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Bigsby is a brand of guitars and guitar accessories that operated as an independent company by Paul Bigsby until 1966 when it was purchased by ex-Gibson executive Ted McCarty. In 1999, the brand was acquired by Gretsch from McCarty, which owned it until 2019, when Bigsby was sold to Fender Musical Instruments Corporation.
An early innovator of solid body electric guitars and accessories, the company was the first to introduce a guitar headstock that had all of its tuning pegs on the same side. This design was later adopted by manufacturers such as Fender for their Telecaster and Stratocaster models. Most well known, however, was the development of the Bigsby vibrato tailpiece, a wildly popular vibrato arm for guitars that was installed on their own models, as well as numerous other companies such as Gretsch, Gibson, Ibanez and many others.
^ abc"Paul Bigsby - "Forgotten Hero" Remembered". Gretsch (Gretsch.com). June 4, 2018. Paul was born on December 12, 1899 in Elgin, Illinois. ... Most widely known for inventing the Bigsby True Vibrato tailpiece, Paul also made the first modern solidbody electric guitar for musician Merle Travis in 1948. ...", "But by 1965, Paul was experiencing some health problems and wanted to sell his company. He called up his old associate Ted McCarty, the retired president of Gibson guitars, and Ted purchased the Bigsby name and all inventory effective January 1, 1966.", "In 1999, Ted McCarty was nearing retirement after a long and successful career spanning over 60 years. On May 10, 1999, the Gretsch Guitar Company purchased Bigsby Accessories from Ted.
Michael Ross. "Forgotten Heroes: Paul Bigsby". Premier Guitar. No. 2011–11–17. [Figure: fishbone timeline]1965 sold Bigsby Vibrato Company to former Gibson president, Ted McCarty.
Andy Babiuk (2009). The Story of Paul Bigsby: Father of the Modern Electric Solid Body Guitar. Mary Bigsby (contributor). Gretsch Enterprises Inc. ISBN 978-0615243047.
^USPTO Trademark: "Bigsby - BIGSBY, PAUL A. [Serial No.71686948]". (USPTO.report). May 6, 1955. Status: 800 Live/Registered / Type: GS0361 (Guitar, etc) / First Use: 1948 / Filed: 1955-05-06 / Registored: 1956-02-28
^USPTO Trademark: "Bigsby - Fred W. Gretsch Enterprises, Ltd. [Serial No.77257276]". (USPTO.report). August 16, 2007. Status: 710 Dead/Cancelled / Type: GS0091 (Video game, etc) / First Use: 2007-11-20 / Filed: 2007-08-16 / Published for Opposition: 2008-02-19 / Registered: 2009-05-26 / Cancelled: 2019-12-27
^Cite error: The named reference Bigsby2019 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^"Fender Acquires Bigsby" (Press Release). Premier Guitar. January 8, 2019.
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