After a 30 year hiatus, Carvin is excited to announce the return of the legendary Bigsby vibrato to our lineup of Custom Shop options. The Custom Shop has received many requests to bring back the venerable Bigsby, and Carvin is very pleased to accommodate these requests.
Carvin first introduced the Bigsby as an option in 1963, and it was a fixture on our guitars until 1977. The reintroduction of the Bigsby on Carvin Custom Shop guitars is a nod to our rich history, and will open up an entirely new style of playing for Carvin customers.
Bigsby has a history that is as long and colorful as Carvin’s. Paul Bigsby, a skilled guitar maker in his own right, began making instruments in the 1940’s, not far from where Lowell Kiesel was making the first Carvin instruments under the Kiesel badge. The Bigsby vibrato debuted in the early 60’s, and was a fixture on many instruments of the day. In the late 60’s, Bigsby Accessories was sold to Ted McCarty, retired president of Gibson Guitars, as Paul Bigsby’s health began to decline. In 1999, Bigsby was sold to Gretsch Guitars. Carvin is very proud to continue the tradition that Paul Bigsby helped create – building the best musical instruments possible. Credit: Carvin.