Bigsby modifications?

[Steve A.]

I was looking at a Gretsch G2655T "Streamliner" and thought that the Bigsby B50 vibrato tailpiece would work much better for fingerpicking if it used a palm lever.

I have no idea how the B50 is assembled but here is my question: would it be possible to replace the stock tremolo bar with a palm lever?

Thanks!

Steve A.

[Steve A.]

A different approach... I was thinking of using a Dremel to surgically remove the stop on the Bigsby (follow green arrow in picture.) Just having the stock lever located over the strings should better facillitate finger picking.





Steve A.

[rjb]

I'm not sure what a palm lever is, but this is what you want.
How to get there....?

[Chuck H]

You can buy that Chet Atkins arm. Imaginatively called the Chet Atkins (tremolo arm for Bigsby). I even saw one that had adjustable length but I don't know if that was available new.

Modification by grinding off the stop might be ok if the part is stainless steel like the arm instead of plated. Which I think might be the case. Or you could grind out the arm a little. As noted, they're stainless steel. At least they are on the featured models. I can't say that they don't offer cheaper plated parts too.?. If you don't want to modify the original bridge you can always buy aftermarket parts to play with or cut your own arm from bar stock if you have the tools.

[Steve A.]

I'm not sure what a palm lever is, but this is what you want.
How to get there....?

Here is the picture of a Kahler 2200 with both a palm lever and a regular lever... (I put one on my 1976 LP Standard in the late 80's. I ought to move it to one of my $800 LP's and restore the one I bought in 1976 for $600.)





Steve A.

[Steve A.]

My research on the Chet Atkins arm*** led me to the Tremolution website, inventors of the Palm-O-Low which although kinda strange looking is exactly what I wanted.

http://www.tremolution.com/palm-o-low.html

Thanks for the suggestions that led me to this site! BTW they also sell an adaptor to add the Palm-O-Low to a traditional style strat bridge.

*** The Chet Atkins arm is designed for the US-made Bigsby's so modifications need to be made for it to work with the imported ones with metric fittings. (No biggee- you just need to enlarge one of the holes.)

Steve A.

[d. spree]

I love thisforum - but for your specific question Steve there is a ton of technical expertise on the gretsch guitar forum - The Gretsch Discussion Pages ? Gretsch Guitar Forums: The Gretsch Pages

There are folks there who work on these issues all the day long.