Kahler Guitar Vibratos

Pro Series 2300
USA PAT 4457201 DS

Vibrato (tremolo) rare guitar
Manufacturing USA
Use mounting on a flat body ("Flat mounting")

2300 series in the '80s. I bought mine in 1987, about 2000 Fr (300 €). There are more recent series with a similar format that works the same way (Series 2200, 2300, 4200, 4300, 7200, 7300, 4700 and others)
It is primarily a beautiful object in chrome metal, fine quality, is easy to mount, there is only need 4 screws and a small trapping under the bridge. We can even afford to do roughly, since it will not be visible.

The functions of the current series (see above) are the same ... and parts too! That's what good . it allows 25 years later still easily find what to fix.
It is quite reliable yet. Rare default blocks the rope in his version of the clip (see photo 1) eventually drop because tiredness metal. There is also a retainer cord (Cam String Hook) that dropped me after a bad maneuver: I pressed the screw (and heavily stressed) while the rope ball was badly managed.

The radius of settings:
setting jumpers individually: height, length, orientation left right
setting block bridges (right center left)
adjusting the vibrato bar (fixed or pending)
adjusting the inclination of the cylinder on bearings (tension spring)

short there is something set it "with onions." it is a precision engineering ... when care is taken to understand and adjust well!

it can be used in normal action, to completely relax the string or contrast, tend to one or two tones above. return to zero is pretty accurate. blocking zero is possible thanks to an adjustable screw, playing on the spring tension. If a string breaks, the guitar is detuned. Also very useful if specific tunings are used (eg drop D).


So for or against the Kahler compared to pink floyd?
I first played on Kahler before playing Floyd. and it took me some time to adapt:
The Kahler is much more flexible and operable fingertips. It uses a framework that allows the palm mute without relying involuntarily vibrato. It is simply thinner.
Bearings age better than knives of my floyd. Finally, the system is more accurate to adjust and takes up less space on a skyscraper. The really great thing for a DIY project.

You can climb a Kahler on an old standard Strat vibrato, the old fucks did not show. But the reverse operation is no longer possible.

I had originally installed on Aria "the cat". the bridge cost more than the guitar. 20 years after I removed and installed on a U.S. strat and it still works perfectly. Caution table a Mexican Strat is not quite flat, it will remain a small day 1 mm on the lower left corner (no impact).

floyd my Ibanez also works very well, although it is much younger (1991). but the blades are slightly crushed. One can install the EVH D tuner is handy. As against to block zero (necessary in this case) must cobble together a small block of wood behind the spring block.

Anyway it's all matter of taste, both are very good the Kahler seems to me more reliable over time, or at least easier to maintain and to adjust and I like his typically American look that reminds me of a chrome Old Cadillac.

I have it installed on my BC RICH kkvg2 and this floating tremolo is simply the best I have ever played. And I have tried quite a few before (FLOYD ROSE original, FLOYD ROSE special, both LTD and JACKSON, different IBANEZ edge). But this one kills them all. It's disconcertingly precise and easy to adjust. It's much more versatile than the rest, which allows you to play delicate vibratos and incredibly expressive bends. It withstands perfectly extreme uses and rehearsals without going out of tune any more than any other tremolo (and you can retune it with a simple pull-up). Further, the set-bridge mode is very useful, especially when you don't plan to use tremolo or when the tension is so that you can't leave it float freely.

It's KAHLER's budget series but it does wonders. I can only imagine what the high-end 2300 series can do!