Thinline Wide-Range B-16 Creation

[jetset]

This may need to be my next project.  I'm digging the Chet Atkins bigsby arm on my current Tele - feels a lot closer to an offset trem with it, and the Bigsby B-16 seems to have a bit more string length behind the bridge.  Always wanted a thinline.  Whatd'ya think?

[RumorsOFsurF]

That thing looks really cool!  I dig the Chet handle, too.  I want one for my Tele.  Those thinlines are nice with the single humbucker....

[Taylorplayer]

I have that tailpiece on one of my teles...

I STRONGLY suggest AVOIDING it.

if you notice where the bridge pickup mounts, it's abou 3/4" of the top of the guitar... this means to have playability, you have to shim the shit out of the neck.. like 3/8".

I'd take pics, but the guitar is home in Canada.. I can take pics for you in a month..

[RumorsOFsurF]

I have that tailpiece on one of my teles...

I STRONGLY suggest AVOIDING it.

if you notice where the bridge pickup mounts, it's abou 3/4" of the top of the guitar... this means to have playability, you have to shim the shit out of the neck.. like 3/8".

I'd take pics, but the guitar is home in Canada.. I can take pics for you in a month..

How about a B5 then?

[Taylorplayer]

a b5 would be fine.. it's just how the pickup mounts in the tailpiece... it's much higher than a stock tele... and thus you have to have HUGE action to combat it, and the only way to get it down is with Major shimmage.

[jetset]

Thanks for the tip - I always wondered why those B-16's were't more popular.  I have a B-5 on my MIJ Tele and the bridge pickup is up about 3/8" above the body.

I'm mostly interested in a thinline with a stock bridge pu and a WR Humbucker neck pu.  Seems like it'd be a winning combo.  I may just add a WRH to my current bisgby tele.
-J