Z-3 Bigsby

[darwinohm]

Some of you older GLDP'ers have seen this one but this is for the new guys. It is now 10 years old and I did my fall checkup on it. After waxing it, I gave it a few licks unplugged and this thing is unbelievably resonant. It is also very light. I think this is a good example of some of finer woods that G&L has used on their transparent models. It is the same one in the signature of my posts. The Bigsby rules with me! -- Darwin



and

[louis cyfer]

very nice. i just don't like the pickguard. a solid color would be better. beautiful brain.

[Michael-GnL-Michael]

very nice. i just don't like the pickguard. a solid color would be better. beautiful brain.

I agree.

Tortoise shell does not go with a red guitar in addition to being too busy for this specific guitar with its f-hole, Bigsby, nice brain and Z-coils.

I would replace the tortoise shell with a solid black pickguard and, with Darwin's finesse, darken the rosewood fretboard somehow.

[darwinohm]

I must admit that I have never been a fan of Tortoise pickguards either. I have a Honeyburst Stingray 5 which has a tortoise and I have told Ginny that I want to change it. I would like a White Pearl on that. Ginny likes Tortoise and considering the guitars that I have, this is only another option in color. If it were easy to obtain a pickguard for the Z-3, I may do it. It would probably require a template to be made and sent to a manufacturer of pickguards. I will probably leave it stock but I agree. Thanks for the feedback guys.-- Darwin

[louis cyfer]

I must admit that I have never been a fan of Tortoise pickguards either. I have a Honeyburst Stingray 5 which has a tortoise and I have told Ginny that I want to change it. I would like a White Pearl on that. Ginny likes Tortoise and considering the guitars that I have, this is only another option in color. If it were easy to obtain a pickguard for the Z-3, I may do it. It would probably require a template to be made and sent to a manufacturer of pickguards. I will probably leave it stock but I agree. Thanks for the feedback guys.-- Darwin

tortoise to pearl is kike going from bad to worse. i just never liked either of those.

[meowmix]

Darwin, I like it the way it is. That is one unique guitar you have there. Thanks for sharing.

[sam]

Hey Darwin,

once again you show off some nice wood! More people need to see, err.. "hear" what those semi hollow Z3's will do. Mine does not have the F-hole and is begging for a hip shot B-Bender. I will hold off on judging pick guards, some like chocolate and some like vanilla.

How much do you use the Bigsby? i can only see pulling the Will Ray and Gram Parsons bends evry ow and then but Boy Howdy what a sound.

Nice looker.

[Michael-GnL-Michael]

I must admit that I have never been a fan of Tortoise pickguards either. I have a Honeyburst Stingray 5 which has a tortoise and I have told Ginny that I want to change it. I would like a White Pearl on that. Ginny likes Tortoise and considering the guitars that I have, this is only another option in color. If it were easy to obtain a pickguard for the Z-3, I may do it. It would probably require a template to be made and sent to a manufacturer of pickguards. I will probably leave it stock but I agree. Thanks for the feedback guys.-- Darwin

From G&L's pickguard supplier...

Z-3 Pickguard: Template #624



Pricing:

Group A......$31.00
Group B......$34.00
Group C......$38.00
Group D......$58.00
Group E......$65.00


Material:

Click on thumbnail to enlarge

[darwinohm]

Thanks for the supplier info Michael. Sam, I use the Bigsby quite a bit. I am an old surf music guy, Ventures, Duane Eddy and others. The thing I like about a Bigsby is the control. I just raise my hand and bump the arm. I don't have to grab it like DF or Fender arm. I also set my vibrato arms so they stay in place. A lot of guys like them loose so they drop down. That is usually carry over from being a Fender player and the arm spring was lost the first week you owned the guitar. I especially like the drop in DF arm and its adjustability. But for fine control, a Bigsby does it for me. The Z-3 are sweet. I saw a used one yesterday that would have come home but I was bass shopping. It was a Z-3, tobbacoburst, gold hardware with a saddlelock, wood binding and a got neck. If its still there in a month or so, I may get weak. It will take a month to come up with a good story for Ginny. Every time I come home with one, I end up on probation. -- Darwin

[louis cyfer]

Thanks for the supplier info Michael. Sam, I use the Bigsby quite a bit. I am an old surf music guy, Ventures, Duane Eddy and others. The thing I like about a Bigsby is the control. I just raise my hand and bump the arm. I don't have to grab it like DF or Fender arm. I also set my vibrato arms so they stay in place. A lot of guys like them loose so they drop down. That is usually carry over from being a Fender player and the arm spring was lost the first week you owned the guitar. I especially like the drop in DF arm and its adjustability. But for fine control, a Bigsby does it for me. The Z-3 are sweet. I saw a used one yesterday that would have come home but I was bass shopping. It was a Z-3, tobbacoburst, gold hardware with a saddlelock, wood binding and a got neck. If its still there in a month or so, I may get weak. It will take a month to come up with a good story for Ginny. Every time I come home with one, I end up on probation. -- Darwin

i like my trem arm to stay in place as well. you lose the fine control when the arm is loose enough to drop down. the top mount kahlers where the best i have tried for fine control. the bigsby is nice though.