Kahler trems - Anyone have tips?

[wyzenhymer]

* I just got the Hamer Glen Tipton model for my Judas Priest tribute band. I love the guitar and it's the exact model he used for the Defenders tour and beyond. Only problem, the Kahler trem. I've been an exclusive Floyd & LoPro user since the mid-80's and have detested Kahlers the entire time. This one seems to have a good feel, but still won't keep a tuning the way my favorites do.

* My questions;
*1. Where do you adjust the spring tension? I want the bar to ride a little lower, but can't find the adjustment screw. I haven't taken the trem off the body yet, but have changed strings.
*2. This model has the locks behind a graphite nut.(which I detest!) I have done a complete Floyd nut changeover before, actually on the guitar I traded for this one (a Jackson custom shop soloist), and what a pain it was.
It had the Jackson floyd system which lock behind the nut and would never stay in tune. I did an allright job myself with the conversion, but it was not pro, and I don't want to try it again. Has anyone found a way to make these more stable? I am mostly looking for anyone who has had good results with this system, all the online info suggests there should be thousands of you!!
*3. Has anyone ever converted a Kahler system to a Floyd/LoPro? I would hate to go to such an extreme, but if I can't get it the way I want, *it may be an option.
*4. Does anyone have any on-line links to Kahler setup? I've done the search engines for a week with no real results. **
*Anyway, any help would be most welcome.
* G.M.

(Edited by wyzenhymer at 2:38 pm on April 14, 2001)


(Edited by wyzenhymer at 1:11 pm on April 15, 2001)

[frankfalbo]

The tension adjustment is on the rounded part where the bar screws in. It's the middle allen screw-dead center. It puts pressure on the spring connector to puch it back or forward, adjusting the tension. I wouldn't recomend a conversion. Far too much wood is gone under the trem, and the Kahlers operate with just as much tuning stability as any Floyd if they are kept lubed and adjusted. As for the nut, if you make sure the slots are wide enough for a loose, comfortable fit, then the extra distance between the nut and the lock nut shouldn't hurt you. You don't want any friction there.

[steve]

I used to solder the ends of the strings - the twisted winds closest to the ball-ends. That area of strings acts as a spring-like storage of tension which can compress and expand, causing more tuning instability. Fusing the twists solid takes that away quite handily. This can help with a standard F3nd3r trem, as well. You just have to make sure to heat the string winds up very well, and don't bulk up the solder too much; it still has to slip cleanly into the ball-end holder by the fine-tuner. Those alligator-clip type 'helping hands' devices work exceptionally well for this, to keep your hands from being singed by the heat.
I made one of their cheapest versions of the Kahler trem work with unbelievably good tuning stability by this means; it took a fair bit of extra time, but was worth it for tuning stability.
Also, make sure the strings don't twist at all when you're getting them set up on the tuning posts - that can store tension, too, although in much smaller amounts.
That's a couple of things I can think of off the top of my head.

[wyzenhymer]

Thanks guys, that's just the kind of advise I was looking for. It's been two weeks and the tuning hasn't stablized so I'm gonna replace the strings following the methods you described.
I'll post the results when they become apparent. Cheers, G.M.
*

[steve]

Hope it works out to your liking. Good luck.

[chronic insomnia]

I have the Flyer trem by kahler and it was horrible until I replaced the nut with a roller nut. *Which if you haven't seen one it is pretty much a nut with roller bearings that your strings ride on instead of the slots like in a regular nut. *My strings tended to bind in the nut more than anything else and this was an instant and very easy cure.