Trem King is a company specializing in innovative tremolo systems for electric guitars, offering a unique approach to the traditional vibrato bar, commonly known as the whammy bar. Founded by Canadian inventor Sheldon Lavineway, Trem King introduced a patented design that combines the stability of a fixed bridge with the expressive capabilities of a tremolo.
Patent Overview
The Trem King tremolo system is protected under U.S. Patent No. 7,189,908, titled “Tremolo Assembly.” This patent details a tremolo assembly for stringed instruments, such as guitars, featuring a base plate mounted to the instrument’s body and a tone block pivotally attached to the base plate. The design ensures that the bridge plate and saddles remain fixed, maintaining consistent intonation and string height, while the tone block pivots to provide vibrato effects. This mechanism allows for precise pitch modulation using the vibrato bar without compromising tuning stability.
Popular Products
Trem King offers several models tailored to different guitar styles:
TKS-1: Designed for Stratocaster-style guitars, this model integrates seamlessly, providing smooth vibrato action with the stability of a fixed bridge.
TKS-2: Tailored for Telecaster-style guitars with a slanted single-coil pickup at the bridge, the TKS-2 offers the same reliable tremolo performance while accommodating the unique pickup configuration.
TKS-3: Suitable for guitars with humbucker pickups at the bridge or other styles without existing cavities, the TKS-3 maintains the fixed bridge concept, ensuring consistent intonation and string height.
Consumer Reviews
Users of Trem King tremolo systems often highlight the following benefits:
Tuning Stability: The fixed bridge design ensures that the guitar remains in tune, even with extensive use of the vibrato bar.
Smooth Operation: The tremolo action is described as soft and smooth, allowing for expressive pitch modulation without resistance.
Ease of Installation: While some routing is necessary, many users find the installation process straightforward, especially with the resources provided by Trem King.
For more information on their products and innovations, visit Trem King.
