Bigsby vibrato tailpiece

Bigsby B50 Tremolo Hardware

The Bigsby vibrato tailpiece (or Bigsby for short) is a type of mechanical vibrato device for electric guitar designed by Paul Bigsby and produced by the Bigsby Electric Guitar Company[citation needed] (currently an independently operated subsidiary of Fender Musical Instruments Corporation). The device allows musicians to bend the pitch of notes or entire chords with their pick hand for various effects.[1]

Bigsby was inspired to create a new vibrato system after being tasked by Merle Travis to repair the Kauffman Vibrola on his Gibson L-10.[2] The Bigsby system would debut in 1951,[2] with the first example going to Travis.[3] By the mid-1950s, Bigsby had ceased production of his own guitars and began only producing a range of vibrato tailpieces.[3]

  1. ^ Babiuk, Andy (2009). The Story of Paul Bigsby The Father of the Modern Electric Solid Body Guitar. FG Publishing. ISBN 9781476854885.
  2. ^ a b Price, Huw (July 22, 2022). "Everything you need to know about the Bigsby vibrato". Guitarist. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
  3. ^ a b Beckner, Justin (August 8, 2022). "The Story of Bigsby Guitars: the solidbody electric guitar's unsung hero". Guitar. Retrieved August 23, 2022.