@@Scott__C he always did. I met him and his tech (and the whole band… and LIVING COLOUR!) when they came to Vegas and I dropped off some parts for his guitars. Then Gary Kahler I enjoyed the show. Those guys were cool, Nuno and everyone were awesome, my job fucking rocks!
A friend recently gave me an old Les Paul copy with the Kahler, well the body anyhow... I still need to track down a neck but I'm not sure of the specs... looks like the action/neck angle can be adjusted by a bolt on the back. Edit: I guess it's a Cort, not Carvin.
OK, you got my attention. 😃 I've been a champion of Kahler trems since the first one I had (Carvin DC 127) They're a little trickier to set up initially but they have so many advantages, my favorite of which is you can palm mute the crap out of them and never have a note pull sharp on you: great for heavy distortion!
The screw between the D & G strings adjusts the tension to the cam. The other screw adjusts the tension on the arm. Palm arm models had a second larger hole for the second arm, and a tension adjustment screw.
Thanks my friend, I REALLY should have looked into the specifics before the video HAHAHA Anyway, there are so many features I couldn't keep track. I'm going to try and pin this to the top so people can see it.
Matt, you're mistaking, the middle hole on the cam is not for the palm bar, that's to adjust the spring tension and the hole next to the arm hole is the arm clutch, to let the bar swing free or hold it in a set position. I've always preferred the Kahler, love it great design!
Oh cool, I appreciate you telling me. I'm going to tag this to the top. There is so much going on with these and I should have made sure hahaha Thanks brougham
I love my custom built guitar came with a Khaler bridge, nut & string guide. I love it and it doesn't come out of tune. Also, it has 4 way bridge adjustment.... Love that guitar & it's been around the world many times!
I used to install and modify Kahlers in the 80s. They went into Les Pauls relatively easily and would install into Strats or even Telecasters because the hole in the guitar was pretty easy to route. So without complicated jigs you could install one in an afternoon. There was no tension adjustment on the old ones but you could replace the original springs with heavy duty ones. Daddario used to make strings for both Floyd bridges and Kahlers. The Kahler strings had solder on the windings just after the ball I would just solder the wirings myself on regular strings. I still have a a Strat with my first Kahler on it. I got a second Kahler from “Junior” from Megadeth around 1983, Their drummer worked at BC Rich and would steal stuff from them and Junior (Dave Ellefson) would sell them.
@@TexasToastGuitarsnot anymore, the stud location has migrated over the years on a Gibson so you have to be very careful about measuring before routing. With the flat mount (2300-7300) the outside holes line up perfectly with the outside holes if an American fender 6 hole trem. So in reality they are easiest to install in an American fender strat.
@@TexasToastGuitars I installed first one myself with a chisel. I ended up converting that guitar to a floyd rose I cleaned up the kahler hole with some wood filler and had my friend Sammy Sanchez set it up for a floating floyd and he installed the floyd setup at the nut with the screws going through the back and I had my other friend James Kaufman put an angle where the back plate goes to give better access to the higher frets then I got the guitar re painted
I have had a Kahler in my 84 Explorer for 38 years and it never failed me once. After 100's of gigs it still does it's thing and looks as good as the day I bought it.
No click bait at all - I am truly curious. I screwed up in my early SRV wannabe days and put 13's on my Hamer/Steve Stevens Kahler rig - bad idea. I had to replace all of the string holder forks (they bent - a couple almost completely broke). I always liked the fine tune adjustment feature. You use the lower tuner ratio for quicker string winding and still have the more sensitive tuning.
I have a kahler 2700 on a custom star body. It has spent a decade in its hard case and remains in tune. You can dive bomb the hell out of it and still, remains in tune. I did build a tele a couple years ago (inspired by Texas toast guitars) with a nylon flag of Texas embedded onto the body with the Simtec polyester coatings. I installed a FR in it and that took me awhile to get it about 99% of my Kahler, but it’s pretty sweet.
@@eyeofamon Possibly, but now with Floyd removing the "Made in Germany" markings, that seems like an obfuscation of where it's made to keep costs down.
My first guitar with a trem system was a early 90's NJ series B.C. Rich Warlock with a Kahler, it took a while to get used to it, but what I liked is it wasn't as finicky if I drop D tuned. And the lock behind the nut was not screwed through the headstock
Stumbled into a Kahler 30ish years ago on a used Jackson Soloist. Haven’t touched a different bridge since. All of the adjustments are right there so you don’t need to flip your guitar over four times to see if the spring tension is to your liking. While you can buy a locking nut, the string locks (behind the nut) are easier to use. Yeah they’re $100 more than the cheap Floyd but you get what you pay for. Kahler can be tossed onto any tune-o-matic bridge with the stud mount models, unfortunately the only way to get ‘em onto a PRS but oh well. They also make the only multi-scale floating trem. The only two downsides are the cost (which isn’t that much) and you can’t put them on a body that already has a tremolo cavity. If they’re good enough for Kerry King and Les Claypool, then they’re good enough for me.
@@REXYLAB Sure thing, I’ll die on the hill of Kahler being the best. Now send someone over to Maryland to get that knucklehead on board! The second I don’t have to go private stock to get a 24 fret 509 with a Kahler is the second before I place my order.
🎂I think Kahler is it's own thing, and I dig it! I hate adjusting a Floyd to be honest....so much so that I have a Tremel-no on my only Floyd type bridge and use it as dive only....when it isn't just locked down completely. Kahlers even look cooler. Nothing really stopping you from having a Floyd nut for an even better set up! By the way....Betamax was superior in nearly every way, but lost the "tape race". Money talks I suppose.....
Many thanks for being a die hard Kahler guy. We are developing something for your Floyd you might be interested in. What the Auto-Latch does to your trem #kahler #floydrose #ibanez #jacksonguitars th-cam.com/video/puUARI5Yveg/w-d-xo.html
I've always been a Floyd Rose fan (sorry but blame Kirk Hammett for it!) but a couple of years back I bought Llexi Leon's Custom Shop ESP Horizon-III and oh boy do I love it! In my humble opinion I still think a Floyd looks slightly nicer BUT now I can say I like more the Kahler! Mine has a Floyd-type locking jut but I keep it open, no locks for me. If anyone wishes to have a look at the guitar either go to DiMarzio website and search ”Llexi Leon” or search on Google ”Llexi Leon ESP Horizon 3” and you see a cool gtr with a Kahler. Now it's my main gtr. \m/
I ruined my 76' BC Rich Eagle having a Kahler (aka "Sustain Bandit")..Never sounded or played the same. The action became very stiff compared the the badass. Oh well, it was the 80s wiggle stick craze....sigh
I have 2 of the fixed bridge Kahlers soon a third one, and one stud mounted one. I just prefer them to floyds be left or right handed its the same unit.
@@josephcaswell5729 I have both of the Megadeth Jackson sig models. Playing too aggressively knocks the saddles out of alignment, the brass roller saddles develop burrs that break the wound strings, and one of the retaining claws on the Kelly broke... so I replaced them both with wraparound bridges.
Which is something that absolutely doesnt make sense to me..would love to hear the physical explanation fron someone who knows, maybe gary kahler lol..a fulcrum spins totally out of control when floated and tension suddenly changes
Anyone know the neck specs for an old Cort LP copy with the Kahler? A friend recently gave me one (well the body anyhow...) I still need to track down a neck but I'm not sure of the specs... looks like the action/neck angle can be adjusted by a bolt on the back too.
I had a Peavey Impact 1 guitar that had a Kahler with standard locking nut. I also had a JB Player strat copy I bought used that had a fulcrum style Kahler with that locking mechanism past the nut and it didn't require a hex wrench to torque down you just turned a screw with your fingernail and pushed down these 3 little clamps. That unit was even painted metallic purple which I've never seen another one like that
Kahler for me is the best especially for bass as I use it..... you could actually get the talk to Gary... Hes got a big heart in the whole staff is whole hearted and helpful... With all that said his tremelo's rule.❤❤❤
So... Khaler is basicly a modern version of Brian Mays Red Special system, two big springs inside. He used some springs from an old motorcycle, thats cool. Which is the coolest thing to do if you want to make motorbike noises :D
If I am correct the springs on Brian May's work in compression: they are mounted in the back of the tremolo block and get compressed by string tension. The Kahler ones still get pulled by strings. But the two systems do have in common of being a compact and honestly super cool design
@@lorenzodenardo1860 That’s very interesting, I hadn’t even thought of tremolos working with compression of springs. I’d like to see what May’s design looks like up close.
@@Roikat looks like TH-cam does not like links in comments...try googling "brian may tremolo replica", there is a couple of good sites that pop up, one called "guitars & woods" and one called "DSGB" both having good pictures. It's a very unique detail in a very unique guitar, I highly recommend reading the book by Brian May and Simon Bradley on the history of the Red Special, it's full of details on the build
I think the strings lose energy on a Kahler as they roll back and forth over the roller saddles. With a Floyd you get a stronger clothesline effect when you yank the slack out of the strings. Floyds can dive to full slack but Kahlers (at least the ones I've played) can't quite get there. You get more string tension dump per angle of bar travel with a Floyd and that make them more lively and responsive. As for the fussy setup, you just have to put in the reps and it becomes second nature after a while.
The Kahler and the virtual Jeff are my two favorite bridges The main problem with the virtual Jeff is you can’t use it chordlessly The Sophia is my third favorite tremolo bridge
The guitar I got when I graduated highs school - a BC Rich NJ Series S-type - came with a Kahler Flyer. Fast forward today and my #1 S-type also has a Kahler. Their smoothness is really the thing for me. Not that Floyds are bad.. I just prefer Kahlers.
I don’t care for either of those… If it has to be floating …., I guess I would choose a Wilkinson…… But the Bigsby vibratos will always be my favorite …👍🏻👍🏻
@@willrichtor Sure do. I did buy another body during the pandemic to return it more to its original state. But, still going strong. It got dropped probably about 8 times and was still in tune.
The Kahler bridge you show is a good bridge, no doubts. However some technocal advantages, in comparison to a FR, are not so substantial, on contrary some disadvantages are. I mention only one example, but there are others: the shorter and fatter springs give a different feeling when the whammy bar is being moved more than within a short travel, and so far the travel is wider the offered sensitivity is reduced. Of course the guitarist can become use to this difference, but the higher sensitivity offered by longer and thinner springs the FR uses may remain a must in many cases.
Seems like you've got it exactly wrong. What you mentioned, the Kahler having a different feel, is such a subjective thing that you can only call it a disadvantage on a personal level. In contrast, the advantages are objective advantages. It floats but won't detune from string bending or palm muting. It can be adjusted to your neck radius easily, something that's been a problem that Floyd Rose has just outright ignored, even though the majority of Floyds are installed on guitars with radii flatter than Floyds can achieve, often even WITH shims. You can adjust string spacing. It's ambidextrous. Any single ONE of these are objective advantages, and your argument that they are not so substantial, compared to the "disadvantages" is that the feel is different. Very, very poorly constructed argument. Did you even watch the video?
Kahler ended up losing to FR then the Edge because most of them in the 80s had behind the nut locking mechanisms. As many people didn't know how to work on their guitars if the nut was wrong or sticking they would go out of tune quite easily. The second reason which is partially the reason for the first is that they marketed a version you could add if you had a tuneomatic bridge. In the late 80s they did market some with a locking nut which worked better but by that point everyone seemed to be using a FR or if you wanted to pull up the floating Edge on the Ibanez and the quickly following floating floyd installs kind of killed it to me. I had one on my Gibson Matthias Jabs CS Explorer and just never bonded with it, one of the reasons I regrettably sold the guitar which would be worth quite a bit today. What's funny is that back in the 80s no one would be caught dead running the ball ends through the headstock tuners... everyone made fun of anyone who did as lazy and ignorant. Today I see tons of people do it... personally I still can't get past it. Young and impressionable back then some things just stick with you! Great review with many good points, I'm sure there are many people today who have never actually seen one unless it was on Kerry King's guitar.
Floyd’s are a pain in the ass when changing strings and setting up your guitar but once you get it in tune and the bridge floating even they are pretty nice. I really haven’t got the opportunity to mess with to many Kahler equipped guitars but from watching this video they seem a lot better to deal with when changing strings and adjusting your guitar intonation.
Kahlers are amazing. FR has its place but the Kahler is so much better engineered and thought out. Really difficulty to go back to using a FR once you get used to the Kahler.
The “Steeler” was Kahler’s version of a FR, and it SMOKED a FR! So much that Floyd pulled the licensing from Kahler. They fought it out in court, and Kahler lost, and it bankrupt them. That’s why Kahler disappeared for several years. If you ever find a Steeler for sale, buy it…!!!
You are extremely close but that isn’t the Floyd Rose case that bankrupted Kahler and actually Kahler won the license in a court case rather than loose it. Kahler did get sued into bankruptcy though and that is when they shifted from guitar bridges to golf clubs. 2024 complete Kahler Fulcrum line #kahler #kahlerspyder #kahlersteeler #kahlerfatbrassblock th-cam.com/users/shortsXzyw0AWV6Pc?feature=share
Whether the Kahler locked at the nut with its cams depended on how you set up the system. Properly set up (on both ends), the Kahler vibrato held tune every bit as well as the Floyd. Nothing doesn't go out of tune. As for "true" locking, double-locked Kahlers truly lock. For me, give me locking tuners to go with the tail end, and that works plenty well enough. As for what it is like, the more elaborate Kahlers (yours is a stripped-down version) are their own animal - more like the Steinberger TransTrem than like anything else, though not like that, either. Floyds always seemed to me to be a bigger pain in the butt than a good Kahler, and the build quality on Floyds - with the original and licensed versions - was, back in the day, much more variable than the tanklike Kahlers. So, I was a partisan of the better Kahlers just because they did the job well, with few headaches and key features Floyds did not have. If I were in the market now, I would still consider a Kahler, but the vibrato world is a lot better than it was back in the eighties and nineties. Kids today whine about plenty of things, but things in music gear, at least, we have it pretty good now. And humans were nuts back in the old days too. One thing is definitely worse now: mass surveillance. Oh, and we have forgotten our forebears fought their guts out defeating dictators and authoritarians. Now, we have walking turds who think fascism is funny or cool and bigotry natural. And no one, including professional writers, writes or speaks proper English, and almost no one follows the facts in journalism. And.... So, there are elements of real deterioration. Music gear isn't among those things.
Ding dong doodle made up for anything you "felt dumb" about man. 😂 Great video. I'm struggling between Floyd's and kahlers on a few different builds. This helped. One is getting a Floyd the other an x Trem.
I've always preferred the Kahler. The big strike going against Kahler was the fact that the Floyd simply had more users and much of this can be chalked up to Eddie using them. But if you approached things with an open mind you would see the Kahler was a better design. The fact is there was a larger community of Floyd users who knew how to get Floyds to work better and work out their quirks. No system is perfect. But if Kahler had Eddie aboard and more endorsers the community of Kahler know-how would have grown more. In my experience Kahlers stay in tune better, are more ergonomic, less invasive to install than a Floyd, and easier for string changes. I always thought Kahlers sounded better than Floyds as well, allowing for more resonance and sustain. Also, you can do tricks with a Kahler you can't do with a Floyd.
Nice informative Video. I Know a local great guitar player Bass player who has a 70's era les paul back in the 80's he had a kahler installed on it, If I would have known he was going to have it reversed, I would have told him do not do it. Anyway the repair on his Sunburst guitar to me, looked like CRAP, they did I believe try to match it, but it looked like, let's put it this way I would not have reversed it in the 1st place in the 2nd, I would have rerouted it and put most likely the Kahler back in. I know someone with a nice 63 surf green stratocaster that someone did that to it before he owned it, most likely it is why he got a great discount or trade on it when he got it, he will Leave it ALONE, and love his vintage instrument.
Well...because they're not? heh They feel spongy, and remove that instant feedback you get from a traditional whammy or Floyd Rose, like an over-the-top power steering vs manual. I felt disconnected from the strings everytime I tried to use one. Floyd's can have issues too, but most often because someone is using a licensed version not made with specs as good as, say Schallers'. But to each their own.
"Do You Know Why The Kahler Tremolo Is Better Than The Floyd Rose?" Gee ..I don't know? But if I had to guess? I'd say .. Because they are even more Stupid expensive; Than the normally/typically stupid expensive Floyd Rose?
It's a good trem system it's about as good as the edge trem. I don't think it's quite as good as Floyd Rose or Wilkinson locking trem. But it works for what you want it to do. All the locking trems are better than the cheap fulcrum non locking trem like on the fender stratocaster those your always tuning.
My first Jackson I bought in 85/86,and you couldn’t get a Floyd,because of an exclusive deal FR had with Kramer at the time…so I got one with a Kahler..a decision I soon came to regret…While I did like the smoothness of the Kahler,I hated everything else about it..the palm bar was one of those”what were they thinking “things….as history played out,most people preferred the FR as I did…..I haven’t tried the new ones though…..once was enough for me..I also had an 88 Steinberger with a Trans Trem,which was kinda like a Kahler on acid…should have kept that one though..who knew they were gonna go for $5 grand in the future?…
thats like saying a yamaha R6 is better than a honda GROM. of course khalers are better but they also cost 150$ more than it would cost to get into a floyd rose 1000
You can’t buy a standard new Floyd rose 1000, that’s OEM only. However Kahler is significantly more expensive than Floyd Rose. But they are also made out of significantly better materials.
Incorrect, individual hight adjustments are how you match the bridge radius to the fretboard radius. String spacing is also very important for different pickups, guitars, etc.
@REXYLAB Most bridges without individual string height adjustments are made within a range that will work. Fine adjustments can be done with a file. String spacing is most often 10.6mm, with special exception bridges available for anything weird. And it's untrue that pole pieces have to exactly line up with the strings. Kahler's solutions counter problems that don't exist.
Floyd’s are a pain in the ass when changing strings and setting up your guitar but once you get it in tune and the bridge floating even they are pretty nice. I really haven’t got the opportunity to mess with to many Kahler equipped guitars but from watching this video they seem a lot better to deal with when changing strings and adjusting your guitar intonation.
I work for Kahler and this was a great video. You should come to Las Vegas and be on the podcast Gary Kahler and I are starting very soon.
I'd love to do that
That's a great idea I got your email but I'm doing classes all week I'll catch up with you in the morning my friend
Good times! Looking forward to this. Just throwing it here, Nuno uses the Kahler Steeler now over the Floyd.
@@Scott__C he always did. I met him and his tech (and the whole band… and LIVING COLOUR!) when they came to Vegas
and I dropped off some parts for his guitars. Then Gary Kahler I enjoyed the show.
Those guys were cool, Nuno and everyone were awesome, my job fucking rocks!
@@REXYLAB Nice! I don't think it's widely known that he's always preferred Kahler. Was certainly news to me and I'm a Kahler fan.
Carvin sold Kahler equipped guitars with a locking nut, and they stayed in tune the best of any guitar I’ve played.
They are pretty good little units, lot of love for them, I didn't know how this one would go over.
A friend recently gave me an old Les Paul copy with the Kahler, well the body anyhow... I still need to track down a neck but I'm not sure of the specs... looks like the action/neck angle can be adjusted by a bolt on the back.
Edit: I guess it's a Cort, not Carvin.
I still stand by Kahler trems. I even put one on Gibson DG Trini Lopez. Dive bombs on a 335 style guitar rules!
Sweet! I’d like to see that.
I have the stud mounted Kahler on my Schecter custom Tsh-1 love a semi-hollow with a good trem on it lol.
@@josephcaswell5729 that’s exactly what I did.
Fantastic idea! I think we will do something similar. And thank you for playing our bridges!
OK, you got my attention. 😃 I've been a champion of Kahler trems since the first one I had (Carvin DC 127) They're a little trickier to set up initially but they have so many advantages, my favorite of which is you can palm mute the crap out of them and never have a note pull sharp on you: great for heavy distortion!
I like your style
The screw between the D & G strings adjusts the tension to the cam.
The other screw adjusts the tension on the arm.
Palm arm models had a second larger hole for the second arm, and a tension adjustment screw.
Thanks my friend, I REALLY should have looked into the specifics before the video HAHAHA
Anyway, there are so many features I couldn't keep track.
I'm going to try and pin this to the top so people can see it.
Nailed it!
Matt, you're mistaking, the middle hole on the cam is not for the palm bar, that's to adjust the spring tension and the hole next to the arm hole is the arm clutch, to let the bar swing free or hold it in a set position. I've always preferred the Kahler, love it great design!
Oh cool, I appreciate you telling me. I'm going to tag this to the top. There is so much going on with these and I should have made sure hahaha
Thanks brougham
Nailed it!
Nailed it!
I love my custom built guitar came with a Khaler bridge, nut & string guide. I love it and it doesn't come out of tune. Also, it has 4 way bridge adjustment.... Love that guitar & it's been around the world many times!
That sounds cool who made it
I used to install and modify Kahlers in the 80s. They went into Les Pauls relatively easily and would install into Strats or even Telecasters because the hole in the guitar was pretty easy to route. So without complicated jigs you could install one in an afternoon. There was no tension adjustment on the old ones but you could replace the original springs with heavy duty ones. Daddario used to make strings for both Floyd bridges and Kahlers. The Kahler strings had solder on the windings just after the ball I would just solder the wirings myself on regular strings. I still have a a Strat with my first Kahler on it. I got a second Kahler from “Junior” from Megadeth around 1983, Their drummer worked at BC Rich and would steal stuff from them and Junior (Dave Ellefson) would sell them.
It sure seems easier to do on a Gibson, that's for sure.
@@TexasToastGuitarsnot anymore, the stud location has migrated over the years on a Gibson so you have to be very careful about measuring before routing. With the flat mount (2300-7300) the outside holes line up perfectly with the outside holes if an American fender 6 hole trem. So in reality they are easiest to install in an American fender strat.
Do you still install them?
@@TexasToastGuitars I installed first one myself with a chisel. I ended up converting that guitar to a floyd rose I cleaned up the kahler hole with some wood filler and had my friend Sammy Sanchez set it up for a floating floyd and he installed the floyd setup at the nut with the screws going through the back and I had my other friend James Kaufman put an angle where the back plate goes to give better access to the higher frets then I got the guitar re painted
Why do you solder the ball end?
I have had a Kahler in my 84 Explorer for 38 years and it never failed me once. After 100's of gigs it still does it's thing and looks as good as the day I bought it.
They are excellent
No click bait at all - I am truly curious. I screwed up in my early SRV wannabe days and put 13's on my Hamer/Steve Stevens Kahler rig - bad idea. I had to replace all of the string holder forks (they bent - a couple almost completely broke). I always liked the fine tune adjustment feature. You use the lower tuner ratio for quicker string winding and still have the more sensitive tuning.
I have a kahler 2700 on a custom star body. It has spent a decade in its hard case and remains in tune. You can dive bomb the hell out of it and still, remains in tune. I did build a tele a couple years ago (inspired by Texas toast guitars) with a nylon flag of Texas embedded onto the body with the Simtec polyester coatings. I installed a FR in it and that took me awhile to get it about 99% of my Kahler, but it’s pretty sweet.
Kahler does make one awesome product, the locking nut with an incorporated string tree. I wish FR would license that.
Kahler will not license anything.
@@REXYLAB And this is likely why Gary had to go make golf clubs for a while.
@@eyeofamon Possibly, but now with Floyd removing the "Made in Germany" markings, that seems like an obfuscation of where it's made to keep costs down.
Is the new tremolo a direct replacement for the old? Do the mounting screws line up and is there any need for further routing?
I'm pretty sure all the Kahler cam based tremolos and even the fixed bridge use the same screw hole positions.
My first guitar with a trem system was a early 90's NJ series B.C. Rich Warlock with a Kahler, it took a while to get used to it, but what I liked is it wasn't as finicky if I drop D tuned. And the lock behind the nut was not screwed through the headstock
Do you know if it's possible to install a Kahler on an LTD EC-1000? It's similar to a Les Paul. I'm wondering if the stud mount bridge would work.
Would fit perfectly
@@popthatbeep awesome thank you
can i replace standard 6 screw tremolo on my kramer baretta special with kahler, will it fit?
Stumbled into a Kahler 30ish years ago on a used Jackson Soloist. Haven’t touched a different bridge since. All of the adjustments are right there so you don’t need to flip your guitar over four times to see if the spring tension is to your liking. While you can buy a locking nut, the string locks (behind the nut) are easier to use. Yeah they’re $100 more than the cheap Floyd but you get what you pay for. Kahler can be tossed onto any tune-o-matic bridge with the stud mount models, unfortunately the only way to get ‘em onto a PRS but oh well. They also make the only multi-scale floating trem.
The only two downsides are the cost (which isn’t that much) and you can’t put them on a body that already has a tremolo cavity.
If they’re good enough for Kerry King and Les Claypool, then they’re good enough for me.
I really dig them and you are right, the extra cost pretty much goes away when compared to the high end Floyd
That’s awesome! All of us here at Kahler appreciate you playing our bridges and speaking up about how much you enjoy our bridges.
@@REXYLAB Sure thing, I’ll die on the hill of Kahler being the best. Now send someone over to Maryland to get that knucklehead on board! The second I don’t have to go private stock to get a 24 fret 509 with a Kahler is the second before I place my order.
🎂I think Kahler is it's own thing, and I dig it! I hate adjusting a Floyd to be honest....so much so that I have a Tremel-no on my only Floyd type bridge and use it as dive only....when it isn't just locked down completely. Kahlers even look cooler. Nothing really stopping you from having a Floyd nut for an even better set up! By the way....Betamax was superior in nearly every way, but lost the "tape race". Money talks I suppose.....
You got that right my friend
Many thanks for being a die hard Kahler guy. We are developing something for your Floyd you might be interested in.
What the Auto-Latch does to your trem #kahler #floydrose #ibanez #jacksonguitars
th-cam.com/video/puUARI5Yveg/w-d-xo.html
I like locking tuners with my kahler... but I do like the kahler behind the nut locks with the latches over locking nuts.
The Betamax was more expensive but far superior. At that point, the TVs probably didn't show the difference of quality like ones in TV studios would.
I've always been a Floyd Rose fan (sorry but blame Kirk Hammett for it!) but a couple of years back I bought Llexi Leon's Custom Shop ESP Horizon-III and oh boy do I love it! In my humble opinion I still think a Floyd looks slightly nicer BUT now I can say I like more the Kahler! Mine has a Floyd-type locking jut but I keep it open, no locks for me.
If anyone wishes to have a look at the guitar either go to DiMarzio website and search ”Llexi Leon” or search on Google ”Llexi Leon ESP Horizon 3” and you see a cool gtr with a Kahler. Now it's my main gtr. \m/
Will it stay in tune if a string breaks?
I ruined my 76' BC Rich Eagle having a Kahler (aka "Sustain Bandit")..Never sounded or played the same. The action became very stiff compared the the badass. Oh well, it was the 80s wiggle stick craze....sigh
I'd love to see a Challenger with a Kahler on it. I've got a few Floyd Rose equipped guitars, but never had a Kahler and I'd really like to try one
We can certainly do that, might be a cool option.
Because Kahlers rule, they don't drop when you break a string.
Maybe not as much, but the tuning of the other strings is not unaffected.
I have 2 of the fixed bridge Kahlers soon a third one, and one stud mounted one. I just prefer them to floyds be left or right handed its the same unit.
@@josephcaswell5729 I have both of the Megadeth Jackson sig models. Playing too aggressively knocks the saddles out of alignment, the brass roller saddles develop burrs that break the wound strings, and one of the retaining claws on the Kelly broke... so I replaced them both with wraparound bridges.
@@eyeofamon when my lefty Challenger is finished maybe they will show it off. The fixed bridge in the video is for my challenger lol.
Which is something that absolutely doesnt make sense to me..would love to hear the physical explanation fron someone who knows, maybe gary kahler lol..a fulcrum spins totally out of control when floated and tension suddenly changes
I think Kahlers have the option to put a different spring in that provides a stiffer feel
I think you are right, lots of people were telling me stuff I didn't know about these units.
Yes, we offer stiffer springs for a stiffer feel.
Also, the new 2200 and 2300 bridges offer a 3rd spring option.
Anyone know the neck specs for an old Cort LP copy with the Kahler? A friend recently gave me one (well the body anyhow...) I still need to track down a neck but I'm not sure of the specs... looks like the action/neck angle can be adjusted by a bolt on the back too.
Have you ever tried the washburn trems from the 80s?
Ah, I've never had one of these. I have a Kahler Spyder on my Fender HM Strat, but that's totally different. More like a regular Floyd.
I think I remember those... Boy the 80s were a long time ago though my friend
That and the Steeler, which is what Nuno's using nowadays.
The major thing is the frackup calling it a tremolo. It is NOT a tremolo. It is a vibrato system
I had a Peavey Impact 1 guitar that had a Kahler with standard locking nut. I also had a JB Player strat copy I bought used that had a fulcrum style Kahler with that locking mechanism past the nut and it didn't require a hex wrench to torque down you just turned a screw with your fingernail and pushed down these 3 little clamps. That unit was even painted metallic purple which I've never seen another one like that
🎂 Kahler is its own thing for sure!!! Hope to see you on the pod cast man! Subing to your channel!
🎂 I think it''s a modern trem of it's own unique design. Love the the smoothness!
I sure wish Kahler still made the Steeler and 2700.
We do!
2024 complete Kahler Fulcrum line #kahler #kahlerspyder #kahlersteeler #kahlerfatbrassblock
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You wind the machine head with the ball ends of the strings with a Floyd so you can just unravel more string when you get a break at the saddle.
Kahler for me is the best especially for bass as I use it..... you could actually get the talk to Gary...
Hes got a big heart in the whole staff is whole hearted and helpful...
With all that said his tremelo's rule.❤❤❤
So... Khaler is basicly a modern version of Brian Mays Red Special system, two big springs inside. He used some springs from an old motorcycle, thats cool. Which is the coolest thing to do if you want to make motorbike noises :D
If I am correct the springs on Brian May's work in compression: they are mounted in the back of the tremolo block and get compressed by string tension. The Kahler ones still get pulled by strings. But the two systems do have in common of being a compact and honestly super cool design
I guess that would be a good way to look at it
You might be right
@@lorenzodenardo1860
@@lorenzodenardo1860 That’s very interesting, I hadn’t even thought of tremolos working with compression of springs. I’d like to see what May’s design looks like up close.
@@Roikat looks like TH-cam does not like links in comments...try googling "brian may tremolo replica", there is a couple of good sites that pop up, one called "guitars & woods" and one called "DSGB" both having good pictures. It's a very unique detail in a very unique guitar, I highly recommend reading the book by Brian May and Simon Bradley on the history of the Red Special, it's full of details on the build
I think the strings lose energy on a Kahler as they roll back and forth over the roller saddles. With a Floyd you get a stronger clothesline effect when you yank the slack out of the strings. Floyds can dive to full slack but Kahlers (at least the ones I've played) can't quite get there. You get more string tension dump per angle of bar travel with a Floyd and that make them more lively and responsive. As for the fussy setup, you just have to put in the reps and it becomes second nature after a while.
The Kahler and the virtual Jeff are my two favorite bridges
The main problem with the virtual Jeff is you can’t use it chordlessly
The Sophia is my third favorite tremolo bridge
Matt.....Did you and Chris have to come up with & make your own jigs for all of these different parts for your guitars?
Yes we did
The guitar I got when I graduated highs school - a BC Rich NJ Series S-type - came with a Kahler Flyer. Fast forward today and my #1 S-type also has a Kahler. Their smoothness is really the thing for me. Not that Floyds are bad.. I just prefer Kahlers.
I don’t care for either of those…
If it has to be floating …., I guess I would choose a Wilkinson……
But the Bigsby vibratos will always be my favorite …👍🏻👍🏻
I had a Kahler on my Peavey T-60. It had an aluminum nut and never had a problem with it.
Do you still have the T60? Has there ever been a more bulletproof electric guitar produced? Things are indestructible.
@@willrichtor Sure do. I did buy another body during the pandemic to return it more to its original state. But, still going strong. It got dropped probably about 8 times and was still in tune.
The Kahler bridge you show is a good bridge, no doubts. However some technocal advantages, in comparison to a FR, are not so substantial, on contrary some disadvantages are.
I mention only one example, but there are others: the shorter and fatter springs give a different feeling when the whammy bar is being moved more than within a short travel, and so far the travel is wider the offered sensitivity is reduced. Of course the guitarist can become use to this difference, but the higher sensitivity offered by longer and thinner springs the FR uses may remain a must in many cases.
Seems like you've got it exactly wrong. What you mentioned, the Kahler having a different feel, is such a subjective thing that you can only call it a disadvantage on a personal level. In contrast, the advantages are objective advantages. It floats but won't detune from string bending or palm muting. It can be adjusted to your neck radius easily, something that's been a problem that Floyd Rose has just outright ignored, even though the majority of Floyds are installed on guitars with radii flatter than Floyds can achieve, often even WITH shims. You can adjust string spacing. It's ambidextrous. Any single ONE of these are objective advantages, and your argument that they are not so substantial, compared to the "disadvantages" is that the feel is different. Very, very poorly constructed argument. Did you even watch the video?
Kahler ended up losing to FR then the Edge because most of them in the 80s had behind the nut locking mechanisms. As many people didn't know how to work on their guitars if the nut was wrong or sticking they would go out of tune quite easily. The second reason which is partially the reason for the first is that they marketed a version you could add if you had a tuneomatic bridge. In the late 80s they did market some with a locking nut which worked better but by that point everyone seemed to be using a FR or if you wanted to pull up the floating Edge on the Ibanez and the quickly following floating floyd installs kind of killed it to me. I had one on my Gibson Matthias Jabs CS Explorer and just never bonded with it, one of the reasons I regrettably sold the guitar which would be worth quite a bit today.
What's funny is that back in the 80s no one would be caught dead running the ball ends through the headstock tuners... everyone made fun of anyone who did as lazy and ignorant. Today I see tons of people do it... personally I still can't get past it. Young and impressionable back then some things just stick with you!
Great review with many good points, I'm sure there are many people today who have never actually seen one unless it was on Kerry King's guitar.
Floyd’s are a pain in the ass when changing strings and setting up your guitar but once you get it in tune and the bridge floating even they are pretty nice. I really haven’t got the opportunity to mess with to many Kahler equipped guitars but from watching this video they seem a lot better to deal with when changing strings and adjusting your guitar intonation.
Kahlers are amazing. FR has its place but the Kahler is so much better engineered and thought out. Really difficulty to go back to using a FR once you get used to the Kahler.
The “Steeler” was Kahler’s version of a FR, and it SMOKED a FR!
So much that Floyd pulled the licensing from Kahler.
They fought it out in court, and Kahler lost, and it bankrupt them.
That’s why Kahler disappeared for several years.
If you ever find a Steeler for sale, buy it…!!!
I remember lots of cool versions of Kahler trems back in the day
You are extremely close but that isn’t the Floyd Rose case that bankrupted Kahler and actually Kahler won the license in a court case rather than loose it.
Kahler did get sued into bankruptcy though and that is when they shifted from guitar bridges to golf clubs.
2024 complete Kahler Fulcrum line #kahler #kahlerspyder #kahlersteeler #kahlerfatbrassblock
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Whether the Kahler locked at the nut with its cams depended on how you set up the system. Properly set up (on both ends), the Kahler vibrato held tune every bit as well as the Floyd. Nothing doesn't go out of tune. As for "true" locking, double-locked Kahlers truly lock. For me, give me locking tuners to go with the tail end, and that works plenty well enough. As for what it is like, the more elaborate Kahlers (yours is a stripped-down version) are their own animal - more like the Steinberger TransTrem than like anything else, though not like that, either. Floyds always seemed to me to be a bigger pain in the butt than a good Kahler, and the build quality on Floyds - with the original and licensed versions - was, back in the day, much more variable than the tanklike Kahlers. So, I was a partisan of the better Kahlers just because they did the job well, with few headaches and key features Floyds did not have.
If I were in the market now, I would still consider a Kahler, but the vibrato world is a lot better than it was back in the eighties and nineties. Kids today whine about plenty of things, but things in music gear, at least, we have it pretty good now. And humans were nuts back in the old days too. One thing is definitely worse now: mass surveillance. Oh, and we have forgotten our forebears fought their guts out defeating dictators and authoritarians. Now, we have walking turds who think fascism is funny or cool and bigotry natural. And no one, including professional writers, writes or speaks proper English, and almost no one follows the facts in journalism. And.... So, there are elements of real deterioration. Music gear isn't among those things.
Ding dong doodle made up for anything you "felt dumb" about man. 😂 Great video. I'm struggling between Floyd's and kahlers on a few different builds. This helped. One is getting a Floyd the other an x Trem.
I've always preferred the Kahler. The big strike going against Kahler was the fact that the Floyd simply had more users and much of this can be chalked up to Eddie using them. But if you approached things with an open mind you would see the Kahler was a better design. The fact is there was a larger community of Floyd users who knew how to get Floyds to work better and work out their quirks. No system is perfect. But if Kahler had Eddie aboard and more endorsers the community of Kahler know-how would have grown more. In my experience Kahlers stay in tune better, are more ergonomic, less invasive to install than a Floyd, and easier for string changes. I always thought Kahlers sounded better than Floyds as well, allowing for more resonance and sustain. Also, you can do tricks with a Kahler you can't do with a Floyd.
Nice informative Video. I Know a local great guitar player Bass player who has a 70's era les paul back in the 80's he had a kahler installed on it, If I would have known he was going to have it reversed, I would have told him do not do it. Anyway the repair on his Sunburst guitar to me, looked like CRAP, they did I believe try to match it, but it looked like, let's put it this way I would not have reversed it in the 1st place in the 2nd, I would have rerouted it and put most likely the Kahler back in. I know someone with a nice 63 surf green stratocaster that someone did that to it before he owned it, most likely it is why he got a great discount or trade on it when he got it, he will Leave it ALONE, and love his vintage instrument.
Kahler is so much better, they made Floyd copies, and even reissued them, lolz. Love them both!
Well...because they're not? heh
They feel spongy, and remove that instant feedback you get from a traditional whammy or Floyd Rose, like an over-the-top power steering vs manual. I felt disconnected from the strings everytime I tried to use one. Floyd's can have issues too, but most often because someone is using a licensed version not made with specs as good as, say Schallers'.
But to each their own.
I actually have a Kahler made Floyd Rose on one of my guitars so check mate, Matt.
I guess I don't know what that means but I concede
I'll take a Challenger II with that Kahler Hybrid with the option to lock it into a hard tail... 😎
9:10 🎂
Happy birthday!
Kahler design make way much sense than a floyd. The only thing it need is fr locking nut
man i really like that guitar !
As a builder, they are easier to install, they stay in tune better and they are just an overall great Trem system
I agree my friend
"Do You Know Why The Kahler Tremolo Is Better Than The Floyd Rose?"
Gee ..I don't know?
But if I had to guess?
I'd say ..
Because they are even more Stupid expensive;
Than the normally/typically stupid expensive Floyd Rose?
Hey Matt. Check out a 8 string I made for a customern. How can I send you some pictures of some guitars this old man made??
"Do You Know Why The Kahler Tremolo Is Better Than The Floyd Rose?"
Yes, I do.
It's a good trem system it's about as good as the edge trem. I don't think it's quite as good as Floyd Rose or Wilkinson locking trem. But it works for what you want it to do. All the locking trems are better than the cheap fulcrum non locking trem like on the fender stratocaster those your always tuning.
My first Jackson I bought in 85/86,and you couldn’t get a Floyd,because of an exclusive deal FR had with Kramer at the time…so I got one with a Kahler..a decision I soon came to regret…While I did like the smoothness of the Kahler,I hated everything else about it..the palm bar was one of those”what were they thinking “things….as history played out,most people preferred the FR as I did…..I haven’t tried the new ones though…..once was enough for me..I also had an 88 Steinberger with a Trans Trem,which was kinda like a Kahler on acid…should have kept that one though..who knew they were gonna go for $5 grand in the future?…
YES!!!!!!!!!!
🎂 i like cake. Some say that you can even use the Kahler to trade for things like...hmmm...BBQ?
I still owe you buddy
Oh yeah
thats like saying a yamaha R6 is better than a honda GROM. of course khalers are better but they also cost 150$ more than it would cost to get into a floyd rose 1000
You can’t buy a standard new Floyd rose 1000, that’s OEM only. However Kahler is significantly more expensive than Floyd Rose. But they are also made out of significantly better materials.
Nice wall BTW 😊
Thanks Mark
so many great guitarists held back by aa floyd rose im a Professional FR HATER
Floyd give more screaming and squealing
Better late than never
Sho nuf
Bong hits before making vids not good… lol
So precious
I can almost get 3 Firefly guitars with the price of one of these bridges.
I don't know what that means...
@@TexasToastGuitars - Too expensive for my taste 😁
Enjoy your shitty $150 guitars.
@@mikepeterson443 - why bother with a comment like this? Go buy your three fireflies and be done with it. You still won't have the bridge.
@@78tag Sheesh! It was just a joke.
Click baited.
I put one on a Jag.
I just got a guitar with a Floyd.
I already know how they work.
Leaving.
What I’ve gathered from this video is that the kahler is pretty much superior, as a gc guitar tech I am not thrilled when I have to set up a Floyd 😭
Individual height adjustment is overrated. Adjustable spacing is completely unnecessary.
Because nobody wants to adjust string height (action) or properly align their string with the nut.
Incorrect, individual hight adjustments are how you match the bridge radius to the fretboard radius.
String spacing is also very important for different pickups, guitars, etc.
@REXYLAB Most bridges without individual string height adjustments are made within a range that will work. Fine adjustments can be done with a file. String spacing is most often 10.6mm, with special exception bridges available for anything weird. And it's untrue that pole pieces have to exactly line up with the strings. Kahler's solutions counter problems that don't exist.
Floyd Rose became on top due to licensing cheapo crap from China. Kahler (KAL-ler) is the BEST!
No. It's KAY-LER. Plenty of videos of the man himself, Gary Kahler, properly pronouncing his own name. 😒
@@Metalcop5150 sorry
You such a big liar
Floyd’s are a pain in the ass when changing strings and setting up your guitar but once you get it in tune and the bridge floating even they are pretty nice. I really haven’t got the opportunity to mess with to many Kahler equipped guitars but from watching this video they seem a lot better to deal with when changing strings and adjusting your guitar intonation.