Less is more
Take a seat...
Reshaping of the stock seat...
The Biltwell seat is great.. for one! So heres something a little better suited for two.
The Biltwell seat is great.. for one! So heres something a little better suited for two.
Paul Bigsby
Celebrating Paul Bigsby’s Birthday Anniversary
Posted by Bigsbyvibratos · Leave a Comment
December 12th 2011 marks the 112th birthday
anniversary of Paul Adelbert Bigsby. When it comes to guitar history,
names like Leo Fender, Adolph Rickenbacker, and Les Paul may be more
widely known, but their work would not have been possible without the
man who designed and built the first solidbody electric guitar.
Paul Bigsby
A skilled motorcycle machinist—and also a music fan—Paul Bigsby got
into the world of guitars in the mid-1940s when he designed a
replacement vibrato mechanism for Merle Travis’s Gibson L-10. Paul’s
device set a new standard, and it rapidly became the vibrato of choice
for most guitar manufacturers the world over—a reputation it still
enjoys today.
In late 1946, Travis approached Bigsby with a concept for a new guitar. Travis’s rough sketch depicted a solidbody electric with all six tuning pegs on one side of the headstock. Bigsby, whose personal philosophy was “I can build anything,” immediately went to work to make the concept a reality. When the guitar was completed, Merle Travis played it on recordings, on radio, and on public performances. The revolutionary design caught the eyes and ears of guitar players and builders alike—and it changed the sound and look of guitars forever.
Paul Bigsby continued to hand-craft custom guitars and vibrato units for the next twenty years. But by 1965 health issues prompted him to sell the Bigsby name and inventory to his friend Ted McCarty. That sale that was effective on January 1, 1966. Paul Bigsby died on June 7, 1968, leaving a legacy of innovation and craftsmanship for which every guitarist today should be grateful.
When Ted McCarty took over Bigsby, he retired from Gibson. He focused on filling the demand for Bigsby’s True Vibrato, which was being ordered by virtually all major US guitar manufacturers. Of all Bigsby customers, Gretsch Guitars was the single largest, establishing a strong relationship between the two companies. That relationship led to Bigsby’s purchase by Gretsch in 1999 when Ted McCarty retired after sixty successful years in the music business. Ted died on April 1, 2001.
Fred Gretsch describes the care that has been taken to preserve the Bigsby heritage, saying, “Gretsch guitars have featured Bigsby vibrato tailpieces for fifty-five years. Gretsch and Bigsby are often thought of together, and now we’re one company. We’re continuing to manufacture vintage-style Bigsby vibratos and bridges using the same hand-made methods prescribed by Paul Bigsby more than half a century ago.”
In late 1946, Travis approached Bigsby with a concept for a new guitar. Travis’s rough sketch depicted a solidbody electric with all six tuning pegs on one side of the headstock. Bigsby, whose personal philosophy was “I can build anything,” immediately went to work to make the concept a reality. When the guitar was completed, Merle Travis played it on recordings, on radio, and on public performances. The revolutionary design caught the eyes and ears of guitar players and builders alike—and it changed the sound and look of guitars forever.
Paul Bigsby continued to hand-craft custom guitars and vibrato units for the next twenty years. But by 1965 health issues prompted him to sell the Bigsby name and inventory to his friend Ted McCarty. That sale that was effective on January 1, 1966. Paul Bigsby died on June 7, 1968, leaving a legacy of innovation and craftsmanship for which every guitarist today should be grateful.
When Ted McCarty took over Bigsby, he retired from Gibson. He focused on filling the demand for Bigsby’s True Vibrato, which was being ordered by virtually all major US guitar manufacturers. Of all Bigsby customers, Gretsch Guitars was the single largest, establishing a strong relationship between the two companies. That relationship led to Bigsby’s purchase by Gretsch in 1999 when Ted McCarty retired after sixty successful years in the music business. Ted died on April 1, 2001.
Fred Gretsch describes the care that has been taken to preserve the Bigsby heritage, saying, “Gretsch guitars have featured Bigsby vibrato tailpieces for fifty-five years. Gretsch and Bigsby are often thought of together, and now we’re one company. We’re continuing to manufacture vintage-style Bigsby vibratos and bridges using the same hand-made methods prescribed by Paul Bigsby more than half a century ago.”
To learn more about the life of Paul Bigsby, be sure to check out “The Story of Paul Bigsby: Father of the Modern Solidbody Electric Guitar” HERE.
Project Blackie
The triumph has barely been touched all year and it isnt looking likely that much more will be done before this one is over. But the wheels are on - for now - and it looks like a motorccycle. Theres list of minor jobs as long as a long thing, and major components like the exhaust and wiring are still missing. Got the seat done by Rob Loader of christchurch - great job it is too in vintage style leather - so I can sit on it and make engine noises for now.
SMASH PALACE!
If you havent been to Horopito yet, its about time you took an hour or two to look around!
GO NORTH!
I want to go up next week, at least for sporty monday. Trouble I have to be back on wednesday for the rugby.. And I have no accomodation.. any suggestions people?
The evolution of an evolution
Speedo mount fab. 40mm long tubing with 1-2mm wall thickness, 95mm OD. Two builders tabs from LBC.
Cut tabs to length and weld in place. You dont get to see a picture of my welding, its a heinous crime against fabrication. So heres me filing away the damage and making it look pretty.
Chrome comes later, after I've made sure my crappy welding doesn't break. But there it is.
Bollocks #2
This is what happen when you take tight corners on an unfamiliar road too fast at night. Correction.. this is what happens when I do it, racing around The Esplanade by Owhiro Bay in Welly on saturday night. Sliding, sparks, broken sidecover and rashed up mufflers. Good for a laugh if nothing else..
Despite having to remove the whole exhaust to get the cover off, it was a fairly simple operation. Off to the welders!
Dig The Lid
Contact Josh at Old School Helmets now and he'll hand paint a biltwell lid to your design! Do it now!
Or else!
...you wont have one.
Not so-Cold Kiwi
I made it to my first Cold Kiwi last weekend and the first thing I noticed was that it wasnt that cold. Not that it dissappointed me at all. Me and Eli got ridiculously boozed, we brought BYO against the rules, didnt know until we got there.. naughty us eh? Eli crashed out fairly early (lightweight) and I wandered about in a drunken daze for a few more hours and lost my wallet. Dont remember much apart from trying to cook a feed before going to sleep but eating mostly warm raw meat. I guess thats why there was a pile of vomit with raw meat in it outside the tent on saturday.
I spent all saturday hibernating in my tent and missed all the events, which probably would have been good.
I did overhear outside "Is that the blue sporty that went up the hill climb?"
"Nah this dudes been asleep all day."
Had no money for drinking supplies or gas, luckily had enough juice to make it home.
You can bet I'll be back next year.
Heres a video made by some guy.
I spent all saturday hibernating in my tent and missed all the events, which probably would have been good.
I did overhear outside "Is that the blue sporty that went up the hill climb?"
"Nah this dudes been asleep all day."
Had no money for drinking supplies or gas, luckily had enough juice to make it home.
You can bet I'll be back next year.
Heres a video made by some guy.
Maund speed alloy fork covers? New amal carb? Oil tank kits? Stainless spoke set? Interested? I just listed some of my triumph parts stash on trademe. Go here to have a look.. then buy something!
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