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Did Gibson ever offer a 'factory' Kahler tremelo in a Les Paul ...

Cherryburst

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Jan 18, 2004
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... during the 80s ?


... I've never heard of it. :rolleyes:


..... I know from making that mistake myself, that a Kahler completely destroys the tone of the guitar .... :tri :tri :tri

..... so why would Gibson do such a ridiculous thing ?
 

6L6

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Mar 30, 2002
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I actually remember being in a store in the late 80's around Denver looking for a Gibson and the dealer told me about this Kahler-equipped Les Paul they had received. It was already sold but remember it was sorta hyped as "you shoulda been here yesterday" like it was the bomb. Real glad I missed the opportunity! Everybody had to have Kahlers or Floyds on their guitars back then.
 

grimlyflick

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Oct 27, 2005
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Although who remembers the Washburn Wunderbar.
A trem system that required no routing and sat directly on top the top of a Les Paul.
I seem to remember Ace Frehley had one on one of his sunburst customs as he had a Washburn signature model at the time (a godawful pointy guitar, although it was the eighties) anybody remember it?
 

enrv

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Sep 3, 2003
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If I remember correctly, there was a competition in Guitarist (UK) around that time (possibly early '90s) to win a Kahler-equipped LP. I think it was a Jr with a stop bar and ABR.

If I come across it I'll scan it. I do remember it being particularly ugly! :rolleyes:
 

guitarzandstuff

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Dec 9, 2002
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Gibson has indeed made factory Kahlered Les Pauls...

I never owned one but seen many. The Kahler is even Gibson branded. I cannot stand Kahler trems but would buy a reasonably priced Floyd Rose Les Paul in a heartbeat!!
 

StSpider

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Aug 24, 2002
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I wouldn't..

But I'd consider playing a Boutique Special-looking neck-through body with a Floyd.

But only a guitar built that way. And not with Gibson on the headstock..I'd feel blasphemous to do that :)
 

Mr. Papa

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Jan 14, 2002
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I had a Kahler equipped V for a while. That thing would NEVER stay in tune, and when it was in tune, it still sounded bad.

Some ideas seem so good at the time...
 

BernieM

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Mar 20, 2005
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I've got a 335 with one and It's a great axe, I've been using it as a mainstay for at least 15 years, I've seen Les Pauls similarly equipped and yes they are branded Gibson.....they also have the rather unique Kahler thing of having a stringlock rather than a locking nut at the other end...the stringlock being a locking device behind the nut.
 

405z06

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Apr 15, 2006
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I seem to remember Ace Frehley had one on one of his sunburst customs as he had a Washburn signature model at the time (a godawful pointy guitar, although it was the eighties) anybody remember it?

Ace-Frehley-Washburn.jpg
 

VirtualJazzbo

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Jan 17, 2005
Messages
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Here's a couple of photos of an original Kahler equipped LP I've owned for a few years now. It appeared it had hardly been played at all when I bought it. In that one pic, you can see it still has the little patent applied for sticker on the neck pickup ring. The sticker on the bridge ring was still there also, but coming off.

I've also got a old Wonderbar, a Stetsbar, a Bigsby, and a licensed Floyd.
Untitled-13-web.jpg
83%20Gibson%20Les%20Paul.jpg
 

Desertdawg

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Nov 25, 2001
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VirtualJazzbo...how come I never heard of you before? You must be the "god" of trem bars. Spill the beans.......it took me 2 years to get my 2004R9 with factory Bigsby to play in tune all the time!
 

FLICKOFLASH

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Aug 18, 2002
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In 1980's Not only did i buy a custom but bought a Gibson Kahler & 3 pickups & had them installed before it left the store Ala Ace !!

The wonderbar is one of my favorate tremolo stays in tune even when a string breaks , no routing & no springs

PS kahlers are back !! in business
 

BCR/Greg

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I have a couple of Gibson Kahlers in a box, somewhere.
 

Ed Driscoll

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Apr 24, 2002
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In the mid-1980s, I remember seeing in Gibson's catalogs that they offered their own "Vibrola"-vibrato bar on Les Pauls that looked to an all-but-the-name Kahler design. Does that ring a bell for anyone?

Update: whoops, didn't see this post when I wrote the above:

Gibson has indeed made factory Kahlered Les Pauls...

I never owned one but seen many. The Kahler is even Gibson branded. I cannot stand Kahler trems but would buy a reasonably priced Floyd Rose Les Paul in a heartbeat!!
 

phil47uk

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Apr 17, 2002
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Did Gibson ever offer a 'factory' Kahler tremelo in a Les Paul ...


Now I am not a religious man..But... Please God I sincerely hope not..
 

VirtualJazzbo

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Jan 17, 2005
Messages
326
I dug the original brochure out of my case. Here's a little factoid. Gibson called them the "Super Tune Vibrola".
KahlerBrochureCover.jpg
 
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