outstanding video documenting! I think these videos are so long overdue, because so many people don't understand the Kahler because they don't have the full story. Clearly there has been potential since day 1, but its been 50 years of constant work to refine and innovate on the design so what they have today is really what it was meant to be all along. So you can't judge Kahler based on what they used to make, you really have to appreciate something this good takes a long time to perfect, and what they have now is truly a masterpiece! Also no surprise that Gary makes a point to remind us all it wasn't just him, but rather a whole team of people that went into making these trems and what they have now is a shining testimonial to what can be done when hard working people, work together.
You are absolutely correct! And I gotta say, Gary Kahler is so old school with how he is with people. He will give you the shirt off his back but if you try to pull a fast one he’s got plenty of fight left in him. He is truly a great person to work with. He has given me the freedom to do what I do with zero interference because he believes in what I do. As long as I produce quality work in a timely fashion that’s all he cares about. The world needs more Gary Kahlers!
Very interesting video…thanks!!! Amongst the many great things that Kahler has produced over the years… The Kahler Steeler is the finest FR type bridge ever made. I’m surprised that they haven’t brought it back…🤷🏼♂️
Just watched this and I wondered if/when we'd see some more talking with Gary Kahler. My first Kahler was a 2300 I bought and put on my Peavey T-60 and gigged with for a long time. He's absolutely right about VC people. They're rich people with a lot of money, and only care about making more money, not the product, etc. I think they're terrible for business and the economy. Question: I never had a Flyer, how do they compare to the 2300 in terms of staying in tune? Is is just a matter of keeping them set up and maintained correctly?
I’m glad you’re enjoying the stuff with Gary Kahler, I’m flying back there in just over a week so in addition to the footage I have that nobody has seen yet there will be even more. As for the flyer vs the 2300 go with a 2300. The flyer is great but there is no clutch for the arm and the newer saddles are way better. Now, with that being said you can put all 2300 parts on a flyer plate and some people do that. This is because the 2300 parts are so much better but they like the look of the base plate. Soon I’ll have even more kahler videos up including ones in bridges they made that are king discontinued.
This is interesting. BC Rich have models dating back to 1983 with Kahlers too. To be honest though Gibson's with Kahlers are not as sought after as BC Rich's from the same era with Kahlers. In fact I'd go as far as to say Kahler equipped Gibson's are hated by Gibson purists whereas Kahler equipped BC Rich's are loved by BC Rich purists.
BC Rich was the first guitar with a Kahler on it… ever! This is because the first prototype was brought to BC Rich by Gary Kahler and he handed it to Neal Moser. Gary said to Neal, “put this on a guitar and let me know what you think”. Gary Kahler, Grover Jackson, and Bernie Rico Sr were really good friends and hung out all the time so there are other guitars that had Kahler on them before Gibson. However, Gibson was the first to ever offer them as a factory option. I have an absolute ton of interview footage with Gary Kahler that I’ll be using for an entire documentary on the history of Kahler. I’ll be interviewing other people as well involved in the development of the company. As for Gibson purists, they tend to fall into two categories in my experience. The first is the ones that absolutely hate any innovation at all. Anytime Gibson tries something new they reject it no matter what. The second ones love the history of those guitars and think they’re just cool. Either way if you can find me a reasonably priced Gibson with a super tune vibrola with the Gibson logo on it I’d buy it.
I love all the information about Kahler. I always wondered about them and why there weren't more of them out there. My brothers Kahler was the first high end trem that i ever tried, and after that all i ever saw in my small town was Floyds and the Kahler copies on the Guild Burnsides, that i never really associated with Kahlers in the first place. I always wondered why they weren't as prevalent as the Floyd style bridges. I always assumed that Eddy Van Halens influence had something to do with it.
That is such a reasonable assumption but as you and everyone else who has been following these videos now knows it’s because Gary Kahler absolutely refused to license his stuff. Because Floyd sold early on to investors and they were all about licensing for a fee and had a ton of money they did everything they could to just dominate, and they did! But, you can get a new “Floyd Rose” off Amazon for $20 (obviously not a real Floyd) while the least expensive Kahler is $320 and made 100% in the USA out of top quality materials.
@@REXYLAB So true. These days, I'd only buy something straight from Schaller, because with Floyd, it's unclear about the locking nut if they're all the same, if the one with the 1000 and special are cheaper, etc. Their site really doesn't make any of that clear. (I'm particularly talking about the locking nuts)
@@Scott__C ever try a kahler locking nut? Not the string lock but the actual locking nut. It has a built in string tree, every slot is a different width, hight, and radius, and it comes in lots of different widths and radiuses from 6 to 10 strings. It even fits on a Floyd shelf.
@@REXYLAB Yeah i dont blame them for charging alot for a Kahler. Its worth every penny im sure, but thats why i haven't found one yet. Floyd style bridges are a dime a dozen, and since a dime is about all i usually have, ive had a dozen floyd style bridges. My collection is all, but one, used guitars, and i NEVER find used guitars with Kahlers!
I got a Dean USA Baby Z that waited a year to get its Kahler tremolo built 82 and finished 83 , so I don’t know about Gibson being first when Deans had them too.
Gary Kahler himself will tell you Gibson was first in the video, this is an interview. Now, before Gibson offered them as an option BC Rich and Kahler did a lot together and some Kahlers were put on guitars other than Gibson before Gibson offered them as an option in 1983. But… as far as a factory option and not a custom job, Gibson was first.
@@30paprbag60 me too! That’s one thing about Gary Kahler, he doesn’t want anyone else to pay for his R&D so he isn’t obligated to anyone. His attitude is that his only obligations are to his employees and the end user that uses his products.
That has nothing to do with courage and it’s a loosing battle. I gave up on trying to explain that tremolo is volume and vibrato is pitch about a year ago. Now, saying coil tap when what one means is coil cut is the hill I will die on.
@@Scott__C yes he did! But… that wasn’t Kahler. Before Kahler Gary made a company called The Brass Factory. Their biggest customer was Fender but they made bridges and other parts for BC Rich and Charvel among others. Grover Jackson and Gary are friends and Grover even told Gary about Dave Storey, the man who is responsible for the complete redesign of the cam and easily the most important person to help gary create Kahler back in the beginning.
outstanding video documenting! I think these videos are so long overdue, because so many people don't understand the Kahler because they don't have the full story. Clearly there has been potential since day 1, but its been 50 years of constant work to refine and innovate on the design so what they have today is really what it was meant to be all along. So you can't judge Kahler based on what they used to make, you really have to appreciate something this good takes a long time to perfect, and what they have now is truly a masterpiece! Also no surprise that Gary makes a point to remind us all it wasn't just him, but rather a whole team of people that went into making these trems and what they have now is a shining testimonial to what can be done when hard working people, work together.
You are absolutely correct!
And I gotta say, Gary Kahler is so old school with how he is with people. He will give you the shirt off his back but if you try to pull a fast one he’s got plenty of fight left in him.
He is truly a great person to work with. He has given me the freedom to do what I do with zero interference because he believes in what I do. As long as I produce quality work in a timely fashion that’s all he cares about.
The world needs more Gary Kahlers!
Very interesting video…thanks!!!
Amongst the many great things that Kahler has produced over the years…
The Kahler Steeler is the finest FR type bridge ever made.
I’m surprised that they haven’t brought it back…🤷🏼♂️
It’s about to be rereleased.
2024 Kahler Steeler Traditional
ruclips.net/video/SsFp5E2_DGE/видео.html
Dude these videos are priceless great freaking job! I have a ton of respect for Gary Kahler and everything he's done with his company!
I’ll show him your comment when I go see him on Monday.
The first Kahler he picks up is the same one on my 84 Gibson Explorer!
Nice! You and 499 other people are the only ones.
Love these videos would love to see a flyer covert to pro
It’s coming.
Just watched this and I wondered if/when we'd see some more talking with Gary Kahler. My first Kahler was a 2300 I bought and put on my Peavey T-60 and gigged with for a long time.
He's absolutely right about VC people. They're rich people with a lot of money, and only care about making more money, not the product, etc. I think they're terrible for business and the economy.
Question: I never had a Flyer, how do they compare to the 2300 in terms of staying in tune? Is is just a matter of keeping them set up and maintained correctly?
I’m glad you’re enjoying the stuff with Gary Kahler, I’m flying back there in just over a week so in addition to the footage I have that nobody has seen yet there will be even more.
As for the flyer vs the 2300 go with a 2300.
The flyer is great but there is no clutch for the arm and the newer saddles are way better.
Now, with that being said you can put all 2300 parts on a flyer plate and some people do that. This is because the 2300 parts are so much better but they like the look of the base plate.
Soon I’ll have even more kahler videos up including ones in bridges they made that are king discontinued.
This is interesting. BC Rich have models dating back to 1983 with Kahlers too. To be honest though Gibson's with Kahlers are not as sought after as BC Rich's from the same era with Kahlers. In fact I'd go as far as to say Kahler equipped Gibson's are hated by Gibson purists whereas Kahler equipped BC Rich's are loved by BC Rich purists.
BC Rich was the first guitar with a Kahler on it… ever!
This is because the first prototype was brought to BC Rich by Gary Kahler and he handed it to Neal Moser. Gary said to Neal, “put this on a guitar and let me know what you think”.
Gary Kahler, Grover Jackson, and Bernie Rico Sr were really good friends and hung out all the time so there are other guitars that had Kahler on them before Gibson. However, Gibson was the first to ever offer them as a factory option. I have an absolute ton of interview footage with Gary Kahler that I’ll be using for an entire documentary on the history of Kahler. I’ll be interviewing other people as well involved in the development of the company.
As for Gibson purists, they tend to fall into two categories in my experience. The first is the ones that absolutely hate any innovation at all. Anytime Gibson tries something new they reject it no matter what. The second ones love the history of those guitars and think they’re just cool.
Either way if you can find me a reasonably priced Gibson with a super tune vibrola with the Gibson logo on it I’d buy it.
I love all the information about Kahler. I always wondered about them and why there weren't more of them out there. My brothers Kahler was the first high end trem that i ever tried, and after that all i ever saw in my small town was Floyds and the Kahler copies on the Guild Burnsides, that i never really associated with Kahlers in the first place. I always wondered why they weren't as prevalent as the Floyd style bridges. I always assumed that Eddy Van Halens influence had something to do with it.
That is such a reasonable assumption but as you and everyone else who has been following these videos now knows it’s because Gary Kahler absolutely refused to license his stuff. Because Floyd sold early on to investors and they were all about licensing for a fee and had a ton of money they did everything they could to just dominate, and they did!
But, you can get a new “Floyd Rose” off Amazon for $20 (obviously not a real Floyd) while the least expensive Kahler is $320 and made 100% in the USA out of top quality materials.
@@REXYLAB So true. These days, I'd only buy something straight from Schaller, because with Floyd, it's unclear about the locking nut if they're all the same, if the one with the 1000 and special are cheaper, etc. Their site really doesn't make any of that clear. (I'm particularly talking about the locking nuts)
@@Scott__C ever try a kahler locking nut? Not the string lock but the actual locking nut.
It has a built in string tree, every slot is a different width, hight, and radius, and it comes in lots of different widths and radiuses from 6 to 10 strings.
It even fits on a Floyd shelf.
@@REXYLAB Not yet, but I'd like to.
@@REXYLAB Yeah i dont blame them for charging alot for a Kahler. Its worth every penny im sure, but thats why i haven't found one yet. Floyd style bridges are a dime a dozen, and since a dime is about all i usually have, ive had a dozen floyd style bridges. My collection is all, but one, used guitars, and i NEVER find used guitars with Kahlers!
I got a Dean USA Baby Z that waited a year to get its Kahler tremolo built 82 and finished 83 , so I don’t know about Gibson being first when Deans had them too.
Gary Kahler himself will tell you Gibson was first in the video, this is an interview.
Now, before Gibson offered them as an option BC Rich and Kahler did a lot together and some Kahlers were put on guitars other than Gibson before Gibson offered them as an option in 1983.
But… as far as a factory option and not a custom job, Gibson was first.
@@REXYLAB ahh, ok, that explains it then.
Love that he waited, and kept financing in house.
@@30paprbag60 me too!
That’s one thing about Gary Kahler, he doesn’t want anyone else to pay for his R&D so he isn’t obligated to anyone. His attitude is that his only obligations are to his employees and the end user that uses his products.
When will we have the courage to call this a Vibrato Bridge instead of accepting a name that someone put on it in ignorance?
That has nothing to do with courage and it’s a loosing battle. I gave up on trying to explain that tremolo is volume and vibrato is pitch about a year ago.
Now, saying coil tap when what one means is coil cut is the hill I will die on.
what about the 70's charvels? hmm..
Are you trying to say Charvel had Kahler on them in the 70s?
@@REXYLAB Did Gary make some of the brass 6 screw trems that came on the Charvels back then?
@@Scott__C yes he did!
But… that wasn’t Kahler. Before Kahler Gary made a company called The Brass Factory. Their biggest customer was Fender but they made bridges and other parts for BC Rich and Charvel among others.
Grover Jackson and Gary are friends and Grover even told Gary about Dave Storey, the man who is responsible for the complete redesign of the cam and easily the most important person to help gary create Kahler back in the beginning.
@@REXYLAB Such cool amount of history tied with and around Gary Kahler. Thanks for making it better known and documenting it right from him.
@@Scott__C it needs to be done not just for Kahler but Floyd as well. The crazy story about his bridge is very interesting as well.