In 1999, the brand was acquired by Gretsch from McCarty, which owned it until 2019, when Bigsby was sold to Fender Musical Instruments Corporation.

Most famously, in 1948 he built the custom, triple-neck four-pedal model played by Speedy West, one of the first such pedal steel guitars to be used in country music.

In declining health, and unable to meet demand, he sold the company to Ted McCarty in 1966.

For many decades, the brand was only used for its vibrato tailpieces, though periodically limited runs of guitars, mostly of replica models of Paul Bigsby's original designs, have been produced.

In January 2019, Fender Musical Instruments Corporation announced the acquisition of the Bigsby brand and its assets from Fred Gretsch Enterprises.