NGD: Steinberger ZT3 (again!)

[Marked Man]

The original TransTrem looked much like the other headless trems out there, with the tuners sticking out of the back. That required the butt of the guitar to be cut out, same like you see on Strandberg.

This is my model!

I must get one some day....

 

[gclef]

This is my model!

I must get one some day....

Mine too. I'd love a zt3 as well.

Steinberger just speaks to me, emgs and all.

 

[Randy]

Mine too. I'd love a zt3 as well.

Steinberger just speaks to me, emgs and all.

One thing I've learned from when Parker went out of business and Moses graphite stopped making necks (and the used markets shot through the roof) is that you really gotta bite on these guitars when the opportunity is there.

The oddball manufacturing techniques that make some of these guitars unique (add the trans trem/s trem to the list), it'll be a miracle if anyone replicates them again and even if they do, they won't be any cheaper. Definitely some guitars I wish I'd have held onto if I realized that sooner.

 

[Kyle Jordan]

One thing I've learned from when Parker went out of business and Moses graphite stopped making necks (and the used markets shot through the roof) is that you really gotta bite on these guitars when the opportunity is there.

The oddball manufacturing techniques that make some of these guitars unique (add the trans trem/s trem to the list), it'll be a miracle if anyone replicates them again and even if they do, they won't be any cheaper. Definitely some guitars I wish I'd have held onto if I realized that sooner.

That’s part of why I’ve been eyeballing Klos, Rubato, and the guy in NZ making carbon fiber necks that will fit Strats. I waver on building vs buying a Strat, or even if getting one at all is the right move, but since cf necks are so rare, I have a strong impulse to get one just to be safe.

 

[zentak]

Make sure the trem arm is screwed in all the way but not so far that you've engaged the locking mechanism (you'll know when you've made it there).

You dive or raise the trem like you would on a normal FR, then when you have it approx in the key you want to lock it in, you turn the trem arm 90 degrees clockwise so it's pointing toward the back of the guitar and that engages the lock. You can rotate the trem arm back toward the front of the guitar so it's not sticking all the way back but at some point it'll disengage so don't turn it too far.

The tension on the screws for locking/unlocking take some adjustment or just getting used to them, so in some situations you can disengage the lock just turning the arm counter clockwise, sometimes you need to turn toward the back again and apply a little pressure to get it to disengage. I'm not sure which way is "correct", both ZT3s I had were second hand and I'd tinkered with them quite a bit so I dunno which way was 'right' but either works. Regardless, figure you might have to adjust the arm locking screws if you feel like you're having trouble locking/unlocking it.

Should have five different positions you can engage, and once you've done it a couple times you kinda get used to those positions by ear or visually and you know when you're in the right one (D, Eb, E, F, F#)

Thanks for the info man. That's the most detailed instruction for the transtrem3 that I have seen to date. I'll give it a shot.

 

[Be_eM]

I tried to figure out how to work the trans trem (not tune it, I have Ned's videos on that so that's not a problem) but I could never figure it out. Anyone offer any advice? I don't want to damage it, so I'm hesitant to force anything. Cheers.

Just watch Bryan, that will give you an idea