Rocking Bar Bridge

Many Bigsby-equipped Gretsch guitars have shipped (and are still being shipped) with a simple nickel or chrome bar bridge that sits on either a rosewood or ebony base held in place by the pressure of the strings. The bar bridge has no compensation for the intonation differences between strings other than being at an angle. The principle is simple: when you work the Bigsby arm, the bridge rocks (no pun intended) back and forth, putting less pressure on the strings and hence fewer broken strings. While it looks almost stone age compared to some of the more precise bridge units, this one works and actually has found favor among Gretsch lovers.