steinberger transtrem

[Neill]

if this is in the wrong section apologies mods...

im looking at adding a transtrem equipped guitar to my, ahem, "kit". do the transtrems only work on headless guitars? also what is the 'feel' like... i rather like loose feel w/ even travel and the fact that chords are transposable with the transtrem isnt enough of a feature to justify being uncomfortable during "normal" play, for me.

also, id love some suggestions for guitars that are transtrem equipped that are also somewhat affordable (im willing to spend the money for a good guitar, but also have other, real-world, considerations to, erm, consider).

[Luke]

Transtrems only came on Steinbergers. They do not feel loose what so ever. While they can work on non-Steinberger guitars, ona wood neck the decrease in tension would kill the transposing ability, the graphite neck of the Steinbergers were so stiff the string tension meant nothing. Also working with/adjusting a Transtrem is complicated.

[Neill]

i know you could get them on klein and im pretty sure (but not completely) that you could get them on teuffel guitars as well. hence my question about whether or not its only headless guits that will accept the trem.

thanks for the other info tho. it seems to me a good maple neck could handle one tho

[Frater B]

steinberger made a model with a headstock! EVH had them on some of his headed guitars Kramer, Peavey, Les Paul, however the trem system is kind of stiff, The transposing feature is what the trem is all about, IMO. Kleins have rosewood necks with no truss rod and seem to hold up well. I would think you could use maple with a truss rod. Now you are talking hand made guitar, probably expensive! .... check out steinbergerworld.com lots of info...

[Strung Up]

Originally Posted by Luke

Transtrems only came on Steinbergers. They do not feel loose what so ever. While they can work on non-Steinberger guitars, ona wood neck the decrease in tension would kill the transposing ability, the graphite neck of the Steinbergers were so stiff the string tension meant nothing. Also working with/adjusting a Transtrem is complicated.

String tension is not dependent on neck stiffness. Period. I've got TT's on several guitars with custom built headless maple necks and the tension varies slightly with each of them, all with roughly the same range of string tension (+/-) as similarly strung Strats.

The transposing functionality is very dependent on what strings you use, lighter being better. I think stainless steel 9's are the best for this (been decades since I've played them), but even there I wouldn't count on being able to get in-tune transposition in more than 3 other keys.

They have a smooth, but not loose feel as a plain ol' trem, with a more uniform affect on pitch change throughout the 'throw'.

I think due to the poor quality of the metal used and the roller bridges, they have a fair amount of tone-suckage. (That on alternate weeks drives me bonkers.) Availability aftermarket is rare (and expensive at $500 - $1000) for original TT's (just the trem), but I think MusicYo/Steinberger may be offering them again.

[Cokemachine]

You don't need a headless setup to use the TransTrems. A neck with a headstock and a locking nut works just fine. A stiff neck is a must though if you want accurate transposing. A 3-piece laminated maple neck with CF reinforment is more than sufficient.

In order for the transposing feature of the TransTrem to work properly, a constant string length needs to be maintained. This stiffness allows minimal deflection in the neck when doing such things as going up or down in pitch. As a result, less deflection = less change in string length and better transposing accuracy.

[Cokemachine]

You can still buy the Type II TransTrem at MusicYo, but they are insanely overpriced at $700. As Strung Up mentioned, low quality metal used to cast the TransTrems combined with roller saddles = tone suckage. You'll break way more strings with a TransTrem due to the roller saddles. I've personally broken 2 TransTrems, both due to the cheap metal and casting of the bridges. For $700, I'd expect a lot more tone, playability and longevity from a bridge.

Ned Steinberger has been working on a Type III TransTrem for some time now. The new incarnation will reduce the complexity of the Type II bridge and will hopefully improve its tone. As for when we might see it, well that lies in Gibson/Epiphone's hands. Given their past attention to Steinberger, I'd say don't expect a Type III TransTrem anytime soon.

[Unburst]

It's possible to put a TT on a headed guitar, but you need to have the body cutaway so you can get at the tuners.

I've never seen and I don't see how you could put one on a LP, Strat/whatever?

Kleins frequently come with TT's and the rosewood/no truss rod necks have no trouble with the transpose feature.

[Ted James]

I have a old late '80s Steinerger w/ a Transtrem. Great playing guitar. BUT , Why do you want a transtrem? Cool concept. But far from perfect. Still need to tune every time you use it - even w/ those special "Transtrem Calibrated" strings. You are much better off using a capo. Tune down if you need to. I rarely if ever use the trans part of the trem.

[Cokemachine]

Originally Posted by Ted James

I have a old late '80s Steinerger w/ a Transtrem. Great playing guitar. BUT , Why do you want a transtrem? Cool concept. But far from perfect. Still need to tune every time you use it - even w/ those special "Transtrem Calibrated" strings. You are much better off using a capo. Tune down if you need to. I rarely if ever use the trans part of the trem.

I think that this was is why we've only seen the TranScale guitars and not a Type III TransTrem.

Don't get me wrong - the TransTrem is a cool bridge, but it's more novelty than anything.

[Unburst]

Originally Posted by Cokemachine

I think that this was is why we've only seen the TranScale guitars and not a Type III TransTrem.

Don't get me wrong - the TransTrem is a cool bridge, but it's more novelty than anything.

No offense, but it's only a novelty if you don't invest the time to come up with something worthwhile with it.

[Luke]

Originally Posted by Strung Up

String tension is not dependent on neck stiffness. Period. I've got TT's on several guitars with custom built headless maple necks and the tension varies slightly with each of them, all with roughly the same range of string tension (+/-) as similarly strung Strats.

The transposing functionality is very dependent on what strings you use, lighter being better. I think stainless steel 9's are the best for this (been decades since I've played them), but even there I wouldn't count on being able to get in-tune transposition in more than 3 other keys.

I think you misunderstood me. Back in the day, I had the Steinberger oar guitar. To me the neck was way too thick. I spoke to Ned about putting the bridge on another instrument with a thinner neck. He said the reason you can play a barre chord and have it be in tune while applying the whammy bar was that the neck was so stiff it did not move even with the reduced tension. He said a wood neck unless seriously reinforced would flex as a result of pressing the whammy down. He felt the reason he was able to create the fluid movement (all notes of a chord move in parallel to one another, unlike other trems) was a direct result of the neck being a solid mass with zero movement potential. By using a wood neck he felt that I would be taking a step backwards from his development process where he determine that removing the flex of neck was an intregal part of the solution to making the TT work as it did.

[guitardude5]

Originally Posted by Frater B

steinberger made a model with a headstock! EVH had them on some of his headed guitars Kramer, Peavey, Les Paul, however the trem system is kind of stiff, The transposing feature is what the trem is all about, IMO. Kleins have rosewood necks with no truss rod and seem to hold up well. I would think you could use maple with a truss rod. Now you are talking hand made guitar, probably expensive! .... check out steinbergerworld.com lots of info...

You're thinking of the GS. CLICK_ME Here's another cool WHITE_NECK custom GS model. These guitars are starting to bring some bucks. If you've thought about a non-headless TT guitar, this might be your answer. These pics also may give an idea as to how to mount on a non-Steinberger guitar.

[Cokemachine]

My "novelty" comment was just the builder in me talking. I think that the TransTrem has opened up many new musical avenues for players. What I was getting at with my comment is that a TransTrem can be finicky and require a lot of tweaking to get the most out of it. I for one have spent way too much time dialing in and tweaking my TransTrem guitars - time I should have spent playing. When you start devoting more time trying to make a piece of gear work rather than have that piece of gear work for you, in my mind it becomes a novelty act.

[Neill]

dt,

what has your experience been vis. the finicky-ness of the transtrem system? i doubt there are many techs that have had alot of experience with the transtrem so this would be an issue. also, what kind of travel do they have goin' up (will they be able to cover a few steps like my hipshot equipped guitars).

and out of curiosity, is there any specific reason why you have limited your use of the transtrem equipped guitars in favor of the tyler and kolls? what im specifically curious about is the fact that the transtrem seems to make the guitar all that more expressive... so why not use it?