Vibramate No-Drill Bigsby Adaptor?

[Jon Hiltbrand]

Hi Everyone!

I seem to get at least one customer a week that wants to upgrade hardware on their Epiphone Sheraton (Korean, with the 72mm bridge spacing...).

Anyway, I have people ask about putting a bigsby on these all the time.  Vibramate's website says that several of their Bigsby mounting brackets will fit a Sheraton or Sheraton ii, but the drawing shows 82.5mm stud spacing for the tailpiece.  I don't have one in the shop to measure right now, but I thought the spacing on the sheraton's tailpiece was also slightly smaller.  Are they standard spacing?

http://www.vibramate.com/vibramate-model-chart.php

http://www.vibramate.com/images/VB-V5-GIBSON-SG-1200.gif

Has anyone tried a Vibramate on a Sheraton?  Or any other guitar for that matter... seems like a pretty cool product, but I have not tried them.

Thanks,

Jon

[Paul Verticchio]

The Model which will work on the Epi Sheraton is the V7-335.  (click on their photo of the 335).

You DEFINITELY want to call the folks at Vibramate (VBM) to double check, but a really quick view of their "guitar by brand & model" table makes me think it is majorly wrong. The VB-V5 is for a flat top solid body guitar.

Two areas of great importance:

1. Most folks don't understand that the VBM's work ONLY with USA made Bigsby's.

2. When adding a Bigsby, you MUST also change the bridge to a roller saddle type.  If not, 'returning to in-tune' issues will overshadow 'all the pleasures' of using the Bigsby.  The Tonepros is HIGHLY recommended. As a matter of fact, it's the only roller bridge I recommend.

While I haven't installed one myself, I've worked on a few 335 style guitars that had them already installed. It's pretty well an idiot-proof system.

MY involvement came in when the customers/installers complained of tuning issues. The roller saddle bridges I recommended and installed greatly minimized the problem.

Again, double check with the good folks at VibraMate AND be sure to mention the need for a roller saddle bridge. 

Hope some of that was helpful.

[Jon Hiltbrand]

Thanks Paul.  I like the Tonepros too, but to the best of my knowledge (and I've done lots of digging) a roller bridge for 72mm spacing does not exist.  I have made the holes into "slots" to get a bridge to fit the 72mm studs, but I am surprised at how many customers are put off by the idea of having a 1mm gap on each side of the stud in the bridge - seems very stable to me although this isn't possible with all bridges because sometimes the thumb screws sit to close to the bridge on the underside.  Not sure if the tonepro fits into this category or not. 

VBM does say that the V5 will leave a gap under the back of the mounting bracket on some models. I would assume "some models" means anything that's not flat.

Thanks again,

Jon

[Jon Hiltbrand]

too late to edit, but a 1mm gap on the outside of each stud is a more accurate description

[Paul Verticchio]

Hi Jon.

This Tonepros bridge should drop right in:

http://www.wdmusic.com/tonepros_bridge_large_post_metric_roller_sad...

I've installed many Tonepros & Gotoh (Tonepros source manufacturer) bridges on Epis from all countries of manufacture.  All have been a definite upgrade and none have required more than a small shim in the body to assure a snug fit of the bridge's stud inserts. Some required no shimming.

My point on the VBM was that the V5 is the absolutely incorrect model for an ES style semi-hollowbody.

Here's the correct product: http://www.wdmusic.com/v7_335_arch_top_e_series_8_0_in_v7_335_e_ser...     Reference chosen for pic only. You decide on the actual supplier.

Hope this helps a bit more :)

 

[Jon Hiltbrand]

Just an update on this one...

The customer brought this in and we did the Vibramate / Bigsby install.  The Vibramate worked very well and seemed solid.  Pretty cool and easy idea. The V5 flat top bracket worked and sat nicely on the top.  No holes to cover, no tailpiece to be added.  There is a felt pad in the rear of the bracket that allows it to work with an arched top.

[Paul Verticchio]

Jon,

It's clear to me now that what I was suggesting, and did a piss poor job of conveying, was strictly a matter of personal taste and traditional visual aesthetics. 

I'm glad to hear everything worked out well.   Customer satisfaction IS the bottom line, and you provided that in spades :)

AND... thanks for the update & closure.  Y'gotta love a happy ending :) [insert "thumbs up" here]

P:)