Strat with a Kahler Tremolo?

[CapoFirstFret]

Well there's a guitar shop here in town that has a 1988 MIA Fender Strat with a stock Kahler tremolo system with locking nut....now I'd been looking for a floyd rose equipped guitar for a little while, just to tinker with, but I like this one better because it's non-floating. It's blue color, and it's a little beat up, but plays nice..maple fretboard. and they only want $450..anyone got any info on these? (it also has a red fender lace sensor pickup in the bridge position)

Worth it? I still wouldn't have the money without selling a guitar first..which hurts, but I wouldn't mind.

 

[CapoFirstFret]

Re: Strat with a Kahler Tremolo?

nobody's tried one of these?

 

[7th Hell]

Re: Strat with a Kahler Tremolo?

Is it a Kahler knock-off of the Floyd trem, or an older Kahler unit? The Kahler Steeler trem was a licensed Floyd, but was made out of stainless steel, like the old original Floyds. The base plate is angled a bit on the sides towards the rear.

If it's an older Kahler trem (the huge ones with the rollers and springs), I say pass. The feel on those is far too light. There's really no comparison between the two. Most players like a little resistance to the bar- that's something that's totally missing on the Kahlers.

 

[Artie]

Re: Strat with a Kahler Tremolo?

I have a Kahler Flyer thats very similar to the one in that picture. I never use the tremolo part of it, but I love those little fine tuners. I was actually hoping that Kahler would make the hardtail version of that with those tuners.

 

[Loserchief]

Re: Strat with a Kahler Tremolo?

i have a kahle flatmount on my custom B.C Rich and it's a cool trem imo. Okay,it might be huge but i think the feel of it is great and i don't need a floating bridge for excessive dive bombing and so on. I'd say go for it.

 

[CapoFirstFret]

Re: Strat with a Kahler Tremolo?

I think I may have said things a bit hastily...upon doing a little research and taking a second look, I believe this guitar is actually made in Japan...which isn't a bad thing either! but just thought I'd mention that....I really like the kahler because I can do wild dive bombs and it comes right back into tune....I"d be highly tempted to switch it to two humbuckers instead of three single coils

 

[Nite_Maresz_25]

Re: Strat with a Kahler Tremolo?

Doesn't kerry and jeff from slayer have kahler's on there guitars?

 

[ex-250]

Re: Strat with a Kahler Tremolo?

yeah they do

 

[presa_tito]

Re: Strat with a Kahler Tremolo?

Kahlers are great and easy to set up. They look oldschool, but do exactly what they should.

 

[Hellion]

Re: Strat with a Kahler Tremolo?

I actually prefer Kahler Trem systems to Floyds. They don't seem to make the guitar as brittle sounding. I almost bought a Strat like you're describing. At the time, I wasn't interested in Fenders very much but this thing played great and you're right the Trem system seemed rock solid. I say if you like it, $450 isn't out of line.

 

[fatigueofheart]

Re: Strat with a Kahler Tremolo?

actually i own multiple guitars with the kahler pro trems. Guess what, it is floating! ! ! ! Although it might stay in tune WELL, it does NOT stay in tune like a floyd, and it does not Divebomb like a floyd. It does not sound all that diff. from floyds either cept the floyds have more resounance. Any trem made by kahler thats not the flatmount pro is crap and will have major tunning issues. If i had to pick between a kahler trem and floyd. I'll choose a wilky followed by the floyd. Kahlers are just too overrated and way too expensive.

 

[Willis]

Re: Strat with a Kahler Tremolo?

I'm thinking of getting a Charvel with a Kahler flatmount. What are the biggest differences between those and Floyds? How is the tuning stability? Can they do divebombs? How is the feel?

 

[fatigueofheart]

Re: Strat with a Kahler Tremolo?

I'm thinking of getting a Charvel with a Kahler flatmount. What are the biggest differences between those and Floyds? How is the tuning stability? Can they do divebombs? How is the feel?

Different pivots. Floyd uses the 2 point thing while kahler use this cam pivoting thing. The kahler feels smoother than the floyd but i still perfer the feel of floyds (floating). read my previous post about kahlers to answer your other question.

 

[Willis]

Re: Strat with a Kahler Tremolo?

So the flatmount Kahlers can't divebomb either? I'd expect them to be able to go around octave down...

 

[fatigueofheart]

Re: Strat with a Kahler Tremolo?

they can divebomb but the floyds has more range as well as the tunning stability to do so.

 

[BlueGuitar]

Re: Strat with a Kahler Tremolo?

Kahler is back in business in case anyone wants to check them out:

http://www.nealmoser.com/kahlerbridges.htm

I put one of their trems on my LP about 20 years ago ( :smack: ) and with the bass springs to make it stiffer and the palm lever it was pretty slick. I thought it was more like a traditional vibrato that you would hear on a Ventures or Duane Eddy record rather than the Floyd Rose floating trem or the strat style.

Kahler was later to make some really nice licensed versions of the FR trem, with an optional arm lock that would freeze the trem block when the arm was hanging loose but free it up when you would grab the arm. I haven't seen that on any other guitars: the guitar stays in tune even when you are bending strings.

 

[Willis]

Re: Strat with a Kahler Tremolo?

Kahler was later to make some really nice licensed versions of the FR trem, with an optional arm lock that would freeze the trem block when the arm was hanging loose but free it up when you would grab the arm. I haven't seen that on any other guitars: the guitar stays in tune even when you are bending strings.

Do you know what that was called? I'd like to get one.