Bigsby Tradition guitars and my winter project

Dave Zielinski · Post by **Dave Zielinski** » 8 Sep 2006 11:01 am

Ok,

I've finally made my decision to get a new winter project started.

I am going to build a D-8 Console style Steel guitar designed in the style of Paul Bigsby. I'm not going to copy exactly, to make replicas, but make ample use of aluminum and birdseye maple. I'm not making a pedal steel, the guitar I had in mind is similar to the Johnny Sibert guitar without pedals. I envision the guitar to have wood necks, machined aluminum endplates, and bigsby-esq styling throughout. I believe this has already been done to some extent throughout the years on early Wrights or Buds, But those don't come around too often either!

Not to throw my resume out there, but...
I am an electrical engineer as well as a mechanical engineer with extensive experience in product design, machining and fabricating. I build wood boats on the side as well as service and repair vintage and new guitars and amps. I have full capabilities to design using CAD, PRO-e and CAM programs. I have access to a full machine shop and my own personal woodshop.

So.... I've wanted a Bigbsy bad, they just don't come up for sale too often! I also like the do-it-yourselfer mindset like PA had. I'm going to build myself a "PA inspired" D8 console.

However, I need the help from Bigsby owners. A few specifics and up close photos. I have a few great photos of bigsby closeups of some forum guys guitars. I'd like to get a few measurements to get started and then go from there. If your interested in helping me, drop me a line!

Dave

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1953 Fender D8, 1960 4x10 Bassman, in search of Bigsby

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 8 Sep 2006 3:55 pm

Go Dave!

May I only suggest that you start with the finest grade of Birdseye maple you can find. Have it milled to your dimensions on an abrasive planer at a local millwork place. Blade planing birdseye is very tough as the small little center of the figure and the surrounding figure has a tendency to chip out. If you do have a 6 or 8 inch jointer and you are planning to use it, then you might consider back beveling the tips of the jointer knives about 10 or 15 degrees and then hone. It will slow down your feed a little, but the results will be worth it. The abrasive planers work with sanding belts and the result is no tear out of the figure.

I see that you are in the Penn. area. There are plenty of sawmills and wookworking places around your area to go to for help/materials etc for the wood section of your instrument. That is one of the most fabulous aspects of the Bigsby instruments. The beautiful wood cabinet. Good luck to you.

Bill Creller · Post by **Bill Creller** » 8 Sep 2006 6:20 pm

I have a D8 Excel, which had maple boards covered with something like Formica. It had cracks in the wood, and the panels/boards were warped. I replaced them with 1/2 inch white Corian, same thickness as the wood. It sounds different now, but not much better. It never did sound good in my opinion, and I really think it's a piece of junk. Anyway, I'm going to replace the single coil pickups with some humbuckers to see if can be saved from the trash can.

Dave, you are my kind of guy, I have two wood boats and enjoy working on and maintaing them.

Harry Dietrich · Post by **Harry Dietrich** » 8 Sep 2006 7:46 pm

Dave...won't that eat into your trout fishing time?

Harry

HowardR · Post by **HowardR** » 9 Sep 2006 6:50 am

I build wood boats on the side

I would think they'd take on a lot of water that way.......

Dave Zielinski · Post by **Dave Zielinski** » 10 Sep 2006 6:33 am

You guys are the greatest! I got alot of emails offering help, and found out alot of forumites are doing the very smae thing I had in mind. some went as far as getting casting made! This could be good for all of us. So far, Ive gotten 20 emails with excellent information. from pickups to castings, to the quirks and bigsby-specif issues. All greatly appreciated!

BTW, I build wood drift boats- the kind made in the Pacific NW in the 30s-50s. You can see a few of my boats here: www.riverstouch.com

Howard, Yup, wood boats will take on alot of water "one the side" hahahaha!

Thanks for the info on planing Birdseye. You are 100% correct. I have a sawmill that I get all my boat wood from- they have an excellent selection and will do the abrasive planing for a slight upcharge. I do plan to get the very finest wood for the cabinet.

Jimmy Smith · Post by **Jimmy Smith** » 10 Sep 2006 3:14 pm

Dave, those are some awsome looking boats. I would love have one. I couldn't find the price for any of the website, but what is the average price of one of those great looking row boats.

Ron Whitfield · Post by **Ron Whitfield** » 10 Sep 2006 4:40 pm

Great that you got plenty of input on your project Dave, but wouldn't it have been a bit more pertainent for those nice people to have posted it on this forum thread for the rest of us to enjoy and learn from?

Dave Zielinski · Post by **Dave Zielinski** » 10 Sep 2006 5:24 pm

Ron,

Yes, If the parties who contacted me agree that I could post the info given, I'll go ahead and link it.

On the boats...

Those wood drift boats?? Well, I'd certainly trade one for a Bigsby! But, seriously, for one decked out and finished nicely, you could expect to pay about 3500-4500 depending on the woods used. Exotics like mahogany- Meranti, Occume, Sappele expect to pay alot more. I've built a few boats form Douglass Fir adn they are surely pretty and very strong. Also alot less expensive.

Thanks again guys!

Dave

Ron Whitfield · Post by **Ron Whitfield** » 10 Sep 2006 5:27 pm

Much appreciated, Dave.

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 10 Sep 2006 7:27 pm

Dave. What is the difference between the life expectancy of a mahagony boat and a fir boat under the same conditions of use and climate.[This message was edited by Bill Hatcher on 10 September 2006 at 08:45 PM.]

HowardR · Post by **HowardR** » 11 Sep 2006 5:27 pm

The mahagony will last fir a lot longer time....

[This message was edited by HowardR on 11 September 2006 at 06:28 PM.]

Dave Zielinski · Post by **Dave Zielinski** » 11 Sep 2006 6:06 pm

In general it depends on how you finish it. An oil finished interior over Fir will last nearly nearly a lifetime. If stored out of the elements. A hard finish over any wood that gets wet is a no no. Oiled finishes let water evaporate. A mahogany oil finished boat will outlast fir by a long time. Fir develops "checks" along the grain, mahogany doesn't.

we like to apply a thin layer of glass to the outside of a hull, but oil the interiors. If you oil once a year, it will last a long, long time.

When I refer to oil, I am talking a finish consisting of linseed oil, turpentine and pine tar.

Hey, is this a steel guitar forum??? ahahahahaha!

Dave

Jim Phelps · Post by **Jim Phelps** » 11 Sep 2006 6:41 pm

Drift boats? When I lived on the Oregon Coast these were commonly known as Dories. Maybe that's not the proper name, or is the West Coast name for the same thing, or is a Dory different than a Drift Boat?

Nice looking boats, whatever you call them.

Good luck on building your Bigsby-type. I'd love to do the same thing but don't have a shop anymore.