ROCK ’N’ ROLLERS
Some years ago I was asked why I played a PRS guitar. “Because it plays and stays in tune,” was my reply. Over three decades later, while many makers have been influenced and inspired by PRS, not all have paid attention. There are a colossal number of guitars that leave factories all over the world that don’t play – let alone stay – in tune. Most, but certainly not all, have vibratos often based on designs that date back to the 50s.
“The main things that affect your vibrato function are friction and geometry”
Two of my favourites, Fender’s offset Jazzmaster/Jaguar type and the good ol’ Bigsby, might appear very different, and while in design they are, in function they’re very similar. Both are two-piece designs in that, unlike the futuristic Stratocaster vibrato, they have a separate bridge in front of the
