Kahler Vs. Floyd

[Skully]

VHS vs Beta.... if you know anything, Beta was far superior in quality but the market was flooded by VHS, Floyd did the same thing by giving out license's to produce thier trems. I've owned both, Kahler IMO smokes Floyd's in tunability and setup and especially durability. Again, flood the market and people will buy into whatever is available. There's a million blondes out there, I'll take the redhead any day

Also, I've always setup non recessed Floyd's with a slight angle going foward so it's possible to bring the pitch up a touch. I'd be interested in seeing the setup leaning backwards.

[Endrik]

I'd choose Floyd because Kahler is the ugliest piece of shit ever

[dangerous_dave]

I like the look of the kahlers...

[Sunbane]

I'd choose Floyd because Kahler is the ugliest piece of shit ever

+1

[horns666]

I'd choose Floyd because Kahler is the ugliest piece of shit ever

+2..and they just feel perfect..well, that's all I play too..so.

[toejam]

Also, I've always setup non recessed Floyd's with a slight angle going foward so it's possible to bring the pitch up a touch. I'd be interested in seeing the setup leaning backwards.

Have you not seen EVH's guitars? They're tilted back and resting on the body, because he only does divebombs.

[lerxstcat]

Like I said, crescent wrench vs. socket wrench.... why not have both? I like the aspects of a Kahler where it behaves more like a hardtail when you're not actually using the trem, like unison bends that stay in tune, the fact that the other strings don't go badly out of tune when you break a string, greater adjustability of individual strings, you can change the tuning and string gauge without a complete new setup.

The Kahler has its uses and so does the Floyd, that's why I have guitars with both. It's also nice that when you come across a good deal on a cool guitar you don't have to pass because you can't handle using a Kahler.

I have found that as I get older the appeal of mindlessly wanking the trem every minute is much less than it used to be anyway. But if I do feel like it, I'll grab one that has a Floyd.

As for looks I think the Kahler is no worse looking than the Floyd.

[toejam]

If I could only have one kind of trem, I would choose the Kahler Spyder with the optional Auto-Latch. It's basically a better-designed Floyd Rose that can locked into a hardtail with the Auto-Latch, then used like a Floyd when you disengage the Auto-Latch. An improved Floyd built by Kahler.

Wasn't the Auto-Latch option only available on Carvins?

[Cuthbert]

I prefer Kahler but it's very rare and difficult to find.

If I could custom build a guitar from scratch, I'd choose a Kahler 2300 all brass, it's as stable as a OFR and it sounds mellower.

[Racerx2k]

I play both. The Kahlers aren't all that tough to maintain, and mine doesn't go out of tune much at all. Then again, I know how to take care of my stuff.
the fine tuners on the Kahler, to me, are better. More responsive. the Floyd, however, itself, is more sensitive to bar movement. Seems you get a wider pitch range with the Floyd over the Kahler, too, but neither is to be scoffed at. They BOTH have their place.

[metalchurch79]

I play both. The Kahlers aren't all that tough to maintain, and mine doesn't go out of tune much at all. Then again, I know how to take care of my stuff.
the fine tuners on the Kahler, to me, are better. More responsive. the Floyd, however, itself, is more sensitive to bar movement. Seems you get a wider pitch range with the Floyd over the Kahler, too, but neither is to be scoffed at. They BOTH have their place.

I agree, each have there advantages over one another, but neither is the superior unit. I own Kahler's and Floyd's, and I love them both for what I use them for.

I think that Floyd's are faster and easier to adjust, but once you're use to the workings of a Kahler, they too can be fast and easy.
It all boils down to understanding the equipment that you're using or working on.

[jtr]

In the 80's Kahler could be and were on most major guitar brand Gibson/Guild/BC Rich/Jackson/Hamer ECT. You had to special order Floyd's for any guitar (other than Kramers) at a up charge. The reason you don't see Kahler now is because the general guitar buying public dosn't like them and Floyds just do the job better.

[Aaronharmon]

What about a Kahler (say 2300) with a Floyd lock nut? I have seen a few (at least one) custom ordered this way. Why doesn't Kahler just license the lock nut from Floyd? It seams that a lot of people bitching about Kahlers are primarily bitching about the nut?

[Racerx2k]

Good point. I think some people bitch about them, merely because they don't understand them too well. I've had tunning drift due to tempurature changes on a Floyd guitar, but never had it with a Kahler guitar, and I've never had the problems on switching string gauges and re-adjusting the trem out on a Kahler like I've had on a Floyd. The general buying public doesn't buy them because they aren't as prevalent, anymore, for one. Back in the 80s, you'd see them, everywhere. There is a bit of resurgance, at the moment, so time will tell. Trends change opinions all the time.

[Trem]

Have you not seen EVH's guitars? They're tilted back and resting on the body, because he only does divebombs.

Also, I've always setup non recessed Floyd's with a slight angle going foward so it's possible to bring the pitch up a touch. I'd be interested in seeing the setup leaning backwards.

Hmn, yeah i mean i don't back tilt them that much, just a small degree to keep a good preasure on the string over the saddles. Leaning forward (to me) is bad, 1 for the sustain factor, even a little forward tilt, the strings arent really getting any preasure across the saddle, and also you have less dive before the strings flab out. Same princile as a angled headstock, or a stop bridge, whatever, to me the feel is quite noticeable, also i like my strings to feel pretty tought.
Personally, i don't see much of a point in having a floyd at all unless they are free floating and you can pull up a few octaves on them, otherwise a standard trem dive bombs just fine, and easier to deal with, just need a good nut and some locking tuners.
Kahlers, while i haven't touched one in decades, the bar was always way too light touch, and if you really wanged on them they just went to mud.
I like a semi tight feel on my floyds so i can wang the things, and also not go out of tune if i'm leaning heavy on my right hand.
I didn't even know till awhile ago that Kahlers had survived the 80's, except for Kerry King using them..