Different vibrola Chet used

[guitarchuck]

That's really neat Eddie, I'm sure you're proud of it!

[albertgen]

You have 2 of those old Kaufman vibrola's, Mike? Those are quite rare, at least the ones that were made in the 40's. Paul said the later ones they used on the Rickebacker guitars weren't the same. Al

[Eddie Estes]

Part of me would like to put it on a Gibson CG but I am going to take it and the picture Paul gave me and
make a display box for it.

[guitarchuck]

I think the display box is a good idea Eddie. If Chet put it on a guitar it wouldn't hurt the value, but it would ruin the value of any guitar that we would put it on!

[BillB]

Eddie,
Do you know any of the story behind that? Like why Chet was trying it and then didn't keep using it?

Bill

[Brian Ingram]

I notice that the unit in question has fine tuning screws on the tailpiece, which are not otherwise on Chet's guitars (to my very limited knowledge).

Since the pics don't show a typical Floyd Rose setup, as used on some Fender Strats or "pointy headstock guitars" I don't get the impression there would be a "modern sound" from this unit. It's unclear from the photos if this unit would allow raising as well as lowering of the pitch. That is a key component of a Bigsby-style vibrato sound that you often don't get with, say, the vibrato system on old Fender Strats; on the vintage-style Fenders, the vibrato system really only allows the pitch of the note to be lowered.

[Eddie Estes]

Yeah I think Chet was always looking for something different. That is what made him Chet.

A Bigsby has a different sound in that it is not precise like a Floyd Rose type tremolo.
I guess Chet was like us all. Sometimes I like to use the Strat that Paul built and then I
go back to my CGP? However it strikes me. Maybe Chet liked this for a while and just decided
he liked the Bigsby better one day. Just my two cents.

[guitarchuck]

This unit wouldn't be made by Kahler instead of Floyd Rose would it? I'm not that familiar with either. What makes me wonder, according to "Gruhn's Guide to Vintage Guitars" the Gibson Chet Atkins CGP had a "Kahler Flyer vibrato optional". The Gibson Chet Atkins CGP was designed using Chet's Peaver guitar as the prototype. The Gibson Chet Atkins CGP was cataloged mid 1986 - early 1987. This would have been the same time period that Chet had this vibrato unit on his Gibson Country Gentleman. This leads me to believe that this unit could possibly be made for Chet by Kahler.
Does the vibrato have any markings of any kind on it Eddie?

[Norm]

I notice that the unit in question has fine tuning screws on the tailpiece.."

Toward the end of Chet's playing career he and Paul experimented with fine tuning devices. Page 149 in MAMG has a gibson cg with violin tuning gadgets in the harp area of the bigsby. I think that vibrola was being tried out for that very idea but obviously didn't get adopted.

It looks like there was a lot of that kind of "research" being done in the gibson years that wasn't done in the gretsch years. The only concession I'm aware of is the small piece of rod at the nut on the third string of Chet's '59. And to me it speaks volumes that he never put an intonation adjustable bridge on his '59. It's almost like they were having tuning issues with the gibsons

[Eddie Estes]

Both the bridge and the body of the unit have Made in Germany on them.