Ever since Steinberger released the TransTrem back in the mid-1980s, we've had literally tens of different varieties of headless trem systems to choose from. Trouble is, only a few of them are worth looking at: TransTrem mk1.5 (the original unit, modified by Steinberger to use non-threaded ball strings), S-Trem, and the Strandberg Floyd Rose drop-in spring immediately to mind. The ones you find on eBay seem a little dodgy, and even Steinberger never did better. Where does this leave us? It leaves us with the power of the billions of people who use the Internet, and the possibility that some of them have some knowledge of metallurgy, mechanical engineering and metals fabrication. We also have the original research to use.
What I am proposing is simple, yet at the same time, daunting: We need to come up with a grand vision for what a headless trem (or whatever you feel is the appropriate term for the device) is supposed to be and do. Ideas thrown around and dissected, prototypes built, and all points in between.
I shall start: I have a Kahler 7410 on my bass. It has string hooks that can be (re)moved. I was thinking that a modified string hook/retainer would be the best solution, as it would keep the engineering to a minimum, and use a proven design.
I had hoped this wouldn't be necessary to state, but Harmony Central rendered it so: Any and all comments to the effect of "headless guitars are fundamentally wrong; quit wasting our time" are inappropriate, counterproductive, and absolutely unacceptable. I am trying to raise a serious point; I want something that actually works.
The inconsistency in the bold font is because I copied the bulk of the text from a thread I started at Harmony Central an hour ago. I apologize for the inconsistency and inconvenience.
