What is a "side to side" gibson vibrato

[77jordan]

Hi.

I've been looking at SGs and the historic seems appealing.

http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Elec...issue-VOS.aspx

Some guy in the comments was pissed because it doesn't have the short "side to side" vibrato.

Can someone explain to me what this is? How did it affect tone for better or worse? Was it more/less useable?'

Thanks!

[SGNick]

The side to side vibrato is a piece of garbage. they call it that because you move the arm side to side instead of up and down. It looks like this



IT has no advantages except for historical accuracy.

[TwoTubMan]

Originally Posted by SGNick

The side to side vibrato is a piece of garbage.

This is all anyone needs to know.

[27sauce]

I dont know why anyone would want one of those, virtually unusable, but yes, historically accurate. I've always been a fan of the long Maestro Lyre vibrola.

[77jordan]

that looks hard to shake and inconvenient. So was there also a short Maestro Lyre vibrola too?

Thanks!

[sleepingtiger]

There never was a short side-to-side unit, as the whole complicated mechanism is contained under that cover.
There is a short version of the up/down vibrola in addition to the long Lyre vibrola, which has absolutely nothing under the long cover. I like these units a lot! The side-to-side I find ugly & basically useless.

Tony

[27sauce]

in '62 if it was a Maestro it would have been the short ebony block variant. Like this, they were found on Standards too.

[Wizardneck]

Originally Posted by 27sauce

in '62 if it was a Maestro it would have been the short ebony block variant. Like this, they were found on Standards too.

And annoyingly, after four years of searching, I'm still trying to find that very trem (in nickel) for my '61 SG standard. It's just like the ebony block model, but has no actual ebony block, if you see what I mean.....

Its previous owner must have taken the trem off, and put a bunch of almost-but-not-quite correct chrome bits on instead.

Ironically, it's the best sounding SG I've ever owned, and far better than any "death-rattle" side-to-side trem models from the same era. Added to which, those things look like Art Deco condom dispensers, and are far less useful.

[jimshine]

The Maestro actually had a sticker on it that said "Maestro". Some how the nickname has carried over to the Lyre (long tailpiece style with Lyre engraved on the cover plate) and the standard vibrolas.

This is a TRUE Maestro vibrola.

[27sauce]

Originally Posted by jimshine

The Maestro actually had a sticker on it that said "Maestro". Some how the nickname has carried over to the Lyre (long tailpiece style with Lyre engraved on the cover plate) and the standard vibrolas.

This is a TRUE Maestro vibrola.

Ah yes you are correct. Sorry for the confusion

[The Golden Boy]

Wasn't any Gibson made accessory a Maestro?

From what I recall, the Maestro came in a few different variants:

the side to side

The bent piece of metal that leaves 3 screw holes in the body.

The bent piece of metal with the ebony block

The bent piece of metal with the metal tailpiece cover that looked like the lyre TP.

The rolly bar thingy on the Coronet pictured above.

[27sauce]

Originally Posted by The Golden Boy

Wasn't any Gibson made accessory a Maestro?

From what I recall, the Maestro came in a few different variants:

the side to side

The bent piece of metal that leaves 3 screw holes in the body.

The bent piece of metal with the ebony block

The bent piece of metal with the metal tailpiece cover that looked like the lyre TP.

The rolly bar thingy on the Coronet pictured above.

In the '50/'60's Gibson only called the vibrola shown on the Coronet a Maestro. The others were never referred to as Maestros officially in catalogs or price lists by Gibson. That Being said, Gibson NOW calls them MAestros.

Heres everything you will ever need to know on the subject.

http://www.lespaulforum.com/forum/sh...d.php?t=141885

[The Golden Boy]

Originally Posted by 27sauce

In the '50/'60's Gibson only called the vibrola shown on the Coronet a Maestro. The others were never referred to as Maestros officially in catalogs or price lists by Gibson. That Being said, Gibson NOW calls them MAestros.

Heres everything you will ever need to know on the subject.

http://www.lespaulforum.com/forum/sh...d.php?t=141885

Good stuff to know!

I'd always assumed Maestro was used as the name for Gibson made parts/accessories. Sort of the way AC/Delco is for GM or Motorcraft for Ford.

Gibson has had a way of changing naming conventions and sort of re-writing history to suit their own purpose. Sort of like how Epiphone (don't know if it was in any Gibson literature) was calling Mini-Hums "New York" pickups... Don't even get me started on the Les Paul Junior Special.

[Bruceman]

By the time you reached down there to move the bar the song was over.

[HoboMan]

I used to have an original 61 SG/Les Paul Standard. It had sideways vibrola. I found it to be a primitive Rube Goldberg contraption.
I never used it.