Schecter tempest - bigsby/duesenberg

[ubertech]

Ok for those following the guitar wiring threads you may recognise this as a work in progress

It started as a Schecter Tempest custom, and to be honest there was nothing custom about it - 2 vols, tone, coil split zebra duncan designed humbuckers and no scratch plate, but a nice carved mahogany body and set neck

I was on the verge of selling to favour a more gretsch style guitar, but then I though to mod it. 

Made a scratchplate to my own template. got some help with the wiring (thanks guys!)  so it has independent coil splits, phase and 2 tones 1 vol and threw in a couple of new GFS humbuckers - neck for mids, bridge for 'klang'. So it now sounds the biz, and looks sharp:



what I want to decide (opinions here) - will I improve matters with a duesenberg short 'tremola'? (in gold too obs) has anyone used them, I prefer their engineering to Bogsby. I dont want to route, and I would use the stop tail mointing kit, and add a roller bridge, probably schaller - what do you reckon?

[cynical1]

First off, I like the work on the guitar so far.

Now, back to the question at hand. For looks, I admit, A Bigsby, or Duesenberg is just too sexy not to appreciate.

Function. I'd never heard of the Duesenberg before. If they stay in tune better than a Bigsby that'd be nice. I'm sure I'll get flamed for that one, but let me explain. If you get Steve Vai kinda happy on it you'll never finish a song in tune. For all its industrial appearance, it's really best as a subtle accent tool versus a pump handle.

If that's your style, then I'd say go for it.

The Schaller roller bridge is good. Some of the Gotohs are nice and for the money, the one Wilkinson makes is not bad.

Happy Trails

Cynical One

[ubertech]

Dec 12, 2015 2:22:33 GMT -5 cynical1 said:

If they stay in tune better than a Bigsby that'd be nice. I'm sure I'll get flamed for that one, but let me explain. If you get Steve Vai kinda happy on it you'll never finish a song in tune. For all its industrial appearance, it's really best as a subtle accent tool versus a pump handle.

Thanks for the advice - a Steve Vai Im not, so I think the wobble will do just fine - I think the problem originally was the schek was just too RRRockk! for me and not 'wobbley' enough.

Interestingly in term of tuning bigsbys and their ilk, there is a very interesting set of physics at work to improve tuning...

tuning stability seems to come from just enough downward force on the bridge to stop the strings moving out of their slots, but not so much that it binds the string in the slot causing it to stick and detune.

The rake of the strings to the stop tail piece is key to this on a fixed bridge. This very guitar proved this for me as it was a bugger to stay in tune - I noticed that stock the stop bridge is wound right down to the body making a steep rake over the saddles, I wound it up a little away from the body (1/8 or 3/16" or so) reducing the angle over the bridge and 'ta-dah!' I have a guitar that stays in tune even with 10s and 2 step bends.

that rule is really useful for a guitar that binds, and should equally apply to bigsbys or so im told from Youtube

It would appear that a reduced angle over the bridge keeps them in tune, so those with the stop tail adapter stay in tune better than those without. the physics being that with the adapter plate in place, the bigsby is a little higher off the body so reducing the string rake behind the bridge. Also seems that long bodied bigsby platforms (335 etc) stay in tune well because the bigsby is further away from the bridge, again reducing string angle.

of course this may all be guff, but Im hoping its not and it applies to the duesenberg too. It certainly worked on my stop tailpiece - so top tip

any feedback on the duesenberg system?

UT