Six Of The Best: Bigsby guitars

Gibson’s latest flame is this luxuriant-looking SG Deluxe. Sporting triple ’57 Classic humbuckers with a TogPot blend for the middle pickup, this AA-figured maple top beauty comes in Cobalt Blue, Lime Burst, Orange Burst and Red Fade – all with a Bigsby vibrato as standard.

For more information visit the official Gibson website

The Bigsby is an integral part of the Gretsch vibe, and this latest Man Salmon-finished signature model for Rancid frontman Tim Armstrong had us all a-quiver last issue. Teaming a licensed B60G vibrato with a pair of powerful Blacktop Filter’Trons on the full- depth hollowbody chassis makes for rockabilly heaven.

For more information visit the official Gretsch website

A Bigsby tailpiece (even a genuine B7 unit) may seem incongruous on an ESP, given the company’s rock-orientated output, but all will be forgiven when you plug in and give it a good waggle. Teaming it with a tune-o-matic-style bridge with roller saddles and locking Gotoh tuners makes for a winning combination of rock-ready power and retro chic.

For more information visit the official ESP website

A PRS with a Bigsby is a rare beast indeed, which seems a shame given how stylish the special-run Custom Semi-Hollow with Bigsby model is. Plus, its place in the Korean-made SE line makes it a more affordable proposition, too; with SE open-coil humbuckers and semi-hollow construction, it’s a classy break from the norm.

For more information visit the official PRS website

We make no apologies for including a second Gretsch in this round-up – we’re too busy drooling over what has to be one of the most supremely desirable tribute guitars ever made. Oozing rock ’n’ roll heritage and tone to match, theBigsby B3 True Vibrato is the icing on the DynaSonic pickup-equipped cake.

For more information visit the official Gretsch website

If you’re a player with 60s-style leanings, this single-cut semi could be just the ticket to ride. The licensed Bigsby unit is aided by a roller-saddled tune-o-matic- style bridge, and the twin pickups plus the thin but airy semi-hollow construction offer a varied vintage tonality in a neat package.

For more information visit the official Hofner website