- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
What is this on my guitar?
Posted on 8/4/18 at 2:30 am
Posted on 8/4/18 at 2:30 am
Owned for 16 years, never really looked into it.
This thing requires tuning via the knobs pictured on the body. Neck "clamps" renders the normal tuning knobs useless.
Bonus pic of full guitar and the gloriously appointed case. Dad got it from his 3rd wife for basically nothing for my 16th birthday. She had a couple dozen guitars, which was the only good thing about her. I think it's an '86 made replica of a '56 vintage. Ish. Never got a lot of details. Heavy as frick and beautiful, just useless at the moment since I knew how to remove the strings but not replace them, due to aforementioned foreign add-on.
This thing requires tuning via the knobs pictured on the body. Neck "clamps" renders the normal tuning knobs useless.
Bonus pic of full guitar and the gloriously appointed case. Dad got it from his 3rd wife for basically nothing for my 16th birthday. She had a couple dozen guitars, which was the only good thing about her. I think it's an '86 made replica of a '56 vintage. Ish. Never got a lot of details. Heavy as frick and beautiful, just useless at the moment since I knew how to remove the strings but not replace them, due to aforementioned foreign add-on.
2
Posted on 8/4/18 at 4:41 am to GRTiger
It's a locking nut designed to keep a guitar in tune despite heavy whammy bar action.
Here's how to change strings:
1) Loosen the locking nut screws
2) Remove old strings
3) Set the bridge adjustment knobs to a middle position. You want to be able to either loosen or tighten this knob later so set it halfway between all the way tight and all the way loose.
4) Put the new strings on and tune normally with the headstock tuners
5) Tighten the clamp on the neck - this will cause it to be slightly out of tune
6) Use the adjustment knobs on the bridge to re-tune each string
Here's how to change strings:
1) Loosen the locking nut screws
2) Remove old strings
3) Set the bridge adjustment knobs to a middle position. You want to be able to either loosen or tighten this knob later so set it halfway between all the way tight and all the way loose.
4) Put the new strings on and tune normally with the headstock tuners
5) Tighten the clamp on the neck - this will cause it to be slightly out of tune
6) Use the adjustment knobs on the bridge to re-tune each string
Posted on 8/4/18 at 8:24 am to dbeck
That is from the first generation of Kahler tremolos, stamped "Gibson" because it was specifically ghost-built for them. Google "Kahler Pro tremolo" and you will find plenty of other examples. If that tremolo is original to the guitar, the guitar is 1980s.
For the sake of correctness, that's not a locking nut. It's a locking string clamp behind the nut. I'm just nitpicking on dbeck, his step-by-step on how to restring it is spot on. Good job!
** The allen wrench screw holes on the locking clamp are very prone to strip if they haven't stripped already. Use the proper allen wrench and a fresh example with crisp tip edges. Actually, this is your mantra for ANY and ALL allen screws and screws or threaded pieces (clamp pads inside the locking clamp) on this guitar and any other!
** those brass rollers by the saddles are prone to freeze over time from hand goo and sweat getting in them. They should roll freely. If they don't, apply a little 3-in-1 oil with a q tip, GENTLY pinch them with needle nose pliers and GENTLY rock them to free them up. If they don't free up initially, hit them with the oil again. If they still don't free up, you may need a tech with Kahler experience to invervene.
If you have missing parts (like the bar?), stripped parts, etc., here's your source ... KahlerUSA.com
If you are BR or south LA, I'm quite well schooled with these if you want me to get it back up to 100 percent and then some :)
For the sake of correctness, that's not a locking nut. It's a locking string clamp behind the nut. I'm just nitpicking on dbeck, his step-by-step on how to restring it is spot on. Good job!
** The allen wrench screw holes on the locking clamp are very prone to strip if they haven't stripped already. Use the proper allen wrench and a fresh example with crisp tip edges. Actually, this is your mantra for ANY and ALL allen screws and screws or threaded pieces (clamp pads inside the locking clamp) on this guitar and any other!
** those brass rollers by the saddles are prone to freeze over time from hand goo and sweat getting in them. They should roll freely. If they don't, apply a little 3-in-1 oil with a q tip, GENTLY pinch them with needle nose pliers and GENTLY rock them to free them up. If they don't free up initially, hit them with the oil again. If they still don't free up, you may need a tech with Kahler experience to invervene.
If you have missing parts (like the bar?), stripped parts, etc., here's your source ... KahlerUSA.com
If you are BR or south LA, I'm quite well schooled with these if you want me to get it back up to 100 percent and then some :)
Posted on 8/4/18 at 8:27 am to TheFretShack
FYI, cherryburst plaintop Les Paul, 80s due to presence of Kahler, bound fingerboard and dots instead of trapezoid mother of pearl inlays = the first incarnation of what is today called the Les Paul Studio.
Your guitar is LIGHT YEARS BETTER than the Studios that have been produced over the last 25 years. Sweet piece!
Your guitar is LIGHT YEARS BETTER than the Studios that have been produced over the last 25 years. Sweet piece!
Posted on 8/4/18 at 9:13 am to TheFretShack
quote:
Your guitar is LIGHT YEARS BETTER than the Studios that have been produced over the last 25 years. Sweet piece!
Does this mean that he should rip all that Floyd Rose looking crap off of there? Play that LP like an LP?
As was told to me once on this board by somebody, “bend those strings sissy boy.”
Posted on 8/4/18 at 9:21 am to TheFretShack
Thank you for answering my question and the extra info on the guitar itself! I wish I was in BR to give you my business, but I'm in Houston.
What do you think the value of it is? No plans to sell it, but I'd love to tell my dad he got one over on his ex.
What do you think the value of it is? No plans to sell it, but I'd love to tell my dad he got one over on his ex.
Posted on 8/4/18 at 10:32 am to GRTiger
You can take the Kahler off but you're going to have a hole left behind about 2x3" by 1.5" deep underneath. Like this:
It would have to be filled, veneered if you want it to disappear and refinned. You will spend as much as the guitar is worth to do it right and you will knock about 50 percent of its vintage value off doing so. I say leave it.
Value is probably a grand to 1200 consistently. The Kahler is a dual edged sword ... most guys will tire kick you over it but there is a small faction that would pay top dollar for a factory Kahler LP that is that clean cosmetically for its age.
It would have to be filled, veneered if you want it to disappear and refinned. You will spend as much as the guitar is worth to do it right and you will knock about 50 percent of its vintage value off doing so. I say leave it.
Value is probably a grand to 1200 consistently. The Kahler is a dual edged sword ... most guys will tire kick you over it but there is a small faction that would pay top dollar for a factory Kahler LP that is that clean cosmetically for its age.
Posted on 8/4/18 at 10:33 am to TheFretShack
Oh yeah, my guess is 1985 for production year. What are the first and fifth numbers of the eight-digit serial number? That's the suffix of the production year.
Posted on 8/4/18 at 10:46 am to TheFretShack
It's 86. It's why he chose this particular one from the collection. It's my birth year.
He paid less than $1000. Never told me an exact amount.
He paid less than $1000. Never told me an exact amount.
Posted on 8/4/18 at 10:55 am to GRTiger
That’s a pickup
Posted on 8/4/18 at 11:01 am to el Gaucho
Thanks man
Posted on 8/4/18 at 11:55 am to TheFretShack
Fret did you work on that silverburst yourself? I would have had to slap whoever raped that sweet thing with a trem.
Posted on 8/4/18 at 11:58 am to TheFretShack
quote:
You can take the Kahler off but you're going to have a hole left behind about 2x3" by 1.5" deep underneath. Like this:
Wow. Sign of those times I guess. Everybody ran off to buy Jackson’s and Ibanez and I’m sure a few other brands I can’t name that had those trems. Gibson had to get them one too to keep up. I wonder what Les Paul purists thought at the time? “Get OFF my lawn!!!” Comes to mind.
Posted on 8/4/18 at 12:06 pm to LSU alum wannabe
quote:
I wonder what Les Paul purists thought at the time? “Get OFF my lawn!!!” Comes to mind.
Meh. Some guitars are designed for or really shine with (proper) vibrato (often called tremolo) devices.
Les Pauls just aren't those guitars.
Posted on 8/4/18 at 12:35 pm to Ace Midnight
I didn't work on that silverburst, that's a quick photo I grabbed via Google Images to give an idea what lurks under Kahler trems.
Posted on 8/4/18 at 2:51 pm to TheFretShack
quote:
and dots instead of trapezoid mother of pearl inlays
I hate the dots. lol
Posted on 8/4/18 at 3:20 pm to Ace Midnight
quote:
Meh. Some guitars are designed for or really shine with (proper) vibrato (often called tremolo) devices.
Les Pauls just aren't those guitars.
Strats.
Posted on 8/4/18 at 8:52 pm to LSU alum wannabe
quote:
Wow. Sign of those times I guess. Everybody ran off to buy Jackson’s and Ibanez and I’m sure a few other brands I can’t name that had those trems. Gibson had to get them one too to keep up. I wonder what Les Paul purists thought at the time? “Get OFF my lawn!!!” Comes to mind.
I blame Eddie Van Halen for causing people to mutilate a lot of nice guitars, you couldn't be expected to do "Eruption" in your parent's garage in 1980 without being able to "dive bomb".
Posted on 8/5/18 at 9:02 am to EA6B
quote:
couldn't be expected to do "Eruption" in your parent's garage in 1980 without being able to "dive bomb".
Then it went out of tune. No internet to learn how to fixit or set it up right. Probably a good time to be a guitar tech or luthier. Unless you were old and crusty. Then you were just mad at the “new” Long hairs coming into your shop with their metal music and 37 piece tremolo system.
Lol
Posted on 8/5/18 at 12:53 pm to Ace Midnight
quote:
Meh. Some guitars are designed for or really shine with (proper) vibrato (often called tremolo) devices. Les Pauls just aren't those guitars.
Unless its a Bigsby!
Page 1 of 1
Popular
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News