bigsby

What bigsby does

Bigsby manufactures vibrato tailpieces for electric guitars, related accessories, and provides installation and setup resources. The company was founded in the 1940s by Paul A. Bigsby in Downey, California, and holds the original vibrato design that was the first successful implementation of what is now commonly called a whammy bar or tremolo arm. Its products are mechanical hardware devices that top-mount to guitars and use a spring-loaded arm pivoting around an axle to allow musicians to bend pitch of notes or chords with their pick hand, in contrast to internal-spring tremolo systems (Floyd Rose, Fender synchronized tremolo). The product catalog is organized into two series — the Kalamazoo Series (B3, B5, B6, B7, B11, B12, B16) and the Lightning Series (B30, B50, B60, B70, B500, B700) — with each SKU designed for specific guitar body types ranging from thin electric hollow bodies to large acoustic and arch top guitars. Components are hand-cast, hand-polished, and hand-assembled using original 1950s formulas, with hand-cast aluminum frames, stainless steel handles, and nickel-plated string bars. The company also sells a comprehensive spare parts catalog and branded accessories including apparel and promotional items.

Bigsby operates a dual-channel business model spanning aftermarket sales through global guitar retailers and music stores, and OEM factory installation with major guitar manufacturers including Epiphone, Fender, Gibson, Gretsch, Guild, Hamer, and luthiers such as Motor Ave. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. The company is privately held and has been a division of Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC) since January 8, 2019, operating as a standalone business under FMIC's Specialty Brands portfolio alongside Jackson, EVH, Charvel, and Gretsch. Leadership is led by Jeff Krause out of the FMIC Scottsdale, Arizona office, with headquarters contact registered at Phoenix, Arizona (4625 E. Paradise Village Parkway N). Marketing is conducted through the bigsby.com website, YouTube installation tutorials, and organic social channels on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, focused on brand heritage, product authenticity, and educational content.

Name

bigsby

Legal name

Fender Musical Instruments Corporation

Website

https://bigsby.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1940

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Bigsby manufactures vibrato tailpieces for electric guitars, plus related accessories and spare parts, serving both OEM guitar manufacturers (Epiphone, Fender, Gibson, Gretsch, Guild) and the global aftermarket through music retailers. Founded in the 1940s by Paul A. Bigsby, it now operates as a division of Fender Musical Instruments Corporation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Guitar Hardware Components

NAICS

Musical Instrument Manufacturing (339992)

SIC

Musical Instruments (3931)

akta.pro primary industry

Music Education Hardware (Practice Tools, Metronomes, Tuners, Lab Systems) (MPAIAJAJ)

Keywords

• Vibrato tailpieces
• Guitar hardware components
• Tremolo systems
• Electric guitar parts
• Musical instrument accessories

Headquarters

HQ city

Phoenix

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Bigsby manufactures hand-crafted vibrato tailpieces for electric guitars using the original 1950s formulas and proprietary methods developed by founder Paul A. Bigsby. The product line includes the Kalamazoo Series and Lightning Series vibratos in multiple models (B3, B5, B6, B7), each offered in various finishes and designed for top-mount, no-routing installation on specific guitar body styles.

Product overview

Bigsby Vibratos is a manufacturer of vibrato tailpiece systems for electric guitars, invented by Paul A. Bigsby in the 1940s. The company offers two main vibrato product series: the Kalamazoo Series (B3, B5, B6, B7, B11, B12, B16) and the Lightning Series (B30, B50, B60, B70, B500, B700), each designed for specific guitar types. The portfolio also includes spare parts and replacement components (bridges, handles, hinges, rollers, springs) and branded accessories. The Bigsby vibrato was the first successful design of what is now called a whammy bar or tremolo arm. The company operates as a standalone business under Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC) after being acquired in January 2019.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Kalamazoo Series Vibrato Tailpieces A line of hand-crafted vibrato tailpieces built using Bigsby's original 1950s formulas and proprietary methods, offered in four body-fit models (B3, B5, B6, B7) and multiple finishes for direct retrofit or OEM installation on electric guitars.
• Lightning Series Vibrato Tailpieces A separate hand-built vibrato tailpiece line from Bigsby covering models B5, B6, and B7, suited to guitars that fit the Lightning Series form factor and requiring no body routing for installation.
• Bigsby Spare Parts Replacement components for installed Bigsby vibrato tailpieces, sold to players, technicians, and luthiers to service or refurbish existing units.
• Bigsby Branded Accessories Branded accessory merchandise carrying the Bigsby name, aimed at guitar enthusiasts, players, and collectors of the brand.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Fender Musical Instruments Corp (FMIC)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 January 2019FMIC acquired the Bigsby brand and its assets from Fred Gretsch Enterprises on January 8, 2019. Bigsby continues to run as a standalone business under FMIC's Specialty Brands portfolio, which also includes Jackson, EVH, Charvel, and Gretsch. Jeff Krause leads the business from FMIC's Scottsdale, Arizona office.
• EpiphonecoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerFactory installs Bigsby vibrato tailpieces as original equipment on select Epiphone guitars.
• GibsoncoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerFactory installs Bigsby vibrato tailpieces as original equipment on select Gibson guitars.
• GretschcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerLongstanding partnership with Gretsch guitars, which have featured Bigsby vibratos for over 55 years. Gretsch and FMIC have a longstanding relationship, with Gretsch family ensuring smooth transition during 2019 FMIC acquisition.
• GuildcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerFactory installs Bigsby vibrato tailpieces as original equipment on select Guild guitars.
• HamerminorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerFactory installs Bigsby vibrato tailpieces as original equipment on select Hamer guitars.
• FendercoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerParent company FMIC's Fender brand installs Bigsby vibrato tailpieces as original equipment on select Fender guitars.
• Motor AveminorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerLuthier company that installs Bigsby vibrato tailpieces as original equipment on their custom guitars.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Graph Tech: Graph Tech manufactures guitar nuts, saddles, bridges, and related hardware with a focus on materials innovation (e.g., TUSQ, self-lubricating nuts). Comparable customer base of guitar builders and players, with partial product overlap in hardware components.
• Babicz Design: Babicz produces innovative guitar bridges and hardware (Full Contact Hardware) sold as both OEM components and aftermarket upgrades. Overlaps with Bigsby in the hardware upgrade and OEM builder channels.
• Duesenberg Guitars: Duesenberg designs and manufactures boutique guitars and proprietary hardware including their own vibrato systems. Comparable premium/historical positioning and serves a similar boutique and pro-player customer base.

Direct peers

• Kahler USA: Kahler manufactures cam-driven tremolo systems historically used on guitars like the Fender Stratocaster, representing an alternative mechanical approach to vibrato compared to Bigsby's spring-loaded top-mount design.
• Stetsbar: Stetsbar produces aftermarket tremolo systems designed to retrofit onto guitars that originally had stop tailpieces, providing direct competition to Bigsby's retrofit-friendly no-routing positioning.
• Wilkinson by Gotoh: Wilkinson (now under Gotoh) produces vintage-style tremolo bridges and vibrato hardware widely used as direct alternatives to Bigsby on electric guitars. Comparable product category, customer base (guitar manufacturers and aftermarket players), and price positioning.
• Floyd Rose: Floyd Rose designs and manufactures the original locking tremolo system that competes directly with Bigsby in the electric guitar vibrato/tremolo category. It represents the dominant alternative for players seeking wide pitch-bending range, especially in rock and metal genres.
• TonePros: TonePros produces wraparound and tune-o-matic style bridges, tailpieces, and related hardware for electric and acoustic guitars. Serves the same OEM and aftermarket channels as Bigsby with complementary (and sometimes substitutable) guitar hardware.
• Hipshot Products: Hipshot manufactures guitar hardware including tremolo bridges, fixed bridges, and tuning machines used by guitar manufacturers and aftermarket customers. Overlaps with Bigsby in supplying OEM instrument builders and the retrofit/customization market.

Broad incumbents

• Fender Musical Instruments Corporation: FMIC is the parent company of Bigsby but also a producer of competing tremolo systems (e.g., the Fender synchronized tremolo) and a major OEM installer of Bigsby units. Comparable end customer base of electric guitar players and OEMs, with overlapping product categories in vibrato hardware.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/bigsby
• Facebookfacebook.com/Bigsbyco
• Instagraminstagram.com/bigsby

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about bigsby