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Topic: Beautiful Bigsby Guitar |
Myron Riddle
From:
California, USA
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Posted 29 Mar 2009 6:47 am |
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God Bless!
Last edited by Myron Riddle on 31 Mar 2009 2:12 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Dan Chroninger
From:
Blackriver Falls, Wisconson, USA
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Posted 29 Mar 2009 7:36 am Bigsby
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| Don't let it out of your site |
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Jon Light (deceased)
From:
Saugerties, NY
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Posted 29 Mar 2009 9:05 am
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I'll be real curious to hear what the several Bigsby experts here have to say about that 8 string comment. I can't see anything that would indicate that but I certainly know nothing.
There is someone here the forum who will offer you hundreds of dollars for this. Multiply by 10 or so.
Sweet guitar, man. |
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Randy Beavers
From:
Lebanon,TN 37090
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Posted 29 Mar 2009 9:11 am
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| That looks like a D-10 to me. Even more rare! |
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Mike Benzschawel
From:
madison wi
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Posted 29 Mar 2009 9:43 am bigsby
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wow! what a beauty. thanks for posting pics myron, let's see if we can get bobbe or jussi or one of the many bigsby experts to chime in on this guitars possible history. i know a great many are interested. cheers
mb[/code]
ps, if you get time myron, see if you can post some undercarriage pics for all us nerds out here. 
_________________
....lloyd green is a steel guitar hero... |
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Jussi Huhtakangas
From:
Helsinki, Finland
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Posted 29 Mar 2009 10:33 am
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| Myron, your guitar has not been modified from an 8 string. I examined the pics you sent me and except for a couple of small few details it's all original. The underside of the guitar verifies this for sure. There are no extra screwholes and the one keyhead changer is a good indication that this is how the guitar originally was. Simply beautiful and probably the only woodneck D10 Bigsby in the world. |
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b0b
From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
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John Billings
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 29 Mar 2009 11:48 am
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| Abdo-lutely stunning Myron! You're very lucky, to say the least, that your Great Uncle left you such a wonderful piece of musical history. |
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Casey Lowmiller
From:
Kansas
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Posted 29 Mar 2009 12:09 pm
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WOW!!! What a looker!!! If I were you, I would keep it & play it. Not many people can say that they've played a Bigsby...let alone owned a Bigsby. Add in the fact that it is probably a one-of-a-kind and you've got a real jewel in your hands. I bet it sounds like a million bucks!!!
It's an aluminum & maple masterpiece!!!
Casey
_________________
Known Coast to Coast as
"The Man with The Plan" |
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Bill Ford
From:
Graniteville SC Aiken
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Posted 29 Mar 2009 12:23 pm
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Myron,
As others have already said, be really careful of what anyone tells you about this guitar, especially if they are trying to buy it. It will be worth the cost to have (if you can find one) a trustworthy appraiser to put a value on it. It looks like one of the earlier guitars.You may want to contact Bobby Seymore with detailed photos for a more accurate value. I'm really surprised that he has not posted on this one .
Bill
_________________
Bill Ford S12 CLR, S12 Lamar keyless, Misc amps&toys Sharp Covers
Steeling for Jesus now!!! |
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Lee Jeffriess
From:
Vallejo California
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Posted 29 Mar 2009 2:34 pm
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I remember when Paul Warnick,purchased all the dead stock Bigsby parts from Ted McCarthy, there was a pair of alternate style headstocks.
At the time we speculated, that they were some kind of prototype design.
Here they are on your D10, as stated Myron you have a very very rare guitar, for more than one reason.
Be carefull.
Lee |
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chas smith R.I.P.
From:
Encino, CA, USA
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Posted 29 Mar 2009 2:42 pm
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I'm very curious as to the serial number that's stamped on the underneath of the endplate near one of the legs. I have a set of keyheads, like yours, that are unfinished, and I assumed that they were a prototype design because I had never seen them on a guitar.
Just saw Lee's post.
Myron, you have a very rare guitar. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. -- chas |
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Ron !
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Posted 29 Mar 2009 2:52 pm
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Myron,
I know little about the Bigsby steel guitars but do know that they are rare and worth a lot of money.
If Jussi tells you that this might be the only non-altered wood neck Bigsby in the world then you better believe it.
There are many people that would love to get their hands on this one.If you want to sell this one and I think you do I for sure would have it appraised.
You will probably be very surprised to hear the estimated value.
Don't be surprised if it will go for 20K or more.
Be very careful and think before you act.This is a looker that is worth a lot.
Ron |
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Steve Morley
From:
Connecticut, USA
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Posted 29 Mar 2009 4:43 pm
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| I thumbed through the latest issue of Frets in the local B & N, and there was an article about how rare the 6-string Bigsby's are. Imagine the psg are even more so. |
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Casey Lowmiller
From:
Kansas
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Posted 29 Mar 2009 4:46 pm
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I agree with Bill, Lee, Chas & Ron!!!  |
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Bo Borland
From:
South Jersey -
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Posted 29 Mar 2009 5:49 pm
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| This one looks almost new! Like it's been under a bed for 50 years. |
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Myron Riddle
From:
California, USA
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Posted 29 Mar 2009 8:06 pm
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| There is no name on the front, and the serial number is 32159. Thanks everyone for the useful information. I really appreciate it. |
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Rex Thomas
From:
Thompson's Station, TN
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Posted 29 Mar 2009 9:07 pm Wow!
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| PLAIN FRONT. Oh my goodness. |
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Jussi Huhtakangas
From:
Helsinki, Finland
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Posted 29 Mar 2009 10:51 pm
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| The molds for those headstocks are pictured in the Bigsby book, if I'm not totally mistaken. I was really confused at first when I saw the pictures in the book, but now it all makes sense. Also, I believe that if the guitar had originally been an eight string, the cabinet/body would have been shorter and there wouldn't have been enough lenght to alter it to ten strings later on. Louis Armentaro told me how he wanted Bigsby to alter his 8 string guitar to a 10 string and Bigsby said the cabinet is not long enough to put ten string necks on it. |
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Roy McKinney
From:
Ontario, OR
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Posted 30 Mar 2009 5:04 am
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What is the history on your Great Uncle?
When and where did he play?
Who did he play for?
Anybody left in the family that knows anything about his history?The Guitar is beautiful! |
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T. C. Furlong
From:
Lake County, Illinois, USA
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Posted 30 Mar 2009 5:43 am
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Hi Myron,
The way to tell if your great uncle's Bigsby was originally an 8 string is by the overall length. If is is 32-1/2" endplate-to-endplate (not including handles or knobs), it was a double eight and someone (maybe even Paul Bigsby) shortened the scale by cutting down the neck, making a new shorter scale fretboard and replacing the original keyheads with the longer keyheads. If the overall length is 34" endplate-to-endplate, then you can be confident that it was originally a double 10.
The thing that raises the question about it originally being an 8 string is the width of the pickup's blade. It looks like the pickup's blade may be shorter than what's found on a 10 string pickup. it's hard to tell from your photos. Here is the width of an 8 string pickup's blade as compared to the strings. The pickup covers were the same on an 8 or a 10 string.
An original 10 string pickup should have a blade width that allows the internal bar magnets (and magnetic field) to extend past the 1st and 10th strings. If you'll take a photo with the handrest removed, we'll know the length of the blade.
It sure looks to be almost all original to me.
All the best,
TC |
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chas smith R.I.P.
From:
Encino, CA, USA
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Posted 30 Mar 2009 11:53 am
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| Quote: |
| The molds for those headstocks are pictured in the Bigsby book, if I'm not totally mistaken. |
You're not mistaken, and that photo was taken in the living room of, yours truly.
Myron, under the guitar are the mechanics for raising and lowering the changer fingers. The pedal rods pull down on a bell crank that, 1. has a cable that threads around a pulley that connects to the changer finger at the end of the guitar or, 2. the bell crank is connected to a cross rod that has fingers, like socket-head cap screws, with cables from those fingers to the changer fingers.
Number 2. is a Rudy Farmer modification that improves the guitar's performance. |
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Damir Besic
From:
Nashville,TN.
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Posted 30 Mar 2009 3:29 pm
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I can`t believe those old guitars are still around...as a collegue and a man of good will I would like to offer you to ship this old guitar to me and I will email you the picture of a one million dollars pile of bills... 
Db
_________________
www.steelguitarsonline.com |
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Todd Clinesmith
From:
Lone Rock Free State Oregon
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Posted 30 Mar 2009 6:29 pm
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Wow,
I go away for a weekend and look at this. I sure would love to see some more photos of this guitar (anyone ??? toddclinesmith@yahoo.com ). The first D-10 Bigsby I have seen. Myron, please tell us about your Uncle or post any photos you have of him playing. The history of the players are just as important as the guitars.. actually alot more.
Todd |
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Eric Stumpf
From:
Newbury, NH 03255
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Posted 1 Apr 2009 3:42 am
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| Why did you dump the pictures? They weren't hurtin' my eyes, that's for sure. |
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