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Post subject: MIJ Strat with Kahler tremolo
Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2007 2:10 pm
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I recently purchased a MIJ Strat that dates from '84 - '87. It seems to be kind of an oddity as it has a Kahler tremolo system. Was this bridge offered in the MIJ Strats or is this an aftermarket installation? I have not seen it in any of the Fender literature that I have found. It certainly looks to have been professionally installed.


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Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2007 12:28 pm
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I used to own one of these a few years back. The tremelo looks like a kahler, but it has Fender stamped in it, right? I think they were actually made by schaller. I did some research on it at the time, but I can't remember. If you do some surfin around on google, you'll come across some info. I believe there are even a couple of online stores that can get parts for them.


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Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2007 12:38 pm
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It is definitely a Kahler. It says so 3 times right on top of the unit.


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Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2007 12:43 pm
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Here is my MIJ Strat, from that same time period. It has the Fender stamp on the bridge.

Image

A great sight for these guitars is:

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/john.blackman4/trem.htm

and also:
http://www.fretsonthenet.com/

Dan


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Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2007 5:09 pm
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It could very well be an after market tremelo also. I've never heard of or seen a Fender that came with a stock Kahler. People put Kahler's on all kinds of guitars in the 80's, so it is more than possible that it is non-original.


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Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2007 8:33 am
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Any chance that it is a MIJ Contemporary Strat? Seems to be the right timeframe.
tom


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Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2007 2:31 pm
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I don't know if it's a contempory or not. How can I tell? What is the difference?


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Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2007 3:32 pm
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Hello,

I've might have the same guitar. Mid-'80s strat, locking nut, made is USA Kahler on a MIJ Strat. Maple neck, white body, E86XXXX serial number. I've tried to research this. On my guitar, the Kahler is clearly original; there has been no modifications to the body. I've seen 3 other examples of these on the used market. Details are sketchy to non-existant, but I read somewhere that most of these Contemperary Strats had MIJ Kahler designed trems stamped Fender. There were periods where the MIJ trem wasn't available and Fender put USA built Kahlers on rather than stop production. This is not gospel, simply heresay passed along, but it seems to fit with the sort of haphazard method of Fender production and record keeping.

For what it's worth, I love the neck on mine, big and chunky, but in need of fretwork, especially rolling the edges, to make it feel good. The electronics were quite satifactory, a clean, slightly soulless, thin Strat sound. A buddy had a set of SD Antiquities that I installed and the quitar now sounds very '50s with lots of heart to the sound. With the fretwork, I've never played a better strat neck, it is right up there with CS reissues I've been lucky enough to play.

For what it's worth...
Jack


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Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2007 5:14 pm
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Thanks for the info Jack. It appears that mine, like yours, was a factory installation of the Kahler. If not that, it was done by a professional. I haven't taken the bridge off but I can see no evidence of any modifications.


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Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2007 11:04 am
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I'm really glad to have stumbled on this thread.

I bought a MIJ, E-serial number Strat from a friend of mine about 15 years ago now. Sunburst finish, with a Kahler (and Kahler, not Fender stamped) trem.

For years I've tried to find out about this guitar as I could never find any like it - including on Fleabay. I know my friend bought it as new from a store, and that the trem was fitted then, rather than afterwards.

I love the guitar to pieces and for a 20 years plus guitar it performs very well - I've gigged with it, played it at home and it's never let me down.

if anyone has found any more info regarding this type of guitar I would love to hear it!


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Posted: Fri Nov 23, 2007 4:10 pm
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Bassman 51 offered a link to the same site I had in mind. Once again, it is:

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/john.blackman4/trem.htm

I have an '86 Contemporary 22 with the System I bridge just like the one in the pic above except it has a maple fretboard. It was my first Strat (but not my last) and has served me well for 21 years.


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Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2007 2:09 pm
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I Bought a White Stratocaster with a Kahler Spyder(Floyd Rose Licensed!) Locking Tremelo in 1989 from Guitar Center in Anaheim. It was advertised as an American Standard Jimi Hendrix Commemorative Strat. Only 35 in southern California, and (I believe) 200 nationaly. It was the tease in a loss leader sale. My Grandmother put one on her credit card, by the time I got there, mine was the last one in the store.

Much like a twilight zone episode, I've never seen another one in person, and I can find no evidence of a Jimi Hendrix Strat being issued on or around 1989. There is a discrepency in wether or not it's a MIJ of MIA serial Number, it has an E8*****, and I understand Japan accidentaly issued a run of E serial Numbers in 85, while America issued E's in '88. However, I've seen my very same White Strat on a Paul McCartny Special from around '89, and Tim Renwick can be seen playing one behind David Gilmour on Comfortably Numb, from the Delicate Sound Of Thunder Video ('89). I tend to believe they would use American Strats.

It was my first real guitar, and has been my No. 1 guitar since (the pick ups are shot now, so it's in dry-dock, so to speak). I still own it, and could post a picture of it if you think seeing it will help identify yours.


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Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2007 3:23 pm
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Thanks to all you guys for your input. However, some of you seem to be missing something in my original post. The tremolo unit on my Strat doesn't say Fender or licensed by or anything like that. It simply says Kahler, Made in U.S.A.. I was thinking about selling this guitar on eBay but I would really like to be sure about what I have before I do that. As I stated before it doesn't appear that there have been any modifications to this guitar. If it's not factory it was done by a professional.


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Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2007 3:52 pm
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guitardoc50 wrote:
Thanks to all you guys for your input. However, some of you seem to be missing something in my original post. The tremolo unit on my Strat doesn't say Fender or licensed by or anything like that. It simply says Kahler, Made in U.S.A.. I was thinking about selling this guitar on eBay but I would really like to be sure about what I have before I do that. As I stated before it doesn't appear that there have been any modifications to this guitar. If it's not factory it was done by a professional.

Are you sure it doesn't say "Spyder" where you screw the bar in? and it may say "Floyd Rose Lic." on the String Clamp Face Plates. Mine doesn't say Fender on the tremelo either. I bought it new, and it's definitly factory tremelo. As soon as I learn how to post a picture, I'll post one of my trem.


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Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2007 4:27 pm
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Here it is.
Image


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