Why does the Kahler kill it?

[Gartron]

I've noticed when people are showing their guitars or linking to an e-bay auction that there seems to be a lot of "love the guitar but the Kahler kills it" comments

I've never played a guitar with a kahler , but what exactly is so bad about them , why do so many people here seem to hate them?

[fullmetalguitar]

Hmm, don't know for sure. I would say some just don't like the look of a Kahler. Also, they have a different feel than a Floyd. I used to have Kahlers on three of my guitars. Now I have no Kahlers or Floyds.

[Rich#6]

Single locking( can go out of tune even with bends) and some people believe it kills the tone of the guitar too. I like kahlers myself.

[dg]

This one has been debated to death here for years. Here are a few of the threads:

http://www.jcfonline.com/forums/showthread.php?p=877449

http://www.jcfonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=35575&page=2

http://www.jcfonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6856

I get along with just about any bridge and won't let it keep me from grabbing a cool guitar, especially if it's a Charvel. The OFR is my preference, though.

[lerxstcat]

They're not bad at all, but they are single-locking as said above. Not as efficient though they work pretty well if you take care of them - clean and oil them regularly so the moving parts move.

Floyds dominate the locking trem market though, and most people who like trems prefer them. So the net effect is that the Kahlered version of a model will usually go for less than the same model with a Floyd in the used market.

I like both Kahlers and Floyds for different applications, so it doesn't kill it for me. Adaptability is a key survival trait for humans, so it's good to be ale to adjust.

My favorite attribute of a Kahler is that you can change the tuning without have to completely re-setup the guitar. Take your Floyded guitar from 440 to 430 and see how the ass-end of your Floyd behaves. They are also better for doing unison bends as the don't detune nearly as much as a Floyd does, same with 2-string bends like bending your mG string and fretting the B a minor 3rd above.

Of course, with a Floyd you can do a lot more extreme and abusine trem work without going out of tune. which is great if you do that all the time in your playing. But trem tricks get old after the first few thousand times.

Different tools, different uses. A socket set does things a crescent wrench can't, and vice versa.

[budgolf]

I just think they're ugly.

[atomic charvel guy]

I use a floyd, and i like it to have some give for accenting more than for dive bombing, a floating floyd is the stuff. Kahlers just can't handle the abuse in the end, i don't believe they kill tone or anything, just like the feel of the floyd a lot better.

[mattsmusiccenter]

The Kahler Pro is double locking... my 84 pointy had one on it and was my main guitar for 10 years. Sounded good to me, plus it's easier to mute with your palm on a Kahler Pro... doesn't push the trem sharp as easily as a Floyd.

[SEEGERMANY]

Dave Mustaine once said that they were "tone suckers." That made it "gospel" to the masses. I agree with Matt. ^^^

[Robert Burns]

They're not bad at all, but they are single-locking as said above. Not as efficient though they work pretty well if you take care of them - clean and oil them regularly so the moving parts move.

Floyds dominate the locking trem market though, and most people who like trems prefer them. So the net effect is that the Kahlered version of a model will usually go for less than the same model with a Floyd in the used market.

I like both Kahlers and Floyds for different applications, so it doesn't kill it for me. Adaptability is a key survival trait for humans, so it's good to be ale to adjust.

My favorite attribute of a Kahler is that you can change the tuning without have to completely re-setup the guitar. Take your Floyded guitar from 440 to 430 and see how the ass-end of your Floyd behaves. They are also better for doing unison bends as the don't detune nearly as much as a Floyd does, same with 2-string bends like bending your mG string and fretting the B a minor 3rd above.

Of course, with a Floyd you can do a lot more extreme and abusine trem work without going out of tune. which is great if you do that all the time in your playing. But trem tricks get old after the first few thousand times.

Different tools, different uses. A socket set does things a crescent wrench can't, and vice versa.

Great post..i learned allot..thanks!

[Mr Metal]

There are a lot more adjustments on a Kahler also compared to a Floyd....This turns off some people too because you could really mess up a Kahler beyond playability if you don't know what you're doing.

[kmanick]

I've had both and I had to sell the kahler'ed guitars I had.
I anchor my picking hand on the edge of my floyds so for me
it's about feel.
I think they look fine and the ones I've had sounded just fine as well.

[FastJunkie]

I always wanted a Kahler, never tried one though and I've heard they go out of tune on bends so that would be a downside but they have a lot of things in their favour.

1. No spring cavity
2. Takes a fraction of the time to restring
3. More adjustable
4. Better feel (though this is more of a preference/opinion)

[jtr]

Kahler weny out of business in the late 80's because Floyds were just better for most people. Almost every Major guitar Manufacturer used Kahler for a few years but then abandon them for Floyds. So for you who like Kahler you can buy guitars for less then the same guitar with a Floyd!

[delt]

I like the concept of the Kahler's design (simpler routing, more adjustatble, etc) but i've never tried one. Should be usable if it was double-locking.