Fix Kahler's Bending & Tuning Problem - Part 3 of 3

I hope you enjoy this video (part 3 of 3) about Kahler. If you think my videos are helpful, consider making a small donation through my website: http://www.dmometalguitar.com.

With this 3-part series, I discuss a solution that substantially minimizes Kahler's bending and tuning problem. I first talked about the bending problem on my Kahler vs. Floyd Rose video series. With Kahlers common behavior, the player needs to dive with the tremolo bar to bring the string(s) back to pitch after a bend. There are ways to ineffectively cheat (or hide the problem), which I also discuss with this video series.

My goal is to make Kahlers stay in tune with bends + dive bombs + pullups. My solution involves four steps:

1. Decreasing the spring tension to tilt the cam forward
2. Bending the string windings by 75 degrees and applying a thick layer of solder
3. Using a Kahler model with a flat cam such as the latest 2300
4. Applying a bit of Chapstick between the strings and the cam

I compared my setup and stringing procedures (and results) to the setup and stringing procedures suggested by Kahler.

I also discuss various one-time steps to make Kahlers in tune. Topics involve locking nut, saddles, string risers, allen screws, roller lubrication, spring setup, Hybrid vs. 2300, etc.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• kahler
• tremolo
• bridge
• 2300
• hybrid
• 2320
• cam
• locking
• nut
• bending
• bends
• tuning
• stability
• rollers
• setup
• whammy

[anakin005]

Great series. You should send Kahler these vids and maybe they'll pay you to fix the design. Kahlers are really smooth, but I'm too lazy to soder the strings lol

[dmometalguitar]

I hope they watch them. It would be the biggest honor for me to help them out come up with the greatest tremolo system ever. I strongly believe if they follow my suggestion of placing the string hooks on top of the cam, the tuning issues will be eliminated without any hacks. And I'll be the first one to tell the whole world!

[DH31701]

Well actually there's a guy who works for Kahler on youtube

he said a lot of bad things about these videos(which sounded like a bunch of rubbish to me

I think Kahlers afraid of letting everyone know that they had bending problems

[dmometalguitar]

Just like any company in any business, Kahler should receive consumer feedback with an open mind. Companies should never be defensive - it makes them look bad, and consumers will notice that (like you did). I've spent hundreds of dollars on Kahlers and, as a loyal consumer and fan of their product, I think I have good feedback to share.

[jKazej]

Dude, Kahler should hire you to design their tremolos.

[chriscoooley]

he knows much more about this than most of the guys you'll find at guitar center

[Stutterat]

Floyds are just better, I have none of these problems with the double locking Floyd and if I break a string on stage I can fix it and be ready to go in about 60 seconds!

[vettster2007]

Hmmm... 2009 Gibson Tribal Flying V with the Kahler 2215K (Black Chrome) is the (K) meaning. This one has no (staying in tune issues at all. Dive all you want! The one issue I am seeing is the total loss of sound at the bottom of the dive. If I am grabbing a ZAKK WYLDE Harmonic and I go to squeel it into a dive it disipates and fades away quickly. On my Charvell SO CAL FLOYDE ROSE this does not happen at all. I love Gibson and these are toys compared to the SG STANDARD FIXED BRIDGE. Fun toys.

[vettster2007]

Hmmm... 2009 Gibson Tribal Flying V with the Kahler 2215K (Black Chrome) is the (K) meaning. This one has no (staying in tune issues at all. Dive all you want! The one issue I am seeing is the total loss of sound at the bottom of the dive. If I am grabbing a ZAKK WYLDE Harmonic and I go to squeel it into a dive it disipates and fades away quickly. On my Charvell SO CAL FLOYDE ROSE this does not happen at all. I love Gibson and these are toys compared to the SG STANDARD FIXED BRIDGE. toys are fun

[67StratSlayer]

Does the standard setup go out of tune with standard bends? The bending in the video is past typical 1-2 note bending within a scale.

[GuitaristBoi9]

7.20 u mean like Floyd Rose's Saddle?. My suggestion is replacing the cam with a row of Fixed Floyd Rose's Saddle will be good

[timothycoyle]

Couldnt you take the cam to a machine shop and have them machine little slices of metal off of the cam where the friction is being created and insert a slice of material like that used in graphtech nuts or another slippery substance called derlin(Slipstone) to reduce friction and improve tuning?

[Niemandx]

What do you think about using epoxy instead of soldering?

Another idea, copying the concept from SIT NO-Break strings, how about putting a piece of heat shrink tubing to the windings instead of soldering?

BTW I HATE SOLDERING! i suck at it..........tried for hours.

Thanks again for the videos DMO.

[Niemandx]

Hi DMO, great video! Followed all your steps but soldering the strings due to my lack of skill. My only problem is that my guitar goes out of tune when pulling up, mostly on the high E and B strings (E is the worse, one whole step flat) I have a Kahler hybrid, Floyd rose locking nut. Checked everyhting mentioned on the video series, all as per you recommendations. This is a 1986 tremolo, maybe the tension springs are too old? Thanks in advance for your input.