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Teuffel Tesla “Fire” – First Ever w/ Trans-Trem | Ex-Henry Kaiser
This Teuffel Tesla in Fire finish is not only a uniquely expressive instrument—it’s a historical one. Built by Ulrich Teuffel in Germany and previously owned and toured extensively by experimental guitar icon Henry Kaiser, this is the first Tesla ever fitted with a Steinberger Trans-Trem system. A landmark instrument that pushes the boundary of sonic innovation and design.
Condition:
This guitar is in well-played condition, with visible wear, scuffs, and signs of use across the body—expected from years on the road with a player like Kaiser. The matte Fire finish shows honest evidence of its working life, but the instrument remains structurally solid and functionally excellent. The stainless steel frets are in great shape, and the neck plays fast and smooth. Please see photos for a detailed look at the cosmetic wear, which adds to its character and authenticity.
Design & Features:
Ulrich Teuffel designed the Tesla to be sonically and ergonomically radical. The chambered alder body helps reduce weight and enhances resonance, giving the guitar a distinctive acoustic sensitivity and a more natural balance, whether seated or standing. Its headless design and asymmetrical shape push the limits of modern guitar form, while the bird’s-eye maple through-neck provides incredible sustain and note clarity.
This Tesla features Teuffel’s signature tonal sculpting architecture, including a kill-switch, piezo disc on/off (push-push button), and a rotary blend knob for seamless mixing between its two pickups. Sonically, it covers massive ground—from pure, glassy cleans to thick, harmonic-rich drive tones.
The Trans-Trem:
The Steinberger Trans-Trem is a rare and ingenious tremolo system that keeps chords perfectly in tune as you pitch-shift up or down. It’s not just a whammy—it’s a pitch modulation tool that allows musical, harmonically accurate chord shifts. Installing a Trans-Trem in a Tesla is an ambitious engineering feat, and this was the very first example where Teuffel pulled it off. The result is a truly expressive and forward-thinking guitar, capable of sounds few others can achieve.
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Specifications:
• Scale Length: 25.5” (648 mm)
• Neck Construction:
Through-neck, bird’s-eye maple
Asymmetrical V-shaped profile
• Neck Thickness:
0.79” (20.0 mm) at 1st fret
0.90” (22.8 mm) at 16th fret
• Neck Width:
1.71” (43.4 mm) at the nut
2.20” (56.0 mm) at the 22nd fret
• Fretboard Radius:
13.7” (350 mm) at the nut
17.7” (450 mm) at the 22nd fret
• Frets:
22x Jim Dunlop #6105 stainless steel
• Body:
Chambered American Red Alder
Alder cap strips at neck-body intersection
• Weight: 6lbs 12oz
• Hardware:
Hand-polished stainless steel hex screws
Threaded metal inserts
• Bridge:
Steinberger Trans-Trem (chord-stable vibrato system)
• Electronics:
• Neck Pickup: Medium-output Alnico 5 split-coil (reverse-wound hum-canceling)
• Bridge Pickup: Hot PAF-style Alnico 8 humbucker
• Controls:
• Kill-switch
• 60-cycle hum switch
• Piezo disk on/off
• Rotary blend for pickup mixing
• Strings: 10-46 double ball end DAddario NYXL’s
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This Tesla is a perfect fusion of innovation, expression, and history. Whether you’re a collector, player, or experimental musician, this is a one-of-a-kind opportunity to own a guitar that helped shape the sonic landscape of the avant-garde music scene.
