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Trans-Trem
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TransTrem is a guitar tremolo system developed by Steinberger in 1984. Its main feature is that it keeps the pitches of the strings in proper relative intervals ("in tune") with each other when the tremolo is used. This allows entire chords to have their pitch bent while remaining in tune, whereas a conventional tremolo system would cause the strings to go out of tune with each other. The system also allows the musician to transpose pitch of the guitar as a whole: the pitch of all the strings could be raised or lowered from the standard EADGBE tuning and locked into one of several preset positions.
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Encyclopedia
TransTrem is a guitar tremolo system developed by Steinberger in 1984. Its main feature is that it keeps the pitches of the strings in proper relative intervals ("in tune") with each other when the tremolo is used. This allows entire chords to have their pitch bent while remaining in tune, whereas a conventional tremolo system would cause the strings to go out of tune with each other. The system also allows the musician to transpose pitch of the guitar as a whole: the pitch of all the strings could be raised or lowered from the standard EADGBE tuning and locked into one of several preset positions. The Washburn Wonderbar from the 80's attempted a similar approach (sans the locking feature) with far less success.
The TransTrem (or TT for short) requires custom double ball end strings to work properly. Each string is "calibrated" to its own specific length. Even a 1/16" deviation from this specification impacts the relative tune aspect. As of 2009 D'Addario, LaBella, GHS and the Steinberger brand strings are the only ones offering properly calibrated double ball sets.
In 1987, HAZ Labs, a company that provided the electronics for Steinberger (with the exception being the pickups, which were from EMG, Inc.), built roughly two-hundred TransTrem units for the bass. Popularity was never there for the bass version, and no further bass trems were ever built. TransTrem equipped basses are quite rare and valuable as collector's items.
In 2008 Steinberger introduced the third generation TransTrem (TT3) on the new Steinberger ZT3 guitar. It maintains the ability to tranpose all string in tune and lock in 3 other positions, while making setup and string changes easier. The new headpiece on this guitar also allows the use of single ball end strings. Lastly it moves the bridge mounted string tuners from a horizontal to a more upright position. This allows for a greater range of installations and/or body styles, as the tuner "cut out" on the tail end of the body is no longer necessary.
Users of the Trans-Trem
- Eddie Van Halen has used a Steinberger guitar with Trans-Trem on several songs, including "Get Up" and "Summer Nights" (from 5150), "Fire in the Hole" (from Van Halen III), and "Me Wise Magic" (from Best of Volume I).
- Acclaimed virtuoso jazz fusion guitarist Allan Holdsworth uses TransTrem on his custom Bill DeLap made guitar. He has also used Steinberger guitars with TransTrem.
- Innovative guitarist Michael Hedges toured with a custom Steve Klein electric harp guitar using a TransTrem bridge. This guitar can be heard on the songs "Point A" and "Point B" on his album Taproot.
- Dire Straits leader Mark Knopfler and second guitarist Jack Sonni both used Steinberger Trans-Trem guitars on the "Brothers In Arms" tour. Each had custom paint jobs by John Suhr of Rudy's Music Stop. Sonni used his on the song "Private Investigations" throughout the tour. His TransTrem guitar was the third one made.
- David Torn uses the TransTrem extensively and has demonstrated its use on his Painting With Guitar instructional videos.
- David Gilmour used a Steinberger GL with TransTrem bridge and Active EMG Pickups while recording the 1987 Pink Floyd album A Momentary Lapse of Reason.
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