Surfabilly
Joined: Apr 21, 2006
Posts: 852
Connersville, Indiana, USA
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Posted on Aug 29 2006 07:15 PM
Was test driving a Vox AD15VT combo, with a Peavey Strat knock-off (HSS config), after the guy at the store told me I didn't need a lot of outboard gear, even for surf guitar. He proceeds to dial up some kinda chorus-reverb combination, plays a few tunes then hands the guitar to me. I did some bits of my own stuff, a bit of "Twist And Shout" and "Pipeline" before deciding to try...and learn how to use...the tremelo arm. From there, I start playing some "Foxy Lady," but at the end of each phrase I'd use the tremelo. Told the guy "one of these days, I'll scare some folks with that," and that was pretty much it for the test drive.
This only leaves me with a question of which is going to be my first guitar with a tremelo arm. Right now, there's two (three if ya cound my lust to own a Jazzmaster) on my to-buy list...a Fender Standard Stratocaster, and an Ibanez AF75T...although I'd consider an Epiphone hollow/semi-hollow body with tremelo, if the price is right. I figure something along the lines of a hollow bodied guitar with tremelo would be good for some surfabilly guitar work. If money wan't already earmarked elsewhere, last Tuesday (22 August) when I was in Indianapolis, I would've come home with a Fender Standard Telecaster, on sale at Guitar Center for roughly 2005 pricing...$400.00. Oh well, I'll get around to adding to my collection, soon enough.
Oh...how I've managed to play guitar for 15 years, and not know how to use a tremelo arm is beyond me...except that I am self-taught, so that might account for that. 
Matt
— Fast Cars & Loud Guitars!
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WaimeaBay
Joined: Jul 05, 2006
Posts: 969
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Posted on Aug 29 2006 07:19 PM
dude, don't feel bad. I never in tried using a trem until I got into the Ventures. I played guitar for about 6 years before I even skrewed one into a guitar. Im no pro now, but you pick up on it quick.
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boyecho
Joined: Mar 05, 2006
Posts: 251
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Posted on Sep 02 2006 02:34 PM
i lost my trem arm for my strat when i bought the thing. never got around to getting a replacement. i had an ibanez with a floyd. i hated that guitar and how the trem acted. _
7 years later, my girlfriend buys a danelectro hodad with bigsby. i get my feet wet and cannot coordinate anything with the vibrato bar other than a subtle flutter at the end of sustained chords.
that danno gets stolen and never is replaced. fast forward to about a week and a couple days ago i got my mosrite ventures. it took me roughly 2 days to figure out and be able to pull off some interesting transitions and vibrato work. so i think even for playing for 15+ years self-taught, once you own a vibrato equipped guitar for a few days to a week, you can come up with some interesting uses. and you'll learn to get used to the feel of it in your hands.
as for vibratos that i've used, i prefer the bigsby over everything else. i've played a few bigsby equipped guitars and they just felt the most stable. restringing can be a pain, but i'm pretty deft with it. i must admit i haven't spent any time with jags or jazzmasters. none in stores ever have a bar attached. i just read countless stories of trying to keep them working properly as well as maintainence to keep them up. that scares me away a bit.
epi hollowbodies with bigsbys are a match in heaven. the artcores aren't horrible guitars either.
good luck!_
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RobbieReverb
Joined: Feb 28, 2006
Posts: 2364
San Jose, Ca.
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Posted on Sep 02 2006 02:54 PM
When I got my Reverend Spy with a Bigsby, it was a bit
of culture shock. I had been playing strats for 30 years,
and was very used to their whammy bars. But it didn't take
me long to fall in love with the Bigsby system. It is a pain
in the butt to re-string at first, but you get used to it pretty
fast. The end result IMHO is well worth it. I like the Bigsby
action, they're solid as a rock, stay in tune R-E-A-L-L-Y well,
and to me, they look really retro-cool. Now I'm thinking
about putting one on my '52 Reissue Telecaster.
Bob S.
— Bob
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SurfBandBill
Joined: Mar 15, 2006
Posts: 1487
San Francisco
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Posted on Sep 04 2006 06:17 PM
Really, I think that whammying is something that just comes to you after a while. I worked under four different teachers when I was first starting out on guitar, and none so much as mentioned a whammy bar to me, but after a couple years with my Jag I'd developed some cool techniques on my own, both surfy and even some with the good ol' dive-bombing style.
Like other things in life  there comes a time where you have to just go with your base instincts, grab the thing, wiggle it around some, and see what happens.
~B~
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Jon
Joined: Mar 15, 2006
Posts: 1076
Columbus, OH
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Posted on Sep 04 2006 06:32 PM
SurfBandBill
Like other things in life there comes a time where you have to just go with your base instincts, grab the thing, wiggle it around some, and see what happens.
~B~
Yeah, it just sucks when people get all worked up over it and ban you for life if you practice in public......
I never liked eating at Arby's, anyway. 
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norcalhodad
Joined: May 25, 2006
Posts: 537
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Posted on Sep 04 2006 09:55 PM
Jon
I never liked eating at Arby's, anyway.
Dude...that is sick. Hold the horseradish. 
—  > 
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Jon
Joined: Mar 15, 2006
Posts: 1076
Columbus, OH
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Posted on Sep 04 2006 10:10 PM
Literally? 
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