Tele + trem = ?
March 29, 2010 5:25 PM   Subscribe

I have a nice Telecaster. Trouble is, I like making surf sounds. Would I ruin it by fitting a Bigsby or some other tremolo?
posted by scruss to Media & Arts (10 answers total)
 
I don't see how that would "ruin" your guitar, especially if it was an appropriate old-style Bigsby and properly installed. With their single coils Telecasters make great surf-rock guitars.
posted by dacoit at 5:30 PM on March 29, 2010


Best answer: One day, I will get my husband his own account here, to answer guitar questions. In the meantime:
these trems are nice because they are totally reversible, and you don't have to drill any holes that would ruin your finish if you decide to go trem-less in the future.
posted by kellyblah at 5:46 PM on March 29, 2010


Best answer: I found this ad in an old guitar magazine
posted by SatansCabanaboy at 5:47 PM on March 29, 2010


Response by poster: Sadly, the mr kellyblah, it's not a vintage-style Tele. It's a 2005 American Standard. So I may have to go with the B16.

This is a nice, if unremarkable, guitar but I really like its tone. The pickups (probably stock, bought it used but pristine) sound really sweet.
posted by scruss at 6:32 PM on March 29, 2010


Many Teles have Bigsbys on them, hardly a ruiner.

Since it isn't exactly a cheap guitar, obviously have somebody that knows what they're doing install the Bigsby. Just be prepared to have it go out of tune constantly.
posted by Threeway Handshake at 7:52 PM on March 29, 2010


heresay.

get a floyd rose and pointy headstock and be done with it.
posted by the cuban at 4:40 AM on March 30, 2010


get a floyd rose and pointy headstock and be done with it.

You say that like there actually wasn't a factory option for that.
posted by Threeway Handshake at 7:34 AM on March 30, 2010 [1 favorite]


Oh my. :(
posted by the cuban at 1:03 PM on March 30, 2010 [1 favorite]


Response by poster: I've played one of those HMT Teles. Didn't seem like a Tele at all, and a Floyd Rose seems far more bother than it would be worth.
posted by scruss at 8:08 AM on April 3, 2010


Response by poster: In addition to the Stetsbar (for all Tele bridges) and the Vibramate (currently Vintage/Classic only, but a Standard kit is in the works), there are the ZZGuitarworks kits which are available in no-drill options for both types of Tele bridge. I ordered one of the latter.
posted by scruss at 6:48 AM on April 17, 2010


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