- Paul Bigsby
Paul Adelburt Bigsby (1899–1968) [cite web|url=http://www.musurgia.com/products.asp?ProductID=3226&CartID=47854410302006|title=Bigsby Triple Eight High Steel Electric Guitar made for Joaquin Murphy (1947)|last=Masurgia.com|accessdate=2006-11-04] [cite web|url=http://www.bigsbyguitars.com/history.html|title=Bigsby Guitars & Vibratos - Official Website - History|last=BigsbyGuitars.com|accessdate=2006-11-04] was the designer of the
Bigsby vibrato tailpiece (also known as atremolo arm ) and proprietor of Bigsby Guitars. He built an earlysteel guitar for Southern California steel guitarist Earl "Joaquin" Murphy ofSpade Cooley 's band, then built anelectric guitar conceptualized byMerle Travis to have the same level ofsustain as a steel guitar by anchoring the strings in the body instead of on atailpiece . This instrument, which Bigsby completed in 1948, likely had an influence on theTelecaster later produced byLeo Fender , as it had all six tuners in a row. Its headstock shape was later made famous by Fender'sStratocaster model. Bigsby also made a doubleneck model for Nashville guitarist Grady Martin and an amplified mandolin for Texas PlayboyTiny Moore .Bigsby, a motorcycle racer known as "P.A.", also built a
pedal steel guitar forSpeedy West that West used on many ofTennessee Ernie Ford 's early recordings as well as records by Travis,Red Ingle ,Jean Shepard ,Johnny Horton ,Ferlin Husky and Merrill Moore.Before working in music he was the foreman of
Crocker Motorcycles , and designed many components. For example, the overhead-valve cylinder head for their first V-twin motorcycle. The tremolo arm, however, was what made Bigsby's reputation, as it was used by Gibson,Gretsch and other guitar companies. In 1966, Bigsby sold the company to former Gibson guitar executive Ted McCarty. Recently the proud Bigsby name has been mentioned by the Fred Gretsch company. [cite web|url=http://www.bigsbyguitars.com/history.html|title=Bigsby Guitars & Vibratos - Official Website - History|last=BigsbyGuitars.com|accessdate=2006-11-04]References
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