#paulbigsby

Thursday photo dump of the most incredible homemade guitar I have ever had the chance to borrow and enjoy: @michaelsegui's handmade Bigsby-Caster with chambered body and maple flame top, birdseye maple neck, and handtooled leather pick guard. Body and top: finished and bound by @hooperguitars using wood cut, chambered, and shaped by @tomgibson3783, Neck: by @judgewolfeguitars (using birdseye maple from Tom's family farm) C.A.R. Pickup and armrest by @tksmithguitar Hand-tooled leather pickguard by @natesleather The best news is that it is is super light, resonant, and sounds fantastic, Literally the best "#partscaster" I have ever played. #handmadeguitar #smithequipped #paulbigsby #tksmithguitar #midecenturymodern #midcentury #bigsby #tele #teletuesday #telecaster #guitarphotography #vintageguitar #guitar #guitars #guitarra #electricguitar #guitarre #chitarra

Just posted a Bigsby Model Lap Steel Hand Made By P.A. Bigsby in Downey California in 1943! Original black hard shell case. - Read more about it by clicking on the link in our profile. - Despite its unassuming appearance this is one of the most interesting and historically important pieces we have handled, the first musical instrument ever made by Paul "P.A" Bigsby. Bigsby is most remembered now for his namesake vibrato tailpiece, but the former motorcycle builder created the first modern solidbody electric guitar for Merle Travis in 1948, greatly influenced Les Paul and Leo Fender and essentially invented the modern pedal steel. He eschewed mass production, crafting his exceptional instruments one ty a time one at a time in a small backyard shop in the Los Angeles suburb of Downey. - - - - #paulbigsby #paulbigsbyguitars #bigsbyguitar #rareguitar #steelguitar #steelguitarlove #pabigsby #lapsteel #lapsteelguitar (at Retrofret Vintage Guitars) https://www.instagram.com/p/CpA7QCLuUzq/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#handmadeguitar#smithequipped#paulbigsby#tksmithguitar#midecenturymodern#midcentury#bigsby#tele#teletuesday#telecaster#guitarphotography#vintageguitar#guitar#guitars#guitarra#electricguitar#guitarre#chitarra

A special memory came up in my Facebook feed today: Spotted at @retrofret, Brooklyn, 7 years ago today. An original, made to order, 1951/2 #Bigsby electric #mandolin with original case. Almost as cool as the instrument is the original letter (visible in background) from the gentleman who ordered the instrument direct from #PaulBigsby! The letter reads: October 15, 1951. Mr. Paul Bigsby 8114 E. Phlox St. Downey, California Dear Mr. Bigsby: I have decided to purchase one of your 10 string mandolins. I would like for you to make mine just like the other 3 you have made with one exception. Make the tail piece in such a manner that I might use both the looped-end stings (such as Black Diamond and Gibson) and your kind of string. I prefer the mandolin with two (2) pick-ups. I have written to both A. Geddings (***spelling unclear***) of Long Beach California, and Paul Buskirk of Memphis tennessee (sic) and they are both WELL pleased with your instruments , and I am sure you will make one just as good for me. As per your letter of September 21, I am enclosing a deposit of $100 (*** it might say $200 rather than $100. The type is not clear***), with this letter and when completed, which I hope will be about the first of December, I will pay the balance, as I have just today gone to the bank and borrowed $300 for this purpose. Also in your letter of the 21st, you state that there will be an excise tax of $11.25, which I fully consent to pay. If I have a choice, I prefer a "blonde" mandolin, but that is not an important point and will take mine the way you make them. I would like for you to acknowledge receipt of the order and deposit as soon as possible and approximately when you think you will have completed the 10 string mandolin with the TWO pick-ups. Also if there is any choice concerning various parts of the instruments such as color, designs of (***type not visible***), dots, (***illegible***), etc. Thank you.......... Very truly yours, John J. M(***illegible***) JJM/jjm . . #electricmandolin #guitar #guitars #bigsbyguitar #electricguitar #vintageguitar #guitargear #guitarsofinstagram #guitargear #vintagegear #guitarphotography (at Retrofret Vintage Guitars) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cd8E-trOPM2/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Throwback to 2018 and one of the best two modern guitars I've ever had the privilege to have in my hands on loan: @tomgibson's @tksmithguitar #Roadmaster prototype. Such a pleasure to play and hear something made by a master luthier. It just feels like quality. . #tksmithroadmaster #guitar #guitars #guitarra #chitarra #guitarre #electricguitar #tone #guitargear #guitarsofinstagram #geartalk #guitargear #vintagegear #guitarsdaily #guitarphotography #tksmithguitar #tksmith #smithequipped #tksmithroadmaster #bigsby #paulbigsby #midcentury #midcenturymodern . PS: the other one was @iamtheosdad's @frank_brothers burgundy mist Arcade 🙂 (at Toronto, Ontario) https://www.instagram.com/p/CdMWWbXrHwd/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Here is a 1968 or 69 #Tele with factory #Bigsby I snapped a few years ago at @thetwelfthfret #Toronto. . There was a time when I was adamantly opposed to a Bigsby on a #Telecaster, but over 5 years of almost non-stop IG messages, emails, and texts back and forth with Bigsby nuts like @michaelsegui and @tomgibson3783 has made me a convert. As long as it is factory original of course! I'm a convert, not a conversion-convert! 😄 . . #paulbigsby #fendertelecaster #fenderfriday #fender #teletuesday #guitar #guitars #guitarra #chitarra #guitarre #electricguitar #vintageguitars #fenderguitars #vintagefender #tone #guitargear #guitarsofinstagram #geartalk #guitargear #vintagegear #guitarsdaily #fendersofinstagram #guitarphotography (at The Twelfth Fret Guitarists' Pro Shop) https://www.instagram.com/p/CCeBkw8BqZE/?igshid=95y90wgd6mdv

Well I didn't change any strings today as originally planned...I basically watched YouTube and napped all day! 😄 . So, here is a throwback to 2018 and the coolest modern #guitar I have ever been loaned, @tomgibson3783's @tksmithguitar prototype Roadmaster. Yep...the very first #TKSmithRoadmaster...and my buddy Tom snagged it! I can say with conviction that it not only looks great but it's lightweight and sounds incredible. . . #guitars #guitarra #chitarra #guitarre #electricguitar #tone #guitargear #guitarsofinstagram #geartalk #guitargear #vintagegear #guitarsdaily #guitarphotography #tksmithguitar #tksmith #smithequipped #tksmithroadmaster #bigsby #paulbigsby #midcentury #midcenturymodern (at Toronto, Ontario) https://www.instagram.com/p/B_a1DMTB_Eo/?igshid=hmfs8r8xj6a4

Here's a groovy one: a luthier-made #Bigsby replica #guitar with birdseye maple top spotted at @thetwelfthfret #Toronto. . Most guitar aficionados are familiar #PaulBigsby's famous and ubiquitous vibrato system - it appears on pretty much every #Gretsch guitar to this day. But how many people know Bigsby also made some of the coolest looking electric guitars ever in the early years? Swipe left for a view of the headstock. Bigsby came out with this headstock in the 1940s. Some would say it was the inspiration for the #Fender #Stratocaster headstock. Some others would say it was outright plagiarized...but that's a controversy for another day! 😄 . . #guitars #guitarra #chitarra #guitarre #electricguitar #bigsbyguitar #guitarreplica #vintageguitar #tone #guitargear #guitarsofinstagram #geartalk #guitargear #vintagegear #guitarsdaily #guitarphotography #gibsonguitars #fenderguitars #vintagegibsons #vintagefenders #gretschguitars #vintagegretsch (at The Twelfth Fret Guitarists' Pro Shop) https://www.instagram.com/p/B8y8aLXh60S/?igshid=uk5zttowim56