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Author
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Topic: New Bigsby guitars
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Steve Honum
Member From: LosAngelesCa
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posted 19 June 2002 09:11 AM
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A little off topic, but the "have a look at this" thread from Herb jogged my memory. I stopped into the Guitar Center in Hollywood a couple of weeks ago. They had some beautiful new Bigsby electric guitar repros (from Gretsch, similar to the ones Merle Travis and other country pickers played in the late 40s and 50s. Travis can be seen playing this type guitar in the video compilations of his old 'soundies'). They had a solid body hard-tail like the famous one pictured in the Smith book that Leo was allegedly influenced by, and a semi-hollow with a bigsby vibrato. Real nice workmanship and very faithful to the originals in design and construction. The pick-ups looked identical to the old Bigsby chrome covered single coils. They played real nice, but I didn't have time to plug into an amp and compete with all the metallica-breath teens, thrashing thru Marshall stacks. Wonder if they might do a run of steels?
Haere mai,
Steve H.
S8A6 |
chas smith
Member From: Encino, CA, USA
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posted 19 June 2002 11:34 AM
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I can't help but think that Gretsch is committing blasphemy, remember what they did for Sho-Bud. Of course I haven't seen the guitars and I'll admit to being overly sensitive about Bigsby and Standel, but it's one thing to have people like Paul Warnik and Danny McKinney, who are devoted to what those names represent, and another for a corporate entity to co-opt the name and the mystique in the search for more profits. |
Eric Stumpf
Member From: Newbury, NH 03255
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posted 19 June 2002 05:18 PM
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I checked both the Guitar Center and Gretsch sites and couldn't get any info on these new Bigsby's. Anybody find an informative link yet out there in cyberspace? |
Roger Miller
Member From: Waterloo, Ia.
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posted 19 June 2002 06:40 PM
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They have had pics of them in the "Vintage Guitar " mags. They look pretty authentic, never know till you put them to the test. Even then who knows unless you've played them before. duhhhhh? Sorry I took up your time. |
Paul Graupp
Member From: Macon Ga USA
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posted 19 June 2002 06:52 PM
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Chas: You stirred my memories with that mention of Standel. I think there is very little left of what at one time was the top-of-the line for steel guitar amplification.I was always intrigued by their modular concepts and how they applied what then must have been, state of the art building. I treasure the memory of Bobby Garrett using my Standel in Dallas one saturday afternoon.
It may have lacked a little on the power side of the parameters but the high end and that 15 inch JBL gave me a rare live insight into Rose City Chimes that not too many of us have had the priviledge of watching. Thanks for the memories !! Regards, Paul   |
chas smith
Member From: Encino, CA, USA
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posted 19 June 2002 07:33 PM
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quote:
Chas: You stirred my memories with that mention of Standel. I think there is very little left of what at one time was the top-of-the line for steel guitar amplification.
Paul, as it turns out, Standel is alive and well.
http://www.requisiteaudio.com/standel.html#anchor15076719 Danny McKinney, from Requisite audio, which makes high end, point to point, tube, recording equipment has resuscitated the Standel amp. He's planning on building a steel amp and I got to test a prototype that he made for one of our "Pantheon" players (all the good players had gigs on those days). It was quite simply the best sounding amp I have ever heard, (I have two of the originals plus about 20 other former favorites) it was dramatically better and it made me sound better than I am. These are, however, going to be very expensive amps, by steel guitar standards.
[This message was edited by chas smith on 19 June 2002 at 07:38 PM.] |
Jussi Huhtakangas
Member From: Helsinki, Finland
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posted 19 June 2002 11:29 PM
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I'd guess these new guitars are built by the same Japanense factory, which makes the Gretsch models and the new D'Angelicos( by Vestax). I've had both and they were ok guitars workmanshipwise. But especially with the DA-copy, the only relation to a original one was the overall looks. I'm expecting the same with these Bigsbys. Really curious about the PU's, but I have my doubts about those too.
About Standels, Danny has been working on a reissue of the old solid state Standel Custom, which was the pedal steel players choice in the 60's, as well as Wes Mongomery's. Pricewise it should be less than the tube models. Demand for an amp like this came mainly from the jazz guitar scene; they spend thousands of dollars or more for a carved top Benedetto guitar and bitch and moan when they have to spend more than $500 for the amp. Sound familiar?  |
Paul Graupp
Member From: Macon Ga USA
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posted 20 June 2002 08:26 AM
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Chas: I want to thank you for that link and a whole morning's reading about history as only we can enjoy it now. There was so much in there that I never heard about so again: THANK YOU SO MUCH !!Regards, Paul |
PAUL WARNIK
Member From: OAK LAWN,IL,USA
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posted 24 June 2002 02:55 PM
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The Graveel electric guitar made in Indianapolis is the Bigsby copy that has been advertised for awhile in Vintage Guitar Magazine but their ad has not appeared in the paper for the last few months-I first encountered on of these a few years back when Ashley Kingman had one here while passing through with Big Sandy-it was not really the high quality that you might expect but rather Ashley had told me that the guy was a woodworker who just got into guitar making-I suspect the earlier models like Ashleys have been improved upon and the guitar shown in the ad looks quite true to detail-I will be going to the Guitar Center soon to check out the dumpster (my favorite place to find shipping boxes-once they even threw out a single neck Sho-Bud case and leg bag) I hope they will have one of these new Bigsby re-issues to check out-I would certainly consider buying one-I guess since Gretsch has bought out the Bigsby company they can use the name and designs however they like-PW[This message was edited by PAUL WARNIK on 24 June 2002 at 02:58 PM.] |
Jody Carver
Member From: The Knight Of Fender Tweed. Dodger Blue Forever
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posted 24 June 2002 05:01 PM
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[This message was edited by Jody Carver on 26 June 2002 at 06:33 AM.] |
PAUL WARNIK
Member From: OAK LAWN,IL,USA
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posted 25 June 2002 09:00 AM
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I went to the Guitar Center here (Burbank) last night and talked to the guitar manager about what I was looking for-he called the Hollywood store and then related to me that the store in Hollywood was the only Guitar Center to have these and they were received there as a "test market" type of piece-as of last night they only had one in stock there-he had no more information-it would be nice to see what they look like-the original post of this thread describes "chrome covered pickups" which is not original the covers should be polished al-mag castings like the originals-they could not yet order one of these for me to see unless I wanted to buy the one from the Hollywood store sight-unseen which he said listed for around the same price as a Gretsch Brian Setzer model around $3200 but probably could be had at a standard discount which would bring it down to around $2400-Hey Chas I know you are always a busy guy but maybe you could go down there to the Hollywood store and check it out-I really want to see this instrument |
PAUL WARNIK
Member From: OAK LAWN,IL,USA
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posted 25 June 2002 09:06 AM
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Of course they are not going to be making any Bigsby pedal steel guitars-I got all the patterns moulds and parts from Ted McCarty several years before he sold out to Gretsch-we have plans to make at least two more triple eight "P.A. Re-issue" Bigsbys with the parts left in addition to the seven that were already made-Jody I really think that you should be the next to get one |
Steve Honum
Member From: LosAngelesCa
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posted 25 June 2002 11:21 AM
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Paul, I assume they sold the one that looked like the famous Merle Travis Solid Body. The other style was like the hollow body electric Merle plays in the old 'soundies' I have on video. Hollow body jazz guitar style single cutaway but with a flat maple top and no f-holes (I think... my short term memory is kinda stuffed). The pick up covers are some kind of metal covered single coils, probably not chrome like I said, but more like the alloy you mention. I'm no expert, but the detailing and construction on these guitars is high quality and looks real close to the original designs to me. I'm a Fender guy myself, but am interested in Paul Bigsby and his work from an historical viewpoint. I just phoned them and they only have one left as described above. The sales guy said they would like to order more. If I spot any more I'll let yuz know.
Haere mai,
Steve H.
S8A6 |
chas smith
Member From: Encino, CA, USA
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posted 25 June 2002 12:48 PM
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quote:
I'm a Fender guy myself, but am interested in Paul Bigsby and his work from an historical viewpoint.
Paul Bigsby and Bob Crooks were Nicolas Tesla to Leo Fender's Thomas Edison.Yo, Paul Warnik, if I get a chance, I'll stop by the Guitar Center in Hollywood, just don't tell anyone that I actually went in there. |
PAUL WARNIK
Member From: OAK LAWN,IL,USA
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posted 25 June 2002 12:55 PM
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Steve H-thanks for sharing the info-I hope they make a few more-it sounds like from your description that the one that they already sold would be my preference of the two-Chasmo-I PROMISE NOT TO TELL-but you know that you are a kind of a Hollywood celebrity yourself not to mention those many that have met and worked with-send e-mail-PW |
chas smith
Member From: Encino, CA, USA
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posted 02 July 2002 05:31 PM
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Spoke too soon, turns out that the maple body is veneer on ash.[This message was edited by chas smith on 02 July 2002 at 09:24 PM.] |
PAUL WARNIK
Member From: OAK LAWN,IL,USA
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posted 03 July 2002 04:27 PM
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Chas-did you get down to HGC and see the other one then? I guess they didnt get to the guy who has the original body templates? So did they copy (so-to-speak) an orignal found somewhere or possibly make calculations from pictures of an original one? what do you think Chasmo? |
chas smith
Member From: Encino, CA, USA
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posted 03 July 2002 06:10 PM
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Paul- it looked like they got the shape right and the headstock looks cool. I doubt if they contacted Dave, but you never know, they could have reverse engineered from a good photo. Evidently it sounds right, Seymour Duncan has all the specs on the pickups, including dimensions, down pat. What I like about it is it doesn't look like anything else in there.I took a look in the vintage area and the prices were off the scale for amps and guitars. The salesman explained that they have a team of buyers out scouring the country and they have to put next years prices on everything. Things are going to be a lot more expensive next year. Where are the people who can afford this stuff gettin their money? I'm going to be eating turf-builder next year. |
Chris DeBarge
Member From: Boston, Mass
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posted 04 July 2002 05:59 AM
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The guitar center in Boston has vintage stuff that has been sitting in there for years. Hey guys, could it be that your vintage prices are 2-3 times the norm?Anyways, I'd love to see that new Bigsby. Chas, have you seen any of the RC Allen copies floating around your parts? |
PAUL WARNIK
Member From: OAK LAWN,IL,USA
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posted 04 July 2002 08:45 AM
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Chas-so Seymour Duncan made the pickups? the Guitar Center store by me has very liitle vintage gear but the Villa Park store has alot more and you are right-their prices are off scale to the higher end |
chas smith
Member From: Encino, CA, USA
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posted 04 July 2002 11:47 AM
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Paul-I don't know if Duncan made the pickups, although he certainly has the capability. There's a lot of smart and talented people out there, I'm sure that Gretsch has the resources to plug into that pool.Chris-The only guitar that RC made that I've actually seen was Ashley's. I spoke with him years ago, but since I live in a cave, I miss a lot of stuff. |
CrowBear Schmitt
Member From: Ariege, - PairO'knees, - France
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posted 05 July 2002 01:38 AM
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Is the pick up on a National Original aluminium model the same as those used on Bigsbys ?
Any pics or link to this Bigsby reissue ?
Steel askin'... [This message was edited by CrowBear Schmitt on 05 July 2002 at 01:40 AM.] |
chas smith
Member From: Encino, CA, USA
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posted 05 July 2002 08:10 PM
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quote:
Is the pick up on a National Original aluminium model the same as those used on Bigsbys ?
No, Bigsby or the woman who worked for him, wound the pickups. Rumor has it that the Carvin pickups from the '50s were close. |
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