Bass Whammys?

JKowareta

JKowareta

Dec 3, 2018
2
2
4,551
22
Chicago IL
#1
I have an old Samick P-Bass lying around that I gutted for parts for my Fender... I really love that bass and would like to do something special with it. I want to have a tremolo bridge installed. I've been scouring the internet about it, and originally I wanted to go with Hipshot, but after finding out how much wood it would take out of the body I want to go for a Kahler... I think the ability to add a little bit of vibrato could add a lot of feel to my music. I'm also excited to be able to do dive bombs :D

I've read a bit of time on these forums looking for what people have to say about them... I need a new bridge regardless, so I thought it would be cool. Does anyone have a first-hand experience playing them? I've seen some mixed reviews but most people haven't even seen one in person. I wish I could try it before making a decision for sure. If anyone can tell me some more information that would be great. Thank you friends!
 
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#2
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I used a Kahler on this build, a clone of Lemmy's Rickenbacker. While I never use it much, I like it. I found it extremely stable, staying in tune unless you over-use the tremolo. I don't believe it effected the tone much, though I have nothing to compare it to. When I first finished it, I thought it may have reduced sustain a bit, and imparted a slightly hollow tone, but again, it's the only bridge I've had on the bass. I have another Kahler bridge I bought recently which I'll use in my next build.
 
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#4
I have one on an old P bass from when I thought I'd be the next Billy Sheehan. Works fine. Like any trem winding the strings properly on the tuners and no binding at the nut help a lot. Sperzels would probably help to. Other then annoying guitar players there's not much use for it in what I play now. YMMV of course.
 
#7
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My two Guitar Factory basses, the 4 which has a Kahler whammy (the 5 has a Kahler fixed bridge, which is just as much of a giant PITA to intonate and adjust action as the whammy). I really enjoy having it on that bass, but I have no desire to get another one. But you'll remove a chunk of wood on both, though the Kahler is less for sure. Never tried the Hipshot, but since it seems more like a typical Strat whammy with springs going through the body and not cam based like the Kahler, I would expect you could get more string action out of it, as the Kahler's a little limited for dive bombing. That's the case with guitars and comparing Kahlers to Floyds and Strat whammys. But at the time that bass was made (96 or 97) it was the only game in town. My favorite use for it is imitating a fretless but you can get some decent dive bomb action out of it if you stay off the G string.
 
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