Kahlers?

[YorkeFan06]

How does a Kahler function/how is it different from a floyd? I've seen one on the Jeff Hanneman model and I don't know what the diff is.

[jbird]

They are no longer made! My 1st electic (an 83' Carvin has one). It is the Kahler Pro model. I sent the guitar back to Carvin in 84' to have them install one as they 1st offered them as options in that year. They are a flatmount trem; meaning the body rout does not go through the entire guitar, there is no springs attached to a claw! It is basically all enclosed. There is about a 1/2" or so rout to the top of the guitar though, so it is not exactly "flatmount". There are two allen adjustments, one for arm tension, and one for arm height. There are phillips screw adjustments for sting height, and intonation. The saddles are brass rollers that need to be kept oiled, and there is of course the dreaded locking mechanism at the headstock, behind the nut. I've abused mine for twenty years and it still functions perfect. I've never owned a Floyd but I do know of at least another big difference, you don't need to clip the ball end of the string. The Kahler has a traditional "ball holder":eek: that has it's own fine tuners. They were well made and well thought out trems IMHO. Hope this helps.

[Erik]

I installed a Kahler on an old guitar back in the 80's...I LOVE THAT TREM!!! It really is too bad that it isn't made anymore.

[Dan Desy]

I installed a Kahler on an old guitar back in the 80's...I LOVE THAT TREM!!! It really is too bad that it isn't made anymore.
Love mine as well. I installed a Kahler Flyer on the same guitar than I put the EMGs in. I prefer the PRS trems, but I find no problem with the Kahler...

...besides changing strings :mad:

[jaycee]

I had an '83 Ibanez destroyer which I bouht new with my paper route money. I saved longer to get a Floyd. So I go to Wurlie's in Boston with a pocket full of mmoney and say Gimme a Floyd!

The guy says they're sold out and I should consider a Kahler. I bought it, had it installed and went nuts on the thing. It always stayed in tune, and was the smoothest trem I've ever used. I think I saved $25 too!! :)

[devine10]

I had one on my old Aria Pro II back in the late 80's it was the smoothest trem i ever used..and i too loved the fact ya didnt have to snip off the ball ends, im suprised no one has tried to re-licence the patent, like floyd rose did to pretty much every manufacturer..

[BIG GINGER GIT]

I always remember the Kahlers had a very distinctive sound, like John says you didn't get that 'warble' with them. I was watching an old Nick Kirshaw performance the other day (great player) and he was using a Kahler and you can hear what it is straight away.
Who was that guy that played with Go West and Level 42 ? he was awesome in his day, sadly he is no longer with us but he used a Kahler brilliantly ...... Alan Murphy :confused: could that be right :confused:
Loved his playing :dude:

[PRSman]

Personally, I couldn't stand Kahler trems! I had a couple back in the '80s, one on a Hamer Scarab (remember those can-opener looking guitars?) and one on an import Charvel. The Kahler felt too artifical to me, as the string tension I was used to having with a Fender or Floyd Rose style trem wasn't there. I know Kahlers were tension adjustable, but I just couldn't get used to the feel. I prefer the Floyd as far as locking trems go. Also, I couldn't acheive that great garbled sound you get when you have a spring-loaded trem and you hit the body while playing (ala Brad Gillis of Night Ranger). OK, so my old '80s influences are coming out... Anyways, that's my .02 cents. ROCK ON!!!
:dude:

[redmax61]

My experience with them is that I LOVE the way they sound. They use Brass in the unit, which has the tone I love. However, I've never found a Kahler that would stay in tune for heavier use. I've had at least one of every model (flat mount, stud mount and Flyer), with exactly the same results. Even when used in conjunction with Floyd Rose top clamps. I've concluded that they are for very light use only.

My other beef with them is that I could never get the arm to respond as quickly as a Floyd Rose trem. Floyd Rose units are very fast response wise, but they suck the tone right out of your guitar.

[tmihm]

I missed my Kahler Strat (was my main guitar in the 80's) so much, I bought (just a little while ago) a Mexican one that had a Kahler in perfect shape. I'm in heaven! I actually had one on a Frankenstien Tele as well, and it was amazing. NEVER went out of tune - and I was doing (trying to, anyway) Adrian Belew tunes and beatin' the crap out of it.


Think I may have to go and just have a listen to "Twang Bar King" :)