THE VIBRATO
- REMOVE THE GUITAR STRINGS, EXISTING TAILPIECE AND STRAP BUTTON FROM THE GUITAR. ALIGN THE HINGED
- PART OF THE VIBRATO WITH THE ORIGINAL STRAP BUTTON HOLE.
- CHECK THAT THE HINGED PART RESTS FLAT AGAINST THE GUITAR END AND THAT THE TOP OF THE VIBRATO IS LEVEL ON THE GUITAR SURFACE. FIG.
NOTE
THE STRAP BUTTON HOLE VAY NEED TO BE MOVED ON SOME GUITAR MODFI TIP THERE ARE
MANY OPTIONS FOR TREATING HOLES LEFT FROM A LUTHIER, OR VISIT
TIP
THERE ARE MANY OPTIONS FOR TREATING HOLES LEFT FROM REMOVING THE ORIGINAL
TAILPIECE, DISCUSS OPTIONS WITH A LUTHIER, OR VISIT
WWW.BIGSBYGUITARS.COM TO SEE WHAT OTHERS HAVE
DONE.
CHECK THE ALIGNMENT
- MAKE SURE THE VIBRATO IS ALIGNED CORRECTLY; THREAD THE ALIGNMENT STRING AROUND THE LOW E TUNING PEG, DOWN TO THE LOW E STRING PIN ON THE VIBRATO (GOING UNDER THE TENSION ROLLER), OVER TO THE HIGH E STRING PIN, UNDER THE TENSION ROLLER AGAIN AND BACK UP TO THE HIGH E TUNING PEG. FIG. 2A
- POSITION THE VIBRATO SO THE ALIGNMENT STRINGS RUN STRAIGHT DOWN THE GUITAR NECK. CHECK THAT THE STRINGS SIT PROPERLY IN THE NUT AND BRIDGE. FIG.
- ADJUST THE VIBRATO AS NECESSARY UNTIL IT IS CENTERED.
- LIGHTLY MARK THE SCREW HOLE LOCATIONS BY HAND WITH A 5/64* (1.90 mm) DRILL BIT.
TIP
USE MASKING TAPE AND AN ALL-SURFACE OR GREASE PENCIL WHEN MARKING HOLE
LOCATIONS TO PROTECT THE GUITAR FINISH.
ATTACH THE VIBRATO
- DRILL HINGE SCREW HOLES USING A 5/64″ (1.90 mm) DRILL BIT.
- FASTEN THE HINGE SCREWS. CHECK THE ALIGNMENT AFTER INSTALLING EACH ONE. THEN INSTALL THE STRAP BUTTON. FIG.
- DRILL MOUNTING SCREW HOLES USING A 3/32″ (2.30 mm) DRILL BIT, AND FASTEN THE TWO MOUNTING SCREWS ON THE GUITAR SURFACE.
- RESTRING THE GUITAR WITH NEW STRINGS. THE BALL END OF THE STRING RUNS UNDER THE TENSION ROLLER, OVER THE STRING BAR AND HOOKS ONTO THE STRING PIN. LEAVE THE STRINGS LOOSE, FIG C.
- PLACE THE PLASTIC WASHER INTO THE CUP UNDER THE HANDLE AND INSERT THE TENSION SPRING.
- TIGHTEN THE STRINGS TO TUNE AND REPLACE THE STRAP BUTTON.
TIPS
- PRE-DRILLING HOLES WITH A HAND DRILL AND BEVELING THE EDGES OF THE SCREW HOLES WILL PROTECT THE GUITAR FINISH. TO PREVENT DRILLING.
- TOO DEEP, MARK THE DEPTH OF THE SCREWS ON A DRILL BIT WITH MASKING TAPE BEFORE DRILLING PILOT HOLES. BEND THE BALL END OF THE GUITAR STRING AT A RIGHT ANGLE TO HOOK IT ONTO THE STRING PIN. FIG.
BEFORE YOU FINISH
TEST THE VIBRATO TO ENSURE THAT IT IS INSTALLED PROPERLY
- BE SURE THE STRINGS ARE STRETCHED AND SECURED AT THE TUNING PEGS.
- CHECK THE BRIDGE AND NUT SADDLES TO ENSURE THAT THE STRINGS CAN MOVE FREELY, FILE AS NECESSARY,
- CHECK THE ACTION- ADJUST THE TAUSS ROD AND NECK ANGLE IF NECESSARY
PERFORMANCE TIPS
- A SMALL AMOUNT OF GRAPHITE (SUCH AS SOFT PENCIL LEAD) IN THE NUT AND BRIDGE WILL ALLOW STRINGS TO MOVE FREELY
- TO RAISE THE HEIGHT OF THE HANDLE, PLACE A COIN UNDER THE SPRING TO LOWER THE HEIGHT OF THE HANDLE, REMOVE THE PLASTIC WASHER, STRING GAUGE WILL ALSO AFFECT THE HEIGHT OF THE HANDLE.
15005:530059
FINAL ADJUSTMENT NOTES
- TUNING PEGS
- NUT
- TRUSS
- ROD NECK
- ANGLE ACTION
- INTONATION
- BRIDGE STRING
- GAUGE
Read User Manual Online (PDF format)
Read User Manual Online (PDF format) >>