Lefty trem

Hey guys. I can't believe I found this site. I'm in the process of building a new bass with a trem.
I think I want to just set it flush with the body for dive bombs.
My question is, what brand would be easiest to get a lefty tremolo bar for? Hipshot or Kahler?
Also, would a graphite nut keep the bass in tune better than a plastic one?

john at whammiworld.com is the main distributor in the usa for kahler and kahler parts. on his website in the parts section, when you order a kahler arm theres a drop down box for left ir right handed bars. if you spoke to him before purchase, i wonder if he could just sub in a lefty arm on your original kahler purchase.

kahlers are ambidextrous as far as its mechanical parts; identical saddle rollers, ball end slots and tapped thread holes for the bar on both sides of the cam.

also, the kahler trem is much easier of an install.

Thanks for the info. I noticed the Kahler trems on their homepage and the ones on ebay are identical but have different part numbers.
Has there been revisions in the last few years?

i think the latest revisions have been with the finishes. i havent had one of the new finishes yet but looking forward to a black chrome.

the other difference is the country of origin of the manufacture of parts. the original and top of the line models are the 2000 series. second number is strings so 4 string bass is 2400, 5 string is 2500. the other number differences are 00 for forward saddle models and 10 for rear saddle models. rear saddle models fit on more basses. so a 2410 is a USA kahler for a 4 stringer and rear saddles. the other cheaper models are probably cast overseas and are the 7000 series or a hybrid. a kahler for a six stringer with forward saddles would be a 7600. a four stringer with rear saddles is a 7410.

what kinda bass you looking to put it on?

Thanks for all the info. That's a big help. I picked up a 82' Ibanez Roadrider II but it was a righty.
I turned the nut around and bought a 85' lefty Ibanez Roadrider II Loaded body so I'm looking to install
the trem on that body. There's a 7410 on ebay in Black Chrome. Would I need the forward or rearward saddle?

the 7410 is the rear facing saddle model. if this one doesnt fit on your bass the forward saddle models def wont.

is your headstock 2x2 or 4 bass side?

nice bass!

It's a 2x2 headstock. Yea I think the rearward saddle will fit. The forward saddle will be to close to the back edge of the body.

I called Kahler and they said they just bend the righty tremolo arms in their jig to make them lefty.
He said I can do it myself but the chrome or gold plated arms might show stress lines so I ordered the black chrome model.

Soundtweaker wrote:

It's a 2x2 headstock. Yea I think the rearward saddle will fit. The forward saddle will be to close to the back edge of the body.

exactly.

let us know when your gonna do your install ... happy to walk you thru it.

lefty kahler



and ya the bar gets bent the other way but everything else is universal even down to the 2 bar holes depending on what way you are.

Excellent answers, Gentlemen!