KTS Titanium guitar parts

[FLICKOFLASH]

KTS Titanium saddles review
By Fred Heghammar UGG.


The first time a came in contact with Titanium, were when I worked as a Jet engine mechanics at SAS. Titanium is a very common material in the air craft business, mainly for it being light weight and VERY strong. I remember I had some thoughts about building a guitar in that material for it is an outstanding acoustic piece of metal, something I noticed when I had to mark a Titanium ring with an engraving pen. What a noise, man it sounded like someone killed 1000 pigs at the same time! What a sound! A couple of years later I saw the first Titanium guitar parts in the local music stores, but no one never tried them and neither did I. I think people including me are a bit afraid to try new stuff on their guitars, especialy the vintage gear freaks.

A couple of month ago we got an email from Mr. Hiroshi Masuda from KTS, a company who build guitar bridge and saddles in Titanium. Mr Hiroshi who is a VERY nice guy told me about their products and once again I was curious to try them out. And this time I felt I had the strength to take the step and try them out.

KTS is based in Japan and this is how KTS describe the material they are using in their products.
Titanium (which symbol is "Ti" ) is a light, lustrous, silver-white, and very corrosion-resistant metal. It was named after "Titan" in Greek myths (any of family of giants who ruled the world before gods of Mount Olympus). The specific gravity is 60% of iron and the strength is almost same as steel. The corrosion-resistance is superior to stainless steel and it is almost same as platinum for salt water. The strong and light feature of titanium is used for aircraft manufacturing and space science as important structural material and the corrosion-resistant feature is used for many equipment of chemical industry, which requires severe environmental operation. Many people believe "Titanium is hard." However, high purity titanium is rather softer and in fact the hardness is almost same as stainless steel. We use this high purity titanium for Custom Titanium Guitar Parts.

The low internal damping factor of titanium is one of the most important features as good sounding metal. In another words, the most of wave motion created by strings vibration can be transferred to the guitar body without absorbing by the metal material. This happens because of unique hexagonal close-packed crystallization structure of titanium. Also, this characteristic of titanium stabilizes strings vibration. In addition, the metal which has less ratio of "E (traverse coefficient) / p (density)" is usually better for material to be used as audio equipment parts. In simpler wording, the light metal that is hard to bend is better material for audio parts. Titanium is the one of this feature.
Read more technical information at KTS Musical Products Inc.ƒIƒtƒVƒƒƒ‹ƒTƒCƒg.

Do you dare to feel the difference?
We got some samples to try on our guitars, one set of Tele compensated saddles and one set of Gibson Les Paul saddles. The products were very easy to mount except one step...you have to make your own grooves into the Les Paul saddles, I must tell you that it isn't that easy if you don't have the right tools, I didn't :-(
When the saddles were mounted and there were time to adjust the guitar, I immediately noticed the improvement this product gave my guitars.
The tone where much stronger and more stable and it made the adjustment really easy to do.

To start with I must tell you that I was very happy with my guitars (Fender Telecaster -67, and a Gibson Les Paul Classic) as they were before I mounted the saddles, but the KTS Titanium saddles really put the whole package on another level. The KTS saddles gave me more of everything I liked with my guitars!
Lovely acoustic tone, with great chime and much better strength and stability on every note. I like the way a guitar sound when you have just mounted new strings on it, the first 10 notes you hit is lovely in my ears, and then something happens to the sound, the string gets tired. With the KTS Titanium saddles, you got this sound much longer, even when the strings are starting to get tired, the saddles makes them sing much longer and better.
The guitar feels more alive and its much easier to play. I use Komet amps, which is VERY touch responding and the KTS saddles make the respond even better! I had both my guitars an the Scandinavian guitar show recently and everyone that tryed the guitars really liked the sound and feel, and the strings sounded good trough out the whole show.

We can really recommend you to try the KTS Titanium saddles on your guitars, do you dare to feel the difference?
The worse thing that could happen is that you get a better guitar :-)

You find KTS Titanium Products at KTS Musical Products Inc.ƒIƒtƒVƒƒƒ‹ƒTƒCƒg

[FLICKOFLASH]

KTS has a long history of crafting Titanium parts for other products such as watch bands, eyeglass frames, medical equipment and other precision machineries. We took all of our knowledge regarding titanium and our master builder has put in so much effort and time, which would probably equal the effort of creating an entire guitar, into these just small parts. The results were amazing: Titanium produced an overwhelming longer sustain, clearer tone, more tonal response to picking, and other excellent sound qualities which far exceeded our predictions.

KTS's ultimate goal is that, with help of the Titanium Products, every guitar player will be able to bring out the truest and least distorted sound, which their guitars inherently have. As a result, it will greatly enhance their joys and musical experiences, which will then take them to the higher state of creativity.

Here's what you can achieve with KTS Titanium Saddles and Bridges:

- Increased sensitivity and stability are very apparent

- Vibration and sustain have been taken to the limit

- The notes are more focused and the intonation is purer

- The harshness was taken away and became clear

- String-to-string definition and clarity improved dramatically


PRODUCT USERS



"With titanium saddles notes are clearer, fatter,more defined. You hear more of everything. More attack, more of your fingers. Even my V.U. meter on my tuner was evidence. The needle just sat in one position after I installed these saddles. No fluttering like before. I even "pro-tooled" before and after installing the saddles. the high end was much thicker with a crisper attack. Any change takes a while to get used too if you are constantly searching for "THE" tone.

"Titanium parts are an evolution, not too far from tradition, that really make a difference. "
Allen Hinds, Guitarist

"I have to say that I was a little bit skeptical about whether or not bridge saddles could make as much of difference as you say. But after hearing the difference in two guitars (a Fender '62 reissue Strat and a custom Don Grosch) I have to say it made a Big improvement in Tone and Sustain. I have already recommend these bridge saddles to some of my guitar friends. Eventually I would like to install these saddles in all my Strat type guitars. Thank Alot,"
Michael Thompson, Guitarist

"These Titanium bridge pieces are the BOMB!! Try them for youself. "
Jennifer Batten, Guitarist

"I am SO sick of digging out cracked block with a screwdriver! It sounds like your Ti-Block is something that is going to make me happy for years! Thank you so much!"
Reb Beach, Guitarist

[FLICKOFLASH]

IS THERE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN VINTAGE ABR-1 & ABR-1 ?


Based on our experience of making titanium ABR-1 saddles,
It seems there are some differences between ABR-1 and Vintage ABR-1.
At the beginning of developing the titanium saddles in our factory,
We dismounted the saddles from OLD ABR-1 bridge and measured the specification of the saddles.
Then we completed the proto type of ABR-1 saddles.
There was no problem to install the saddles into old ABR-1 bridge.
But when we tried to install them into existing Gibson's genuine replacement bridge "BR010",
we saw some gap between the saddles and bridge body (it looked like the saddles were floating)
We had to have a remeasurement and reproduce the saddles.
Generally, old bridge was made loosely compare with existing bridge.
Gibson has changed parts manufacturer several times.
We are not sure that where they made the bridge (maybe in China, Taiwan, Korea..?)
There might be a little difference between them.


Thanks,
Hiroshi

[Rock Johnson]

I've long wanted to make about twenty tailpieces out of various metals to test the lightweight aluminum vs. zinc TP myth....

[sleepingtiger]

They're pretty pricey, no?
Tony

[FLICKOFLASH]

Originally Posted by sleepingtiger

They're pretty pricey, no?
Tony

Titanium is not cheap .I am having a aircraft aluminum pigtail bridge with titanium saddles for a additional 60.00. I emailed Hiroshi about making titanium wheels & posts Through some test ( Thanks to MurKat 4 the tip) I found changing the post to steel & longer than the 1" dramatically increases tone transfer & sustain ( make a dead guitar come alive), why nobody has done this simple Mod before is beyond me. So I am hoping for a 2" post

[sleepingtiger]

Hmm...longer posts, huh? Interesting. I never thought of that..
Thanks,
Tony

[FLICKOFLASH]

i am looking for titanium thumb wheels

[lp59aholicDon]

Originally Posted by FLICKOFLASH

i am looking for titanium thumb wheels

titanium is some tricky stuff to machine , you never want to get it too hot
drop any piece of titanium on a burning road flare and get the hell back, drop 25 lbs of sand on it, and you will wind up with alot of molten bubbling glass . much like magnesium it burns somewhere in the 2,500-,3000 degrees F range

[lexluthier]

I have thought about making a guitar with a titanium truss rod. Strong and lightweight.

[BCRGreg]

Originally Posted by FLICKOFLASH

why nobody has done this simple Mod before is beyond me.

Done it for years, buddy. Heat treated threaded rod is easy.

[peaveywolfgang]

hi,

will a KTS PR

‰pŒê–|–ó ƒEƒFƒuƒy�[ƒW–|–ó - ƒGƒLƒTƒCƒg –|–ó

fit into my gibson lp 93 classic which i suppose has the abr 1 bridge with the retaining string which i "bended" when i tried to change the position of one saddle?...and by the way, if this happened, meaning that the string is not straight and a little loose, is a sign i should change the bridge? can i install the kts without removing the screws from the guitar body?
thanx and sorry for my english...not my native tongue...

[FLICKOFLASH]

KTS Musical Products Inc.ƒIƒtƒVƒƒƒ‹ƒTƒCƒg (japan)

scroll down on the news

[FLICKOFLASH]

see they are taking paypal

KTS Musical Products Inc.official site-Products-

[5F6-A]

I use Titanium saddles in my Strat and it sounds great. I'm going to use some with my LP as well but I can't comment ont hat just yet.

[b-squared]

On my Strat I have titanium saddles, as well as a milled titanium trem block.

Mucho nice.

BB

[5F6-A]

Originally Posted by b-squared

On my Strat I have a milled titanium trem block.


BB

Wow, that sounds nice ( and expensive! ). I have a Callaham steel block. Nice as well although not quite as fancy as Titanium....

[sapi]

I've the Mike DeTemple Trem assembly w/ titanium block and saddles. Very good quality and now it's like i have a Rolls Royce LOL... I have KTS titanium saddles on my '94 LPCPP. Notched them locally. I can't complain with titanium. Clarity and power. It's all there. Having said that, i think i'll keep the standard hardware appointments in my '07 R9 (Pigtail).

jo

[b-squared]

Originally Posted by sapi

I've the Mike DeTemple Trem assembly w/ titanium block and saddles. Very good quality and now it's like i have a Rolls Royce LOL... I have KTS titanium saddles on my '94 LPCPP. Notched them locally. I can't complain with titanium. Clarity and power. It's all there. Having said that, i think i'll keep the standard hardware appointments in my '07 R9 (Pigtail).

jo

We have the same stuff!

I sent my Strat out to Mike a few years ago, and he also put his Sweetspot pickups in, installed a mastodon-ivory nut, and made me a switch tip and string tree out of the same stuff.

He did a full setup as well...best Strat I've ever played. The block and saddles really make your strings feel slinky--you can actually go up a gauge and not feel the difference. Cool. I play 11s on my Strat--feels like 10s on my LP.

I don't think he does other guitars anymore--too busy building his.

BB

[sapi]

Originally Posted by b-squared

We have the same stuff!

I sent my Strat out to Mike a few years ago, and he also put his Sweetspot pickups in, installed a mastodon-ivory nut, and made me a switch tip and string tree out of the same stuff.

He did a full setup as well...best Strat I've ever played. The block and saddles really make your strings feel slinky--you can actually go up a gauge and not feel the difference. Cool. I play 11s on my Strat--feels like 10s on my LP.

I don't think he does other guitars anymore--too busy building his.

BB

I think the nut will be next... depends. I wish i had the convenience of sending the guitar to a pro luthier for a pro setup. I have a HWY1 strat, the first models with the small headstock. I just put original Fender (Gotoh) Klusons on it with conversion bushings and i could not believe tuners made such a difference. I also like a Sprague .047 B Beauty in it. Have tried others but this is it. Same in my LP.
I play 10's for now, and tune flat. The only dilemma i have is that i like a floating trem and bending strings takes a bit of bending, as the trem gives.
BTW BB we're both left-handed, and play right ;-) Sorry i strayed from the subject!
jo

[b-squared]

Neat.

BB

[5F6-A]

my saddles come form DeTEmple too!!

[b-squared]

Ha, the message of Michael is spreading...he's an awesome dude to talk to. ...and the dude can rip it up on the Strat.
BB