[dolingerjacob]

Well, a couple days ago I traded my SG for a Charvel. I want to say it's a model 4 but I could be wrong, so please correct me if I am. It has the Kahler trem and the pickups have been replaced with A DiMarzio Tonezone at the brifge and a DiMarzio PAF at the neck. Anywho, heres some pics:

Anyway, lemme know what u guys think.

 

[Demeyes]

I don't think it's a model 4 unless it's been modded a good bit, which is quite possible too. A normal model 4 has no pickguard and has a HSS layout with mini switches. From what I can recall though, that's the right logo and neckplate for a model series and I think some came stock with a kahler and then later with the JT6 bridge.
I'd imagine it's a nice guitar though, I have an old model 4 and it's a great player, I've been meaning to try and fix mine up a bit because the bridge is in terrible condition and I wouldn't gig with it like that.

 

[1]

Whatever model that is, it kicks ass. :yesway:

 

[Jason]

First thing that popped out of my mouth was "oohh red" :lol:

Pretty sweet looking man.

 

[jacksonplayer]

I believe that's a 1986 Model 3A. For '87, they removed the pickguard on the 3A and replaced the Kahler Fulcrum trem with the Jackson JT-6 licensed Floyd.

By contrast, the 1986 Model 4 had no pickguard, HSS pickups with active tone control, and a Kahler 2300 trem. The '87 Model 4 gained the licensed Floyd as well as sharkfin inlays (which the Model 2 and 3 never had).

The only bad things I ever read about the '86 Model 2 and 3 concern the Kahler Fulcrum. What do you think of it so far?

 

[Toshiro]

Congrats!

I would pull the pickguard and look at the pickups. While they're Dimarzios, the poles are wrong for the bridge to be a Tone Zone.

 

[dolingerjacob]

It plays really well. The neck feels similar to an older Ibanez neck, which I like. I only used the trem once, then i restrung it, and when i did that, i accidentaliy stripped the locking nuts, so I heard that if you put Floyd nuts on these Charvels, they stay in tune better. I guess I'll see if thats true lol.

 

[Shawn]

I miss my old Charvel.

Very nice!

 

[jacksonplayer]

Putting a Floyd nut on there would involve major surgery. I'd recommend just getting a replacement Kahler string lock.

 

[dolingerjacob]

I meant to just use the little bolts that go into the nut from a floyd, not replace the whole nut. The bolts started to strip when i unlocked them to change the strings yesterday.

 

[Hungoverstin]

badass. I always loved how those kahlers looked, I love how compact they are in comparison to other locking trems, let us know how it actually is in use, though.

 

[Leon]

Nice!!

 

[dolingerjacob]

badass. I always loved how those kahlers looked, I love how compact they are in comparison to other locking trems, let us know how it actually is in use, though.

It's pretty smooth. After i get new bolts for the nut, I'll abuse the trem a little and see how it holds up to the trem on My Ibanez

 

[jacksonplayer]

I meant to just use the little bolts that go into the nut from a floyd, not replace the whole nut. The bolts started to strip when i unlocked them to change the strings yesterday.

Ahh, I see. I believe they're different sizes, however. I should be getting a guitar with a Kahler nut in the mail today, so I'll hopefully be able to tell you firsthand if they are interchangeable.

 

[dolingerjacob]

ok, cool. I might also go to the hardware store and get bolts that are threaded like the kahlers, but have the top (where u put the allen wrench) like a Floyd nut. I think the kahler tops are too small, and thats why they strip easily when you put the Allen wrench in them.

 

[Max]

Sick axe. Can i be straight up though? That trem is awful, the fine tuners are less fine than the normal tuners, and the trem does NOT stay in tune? Everything else about that guitar is sick as fuck, but slap a better trem in there for your own sake. we had a model 2 in stock for a LOOOONG time with one of those, and every single day it would be significantly out of tune, more so than the squier bullets.

Maybe the guitar we had just had a bad one, but im yet to hear anyone with experience with one have particularly nice things to say about them. :2c:

Congrats on the guitar overall though, thats sick as hell with how perfect the pups match the finish!

 

[Mike]

I remember those! Cool guitars, crappy trem. I'm actually amazed it's still on the guitar - I know 2-3 guys that had Floyds installed on their 3As with this trem.

 

[dolingerjacob]

If the trem does dissapoint, I'm thining of putting a better kahler in it so I wont have to route any part of the guitar.

 

[noodles]

If the trem does dissapoint, I'm thining of putting a better kahler in it so I wont have to route any part of the guitar.

If you are talking about the more common ***-based Kahlers, then you will have to do some major filling and routing. Just install a Floyd, since it requires minimal work: doweling and re-drilling the post holes, maybe enlarging the route for the block to pass through.

 

[darren]

Yep. For this type of Kahler, a Floyd is a more direct retrofit.