Any info on the Leo Fender Fine Tuner Vibrato?

[Craig]

[From a post on the G&LDP: Answers... by GPD on July 19, 2007 in response
to post Timeline question posted by Spot on July 19, 2007:

: Would a Patent Applied For bridge on a Superhawk or Invader mean it was an
earlier production that one with a Kahler? Was there any reason some came with
different bridges or did they just offer them with either bridge throughout the
production run? Inquiring minds wanna know.

I assume you are referring to the Kahler versus the G&L Leo Fender Fine Tuner
Vibrato? The Kahler was used from 1984 through 1991...yes, the Superhawk was built
and sold all the way through 1991 until the BBE acquisition at which time it was
removed from the product offering.

The LF Fine Tuner vibrato was slowly developed by Leo when he started on it in 1984
and it took until 1987 until he had completed the design. He never left it alone though...
he made a couple more versions of it before he passed in 1991. The LF Fine Tuner is a
killer bridge...one of Leo's better contraptions. Sadly, by the time it came to be...the
demand for fine tuning vibratos was waning with the advent of Guns-n-Roses
and officially dead when Nirvana released Nevermind.

The Superhawk was offered with either bridge starting in 1987 though most were
ordered with Kahlers post 1987 even though the LF bridge guitars cost less than those
with Kahlers.

Any G&L with a LF Fine tuner is a tough find...not many G&L's of the pre-BBE era were
equipped with them.

Hope this helps,


Gabe