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Whammy bar on a bass ???
- Thread starter jnewmark
- Start date
I saw so many incredible basses at Bress. I remember seeing a Zon bass in there in the late-80’s. The one I really wanted was a white Ibanez Roadstar that was like, $200, but I was a broke 10th grader, so no dice.
I have a 3 pickup version of that bass. I use to think the whammy bar was kind of useless. After seeing that video I just may reconsider.
If anyone wants that bass let me know.
I tried one of those in a store. DynaB's had some mighty thin necks, and it was great: The neck would kink/unkink and the headstock would wiggle up and down at the end of the neck as you pulled the Kahler up and down.
Yippee ! ! !
I had a Kahler put on my El Toro in 1985. Kinda like "go faster" stripes on a car.
It got a lot of attention but wasn't really all that useful without tons of sustain. Some on harmonics and a couple mega-overdrive solos, but I've never really cared for heavy distortion bass, even when I was playing it. Or maybe especially when I was playing it. Maybe if I had had Charles' chops, but nowhere near. Pretty big hunk o' metal though. I was told it sounded better than the stocker, but I'm not sure I could hear any difference. Huge pain to intonate but it looked cool.
When I built its clone last year I didn't bother trying to find one, although it has forever hooked me on quick release bridges.
It got a lot of attention but wasn't really all that useful without tons of sustain. Some on harmonics and a couple mega-overdrive solos, but I've never really cared for heavy distortion bass, even when I was playing it. Or maybe especially when I was playing it. Maybe if I had had Charles' chops, but nowhere near. Pretty big hunk o' metal though. I was told it sounded better than the stocker, but I'm not sure I could hear any difference. Huge pain to intonate but it looked cool.
When I built its clone last year I didn't bother trying to find one, although it has forever hooked me on quick release bridges.
The late, great Randy Coven made fantastic use of the whammy bar on his basses:
What did I do?
Yeah, I have a bass with a Kahler and it’s really cool, but I don’t want another bass with one. Stays in tune like a rock, though. You have to get the strings used to being whammied as you tune.
Yeah its a thing. There is quite a few warwicks with them and you could probably order one with a whammy bar from the custom shop, since they offer that option with at least some of their basses.
Pretty cool, although I am not a fan of them ever sincemy SO laid their hands on a floyd rose bridge for a guitar. Shudders.
Pretty cool, although I am not a fan of them ever sincemy SO laid their hands on a floyd rose bridge for a guitar. Shudders.
Back in the 70's Stanley Clarke had a few Alembic basses with Bigsby vibratos.
Bigsby Vibratos – BIGSBY VIBRATOS
Bigsby Vibratos – BIGSBY VIBRATOS
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That particular day, "Woodman" (...eccentric sales guy!) also had a Travis Bean. Didn't want to sell it because it was useful when he had a headache. He then demonstrated by pressing the nice cool aluminum headstock against his forehead.
They have since closed...it's a flippin' war zone in downtown Norfolk nowadays.
Riis
The titles on some of his (Charles Berthoud) titles are a little click bait-ish, but the dude has some serious skill. Watch some of his more serious videos.Gotta love those clickbait titles!
The titles and editing fall into the YouTube 'game', but hes able to make a living off of his videos.
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My very first bass, a Hondo Fame Bassmaster 001, had a stock Kahler Bass Tremolo on it. I never really used it, and the bar for it spent most of its time with me in the case.
