Kahler Vs. Floyd

[nhspike]

Made with Kahler.
Converted to Floyd.
Restored to Kahler.
It's perfect.

[metalchurch79]

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.

I always use a Floyd locking nut with my Kahlers. I'd say that's about the only disadvantage w/ Kahlers in my eyes.

Otherwise like Racer and I said, you have to understand the equipment in order to work on it. Otherwise you're just either gonna have someone else fix it for you, or just keep it as is, and bitch about it not being right.

I would love to see more guitars with a Kahler on them. especially those 'retro' guitars that are reissued now.
But the liscensing may be a factor in that. Like if a company has a deal with floyds, then the may only be allowed to use floyds instead of kahlers?
Does anybody know if that's the case? (Aside from floyds being the trem of choice.)

[Skully]

Since were showing off classic Kahlers.....

1986 and my first Kahler install on a Fender Lead III .. The Kramer next to it had a Floyd so I can say I had a dailey dose of both.

[dangerous_dave]

ever pull back a floyd on a guitar with really low action? the strings bottom out on your frets, because a floyd's saddle height changes as you whammy.
that doesn't happen on a kahler. the saddles are stationary and separate from the tremolo mechanism. you can set your action as low as the guitar will allow and the strings will never lay flat on the frets from pulling back.

also, consider that a floyd's knife edges WILL wear out eventually. it doesn't matter how high quality of a floyd you have. and then you have to shell out the big money for a whole new bridge.
a kahler will never need anything more than some drops of lube every few years, and the springs replaced (2 springs at $5 each) every 10-15 years.


it's not at all that the public likes floyd more. it's just that floyds have become ubiquitous due to a combination of cheap manufacturing and a paradigm shift among consumers to focus on cost over quality.
many guitarists have HEARD of kahler, but never actually seen/played one, so you can't really say the floyd is more popular because more people prefer it.

as someone else said, it's exactly like the VHS vs. betamax thing.
floyd--like VHS--whores out its license to any company willing to pay their fee, regardless of the quality of the end product. a cheap VCR and a cheap floyd are good for the same thing: a doorstop.
kahler--like betamax--insists on strict control over quality. to the point where they won't license out to anyone. all kahlers are made in the USA (except the x-trem, made in china but still to kahlers USA specs/quality as it isn't a licensing arrangement, just a manufacturing arrangement).
the downside to strict quality control is that it puts a limit on mass production, which is the only reason kahlers aren't more common. but they're definitely getting and gaining attention and popularity in the last few years.

I have both and alway take Floyd. Some guy has a whole series of videos on this subject on You Tube check it out.

the guy that made that video has no business using words like "fair" or "unbiased".
within the first few minutes i could tell that he was going to manufacture a way to award more points to the floyd.
and he did.

[metalchurch79]

Dangerous_Dave, you made some very valid points for sure, I agree with you for the most part, but like I said I also like OFR's, so I can't say that I'd use 'em for a door stop! That's funny though!!

[jsuttjackson]

One thing to mention, I have some guitars with Kahlers and often had the problem of breaking my high E at the ball end, until I learned about soldering the winding at the ball end and never had the problem again.Just wondered if any other Kahler users do this as well.As far as I'm concerned I've come to like both bridges,and accept each ones advantages and disadvantages in it's own right.

[metalchurch79]

One thing to mention, I have some guitars with Kahlers and often had the problem of breaking my high E at the ball end, until I learned about soldering the winding at the ball end and never had the problem again.Just wondered if any other Kahler users do this as well.As far as I'm concerned I've come to like both bridges,and accept each ones advantages and disadvantages in it's own right.

Do you have a photo of where you solder it?
That sounds like a good idea and I'm trying to picture it.
Thanks

[jdr94]

i think its just a preference thing. i have both. i use both. they just feel different. i dont pull up so the fact that the floyd can pull up makes no difference to me. also as someone else stated, if you like low action then pulling up will only bottom out your strings. i dont know if anyone else does this but i pull the blocks out of the behind the nut lock and sand em perpendicular to string direction as i feel it give more locking power. also soldering the ball ends does help.

[jsuttjackson]

I'll try to put up a picture.But basically right down where the string winds just before the actual ball.

[metalchurch79]

Ok good enough I get it now. So that actually works huh? I'm gonna have to try that.
Thanks alot bro!

[jsuttjackson]

here's a pic

[jsuttjackson]

sorry about the pic, I'll have to figure out how to put pictures up on here.

[lerxstcat]

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

I don't know, I became aware of the Spyder after they were out of production. I just know that I've seen the Auto-Latch sold separately on Ebay a number of times. I know the Spyder came on the Peavey Tracer as well.

[toejam]

Ah. I'd never seen the Auto-Latch sold separately, but I know Carvin had it available as an option for their Floyds which apparently were the Spyder. I always thought it was a Carvin product until years later.

[GWARGHOUL]

Oh, this thread in another incarnation again???

And my posts get deleted for some reason... hmm..

ZOG!