8 String Fanned Fret

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Durero

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No I'm sure there wouldn't be any stability issues at all - their cam design is ideally suited to fanned-frets, it's just a matter of mounting the roller saddles with the required offsets.
 

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Cool711

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Have you completed the mod for your 7 with it yet?
How did it / is it working (going) so far?
 

Durero

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No I haven't had time lately. I play in a Balinese Gamelan (percussion) group and we have all our shows in April, so the trem mod will likely have to wait till May. But of course I'll post any progress here.

I intend to consult with Kahler before making my own mod, but my requirements are about double the angle of yours - 36" to 32" fan. So I need 2" of compensation at the bridge with the saddle offsets at about a 45° angle to the strings. The design I have in mind is to have a separate mounting pin for each saddle.
 

Cool711

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I see.
Well, good luck with that.
Basically, all I need is another half inch at the saddles and I should be pretty good to go.
 

Durero

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Yeah if I were you I'd ask Kahler if they could get a 1" spread between the intonation points of the lowest & highest strings. I suspect it wouldn't be too much trouble for them.
 

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Well, some new info on the bridge:
I sent the info about the intonation points and the spread, using 12 as the straight, with 1" at the nut and 1" at the bridge.

So far, they said that at this point, it is still a long way from getting started, but the price will maybe be about $1000.

Do you think this is worth it?

I had budgeted for close to this already, but I'm still wondering if at this point it is overkill.

Ah well, I'll probably end up doing it anyway.
Shame that the bridge alone costs almost as much as a good guitar.
 

Durero

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Well, some new info on the bridge:
I sent the info about the intonation points and the spread, using 12 as the straight, with 1" at the nut and 1" at the bridge.

So far, they said that at this point, it is still a long way from getting started, but the price will maybe be about $1000.

Do you think this is worth it?

I had budgeted for close to this already, but I'm still wondering if at this point it is overkill.

Ah well, I'll probably end up doing it anyway.
Shame that the bridge alone costs almost as much as a good guitar.
Yah custom machining precision parts is an expensive thing. I expect my mod to cost much less than that, but that's using one of Kahler's factory made bridges which are almost 1/2 as much as their handmade ones.

Hope to get my mod done within a month or so - I'll post when done.
 

Cool711

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How is it coming along?
Do you have to change the other parts drastically? (Other than the mounting pin)

And is it working so far? (Or you haven't tested it yet, still theoretical).

You're right, the factory made ones are half the cost, so it would be so much easier to just mod it.
 

Durero

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I'm afraid it's still in the design sketch stage. I'm designing a part which would fit in front of the regular Kahler unit and mount the saddles in a staggered fashion for the multi-scale requirements. There will be no modifications needed to the original Kahler parts.
 

Cool711

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Ah, I see.
Well, looking foward to it.
Hopefully it will solve both of our (and everyone else's) problem.
You'll have a great product there too.
I'm sure you could sell it, as many people have expressed interest in it.

I know I'd endorse it, lol.
 

Durero

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Hey thanks for the positive feedback my friend, it's very encouraging. Development is always a slow process and I'm taking things one step at a time - want to make sure the kinks are worked out at my expense rather than someone else's.
 

Cool711

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No prob man.
In the meantime, does anyone know how to increase the string spacing in FretFind to make it the same spacing used on a Jackson RR1?

I know where the values are, but I don't know what the value for this spacing would be, nor how to calculate it.
 

Durero

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No prob man.
In the meantime, does anyone know how to increase the string spacing in FretFind to make it the same spacing used on a Jackson RR1?

I know where the values are, but I don't know what the value for this spacing would be, nor how to calculate it.
If you have a Jackson RR1 just measure the distance from the center of the 1st string to the center of the 6th string and post that value here. We'll help you with the rest.

Edit: you'll have to measure twice - once at the nut and once at the bridge.
 

Cool711

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Sadly, I don't have one that I can measure.
But from Jackson's site, this is the width at the nut:

1-11/16” (43mm)

Nothing for the width at the bridge yet.
 

Cool711

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Update: Order for Kahler bridge placed today!

Here's what they are doing: custom bridge plate to accommodate the fan, as well as 4 custom saddles.

Brass cam (standard on their standard 8's)
Steel saddles for each string.
Locking system found on the hybrids.
 

Durero

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Wow that's great! Please keep us updated & share any pics if you get any.

And do you mind sharing the price is? I may order one myself.
 

Cool711

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The downpayment was $450 and the total price is supposed to be $900, but if it exceeds they will contact me.
(Sure hope it doesn't!)
 

Durero

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Yah custom work is expensive. Did they say if they're going to make those 4 saddles with a longer intonation adjustment?

I'm going to try to make some individual saddle mounts for mine to accommodate the extreme fan. Hopefully be done in the next few weeks.
 

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Isn't the trem response going to be dramatically different between strings?
 

Durero

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Not at all - a trem for a multi-scale instrument will have quite a bit less of a difference in response between strings than the same guitar with straight frets. This is because the fanned-fret design lessens the difference in gages from string to string compared to straight frets.

The catch is that fulcrum (Floyd) type designs don't work well for this - a cam (Kahler or Steinberger for example) design with the bridge saddles separate from the pivoting mechanism is required.
 
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