Vibramate Bigsby setup for Telecasters

[rockabilly69]

I've been pretty vocal about my disdain for Vibramate Bigsby setup for guitars with ABR style bridges (ie H150s, Les Pauls, Firebirds, SGs, etc). The reason being they never seem to have to right break angle and every one I've ever installed left the guitar with tuning instability. 

I've now installed two of the Vibramate setups on Telecasters, and they've both been rock solid tuning wise, and they really seem to work good. The setup I'm talking about is this... http://www.vibramate.com/vibramate-v5tev2-install.php

It consists of a Vibramate mounting plate, a short Bigsby B5, and a Telecaster bridge plate. You have to supply the wood screws for the plate, and the saddles. I used Gotoh compensated slotted brass.

Yesterday I installed one on a new Tele body and it went flawless. It really helps when your strap pin hole can be drilled specifically for the kit as that's what holds the Bigsby to the body. On the first one I installed, I doweled the original hole and re-drilled to get the Bigsby flush and centered. The strap pin hole is slightly bigger than the screw so the Bigsby and plate can be moved slight left/right and up/down for adjustment before tightening which helps get the unit flush to the body. 

Besides being held down by the strap pin screw, the front of the plate slides under two cutouts in the bridge that also help to anchor it. It's a pretty cool design. My only complaint is it's hard to get to the intonation screws after installing everything, but I later learned you can buy dual access screws from Vibramate that would make the job easier https://www.wdmusic.com/vibramate-dual-access-telecaster-intonation-screws-metric-details.html

I give this system two thumb ups when combined with the Gotoh slotted saddles (the deep slots help keep the strings on the saddle)! It sounds and feels great!!!

!

 

Edited 20 hours ago by rockabilly69

[Genericmusic]

Well done 

[rockabilly69]

8 hours ago, Genericmusic said:

Well done 

My buddy Troy calls my Tele Donewells