Can you install a tremolo

As in mounting tremolo bridges, there are two key words to remember when mounting a tremolo; alignment and alignment. The principles are the same for installing any bridge really.

But there are several other scales both shorter and longer. The front to back, side-to-side placement of the trem must also be correct. Once intonation and side-to-side alignments are made, and the trem mounted These guidelines below are written for guitar retrofits and new construction, let's get started If you are replacing your old trem or bridge with a new Kahler, you'll need to do some preparation before removing your existing bridge assembly.

Follow these next 5 steps before you work on your new trem. If you are mounting a stud mount system then see "mounting to a Les Paul" below. Make the mark with a ball point pen by holding the pen perpendicular to the surface of the guitar scribbling back and forth from string to string.

Grip the pen close to the strings and keep it straight up for most accuracy. Mark the mounting holes out with a pen using the trem as a guide. Punch out the marks with a sharp needle or pen and turn them into small holes. Its nose fits perfectly into the pick guard cutout. The two are like peas in a pod. The one drawback is that through the years with different models the runs are never exactly the same and therefore the slot route may extend out from underneath the body as seen it the picture to the left.

The slot showing in the picture below is the worst case scenario. Helpful hint: You can jockey the trem to the lower side and mount it while adjusting the saddles to the upper side to compensate. Mounting for Fender Stratocaster using a Kahler tremolo is a snap, just place the template in position using the 2 outside of the existing drilled 6 holes.

Shim neck if necessary. Skip to 8A. Mounting any stud mount system on a Gibson Les Paul or any arched top guitar with or without a one or two piece Tune-o-Matic type stop bar and bridge requires advanced woodworking skills.

It is highly recommended that you get a professional Luthier to install the stud mount systems, because the guitar is usually carved and not flat easy to route. Mark out the routing cavity. You may place small wooden blocks on either side of the routing area for the router to rest on, so that the router will skim over the hardware and electronics, and they need not be removed.

Proceed to route. Glue tap in the bridge inserts. Glue and tap in the stud inserts. Mount tremolo on guitar. If you need to you can raise the rear to achieve a shallower angle over the roller as recommended. Kahler tremolos are the easiest tremolo in the world to install. Just follow these simple guidelines Do not attach it to the body yet. FYI: All Kahler CAM systems for guitars are in the same family, whether its a 6, 7 or 8 string, all share the same parts inside the frame.

The same saddles, the same string hooks, fine tuners etc. ALL are exactly the same. Only the mounting plates frames are different. Its the same with all the bass trem's and fixed bass bridges too. The bass tremolo family share its parts within that immediate bass family, even if the saddles are reversed they are still the same saddles that are on forward roller versions.

Same goes for the 4,5,6,7 and 8 string fixed bass bridges. Frames are different but the parts are the same. Now you can actually see the maximum string spacing a Kahler has to offer and can better align the trem up with the neck. This is the best scenario for staying in tune perfectly. The higher you make the rollers, the sharper the string bend is over the roller, and thus more downward pressure on the roller pin is created which means more drag. Drag is a tremolos 1 enemy. Remember this, and you will be fine.

The Kahler works best and has the good resonance and tone at this lower range of saddle height because the string still has proper pressure on the roller. If you go any lower, it should be for adding a radius to your strings. Please note: You can go higher with the saddles and not hurt tone or resonance, but keep in mind that more drag will be noticed. Its almost best to adjust the guitar to the tremolo when its configured as recommended. You are now ready for alignment measurements.

Now turn the tuners some, just enough so the tuner grabs the strings, but yet you can still pull the strings through the tuner hole to keep the tension on them. Basically your trying to line up the strings properly down the center of the neck using the 2 outside saddles with strings, as a fret board edge reference. There no need to wind the strings allot on the tuners for this exercise. Mark the spot.

With a long tipped felt pen, and being careful not to move the trem, make a dot for the 2 front mounting holes by sticking the tip of the pen through the 2 front mount holes and marking the body. Try to keep the pen straight up as possible when marking the spots. Remove the trem off the body now, de-string and set aside. At his point if the template seems off kilter a tad, just straighten it out Now tape down the template on all four sides. Mark the rear holes out. NOTE: a clean, sharp line here will prevent the paint from chipping during the routing of the cavity.

If needed, or for new construction, drill a string ground hole between the Kahler cavity and the control cavity. Run ground wire into one of front screw holes. Mounting an "after the nut" String lock Gain access. Whip off the back cover and store the screws carefully. These things are easier than a plectrum to lose. As the Tremol-No kit comes with its own tremolo claw built in, we need to take out the old one. This starts with removing the three springs. Take note of the orientation of the springs as it may help to replace them the same way as they were.

This handy hook tool makes the job a breeze. The intonation must be set at this stage. Play a harmonic at the 12th fret then compare it to the fretted note at the 12th fret. Fender two-point vibratos have two ways of setting the string height: the 12 grub screws and then two master bolt posts at the side.

With the radius now set at the correct curvature you can fine tune the overall string height at the bridge with these two posts. Bottomed out and touching the paintwork? This is what happens if the strings are now at a lesser tension - maybe you have dropped a string gauge or dropped tuning. Repeat this process with the second post, double-checking to make sure both posts are tight as you go.

Insert the bridge into the opening beneath the 2 metal posts. Slide the large, rectangular portion of the bridge into the opening along the bottom of the guitar.

If you flip your instrument over, you can see the bridge peeking out through the bottom. If you have an older guitar, line the bridge up over the 6 screw holes drilled into your guitar. Wax and screw 6 screws along the base of your bridge if your guitar is an older model.

Rub some screw wax or a clear bar of soap along the threaded portions of 6 small, 5 mm wide screws. Center each screw over an opening and tighten it into place with a screwdriver. Continue screwing until the bridge looks slightly bent from the pressure—at this point, turn your screwdriver counterclockwise to loosen the screw ever-so-slightly. Hold the bridge in place and flip your guitar upside-down again.

Press a few fingers onto the bridge so it stays snug, then flip your guitar upside-down once more. Hook 3 springs between the tremolo claw and the bottom of the bridge. Continue holding the bridge in place and loop 1 end of a metal spring onto 1 of the rounded grooves on your tremolo claw. Use a screwdriver to pull and loop the other side of the spring into the small, pinprick-sized opening along the bottom of the bridge.

Repeat this process with 2 more springs to keep your tremolo bridge taut. These springs will come with the tremolo bridge. Once the springs are in place, you can let go of the bridge. Flip over the guitar and press the notches on the tremolo bridge into the posts. Push the bridge forward, keeping the notches snug beneath the 2 metal posts. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Some Fender guitars have different styles, but the bridge is always placed along the bottom of the guitar. Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0. You can buy a tremolo bridge for your Fender guitar directly from their website. Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published. Related wikiHows How to. How to. More References About This Article.