Starfire I SC electronics

[GAD]

Speaking of roller bridges, are they even worth it? Seeing mixed reviews on the interwebs.

IMO they absolutely can be. They can change the feel of the instrument which is important, but a TOM really doesn't belong on a Bigsby-equipped guitar. I'd always defer to a pro like @Walter Broes or @krysh but I'd say it depends on how much you use the Bigsby.

 

[Horrid the Terrible]

I might just hold off on that idea for now. I won't use the bigsby much, just as added flavor on some rockabilly and surf inspired songs. The guitar comes with 11's and I plan on going down to 10's and maybe even 9's. So I will give it some time before I change anything. But the tone pots will need to be changed eventually, even though I love the tone with the pots dimed, which is everything above 2. Lol

 

[Walter Broes]

I have tune-a-matics on my Bigsby-equipped guitars, but...

-they are ABR-1, vintage style bridges - not the bigger "Nashville" type. The saddles in an ABR-1 are pretty loose, and with a Bigsby, the play in the saddles is a definite advantage. The wooden bridge foot on all my archtops is pinned/immobilized/tacked down, and the guitars' nuts are well cut and silicon-lubed. A nylon nut works great too - nylon has self-lubricating properties. The bridge saddles get a little extra attention too so they don't pinch the strings too hard.

-my Bigsbies are all the single-roller-type. With the double roller types like the B5, B7 and B12 (or the licensed versions), a roller bridge does makes sense. With those bigsbies the extra downward string pressure on a (quality and lubed) roller saddle will make the saddle roll with vibrato action. With a B6 or B3 type Bigsby....not so much in practice, even though the idea looks good on paper.

 

[Horrid the Terrible]

Ok that was a bit over my head. I am an acoustic player (20 years) who is just now getting back into electric. I don't even know what kind of bigsby, or gibsy, the SC1 has. What would you suggest for this guitar? Leave it as is or something else? I just got it today so I can't comment on tunning stability. I will go for lighter strings for easier bends, but it's not needed as I can bend 12's on my acoustic just fine.

 

[Walter Broes]

The SC-1 has a B7-type Bigsby, with the double roller.

What I tend to say about any brand new guitar, but especially guitars in that price range is take it to a good tech for a good setup. That's the best money you can spend on it. Have it set up by a pro for the string gauge and action you want, truss rod/neck relief set, frets leveled, nut height finessed, bridge saddles de-burred and intonation set, pickup heights set and balanced,...

I've seen two Starfire 1 DC's at the shop I work at go from "really nice for the money" to "pretty great, period" after our tech did his usual to them.

 

[krysh]

Sorry, I‘m neither a bigsby expert nor a pro, but +1 for what walter said.

 

[GAD]

Sorry, I‘m neither a bigsby expert nor a pro, but +1 for what walter said.

Oh man - sorry to drag you into this, then. LOL

 

[krysh]

Oh man - sorry to drag you into this, then. LOL

no problem at all!

 

[Horrid the Terrible]

One thing you can do to improve the tone even further is to remove the plastic from the pickups.

I'm such an idiot sometimes.

 

[GAD]

One thing you can do to improve the tone even further is to remove the plastic from the pickups.

I'm such an idiot sometimes.

We're all idiots. Some of us are just brave enough to admit it.

 

[GGJaguar]

One thing you can do to improve the tone even further is to remove the plastic from the pickups

Yes, pickups need to breath breathe.

 

[Nuuska]

Yes, pickups need to breath.

Breathe . . . ?

Sorry - both my parents were language teachers

This might sound like excuse - but I want to learn - it might be usefull someday. . .

 

[GGJaguar]

Breathe . . . ?

English is difficult.

 

[Nuuska]

English is difficult.

I know - when I was working at James Berns Music Store 8417 Pillsbury Ave S 55420 Bloomington MN - every time they wrote a sign they came to ask me if it was correct.

Some of you might know/guess that I was the one and only foreigner in the crew . . . .

 

[GAD]

I know - when I was working at James Berns Music Store 8417 Pillsbury Ave S 55420 Bloomington MN - every time they wrote a sign they came to ask me if it was correct.

Some of you might know/guess that I was the one and only foreigner in the crew . . . .

In my experience people who learn English as a second language seem to care about grammar and spelling far more than the average American.

 

[lungimsam]

Ain’t no one care about no grammer or spellin’ in the USA wear I’m from.

 

[Horrid the Terrible]

Well my bridge has developed a rattling sound. Removed it and it seems some of the saddle screws are too loose and there is no way to tighten them. It seems like the manufacturing tolerances are not very accurate. Some screws/saddles fit in snug and others are loose. There is a retaining wire to keep them from falling out. Also the two main bridge pins wiggle around a bit even if I lower it down all the way. So I guess a new bridge is in order, as I can't see any fix to this.

 

[Horrid the Terrible]

So I took a screw driver and bent the retaining wire down between each saddle to give more retaining pressure. Rattling is gone, for now. Feels like a bandaid more than a fix.

 

[GAD]

So I took a screw driver and bent the retaining wire down between each saddle to give more retaining pressure. Rattling is gone, for now. Feels like a bandaid more than a fix.

The go-to solution for rattling bridges like you describe (a common problem on Les Pauls) is clear nail polish.

 

[LesB3]

The go-to solution for rattling bridges like you describe (a common problem on Les Pauls) is clear nail polish.

Or get rid of them. TOM style bridges have no place on a Bigsby equipped guitar!