In a time when we have numerous high-quality guitar choices in all budget ranges, customer service and simple courtesy can help tip the scales when making purchase decisions. Thanks for sharing your story.
Absolutely. Went to Sweetwater Gearfest when it was still in person and got to talk directly with people from many manufacturers and they were all great, including Paul Reed Smith himself. No reason for that kind of treatment of folks who are just asking a simple question as to why something's being phased out.
I found a couple luthiers in my local area that produce quality at a similar if not more competitive price... And they're hungy. I mean they are growing, need the business and truely appreciate it... my advice to anyone would be to check out your local market and support them. You never know what's out there. You can come across some really nice people building great products.
I had owned and played Carvin and Kiesel guitars for over 25 years. I had ordered all of them directly from Carvin. About 3 years ago I was going to order a new one and when I called them they were extremely rude to me on the phone. I had also experienced very bad customer service previously in the past but I ignored it and let it go. However, the last time I had spoke to them I had decided I would never support them ever again for their behavior. Jeff Kiesel is a spoiled brat that inherited a great company yet has zero loyalty to the customers that made him so wealthy. Shortly after I sold off all of my Carvin and Kiesel guitars. I had been a customer for over 25 years and I was done with them. Many of their followers act like they are in a cult and can not handle hearing anything negative at all about the company.
The last build I got was about 4-5 years ago. At that time they said 6-8 weeks build time, which is what I expected. After 10 weeks and no guitar (100% paid up-front too) I emailed them. Got a reply back from Jeff saying "STFU and deal with it". That was my 4th build, and my LAST build. Hopefully he'll learn his lesson the hard way by running his daddy's company into the ground by alienating more customers...but I doubt it.
That guy Jeff has been known for his shitty attitude towards customers (because he didn't have to build a business from the ground up, his dad did) so after discovering stories like yours on TH-cam while researching Kiesel bass guitar models, I immediately dismissed an idea of buying a Kiesel bass that I was working myself up to at that point. I'm glad I heard those stories beforehand, otherwise I wouldn't have felt good about my purchase, regardless of the quality of instrument. Thank you for doing your part and speaking out. I hope you sell those guitars well and find the right brand for you.
I've owned five different Carvin instruments, but I would never buy a Kiesel. Jeff's disgusting attitude towards his customers, and a number of stories that have been related concerning the appalling customer service in the event of faults have led me to the conclusion that he's destroyed the good name of the company he inhereted and I have no confidence in the product.
I consider this video to be a worthwhile warning about a brand. It's a shame you don't want to gig or play these guitars in public anymore, but I see ethical postion you are taking. Well done, and BUYER BEWARE!
@@asimhussain8716 bruh get ready for a not so roasted neck, if you choose the roasted neck option lol thats one of the complaints from customers that paid almost $3k for their Kiesel. Also the neck shape and countour is the sexy part of the guitar lol thats the comfortability, even if it looks like a million bucks but the neck is the same fat C shape it wont play like a million bucks. on that note, if you have the money to drop on the Kiesel, drop it on a Strandberg's modern line instead. with the neck countour. $3k either way! cheers
I saw a comment thread once from a Kiesel owner (6 or 8 of them), who contacted them to inform them that the custom order that he had built with a roasted maple neck just looked like a regular maple neck, and Jeff basically said "Gee, that's too bad. Better luck next time".
Except what really happened was far worse than that. Jeff went out of his way to blast the guy on an Instagram live stream basically calling the guy a cry baby. Jeff Kiesel is a loser.
I have 4 Carvin guitars and they are all excellent. Way more quality than the price paid. I bought a used Carvin AE185 and the electronics were faulty. I contacted Keisel and sent it back to them to get it fixed. I was dreading the bill, but they charged me $50 for replacing the whole set of electronics and then paid the shipping back! That was incredible customer service on an old Carvin guitar way past the warranty. I have nothing but great experiences with this company.
I made a video on Jeff talking about all the stuff he has done over the years. I used to be on the email list, never talked bad about kiesel on Facebook or Instagram and I was banned from both. I am not banned from the Facebook groups through, only the kiesel page. You did the right thing because getting rid of the two jack system is extremely stupid. Keep in mind i have owned 3 Carvins and ordered two right before the name change.
@@Alienadin How Kiesel constantly ships outs guitars to customers with the wrong specs. Customers will get guitars without things they ordered. Jeff has let kiesel edition guitars that cost like 6k leave his shop with defects and then refuse to fix it when called out on it. Kiesel also used parts from a customers guitar for a NAMM guitar. They also didnt dry their wood out enough and a Beatle came out of the guitar body.
@@LucasLeCompteMusic A "Beatle"came out of the guitar body? Was it Paul or Ringo? There are only two of them left now that George and John are dead. I think you mean BEETLE - the bug not the music group.
Unreal that they blew up over such a trivial matter, there are so many amazing Luthiers with their own CNC router set up in personal shops makes me wonder why there was such a foolish reaction from them. I was considering contacting Kiesel over a custom build, but thanks to your video I'm reconsidering. Thanks for sharing your experience.
I think you might want to check other opinions on Kiesel and not just take one clearly unpleasant situation as the truth on this. This did happened a while ago if memory serves. It blew up for a reason...mostly because...well the way the internet can be,
I definitely 2nd that you should still consider buying one, insanely good guitars and you shouldn't take too much stock in how a company moderates their social media imo. They're a big company, they make thousands of custom guitars every year so it really doesn't surprise me that they would ban someone who's exceptionally vocal about something, that's just how moderation works tbh. And like seriously you cannot buy a guitar this well made for the price they have a decent advantage over anyone that sells through retailers and they've been doing this for a long time and have the scaling and overall pipeline to beat out other custom shops. Unfortunately this comes with things like losing double output, which can obviously be a deal breaker for some.
@@KevinDean-qx5jt same honestly. I think they create awesome guitars and have a lot of options, but I would rather go for Balaguer if I grab a custom model. I think a lot of Kiesel's models (minus standard strats and teles) are pretty ugly. I think there are better people out there to support other than them. Also, TW Smith makes some bomb ass custom guitars that are exceptionally well crafted.
When I was a kid in high school, 78-83, I would go through the Carvin catalog with a fine tooth comb dreaming about what guitar I would order when I was financially able. In 1985 I was able to order a DC100. Shortly after that, I ordered the components to convert the guitar to a DC150. A few years later, I wanted to buy the semi hollow body 12 string that Roy Clark was playing in the Carvin catalog. Carvin said that it wasn't available. So, I bought a Hamer Chaparral Custom. It's a shame that Hamer is gone. Carvin was once a great guitar company, but they became Kiesel and lost touch with what the average guitar wants. Kiesel is no longer an affordable option for many, and their customer service stinks. Fortunately, Kiesel is not the only guitar manufacturer in the game.
Yeah, it's kind of funny, that their whole thing was they were saving you so much money by being direct, but that's not really the case anymore. Almost anything from the default choices on their website gets an uncharge.
When I moved to San Diego back in 2000, the Carvin happened to be located right down the street from my apartment. I didn't know much about the brand other than seeing the name in magazines etc. Regardless, I was excited to have a guitar factory and shop in neighborhood. When I finally went in there one Saturday, I remember being sorely disappointed. The staff was cold and unwelcoming and the shop itself was pretty unimpressive. One and done.
Jeff doesn't take criticism very well. I have reached out a few times to get something custom made, and without any reason was told no, we can't do that. My response was, aren't you a custom shop? So anytime I think of buying one, I go to Reverb and see how many are being sold used, and that makes me think, do I really want one of these? Then I look at my collection and tell myself, no.
I'm really sorry you had a bad experience with them. I've got 14 of them since 2019 and all have went great and they were great to work with. Although I didn't have any issues thankfully. I did need a new 5 way switch which they overnighted to me at no charge cuz it was under Warranty. Jeff has always been really great to me but I have heard it's not always the case for everyone so I'm truly sorry you had such a bad experience.
Yeah but bro why would you still deal with a man that picks and chooses who he's going to treat like shit a customer is a customer is a customer, fucking period.
Getting banned over asking questions of a product, that you are a return buyer of, and spending multiple thousands of dollars is very telling i have to say.
Jeff is singlehandedly destroying Kiesel's name. Ironically, it is his own name, but that doesn't seem to matter to him. His temper controls his decision-making, and that's a terrible way to run a company. If I were you, I'd sell my Kiesels and never mention the name in videos ever again. Share your story in other ways, but don't give them the attention of a video.
It's certainly a far cry from a Super Wizard Ibanez neck, but still comfy, although I prefer their thinner neck option. I should learn how to measure it to finally have proof that it's chunkier than the other one.
Jeff Turned Carvin into a “headless shitshow”. It was unfair to you. You being banned. I have owned many Carvin guitars and was excited about them from the first DC 100. I had a DC150, DC 135 koa and more. I was contemplating another SH550. But the company turned into “Jeff Kiesel Tinker time”. I’m with you. I will never associate the great CARVIN guitars I’ve owned with the disappointment the company has become. Sincerely, William
Thank you for sharing your experience. I believe that any manufacturer that offers “custom products (i.e. guitars)” has a responsibility to listen to the feedback from their customers so that they (manufacturers) can meet their customers needs. The way that your situation was handled is unacceptable, especially considering that you had purchased multiple guitars from Kiesel. I know that Kiesel stating that they would no longer offer the dual output option could be rectified as an aftermarket modification, but isn’t that the point of buying a “custom guitar” in the first place… built to the customer’s needs? I had been considering a Kiesel custom build, but after watching your video, as well as searching for more videos afterwards, I have decided to look for another builder. Thanks again for sharing your experience.
danalopresto-- I have to agree with you. Ive custom built parts for decades and have always listened to others input, good or bad. Why produce something and not want to hear feedback. Some people dont really care I guess.
A guitar can only get better when the builder listens to the players. I own a Carvin (before the split) and I like it, but based on your ecperience, I won't be buying any more. Well said!
I remember a few years ago Jeff going off on a live stream because someone complained about a roasted maple neck he had gotten. Like I get things like that are frustrating, but the neck looked like they roasted it for 10 seconds. Compared to your average roasted maple, it was unacceptable, especially for a custom shop guitar. The guy he went off on had owned several keisels and carvins. It’s very disappointing to see Jeff hasn’t changed much. It turned me off towards the brand.
Yeah, I remember seeing that post. I have a Carvin 7 string. One of my favorites! I got a Vader7 and the guitar feels great. But I remember seeing that Facebook post about the roasted maple. Wood can be unpredictable so I understand Jeff’s argument there. But the guy paid for roasted maple, and yes it was “technically” roasted. But that’s not what the customer wanted. I found it crazy he did a live stream and basically told the guy you get what you get. With their prices going up and up. Hell yeah we’re gonna be picky. Personally it wouldn’t bother me if it was just a production model under 1k. But when you’re talking about 2k guitar and to someone’s specs? I don’t know, that’s not a good way to handle your customer by blasting them on a live stream.
Good to know! I personally haven’t seen a kiesel guitar. Totally can understand your frustration with the company. I personally wouldn’t deal with a supplier who deals with customers in such a manner.
I'd been a life long Carvin fanatic. I bought a Carvin amp in 1975 when I was in high school and we moved the country side with the volume that thing could produce. It came with their catalog and I dreamed of a day I'd own one of their guitars. This spring, I traveled 1100 miles to their neck of the woods for a vacation and drove up to visit. The receptionist was nice, but firm to their policy that nobody gets inside without an appointment. My bad for thinking that a showroom meant a showroom. After nearly 50 years and a cross country journey, all I got shown was the door. I WAS ready to drop change on a Kiesel guitar, but swore that day to not waste a dime on one.
Wow, just did a virtual build for over $4k and decided to check some reviews before I spent that kind of money. Thanks for letting us know what happens to you if you’re unhappy with their product. Most builders try to win customers over, but I suppose banning them is a way to go as well.
What Kiesel need to understand (and I doubt if they ever will) is: the customer is always right, even when he's wrong. Jeff's ego issues are staining the Kiesel image. Anyone noticed that he's always speaking in the first person? 'Call my guys'...as if he owns them. It's never 'we'. That's a marketing 101 beginners mistake.
Even if Alienadin was treated unfairly. That's still a silly version of the quote. The quote I typically follow is "The customer is always right in matters of taste."
@@Danger0use I don't want to sound like Jordan Peterson, but the quote is actually designed to counter the thought process you offer. In your version there is someone judging the 'taste'...that someone would be you. So if the customer was acting out of your 'taste' -zone, you would consider him being wrong. And that is exactly what the quote is for: even if you think (according to your taste) the he is wrong, you should still consider him being right. And respond to him accordingly. It's difficult, and I'm sure it's impossible for some people; But that is the true meaning of being customer focused.
I got into gear a while back. Being a musician isn't about gear. It's about being an artist. If you're a guitar build artist okay then. I have guitars for playing not looking at or expecting more of the finish or figuring in the wood. Nothing is ever going to be good enough if only the absolute best will do. The first problem is buying a guitar custom made that you can't play or look at before it's finished. Second problem is you have an idea in your head and reality will never meet that idea head-on. I have a Carvin S Kit that I built myself. I knew Jeff from when he was a teenager working in the lobby of the Carvin retail store in San Diego. I purchased a neck from him back in the early 90s. fast forward 15 years I decided to finally get that Carvin kit I always wanted. When I received the neck it was a little irregular. It was birdseye maple fingerboard but it had a big brown spot on the 1st fret so the aesthetic was ruined so my neck was basically a reject from the custom shop. I decided not to complain about the brown spot and went ahead with the build. I began assembling the neck and the Floyd nut didn't fit. I decided to file a little and fixed the problem. then when I was mounting the tuners I discovered the headstock was much thinner than the tuners would allow. The tuner nut that goes around the peg had a certain depth it has to be so it will tighten up correctly. The nut would bottom out and you couldn't tighten up the tuners all the way. I was pretty disappointed at this point and decided to call Kiesel. Initially I got the guy in the shop that built the neck. He was a total dick and really didn't do customer service just dick. I ended up on the phone with Jeff. He was kind of friendly at first but he was all business. He wanted to make what little margin on this guitar he wasn't going to fix anything. He ripped me of and he was done. I sent the neck back and they started all over with me. They said I sanded the headstock which I never did I filed the nut a tiny bit and they didn't say anything about it. So the guy in the shop fixes the headstock by putting a veneer on it to correct the thickness. He calls me up and he wants to charge me $100 to fix the neck because they say I sanded it. I tell him I'm not paying for his fuckup and whithout telling me he was gong to "fix" it and charge me. So he sanded the veneer of and he sent the neck back exactly as it was. I sanded down the tuners and fixed the issue. It's one of my favorite guitars and sounds amazing. It stays in tune better than anything else I have. After that experience I'll never buy another Kiesel/Carvin.
Unfortunately I'm not surprised by this story. I play Carvin guitars but I won't buy a Kiesel. When they announced the change of name (from Carvin), I commented on their TH-cam channel that it was unwise to give up 50 years of brand name equity. They stated that I "obviously didn't watch the video" and that the Carvin name was sticking around. I thought it was a strange response/attitude to a long term loyal customer who was making a suggestion. It seems they got rid of the Carvin name. It's their company and their name but I don't have to buy from them. Music Man and PRS are producing some top notch stuff. I'm flexible.
You do know that Kiesel is Carvin right? Leo Kiesel founded Carvin, but due to legal issues could not name the company Kiesel, so he named it Carvin. Now many years later, assuming no legal issues with the brand name, they were able to change it to the original intended name Kiesel. It's one in the same! Yep, PRS, or Music Man are great options if you have the $$.......
I have several of both and can confidently say Kiesel's are 4-5x higher quality than a PRS. PRS makes nice guitars but they are grossly overpriced for the quality. @@jeffdobson2909
It's not the nicest response, but it is apparent you didn't watch the video. Carvin wanted to stop making guitars, so Mark Kiesel (who ran the guitar department) started Kiesel as a new company with his son Jeff. Carvin still exists, but only makes audio equipment.
I did watch the video, and both you and Kiesel missed my point, so I guess I didn't articulate it adequately. The Carvin name is now completely off guitars. I think this is unwise as very few know who Kiesel is, and there is a long history with the Carvin name (both guitar and audio) Giving up 50 years of brand name equity is as stupid as their snooty response. Carvin Audio is a pathetic shadow of the former company that used to have artists like Steve Vai, Steve Morse etc. endorsing their awesome line of amps, power amps, mixing boards, PA speakers etc. That's ok, I'm totally happy with Music Man. @@ShpongleSquirrel
I just bought a kiesel with an accoustic saddle on April, and it arrived last month. I'm happy with my purchase and also very happy to say that they didn't follow through with the decision to move away from the dual output to a single output as my guitar has both the combined and the secondary output.
I thoughts about buying a Kiesel Guitar dor my 40th birthday. I heart about their bad handling of customers as well as some builds not being up to Standard and people paying for something they dis not get in the end. Thus I decided to invest my money in a german Company and ordered from Siggi Braun. They were so nice and friendly. Siggi, the owner took time and we hat a phone call which lasted 2 hours where qe just got to know each other so he could determine what I like, what music I was going to play, which artists inspired me and so forth. It goes without saying that the guutarvthat arrived 6 months later was a piece of art, not just an instrument. So if you are in the market for another custom shop guitar, definitely check out Siggi Brown, fine young guitars. Merry Christmas to you all! 🎄 🎉
I bought my first Carvin guitar in the 90s, a DC400 anniversary model. After that I got 3 more, a Bolt, a Vader, and the Allan Holdsworth model. All guitars are lefties and are well made. I do have issues with the company in recent years. I emailed them a couple years back because I had an issue with the electronics in my DC400. The reply I received was "we dont have that anymore", which I can accept but at least suggest some possible fixes or alternatives. Quality Control. The Holdsworth guitar was wired righty, so the tone knob functions more like a on/off switch. Before sending out a gutar, it should be plugged in and the controls should be checked to work properly. I know how to solder up guitars, but at that price range, its a bit of a pain to have to fix mistakes. Pricing. They jacked up the prices substantially, especially for "options". The base list price is a little deceiving - by the time you put similar options, you are not a lot below Suhr/Anderson guitars. They advertise themself as a custom guitar company, but in reality they are closer to mass production. They do make quality guitars though, but I will not be buying one anymore either. I would pay more and get a Anderson - the customer experience and support is night and day really.
I have heard some things about the way they handle their customers I have been looking at their builds but haven't decided to buy I am a Jackson player, I do think after listening to your comments that they really treated you wrong. It's BS to not listen or even offer the dual jack with custom builds it seems it would be a great money maker for a builder, I hope you find a better builder for your custom stuff I have watched you play VERY NICE ON POINT!!!!! good luck
Thanks a lot, mate. Yeah, I really love Ibanez. Maybe I will get a Suhr Modern someday, if I can ever afford one, or a J.Custom, since I love the Edge/Edge Lo-Pro floating tremolo units. Apparently, Jeff Kiesel causes issues with customers quite frequently from what I have been reading here. It's a shame, as Jason Becker, Greg Howe, Frank Gambale, and other awesome guitarists have signature guitars with them.
That's unfortunate Alien. I saw you on the carvin forum years ago. I have two Carvins and four Kiesels and have been treated fairly in all instances and they even went overboard for me a couple times. All of my builds have been fine. Fretwork on these guitars is exceptional, and that alone makes them stand out above anything else that I have played. But I do empathize with your situation.
🚩💔 You said to give you our experience and comments. Thank you for sharing your story with us. The only thing that comes to mind when hearing what happened to you is that this sounds not just unprofessional, almost childlike on the part of Jeff Kiesel. This is truly amazing that there has been what appears to be a full 10 years of incremental public discussion and repeated voicings of disappointment with Kiesel. I still remember back in the very late 80s, one of my classmates in junior high school brought a Carvin brochure to school. I looked at what was like a small magazine on Carvin guitars for what felt like hours. Very impressive craftsmanship and fell in love with the brand and especially with the whole "Custom Options" thing available to the public. Then Warrant came out with the video for "Cherry Pie" and thought Carvin was the hottest thing since sliced bread. I went to the Carvin stores in Hollywood, Santa Ana, and the factory showroom in Escondido several times spread out over 15 years. Up until 2004/2005, when you would go into one of the stores and pull the guitars and basses off the wall, the quality and playability were A Lister like, exceptionally well-made instruments. "I have to have this guitar because it is so good." These were true masterpieces. At some point, though, something changed with the company... and I am NOT trying to be disrespectful to the company or the CEO/Owner Jeff with what I am about to say here. My understanding is Jeff's dad, the guy who really built the company into what we know of it, gave the company or at least the CEO level of authority to his son Jeff. This was the turing point. I can still remember the day when my interest in Carvin died. One of their employees at the Hollywood store said to me ten years ago or so > "Don't bring us any wackky a** ideas for your custom order. Our CNC machines are too difficult to reprogram." That was it. I was done. IMHO, building/maintaining a company and being GIVEN/maintaining a company are light years apart in HOW the A to Z's a company continues... and in ALL aspects. Too much to elaborate on. I will say this though, it is my educated guess that Jeff does not know how to maintain and harmonize the A to Z's of that company the same way his dad did who built it. Personally... and I am not trying to be mean or slander the Carvin/Kiesel brand or Jeff, but it appears tht Jeff has been consistently cutting corners to avoid the mental and physical work involved as well as financial/time aspects involved to constantly have to make efforts to maintain the way it was before. Jeff has been given quite the gift here, and his personality APPEARS to not want to do anything extra required to balance Quality and Quantity. Now quantity APPEARS to have been made the priority, not quality and not quality in every aspect of the business like his dad did... including interactions with the paying customers. When I hear or see Jeff talk, just IMHO, there is this vibe with him that he just does not want to do anything that is not going to rake the cash in. All of this cavalier attitude infects every single aspect of the machine. There are way more grievances with this company and with photos of defects that truly boggle the mind when so many people have paid big dollars for "custom instruments." It sounds like people have to tip toe around this Jeff character and hope to God he is not offended and fixes whatever the problem happens to be with any given order. My prediction is he will eventually sell the company for big dollars and retire early.
@@Pete1980ification Hi Pete and thank you for that. You are correct. I do this because here in Los Angeles, everybody is so sensitive and then hold grudges for long periods of time that people are I suspect are conditioned to apologize over and over again so others don't back stab you later. Very difficult to tip toe around this. Thanks for the support though.
I remember carvin guitars and amps in the 80s they made good stuff ,I knew people that owned their stuff.i never have owned anything kiesel or carvin.i have guitars from multiple manufacturers,Jackson,fender,EVH,Kramer,schecter,dean, Ibanez,charvel Gibson,etc.i don't feel like im missing anything. Many many good guitars out there .I don't think I would let it bother me.
I bought a Carvin DC125 w/extra pickup at the Hollywood store in late 1988. Paid $535 for it out the door and waited 4 weeks for it to be built. After it arrived at the store for me to pick up, I saw they put a Kahler flip-type locking device on it at the factory. It had a Schaller fixed bridge with no fine tuners. I said " you gotta be kidding with this", and they told me "we'll give you your money back, but you will never be able to purchase a Carvin guitar at the Hollywood store again". I sat in the store playing the guitar for about 10 minutes, and liked it so much, I told them I was gonna keep it. I went to the hardware store and bought these tiny little screwdrivers, and very carefully removed the locking device and truss rod cover. I still have that guitar today, and it's still exactly the same as it was after in '88. The locking device and trussrod cover are still in the plastic bag in the case compartment where I put them 36 years ago. The thing is this: I ended up never buying anything from Carvin again after their little diatribe about banning me from the Hollywood store, and never needed to. I still have my '84 X60 amp and my '88 DC. I would never get rid of them. My message to you is: keep the guitars if you like them. Just never buy anything else from them. Don't blame the guitar for the knuckle-draggers who run the company, and know that they have been miserable people even as far back as 1988.
I’ve got an Aries from their special 2021 run and it’s the best guitar I own, but i don’t think I’ll ever order another one. My confidence in the brand has collapsed. I’d rather pay more to a luthier or other shop and be guaranteed a flawless guitar
Well on a related note, someone on a guitar forum I have been a member of for decades, came to the same conclusion as you. She gave a special gift for her husband-his dream guitar, which was a Kiesel build. They opened the box together and her anticipation at seeing the look on his face turned to horror. They sent the wrong guitar. Thereupon started a game of 'how much stress can you take', with the shop refusing to send their guitar until the one they sent mistakenly was returned. As far as I know, the situation still has not been resolved.
@@Alienadin I'm sure they are thankful for that, thanks. A few people pointed out that it wasn't necessarily Keisel's fault, they can't keep up with every single thing that goes on with their guitars after they are distributed.. But that is still pretty outrageous customer treatment, with their name connected to it
I agree with you 100% Also, I have to say the Ibanez RG565 in the wall case is awesome. I have one I bought new back in 92. It's one of the best guitars I've ever played. That guitar can pull off almost any tone.
Sorry to hear bout your bad experience with kiesel i remember i had an issue with my build sent it back and they took care of it with no issues. But this was before they had the vitual builder
I guess they don't care about returning business. There are many custom guitar manufacturers in the world, sounds like you can move on from this and find another that sparks your passion again. And sell the reminders.
I'm sorry you had a bad experience. I own several Kiesels and I have been delighted with them. I've had great interactions with sales, and the one support call I had to make went well. I have seen a number of examples over the last decade where Jeff, or others at the company, did someone wrong. I don't think what you did deserved an outright ban without a discussion. I recall a similar incident and Jeff took a lot of heat from the community. He apologized and, as far as I could tell, his attitude seemed to improve. It's too bad the company, and Jeff, work at cross purposes with their company's interests. Your comment about his passion is spot on and I think sometimes he lets it get the best of him.
I don't think what you did was at all ban worthy. Having 2 outputs for that setup is 100% ideal. Honestly it's his/their loss. Just go and get Warmoth necks and bodies and have your local tech put it all together (or you) and you will get exactly what you want and it will be about what your paying for from Kiesel (minus maybe the wild paint jobs) . It's the route I have been taking and I am getting better guitars than I was getting from Suhr and 2 to 3k cheaper. Going the Warmoth way (or other body/neck companies) is you can then literally outfit the guitar with the EXACT components YOU want vs what they will allow you to pick from their list of options. Lately for me it's been Warmoth or I buy a $700 to $1200 Schecter (really like their products) and put the electronics in it I like and it's been awesome. You don't need Kiesel at all but it's truly very dumb of them to ban you over something like that. I 100% agree that a message asking you to talk direct would of been the best thing to do, at least to start and have a dialog.
The issue with Kiesel now is that their prices are basically comparable to other custom shops, so their whole marketing strategy of “Custom shop guitars for a fraction of the price” doesn’t hold as much weight. Now, plenty of builders have caught up with them who don’t have nearly as tarnished of a public image. I purchased an Aries 7 back in 2016, for roughly 1700 said and done. It’s a great guitar, I love it, and I’ll probably never sell it. But it wasn’t perfect from the factory. Wiring was super messy, with tones of bare wires. There was glue on the fretboard. And still to this day, it has the most fret sprout out of any of my guitars, including the cheap imports. At the price I got it at these issues are inexcusable, especially since the same build would be over 1000 more today. Especially for a company touting their made-in-USA quality. Not to mention the quality of builds can differ greatly, something I’ve noticed when visiting their NAMM booth over the years. I’m sorry you had these issues with the customer support. Plenty of Kiesel fans will come to their defense saying they’ve received perfect guitars with excellent customer service, and I don’t doubt that. I also don’t doubt the people who’ve had differing experiences. It’s subjective to say whether their instruments are “worth it”, as we can rationalize either way. But id rather put my time and money towards a builder that I will be 110% positive will deliver a flawless product with excellent customer service.
What a shame. The worse part is a passionate Kiesel customer will never quite feel the same way about the brand for simply critiquing a friggin jack out put. Ridiculous! I have 3 Carvins and they were all exceptional with great customer service.
I've been very fortunate to have an amazing experience with them. I have ordered 2 custom basses through them and they turned out perfect. Amazing customer service. I have also bought a few models off of Reverb at stellar quality for an amazing price. Its unfortunate this happened and seemed like a few years ago he def made some business mistakes with how he acted but seems like things have been going much better especially since the roasted maple incident.
I put together a custom build a few days ago (cost $3,500) and just came across your video. Definitely not ordering it now. Guess PRS it is.. sorry they did you this way man!
they sent out a guitar to me with the pickup set right on the strings. when I had called and complained the guitar sounded bad they said to adjust the height of the pickups and roll off the tone. why would they even send it out the door like that? its like gm sending out a truck with four flat tires and telling the customers to air them up. they were extremely rude on the phone and then the charged me for gig bag when I returned the guitar to them in the gig bag. anyway to steal more money from the customer. I have a video on my channel explaining everything and people trying to crucify for it because I don't bow down to Kiesel guitars. @@Alienadin
Dang... sorry to hear about your situation. I have 2 guitars from them. One of them only has about an hour or so playing time. I think your situation is unfair, and Jeff should have contacted you and worked out the issue in private. You don't just ban a customer like that. Their guitars are not cheap on price! I, too, had an issue with my Chaquico model and sent an email to customer service and never got an answer back from them... that was about 6 years ago. I was going to buy a used Gibson Les Paul at my local dealer and didn't. Kinda sorry I bought the Keisel, especially after listening to your video.
That sounds like the usual ''Jeff doesn't like a specific feature, so we don't offer it, even if you're willing to pay extra''-nonsense. For example, Jeff doesn't like Floyd Rose bridges. So he basically discontinued them from half a dozen models that used to have the OFR option ( like the CT6 models) and completely from the 7-string models. "Why no 7-string OFR?'' ''Because we used the Korean 1000 Series and that's a cheapo product...'' ( which is BS but I digress..) ''Why don't you just get the German 7-string OFR then?'' ''Because, it doesn't fit with our string spacing..." ''Why the hell, don't you use the standard string spacing for 7-string OFR's then, like ESP does on their Japanese production models?'' ''Because that's why... oh and the Kiesel Contour trem system is waaay better than an OFR in the first place...." ''You mean the HIPSHOT Contour trem and no, it's not ''better''. If I want to do more extreme whammy bar stuff ala Dimebag or Steve Vai, I need a recessed locking nut trem." '' Trust me bro, the Kiesel Contour is better. End of discussion.'' Btw. if some famous endorsed artist would asked them to bring back the dual output jack, Jeff would do it in a heartbeat. That's why I buy only 2nd hand Carvin/ Kiesels.
@@ericwalters5382 Their guitars are pretty good, but their policies are beyond stupid. Another example: people were asking for the Fernandes Sustainiac system as an Option for years. Like Phil Collen from Def Leppard or Synyster Gates from A7x have on their Jackson/Schecter models. Jeff was always: "Nah, this system is too much of a hassle to build into the guitars and its prone to malfunction,yada yada... " Then they signed Sophie Lloyd as an endorsed artist, she asked for a Sustainiac on her guitar, of course they build her a guitar with one. People saw it and asked also for this option. They made the Sustainiac available but only on Sophie's Artist model, you can't get it on a different Kiesel model. Why? Because that's why.
I recently had a custom Kieslel built and am very happy with the service and guitar. With that said, you are correct! You should have the right, (as a customer), to express your opinion on a public forum, as it will help others make informed decisions on whether or not to purchase a Kiesel guitar. I have only had one built and I am extremely happy with the guitar and thinking of having them build another one. Thanks again for your video!! You should NOT have been banned as long as you were civil in your comments.
I had one Kiesel. I was satisfied about some things and not satisfied about other. The cons are too much for me to consider buying a Kiesel in the future. Have you looked at Halo Custom Guitars? They have many more options and the reviews are good. They are willing to build whatever you want as long as you are willing to pay. Their buidler is also quite good. I think Halo was the first one with an online virtual builder.
Always wanted a Carvin guitar... when it changed over to Kiesel and Jeff's arrogance took over I stopped wanting a Carvin/ Kiesel product... I have followed along on different stories of Jeff going overboard on rants and such and it really is a turn off... wish the company well wish Jeff well ... just don't think I can support the brand by buying something of theirs
They could have said something to you during the Livestream. I have seen other streams do that. Perhaps they could have suggested the proper way to address your query (before banning).🎸👀
Yeah, Jeff is very reactionary. It's part of his personality, I think. Watch some of livestreams and you can see it. For that reason alone, I'd never buy a Kiesel. On the bright side, I'm sure Jeff doesn't care.
I'm really wanting a left-handed headless bass and Kiesel seems to be about the only company that will make one left-handed. But I hear nothing but horror stories like this!
Don't listen to this asshat. I have a carvin and two kiesels. One of my kiesels I had a little bit of a wiring issue sent it back and had it taken care of without any issue whatsoever. They make great guitars their customer service is always been great to me. I've compared my guitars with PRS Gibson fender Suhr, you name it. I totally prefer my kiesel.
They should have made it an option at least....i have had about 10 carvins and own 2 kiesels currently. They are nice although....i think the pots and switched may be foreign made....they just do not seem all that great of quality like switchcraft and cts style pots You could also go with another brand now and sell your kiesels!
I stopped buying Carvins when it switched to Kiesel and Jeff took over. The pots and electronics are no longer high end. They discontinued the M22 series of humbuckers which were some of the best pick ups ever made.
Companies - no matter the size or tenure - should always be open to discussion with their customers, and kudos to the ones that are willing to do so in public forums. It shows a real dedication to not only the customers but also their own product. It's so weird how the pedal community is so open (mostly) and shares everything with everyone, but the guitar community is still weird about it.
I don’t think you’re crazy for that. The decision on their part was unjust to say the least. Honestly that kind of treatment would have affected my outlook on their products. These guitars are supposed to be life long commitments.
I spent a year planning an Osiris headless build through Kiesel and it arrived with a warped neck/incorrectly installed truss rod. It cost me nearly $1000 more for shipping costs for them to repair it, but overall they did not question me, sent me a much better instrument, and it is still my favourite guitar of all time. It’s a balancing act with companies like these and although their product line and custom shop can be amazing, things can and do go wrong and it seems that their customer service is behind other companies. The amount I ended up paying due to the issues could have got me a quality Suhr, Om, or PRS.
Looks like Jeff maybe forgot about staying thankful and loyal to customers and roots. Idk totally justified in my book. The only really cool "mainstream" building in my book nowadays is Paul Reed Smith. Thats a cool dude. and care about his players and guitars. I own a couple and they are top notch. If your just looking for 6 string. cheers
You did the right thing. Its sad but you gotta move on . Ive heard stories about that guy and he seems to be one of the biggest asses in the guitar industry. Nothing will change that .
Carvin was a great company with excellent products and great customer service., the son took something special and basically turned it into what it is today, I just saw a video that was done recently of a factory tour and he couldn't stop saying..you know..we never give factory tours..his arrogance alone makes me stay away from his brand.
Just cover the headstock name with tape, construction paper, etc. Maybe even make a laminate with the Fender name on it. Essentially , rebrand the guitar.
I erased the logo on my 2nd guitar, and put a passport photo of myself in its place. Pretty funny. I won't mess with these though. It's just Jeff Kiesel, who appears to be narcissistic, etc.. I still use them for recording etc., and the piezo feature is incredibly useful.
I ordered a custom guitar from Kiesel, it was ok but for some reason I could not bond with it, I wanted to like it but I was not playing it at all. So I sold it.
Without all the details, I will keep this short. I purchased a seven string my first and was extremely disappointed after $2200. I could have purchased an Ivan as seven string for less and have better quality.
I've never had the funds to purchase a Carvin, but I still have their 50th anniversary DVD and catalog, which they did send all the way from the US for free back in the day. On one occasion, I learned that Carvin didn't sell instruments direct to my country and I had to go through a middle sales person. Once I emailed them with concerns about extra tax and the like, Carvin emailed said distributor so he could get in touch with me and assure the sales process would have no issues and extra costs. Fast forward to Kiesel and it's all issues left and right. Instruments which are ugly and tacky even considering modern guitar aesthetics, Jeff being rude to customers, Kiesel using guitar pictures from someone else on their IG page without permission from tthe original author than blocking said author when he requested them not to use his work, the infamous "ocean burst incident" where Kiesel is not capable of copying Agile's Ocean Burst color then claims it's the user's fault and so on. If I'm not mistaken the whole ocean burst incident got Jeff perma banned from three forums.
Wow! Haven't even heard about those yet. Yeah, he is a handful. Turns out that he didn't even make the change in the end anyway, so it was all this nonsense for nothing.
Get a Strandberg from 2020 or before! I own two 7 string Bodens, one of them has True temperament frets and an 8 string with True Temperament frets. Best guitars I have ever played. too bad they don't do custom orders anymore. I have honestly thought about getting a Keisel several times but ultimately keep finding out stuff I don't like. Both Strandberg and Keisel are making decisions today to save A LOT of money like your video. Only thing that makes sense... Even Strandberg dropped really nice "Handy" features on most of their guitars. 1-no more roasted necks, 2-No more real fretboards, 3-No more real tops, 4-No more neck-thru, like they make some but very limited. I'm guessing it cost a lot more to have it like the True Temperament frets. But not the jack situation you are talking about.. a lot cheaper. Greed is taking over the world. Thanks for the video.
I decided to NEVER BYU A Keisel guitar after watching Jeff Kiesel's video telling customers that don't get what they ordered to MAN UP, IF YOU DON'T LIKE YOUR GUITAR SEND IT BACK AND TAKE THE RESTOCK FEE!! WOW!!! The reason he made the video was a customer ordered a roasted maple guitar neck and they didn't give him a roasted maple neck. The customer already had 10 Keisles. This hatred for customers that don't get what they ordered is nothing new. I ordered a Carvin back in the 90s and got a card in the mail it was done and to call. When I called they told me it was a different color and I should take it otherwise I'd be put at the bottom of the list for what I ordered. I said what if I just cancel and was told they'd keep my deposit. I decided to wait and it took 2 more months to get it. They punish their customers if you don't play their game. What a bunch of rats. I talked to many music stores and they are all well aware of Jeff Keisel hating their customers.
He’s more than a little thin skinned and reminds me of the man-baby response from Rob Chapman toward the KDH channel for criticism. I think Rob regretted his heavy handed response to KDH where Rob’s subscribers brutally attacked KDH. I think they buried the hatchet. Hopefully Jeff will man-up and recognize that criticism can make your company and products stronger…
I laid down $4,000 for a Kiesel and deeply regret it. I bought a Carvin and loved it. When I ordered the Kiesel they swore up and down that their necks were the exact same design as that of the original Carvin. They lied. It was a drastically different neck, thicker and with strange proprtions, like a D-shaped Wolfgang design. The fretboard edges were also left razor sharp. They also left out a finish option that I had ordered. I went to pick it up at the factory outlet and didn't even take it home. I asked that they redo the neck down to their Slim design and that I would pay for it. They agreed that they had screwed up on the finish, so agreed that they would strip and refinish the guitar, but would not address the neck. I tried and tried and eventually spoke to this guy Stone who was the director of something or other. He told me that yes, it was possible to redo the neck while doing the refinish, but he had spoken to Jeff and they weren't going to spend time on it, instead needing to move on with other guitars. And because I had ordered the guitar with a custom wood for the top, it was not returnable. To anyone who thinks that after 40 years of guitar playing that I must be imagining a profound differences in neck shape, I used a contour gauge to measure the original Carvin vs. the Kiesel and they were nothing alike. I eventually sanded down the fretboard, screwing up the fretboard finish in the process, and spent hours shaving the Kiesel neck down to the shape of the Carvin, but I'm still bitter about even having it. If I ever gig with this thing, I'll cover the Kiesel logo out of embarassment for having fallen for their bs. I had plans to buy a bunch of other Kiesels, but there's no way I'm giving these scumbags more money. F U Jeff.
Oh man, that's just awful. I am really sorry this happened to you. I think that making guitars with Option 50 dpecs non-returnable is total bs, if something is wrong with the build quality. My DC600 had the new body shape without being told so, and on the website, they kept showing the original shape for months, if not longer. Crazy!
I was considering buying a kiesel. Thank you for this information. I find more and more examples of such behavior. Im happy to boycott that brand because music has no space for ego and especially no space that i have to feed inconsiderate human beings.
I don't think I've ever played a "bad" Ibanez, one that maybe needed some TLC on the fretwork and setup, some specs not exactly to my liking, new DiMarzios, etc but always gave me some kind of tone and vibe that I could enjoy.
I am seriously considering putting in an order for a Kiesel A2 very soon.. and I'm really looking forward to that.. but from what you're saying (and not hearing their side of the story) I would agree with you: they could have privately and tactfully given you notice that you might get banned from the FB group if you continue to make a scene.. that way you could decide your next move.
Exactly. And I had written a DM to Jeff Kiesel beforehand, which he ignored, even though he had responded to my previous DMs. Hope you will love yours, mate. Cheers.
Hey Alienadin; Yes the dual output from piezo guitar removed is one stupid & pointless thing. It makes getting a piezo really inconvenient. I have been considering it but its totally not an option. I've watched your Kiesel receivings for years and it was a delight to see your passion and detailed breakdown of sound function etc. I do recall the piezo demos you did and loved them. Your taste in guitars is impeccable too - they are so nicely designed/visualised! Regarding why Jeff banned you - I dont know the details but perhaps you added some pressure that he wasnt able to deal with at the time. He has had his times when hes lost the plot a bit - even he has admitted that - and acted unreasonable to people. But then again getting 100s of tire kickers (not at all you) asking questions must be qa challenge. But he does get a tad arrogant at dealing with problem people. Again Im not adding you to that list - youve been a great exponent for Kiesel - in fact following your reviews I went ahead with my first Vader - and it really is the best and prettiest guitar Ive ever played! So thnx for your reviews & passion! Given your love of these great guitar and your own reviews and of course playing I would be inclined to approach Jeff again if possible and let the past go. This assumes he is willing - which I dont know - he can be stubborn but Im sure you have many Kiesel owners agreeing with you! He should also grow up a bit and considering your customership & promotion of Kiesel should be grateful and at least have a conversation with you. But in such a case SOMEONE has to let it go and stop holding a grudge and get over the emotional and ego based pain they suffered. I dont know if hes willing to do that - but because I have admired your output playing and taste in building great guitars Id suggest that more mature person be yourself! Principles are nothing - an illusion of the Mind and serve no one. You can out grow that and transcend it. Youve done a good job for Kiesel - who have made some bloody annoying decisions about builds in the past - and if Jeff cant see fit to let the past go then let him fester - hes the one to suffer but dont let his issues stop you from being you whatever that involves. Take care, good luck with it Ivon in Malaysia
Dude, you’re 100 percent right. I hope things are going better for you. Seen Jeff’s behaviour in a video before. Comes across as an arrogant asshole. Always wanted the blue Jason Becker model and the VINNIE VINCENT V guitar I don’t know the exact name of the model it’s like the two v’s. Really nice looking guitar. But thanks for your insight. Highly doubt I’ll ever give him business
Sometimes you have to take NO for an answer. Your conflict was self initiated. You were disappointed that Kiesel stopped offering a dual stereo output jack. You didn't accept his reasons so you kept pushing the issue and were banned for being obnoxious. In the meantime, if you did some serious self-reflection, you might consider that there are very few custom builders that would allow you to provide your own veneer top. Jeff Kiesel has got to be one of the greatest builders of all time. His guitars are incredible works of art, and his is constantly innovating and adding new designs and artist series. The guy is competing against the largest names in the industry like Fender, Gibson, Epiphone, Schecter, Ibanez, and continues to produce superior, innovative designs, while delivering one-of-a kind custom hand finished guitars that blow away Fender and Gibson custom shop guitars that sell for many times the price. Give yourself a break. Apologize to Jeff ... and order another guitar. Personally, I have issues with the lack of gloss finish on bolt on necks and cannot understand why the option is not available when it is most common on all bolt neck guitars like strats and teles. So what am I going to do ? Go on line and bash Jeff ?!?
To be fare we need to see what you posted during the live feed. Everyone is taking your word you weren’t being a tool during the chat. I own 7 kiesels and love each one. Never had one problem with their customer service.
I am glad you didn't have any problems. Actually, I don't think I even got to posting during the live feed, and I had already written a personal message to Jeff about it.
I am pretty sure I was polite and voiced my opinion about it, saying that we should speak out about it together, so we can convince him to change his mind about it, and he didn't like that one bit. @@SackamanjaroX
I play prs and Caparison guitars. The tone is superb. Fat and crunchy and loud. Say something about the playability and tone of kiesel guitars you have.
They use the cheapest electronics aswell. Theres no sweep in the volume pot either, if you ever used a silver sky before, u know what im talking about, you get the whole sweep with the volume and tone. U turn down to 5 you still have good sound with plenty of treble still. I have 30 guitar, 2 of them do it and there both prs guitars. Them alpha pots keisel use are ok for imports but for american guitars come on. I put vintage taper cts pots in all my guitars. Thats messed up they did that to you. Paul reed smith wont do that to you.
I've never personally been thrilled about Kiesel guitars. Their website has always felt a bit frustrating, and the ones I've played have been underwhelming. However, some of my favorite guitars I've ever played were Carvin guitars. The best acoustic I ever played was a Carvin (that one ended up getting stolen, sadly), and the electrics I found for several years were among the smoothest-playing instruments I'd touched. Sadly, now I've played a couple Carvins that weren't as good, but I still like the idea that there might be some old Carvin somewhere that might be just perfect for me. I've never really felt that way about Kiesel though, and I don't really know why. They certainly look pretty cool, but otherwise I just haven't ever been hooked in. I guess that has very little to do with the video, but whatever. I just felt like saying something.
I do not have any first hand knowledge about this issue. Everything I am saying is purely speculative. What could be happening is Jeff may have gotten involved in a sweetheart deal with a parts distributor or manufacturer. It could be that whoever is providing them now does not offer the dual output version and Jeff can not be transparent about the situation because he would by default be admitting that he got involved in a deal that only benefits himself and the company but not the customer. Kiesel/Carvin historically have blurred the line between a boutique brand and a corporate brand. However, a move like the one you're talking about seems to be more towards the corporate side of business. Since we're on the subject, this reminds me of something from Ibanez's history. All throughout the shredder years of the late 80s and the 90s, Ibanez guitars were equipped with Dimarzio pickups. The cheaper models got some generic Ibanez branded pickup but the pro model guitars were all Dimarzio. It wasn't until the 2000s or 2010s that they started offering EMG, Duncan, or whatever else in their guitars. It was possible that Ibanez had an exclusive contract with Dimarzio but never wanted to promote it. The good news is, there's plenty of guitar builders out there. There's no need to spend your money on a company that wants to silence you. It was good of you to make this video.
Maybe I got lucky. About 2 years ago I bought a "Les Paul" style guitar, exactly what I wanted. Kiesel has some "Special" options I NEED, like thin oiled necks, great ebony fretboard, and the Hipstot Tremelo.. I am sorry you have had "Bad luck:. I see your problem. 10 days and maybe you can return it.-This can be devestating.-Best of luck.
Someone once described Jeff as being the human embodiment of an Affliction t-shirt. 😂
LOL
That’s spot on.
Jeff look's like a meth dealer !!
That's the only thing I needed to know to steer clear of them!
spot on
In a time when we have numerous high-quality guitar choices in all budget ranges, customer service and simple courtesy can help tip the scales when making purchase decisions. Thanks for sharing your story.
" No soup for you!"
Absolutely. Went to Sweetwater Gearfest when it was still in person and got to talk directly with people from many manufacturers and they were all great, including Paul Reed Smith himself. No reason for that kind of treatment of folks who are just asking a simple question as to why something's being phased out.
I found a couple luthiers in my local area that produce quality at a similar if not more competitive price... And they're hungy. I mean they are growing, need the business and truely appreciate it... my advice to anyone would be to check out your local market and support them. You never know what's out there. You can come across some really nice people building great products.
I had owned and played Carvin and Kiesel guitars for over 25 years. I had ordered all of them directly from Carvin. About 3 years ago I was going to order a new one and when I called them they were extremely rude to me on the phone. I had also experienced very bad customer service previously in the past but I ignored it and let it go. However, the last time I had spoke to them I had decided I would never support them ever again for their behavior. Jeff Kiesel is a spoiled brat that inherited a great company yet has zero loyalty to the customers that made him so wealthy. Shortly after I sold off all of my Carvin and Kiesel guitars. I had been a customer for over 25 years and I was done with them.
Many of their followers act like they are in a cult and can not handle hearing anything negative at all about the company.
Yes, that's sadly true.
Pretty sure rude and obnoxious is their business model.
The last build I got was about 4-5 years ago. At that time they said 6-8 weeks build time, which is what I expected. After 10 weeks and no guitar (100% paid up-front too) I emailed them. Got a reply back from Jeff saying "STFU and deal with it". That was my 4th build, and my LAST build. Hopefully he'll learn his lesson the hard way by running his daddy's company into the ground by alienating more customers...but I doubt it.
@@guitarzFla As long as he keeps getting coverage and big TH-camrs covering him etc., and he keeps making money, it wont' change.
Something tellsme Carvin guitars are going to be worth much more compared to their Kiesel counterparts in a few years.
Jeff Kiesel is a bit immature. To say the least.
That guy Jeff has been known for his shitty attitude towards customers (because he didn't have to build a business from the ground up, his dad did) so after discovering stories like yours on TH-cam while researching Kiesel bass guitar models, I immediately dismissed an idea of buying a Kiesel bass that I was working myself up to at that point. I'm glad I heard those stories beforehand, otherwise I wouldn't have felt good about my purchase, regardless of the quality of instrument. Thank you for doing your part and speaking out. I hope you sell those guitars well and find the right brand for you.
I've owned five different Carvin instruments, but I would never buy a Kiesel. Jeff's disgusting attitude towards his customers, and a number of stories that have been related concerning the appalling customer service in the event of faults have led me to the conclusion that he's destroyed the good name of the company he inhereted and I have no confidence in the product.
I consider this video to be a worthwhile warning about a brand. It's a shame you don't want to gig or play these guitars in public anymore, but I see ethical postion you are taking. Well done, and BUYER BEWARE!
@@asimhussain8716Just prey you never choose an option 50 or have to return it.
@@asimhussain8716 bruh get ready for a not so roasted neck, if you choose the roasted neck option lol
thats one of the complaints from customers that paid almost $3k for their Kiesel.
Also the neck shape and countour is the sexy part of the guitar lol thats the comfortability, even if it looks like a million bucks but the neck is the same fat C shape it wont play like a million bucks.
on that note, if you have the money to drop on the Kiesel, drop it on a Strandberg's modern line instead. with the neck countour. $3k either way! cheers
Jeff Kiesel can't be worse than Bass Builder Kieth Roscoe.
I saw a comment thread once from a Kiesel owner (6 or 8 of them), who contacted them to inform them that the custom order that he had built with a roasted maple neck just looked like a regular maple neck, and Jeff basically said "Gee, that's too bad. Better luck next time".
Yeah, that one was well-covered.
ahhhh Roasted Maple Gate, I remember that lol
Except what really happened was far worse than that. Jeff went out of his way to blast the guy on an Instagram live stream basically calling the guy a cry baby. Jeff Kiesel is a loser.
@@user-te3qq1rb7u Yeah, it was a while ago, and I forgot how bad it really went.
@@user-te3qq1rb7u the video of him looking severely less cocky after Daddy yelled at him for that one is PRICELESS
I have 4 Carvin guitars and they are all excellent. Way more quality than the price paid. I bought a used Carvin AE185 and the electronics were faulty. I contacted Keisel and sent it back to them to get it fixed. I was dreading the bill, but they charged me $50 for replacing the whole set of electronics and then paid the shipping back! That was incredible customer service on an old Carvin guitar way past the warranty. I have nothing but great experiences with this company.
I made a video on Jeff talking about all the stuff he has done over the years. I used to be on the email list, never talked bad about kiesel on Facebook or Instagram and I was banned from both. I am not banned from the Facebook groups through, only the kiesel page. You did the right thing because getting rid of the two jack system is extremely stupid. Keep in mind i have owned 3 Carvins and ordered two right before the name change.
What did you talk about? I am curious. Thanks, mate.
@@Alienadin How Kiesel constantly ships outs guitars to customers with the wrong specs. Customers will get guitars without things they ordered. Jeff has let kiesel edition guitars that cost like 6k leave his shop with defects and then refuse to fix it when called out on it. Kiesel also used parts from a customers guitar for a NAMM guitar. They also didnt dry their wood out enough and a Beatle came out of the guitar body.
@@LucasLeCompteMusic A "Beatle"came out of the guitar body? Was it Paul or Ringo? There are only two of them left now that George and John are dead. I think you mean BEETLE - the bug not the music group.
@@solarismoon3046 It was Ringo who came out of the guitar body. First thing he said when he came out was "Oi"
@@solarismoon3046haha they would be so lucky to get a beatle out of their guitar …
You just saved me from making a mistake. Ty.
Unreal that they blew up over such a trivial matter, there are so many amazing Luthiers with their own CNC router set up in personal shops makes me wonder why there was such a foolish reaction from them. I was considering contacting Kiesel over a custom build, but thanks to your video I'm reconsidering. Thanks for sharing your experience.
Indeed. Thx, bro.
I think you might want to check other opinions on Kiesel and not just take one clearly unpleasant situation as the truth on this. This did happened a while ago if memory serves. It blew up for a reason...mostly because...well the way the internet can be,
I definitely 2nd that you should still consider buying one, insanely good guitars and you shouldn't take too much stock in how a company moderates their social media imo. They're a big company, they make thousands of custom guitars every year so it really doesn't surprise me that they would ban someone who's exceptionally vocal about something, that's just how moderation works tbh. And like seriously you cannot buy a guitar this well made for the price they have a decent advantage over anyone that sells through retailers and they've been doing this for a long time and have the scaling and overall pipeline to beat out other custom shops. Unfortunately this comes with things like losing double output, which can obviously be a deal breaker for some.
@@KevinDean-qx5jt same honestly. I think they create awesome guitars and have a lot of options, but I would rather go for Balaguer if I grab a custom model. I think a lot of Kiesel's models (minus standard strats and teles) are pretty ugly. I think there are better people out there to support other than them. Also, TW Smith makes some bomb ass custom guitars that are exceptionally well crafted.
When I was a kid in high school, 78-83, I would go through the Carvin catalog with a fine tooth comb dreaming about what guitar I would order when I was financially able. In 1985 I was able to order a DC100. Shortly after that, I ordered the components to convert the guitar to a DC150. A few years later, I wanted to buy the semi hollow body 12 string that Roy Clark was playing in the Carvin catalog. Carvin said that it wasn't available. So, I bought a Hamer Chaparral Custom. It's a shame that Hamer is gone. Carvin was once a great guitar company, but they became Kiesel and lost touch with what the average guitar wants. Kiesel is no longer an affordable option for many, and their customer service stinks. Fortunately, Kiesel is not the only guitar manufacturer in the game.
Yeah, it's kind of funny, that their whole thing was they were saving you so much money by being direct, but that's not really the case anymore. Almost anything from the default choices on their website gets an uncharge.
Wow. A Hamer Chaparral Custom. Great choice
When I moved to San Diego back in 2000, the Carvin happened to be located right down the street from my apartment. I didn't know much about the brand other than seeing the name in magazines etc. Regardless, I was excited to have a guitar factory and shop in neighborhood. When I finally went in there one Saturday, I remember being sorely disappointed. The staff was cold and unwelcoming and the shop itself was pretty unimpressive. One and done.
Jeff doesn't take criticism very well. I have reached out a few times to get something custom made, and without any reason was told no, we can't do that. My response was, aren't you a custom shop? So anytime I think of buying one, I go to Reverb and see how many are being sold used, and that makes me think, do I really want one of these? Then I look at my collection and tell myself, no.
I'm really sorry you had a bad experience with them. I've got 14 of them since 2019 and all have went great and they were great to work with. Although I didn't have any issues thankfully. I did need a new 5 way switch which they overnighted to me at no charge cuz it was under Warranty. Jeff has always been really great to me but I have heard it's not always the case for everyone so I'm truly sorry you had such a bad experience.
I am glad everything has been smooth sailing for you. Thanks, mate.
14?! I hope you’ve figured out a way to make those expenses tax write offs.
Probably because you spent a lot in just a couple of years. I think Jeff doesn't want to hear form people who have Carvin branded guitars.
So he sent you a switch to rewire yourself? Sure hope that wasn’t for a new guitar.
Yeah but bro why would you still deal with a man that picks and chooses who he's going to treat like shit a customer is a customer is a customer, fucking period.
Getting banned over asking questions of a product, that you are a return buyer of, and spending multiple thousands of dollars is very telling i have to say.
Jeff is singlehandedly destroying Kiesel's name. Ironically, it is his own name, but that doesn't seem to matter to him. His temper controls his decision-making, and that's a terrible way to run a company.
If I were you, I'd sell my Kiesels and never mention the name in videos ever again. Share your story in other ways, but don't give them the attention of a video.
This video isn't helping Kiesel at all.
@@voronOsphere true so maybe not singlehandedly. But at the same time, had Jeff not decided to ban him this video wouldn't have been have.
Thank you for this video. If that's the 'thin' neck profile I don't think I'll go through with my Kiesel build. Looks very chunky.
It's certainly a far cry from a Super Wizard Ibanez neck, but still comfy, although I prefer their thinner neck option. I should learn how to measure it to finally have proof that it's chunkier than the other one.
Its thin but not wizard thin, Kiesel can only go so thin because they have the 2 carbon fiber rods in the necks.
Jeff Turned Carvin into a “headless shitshow”. It was unfair to you. You being banned. I have owned many Carvin guitars and was excited about them from the first DC 100. I had a DC150, DC 135 koa and more. I was contemplating another SH550. But the company turned into “Jeff Kiesel Tinker time”. I’m with you. I will never associate the great CARVIN guitars I’ve owned with the disappointment the company has become.
Sincerely,
William
Thank you for sharing your experience. I believe that any manufacturer that offers “custom products (i.e. guitars)” has a responsibility to listen to the feedback from their customers so that they (manufacturers) can meet their customers needs. The way that your situation was handled is unacceptable, especially considering that you had purchased multiple guitars from Kiesel. I know that Kiesel stating that they would no longer offer the dual output option could be rectified as an aftermarket modification, but isn’t that the point of buying a “custom guitar” in the first place… built to the customer’s needs?
I had been considering a Kiesel custom build, but after watching your video, as well as searching for more videos afterwards, I have decided to look for another builder.
Thanks again for sharing your experience.
danalopresto-- I have to agree with you. Ive custom built parts for decades and have always listened to others input, good or bad. Why produce something and not want to hear feedback. Some people dont really care I guess.
Is there any transcript of what you actually said during the live q&a? I feel like we are missing out on a critical point in this whole story.
A guitar can only get better when the builder listens to the players. I own a Carvin (before the split) and I like it, but based on your ecperience, I won't be buying any more. Well said!
That's great. Congrats.
So if some tells you something is good then you will buy it. How about thinking for yourself. You just said you have had good experiences with carvin.
@@palehorsenameddeath7731 Why buy something that it's going to be a concern about when there are so many others who welcome their customers.
I remember a few years ago Jeff going off on a live stream because someone complained about a roasted maple neck he had gotten. Like I get things like that are frustrating, but the neck looked like they roasted it for 10 seconds. Compared to your average roasted maple, it was unacceptable, especially for a custom shop guitar. The guy he went off on had owned several keisels and carvins. It’s very disappointing to see Jeff hasn’t changed much. It turned me off towards the brand.
I think that's the story KDH covered, and eventually got the customer what he wanted, and Jeff to apologise.
Yeah, I remember seeing that post. I have a Carvin 7 string. One of my favorites! I got a Vader7 and the guitar feels great.
But I remember seeing that Facebook post about the roasted maple. Wood can be unpredictable so I understand Jeff’s argument there. But the guy paid for roasted maple, and yes it was “technically” roasted. But that’s not what the customer wanted.
I found it crazy he did a live stream and basically told the guy you get what you get.
With their prices going up and up. Hell yeah we’re gonna be picky. Personally it wouldn’t bother me if it was just a production model under 1k. But when you’re talking about 2k guitar and to someone’s specs? I don’t know, that’s not a good way to handle your customer by blasting them on a live stream.
I remember this! Jeff was a real dick to the guy!
I know the exact video you are talking about. In fact, I made a comment about it. I've been turned off by them since.
@@Alienadinthat was forced and not sincere. I'll never buy one of his guitars.
After your previous video from last June, it's good to see that you're (as Johnny Winter used to sing) "Still alive and well."
Thanks, mate. Just been busy making my 2nd album and work.
Good to know! I personally haven’t seen a kiesel guitar. Totally can understand your frustration with the company. I personally wouldn’t deal with a supplier who deals with customers in such a manner.
I'd been a life long Carvin fanatic. I bought a Carvin amp in 1975 when I was in high school and we moved the country side with the volume that thing could produce. It came with their catalog and I dreamed of a day I'd own one of their guitars. This spring, I traveled 1100 miles to their neck of the woods for a vacation and drove up to visit. The receptionist was nice, but firm to their policy that nobody gets inside without an appointment. My bad for thinking that a showroom meant a showroom. After nearly 50 years and a cross country journey, all I got shown was the door. I WAS ready to drop change on a Kiesel guitar, but swore that day to not waste a dime on one.
Underrated amps for sure, I bought a Nomad 50 head that I still use.
Wow, just did a virtual build for over $4k and decided to check some reviews before I spent that kind of money. Thanks for letting us know what happens to you if you’re unhappy with their product. Most builders try to win customers over, but I suppose banning them is a way to go as well.
What Kiesel need to understand (and I doubt if they ever will) is: the customer is always right, even when he's wrong. Jeff's ego issues are staining the Kiesel image. Anyone noticed that he's always speaking in the first person? 'Call my guys'...as if he owns them. It's never 'we'. That's a marketing 101 beginners mistake.
Yeah, I am pretty sure he is a classic narcissist, so he is never going to change.
The customer is not always right. The RIGHT customer is always right ..
Even if Alienadin was treated unfairly. That's still a silly version of the quote. The quote I typically follow is "The customer is always right in matters of taste."
@@Danger0use I don't want to sound like Jordan Peterson, but the quote is actually designed to counter the thought process you offer. In your version there is someone judging the 'taste'...that someone would be you. So if the customer was acting out of your 'taste' -zone, you would consider him being wrong. And that is exactly what the quote is for: even if you think (according to your taste) the he is wrong, you should still consider him being right. And respond to him accordingly. It's difficult, and I'm sure it's impossible for some people; But that is the true meaning of being customer focused.
well, he is good at Marketing..... but he is full of Ego
I got into gear a while back. Being a musician isn't about gear. It's about being an artist. If you're a guitar build artist okay then. I have guitars for playing not looking at or expecting more of the finish or figuring in the wood. Nothing is ever going to be good enough if only the absolute best will do. The first problem is buying a guitar custom made that you can't play or look at before it's finished. Second problem is you have an idea in your head and reality will never meet that idea head-on. I have a Carvin S Kit that I built myself. I knew Jeff from when he was a teenager working in the lobby of the Carvin retail store in San Diego. I purchased a neck from him back in the early 90s. fast forward 15 years I decided to finally get that Carvin kit I always wanted. When I received the neck it was a little irregular. It was birdseye maple fingerboard but it had a big brown spot on the 1st fret so the aesthetic was ruined so my neck was basically a reject from the custom shop. I decided not to complain about the brown spot and went ahead with the build. I began assembling the neck and the Floyd nut didn't fit. I decided to file a little and fixed the problem. then when I was mounting the tuners I discovered the headstock was much thinner than the tuners would allow. The tuner nut that goes around the peg had a certain depth it has to be so it will tighten up correctly. The nut would bottom out and you couldn't tighten up the tuners all the way. I was pretty disappointed at this point and decided to call Kiesel. Initially I got the guy in the shop that built the neck. He was a total dick and really didn't do customer service just dick. I ended up on the phone with Jeff. He was kind of friendly at first but he was all business. He wanted to make what little margin on this guitar he wasn't going to fix anything. He ripped me of and he was done. I sent the neck back and they started all over with me. They said I sanded the headstock which I never did I filed the nut a tiny bit and they didn't say anything about it. So the guy in the shop fixes the headstock by putting a veneer on it to correct the thickness. He calls me up and he wants to charge me $100 to fix the neck because they say I sanded it. I tell him I'm not paying for his fuckup and whithout telling me he was gong to "fix" it and charge me. So he sanded the veneer of and he sent the neck back exactly as it was. I sanded down the tuners and fixed the issue. It's one of my favorite guitars and sounds amazing. It stays in tune better than anything else I have. After that experience I'll never buy another Kiesel/Carvin.
Wow! What a nightmare! I would have been so pissed. Glad you enjoy it though.
Unfortunately I'm not surprised by this story. I play Carvin guitars but I won't buy a Kiesel. When they announced the change of name (from Carvin), I commented on their TH-cam channel that it was unwise to give up 50 years of brand name equity. They stated that I "obviously didn't watch the video" and that the Carvin name was sticking around. I thought it was a strange response/attitude to a long term loyal customer who was making a suggestion. It seems they got rid of the Carvin name. It's their company and their name but I don't have to buy from them. Music Man and PRS are producing some top notch stuff. I'm flexible.
I got a custom "Kiesel" guitar the last year they were still naming them "Carvin" apparently, got lucky I guess? Was about early 2015
You do know that Kiesel is Carvin right? Leo Kiesel founded Carvin, but due to legal issues could not name the company Kiesel, so he named it Carvin. Now many years later, assuming no legal issues with the brand name, they were able to change it to the original intended name Kiesel. It's one in the same! Yep, PRS, or Music Man are great options if you have the $$.......
I have several of both and can confidently say Kiesel's are 4-5x higher quality than a PRS. PRS makes nice guitars but they are grossly overpriced for the quality. @@jeffdobson2909
It's not the nicest response, but it is apparent you didn't watch the video. Carvin wanted to stop making guitars, so Mark Kiesel (who ran the guitar department) started Kiesel as a new company with his son Jeff. Carvin still exists, but only makes audio equipment.
I did watch the video, and both you and Kiesel missed my point, so I guess I didn't articulate it adequately. The Carvin name is now completely off guitars. I think this is unwise as very few know who Kiesel is, and there is a long history with the Carvin name (both guitar and audio) Giving up 50 years of brand name equity is as stupid as their snooty response. Carvin Audio is a pathetic shadow of the former company that used to have artists like Steve Vai, Steve Morse etc. endorsing their awesome line of amps, power amps, mixing boards, PA speakers etc. That's ok, I'm totally happy with Music Man. @@ShpongleSquirrel
I just bought a kiesel with an accoustic saddle on April, and it arrived last month. I'm happy with my purchase and also very happy to say that they didn't follow through with the decision to move away from the dual output to a single output as my guitar has both the combined and the secondary output.
@@DarkCrow02 That's great to hear. Perhaps the backlash had something to do with it? I hope so.
Enjoy. It's an awesome feature. 🥳
I thoughts about buying a Kiesel Guitar dor my 40th birthday. I heart about their bad handling of customers as well as some builds not being up to Standard and people paying for something they dis not get in the end.
Thus I decided to invest my money in a german Company and ordered from Siggi Braun. They were so nice and friendly. Siggi, the owner took time and we hat a phone call which lasted 2 hours where qe just got to know each other so he could determine what I like, what music I was going to play, which artists inspired me and so forth.
It goes without saying that the guutarvthat arrived 6 months later was a piece of art, not just an instrument.
So if you are in the market for another custom shop guitar, definitely check out Siggi Brown, fine young guitars.
Merry Christmas to you all! 🎄 🎉
I bought my first Carvin guitar in the 90s, a DC400 anniversary model. After that I got 3 more, a Bolt, a Vader, and the Allan Holdsworth model. All guitars are lefties and are well made. I do have issues with the company in recent years.
I emailed them a couple years back because I had an issue with the electronics in my DC400. The reply I received was "we dont have that anymore", which I can accept but at least suggest some possible fixes or alternatives.
Quality Control. The Holdsworth guitar was wired righty, so the tone knob functions more like a on/off switch. Before sending out a gutar, it should be plugged in and the controls should be checked to work properly. I know how to solder up guitars, but at that price range, its a bit of a pain to have to fix mistakes.
Pricing. They jacked up the prices substantially, especially for "options". The base list price is a little deceiving - by the time you put similar options, you are not a lot below Suhr/Anderson guitars.
They advertise themself as a custom guitar company, but in reality they are closer to mass production.
They do make quality guitars though, but I will not be buying one anymore either. I would pay more and get a Anderson - the customer experience and support is night and day really.
I have heard some things about the way they handle their customers I have been looking at their builds but haven't decided to buy I am a Jackson player, I do think after listening to your comments that they really treated you wrong. It's BS to not listen or even offer the dual jack with custom builds it seems it would be a great money maker for a builder, I hope you find a better builder for your custom stuff I have watched you play VERY NICE ON POINT!!!!! good luck
Thanks a lot, mate. Yeah, I really love Ibanez. Maybe I will get a Suhr Modern someday, if I can ever afford one, or a J.Custom, since I love the Edge/Edge Lo-Pro floating tremolo units. Apparently, Jeff Kiesel causes issues with customers quite frequently from what I have been reading here. It's a shame, as Jason Becker, Greg Howe, Frank Gambale, and other awesome guitarists have signature guitars with them.
That's unfortunate Alien. I saw you on the carvin forum years ago.
I have two Carvins and four Kiesels and have been treated fairly in all instances and they even went overboard for me a couple times. All of my builds have been fine. Fretwork on these guitars is exceptional, and that alone makes them stand out above anything else that I have played. But I do empathize with your situation.
Thanks, mate. I appreciate it.
🚩💔 You said to give you our experience and comments. Thank you for sharing your story with us. The only thing that comes to mind when hearing what happened to you is that this sounds not just unprofessional, almost childlike on the part of Jeff Kiesel.
This is truly amazing that there has been what appears to be a full 10 years of incremental public discussion and repeated voicings of disappointment with Kiesel.
I still remember back in the very late 80s, one of my classmates in junior high school brought a Carvin brochure to school. I looked at what was like a small magazine on Carvin guitars for what felt like hours. Very impressive craftsmanship and fell in love with the brand and especially with the whole "Custom Options" thing available to the public.
Then Warrant came out with the video for "Cherry Pie" and thought Carvin was the hottest thing since sliced bread.
I went to the Carvin stores in Hollywood, Santa Ana, and the factory showroom in Escondido several times spread out over 15 years. Up until 2004/2005, when you would go into one of the stores and pull the guitars and basses off the wall, the quality and playability were A Lister like, exceptionally well-made instruments. "I have to have this guitar because it is so good." These were true masterpieces.
At some point, though, something changed with the company... and I am NOT trying to be disrespectful to the company or the CEO/Owner Jeff with what I am about to say here. My understanding is Jeff's dad, the guy who really built the company into what we know of it, gave the company or at least the CEO level of authority to his son Jeff. This was the turing point.
I can still remember the day when my interest in Carvin died. One of their employees at the Hollywood store said to me ten years ago or so > "Don't bring us any wackky a** ideas for your custom order. Our CNC machines are too difficult to reprogram." That was it. I was done.
IMHO, building/maintaining a company and being GIVEN/maintaining a company are light years apart in HOW the A to Z's a company continues... and in ALL aspects. Too much to elaborate on.
I will say this though, it is my educated guess that Jeff does not know how to maintain and harmonize the A to Z's of that company the same way his dad did who built it.
Personally... and I am not trying to be mean or slander the Carvin/Kiesel brand or Jeff, but it appears tht Jeff has been consistently cutting corners to avoid the mental and physical work involved as well as financial/time aspects involved to constantly have to make efforts to maintain the way it was before.
Jeff has been given quite the gift here, and his personality APPEARS to not want to do anything extra required to balance Quality and Quantity.
Now quantity APPEARS to have been made the priority, not quality and not quality in every aspect of the business like his dad did... including interactions with the paying customers.
When I hear or see Jeff talk, just IMHO, there is this vibe with him that he just does not want to do anything that is not going to rake the cash in. All of this cavalier attitude infects every single aspect of the machine.
There are way more grievances with this company and with photos of defects that truly boggle the mind when so many people have paid big dollars for "custom instruments." It sounds like people have to tip toe around this Jeff character and hope to God he is not offended and fixes whatever the problem happens to be with any given order. My prediction is he will eventually sell the company for big dollars and retire early.
Well said but stop apologizing for your VALID opinions, those apologies just cheapen what you are saying. You are worthy of an opinion... own it!
@@Pete1980ification Hi Pete and thank you for that. You are correct. I do this because here in Los Angeles, everybody is so sensitive and then hold grudges for long periods of time that people are I suspect are conditioned to apologize over and over again so others don't back stab you later. Very difficult to tip toe around this. Thanks for the support though.
@@chasing_dragons that sounds exhausting.
I remember carvin guitars and amps in the 80s they made good stuff ,I knew people that owned their stuff.i never have owned anything kiesel or carvin.i have guitars from multiple manufacturers,Jackson,fender,EVH,Kramer,schecter,dean, Ibanez,charvel Gibson,etc.i don't feel like im missing anything.
Many many good guitars out there .I don't think I would let it bother me.
I bought a Carvin DC125 w/extra pickup at the Hollywood store in late 1988. Paid $535 for it out the door and waited 4 weeks for it to be built. After it arrived at the store for me to pick up, I saw they put a Kahler flip-type locking device on it at the factory. It had a Schaller fixed bridge with no fine tuners. I said " you gotta be kidding with this", and they told me "we'll give you your money back, but you will never be able to purchase a Carvin guitar at the Hollywood store again". I sat in the store playing the guitar for about 10 minutes, and liked it so much, I told them I was gonna keep it. I went to the hardware store and bought these tiny little screwdrivers, and very carefully removed the locking device and truss rod cover. I still have that guitar today, and it's still exactly the same as it was after in '88. The locking device and trussrod cover are still in the plastic bag in the case compartment where I put them 36 years ago. The thing is this: I ended up never buying anything from Carvin again after their little diatribe about banning me from the Hollywood store, and never needed to. I still have my '84 X60 amp and my '88 DC. I would never get rid of them. My message to you is: keep the guitars if you like them. Just never buy anything else from them. Don't blame the guitar for the knuckle-draggers who run the company, and know that they have been miserable people even as far back as 1988.
I’ve got an Aries from their special 2021 run and it’s the best guitar I own, but i don’t think I’ll ever order another one. My confidence in the brand has collapsed. I’d rather pay more to a luthier or other shop and be guaranteed a flawless guitar
Well on a related note, someone on a guitar forum I have been a member of for decades, came to the same conclusion as you. She gave a special gift for her husband-his dream guitar, which was a Kiesel build. They opened the box together and her anticipation at seeing the look on his face turned to horror. They sent the wrong guitar. Thereupon started a game of 'how much stress can you take', with the shop refusing to send their guitar until the one they sent mistakenly was returned. As far as I know, the situation still has not been resolved.
Oh no! That sounds like an absolute nightmare. So sorry for them. Hope they can get things sorted out.
@@Alienadin I'm sure they are thankful for that, thanks. A few people pointed out that it wasn't necessarily Keisel's fault, they can't keep up with every single thing that goes on with their guitars after they are distributed.. But that is still pretty outrageous customer treatment, with their name connected to it
@@Skipsoundswrong they self distribute!!
Great video, people in the wider guitar community, have to know the truth!
I agree with you 100% Also, I have to say the Ibanez RG565 in the wall case is awesome. I have one I bought new back in 92. It's one of the best guitars I've ever played. That guitar can pull off almost any tone.
Sorry to hear bout your bad experience with kiesel i remember i had an issue with my build sent it back and they took care of it with no issues. But this was before they had the vitual builder
Thanks, and I think it's great that they took care of it for you. That's terrific.
Doesn't make sense. Its a custom guitar shop. Offer the dual output option and calculate a price that makes it worth while to implement.
I guess they don't care about returning business. There are many custom guitar manufacturers in the world, sounds like you can move on from this and find another that sparks your passion again. And sell the reminders.
I'm sorry you had a bad experience. I own several Kiesels and I have been delighted with them. I've had great interactions with sales, and the one support call I had to make went well. I have seen a number of examples over the last decade where Jeff, or others at the company, did someone wrong. I don't think what you did deserved an outright ban without a discussion. I recall a similar incident and Jeff took a lot of heat from the community. He apologized and, as far as I could tell, his attitude seemed to improve. It's too bad the company, and Jeff, work at cross purposes with their company's interests. Your comment about his passion is spot on and I think sometimes he lets it get the best of him.
I don't think what you did was at all ban worthy. Having 2 outputs for that setup is 100% ideal. Honestly it's his/their loss. Just go and get Warmoth necks and bodies and have your local tech put it all together (or you) and you will get exactly what you want and it will be about what your paying for from Kiesel (minus maybe the wild paint jobs) . It's the route I have been taking and I am getting better guitars than I was getting from Suhr and 2 to 3k cheaper. Going the Warmoth way (or other body/neck companies) is you can then literally outfit the guitar with the EXACT components YOU want vs what they will allow you to pick from their list of options. Lately for me it's been Warmoth or I buy a $700 to $1200 Schecter (really like their products) and put the electronics in it I like and it's been awesome. You don't need Kiesel at all but it's truly very dumb of them to ban you over something like that. I 100% agree that a message asking you to talk direct would of been the best thing to do, at least to start and have a dialog.
The issue with Kiesel now is that their prices are basically comparable to other custom shops, so their whole marketing strategy of “Custom shop guitars for a fraction of the price” doesn’t hold as much weight. Now, plenty of builders have caught up with them who don’t have nearly as tarnished of a public image.
I purchased an Aries 7 back in 2016, for roughly 1700 said and done. It’s a great guitar, I love it, and I’ll probably never sell it. But it wasn’t perfect from the factory. Wiring was super messy, with tones of bare wires. There was glue on the fretboard. And still to this day, it has the most fret sprout out of any of my guitars, including the cheap imports. At the price I got it at these issues are inexcusable, especially since the same build would be over 1000 more today. Especially for a company touting their made-in-USA quality. Not to mention the quality of builds can differ greatly, something I’ve noticed when visiting their NAMM booth over the years.
I’m sorry you had these issues with the customer support. Plenty of Kiesel fans will come to their defense saying they’ve received perfect guitars with excellent customer service, and I don’t doubt that. I also don’t doubt the people who’ve had differing experiences. It’s subjective to say whether their instruments are “worth it”, as we can rationalize either way. But id rather put my time and money towards a builder that I will be 110% positive will deliver a flawless product with excellent customer service.
What a shame. The worse part is a passionate Kiesel customer will never quite feel the same way about the brand for simply critiquing a friggin jack out put. Ridiculous! I have 3 Carvins and they were all exceptional with great customer service.
I loved Carvin guitars so friggin much, I think that I've only purchased one guitar since the name changed...
I almost bought one but their customer service was full of jerk offs! Many other people had the same issues.
I've been very fortunate to have an amazing experience with them. I have ordered 2 custom basses through them and they turned out perfect. Amazing customer service. I have also bought a few models off of Reverb at stellar quality for an amazing price. Its unfortunate this happened and seemed like a few years ago he def made some business mistakes with how he acted but seems like things have been going much better especially since the roasted maple incident.
I am glad you have had nothing but great experiences with them.
What was the roasted maple incident?
I put together a custom build a few days ago (cost $3,500) and just came across your video. Definitely not ordering it now. Guess PRS it is.. sorry they did you this way man!
I had poor experience with kiesel customer service and the guitar. I don’t think they are worth it anymore
Sad to hear it. What happened?
they sent out a guitar to me with the pickup set right on the strings. when I had called and complained the guitar sounded bad they said to adjust the height of the pickups and roll off the tone. why would they even send it out the door like that? its like gm sending out a truck with four flat tires and telling the customers to air them up. they were extremely rude on the phone and then the charged me for gig bag when I returned the guitar to them in the gig bag. anyway to steal more money from the customer.
I have a video on my channel explaining everything and people trying to crucify for it because I don't bow down to Kiesel guitars. @@Alienadin
Im glad i found this vid...was looking into purchasing a kiesel....WAS..
Their QC is bad and Jeff is an ahole to customers whenever they push back and doesn't take ownership, thank you for making this video
Dang... sorry to hear about your situation. I have 2 guitars from them. One of them only has about an hour or so playing time. I think your situation is unfair, and Jeff should have contacted you and worked out the issue in private. You don't just ban a customer like that. Their guitars are not cheap on price! I, too, had an issue with my Chaquico model and sent an email to customer service and never got an answer back from them... that was about 6 years ago. I was going to buy a used Gibson Les Paul at my local dealer and didn't. Kinda sorry I bought the Keisel, especially after listening to your video.
Thanks, mate. I'm sorry to hear that. What's wrong with yours?
That sounds like the usual ''Jeff doesn't like a specific feature, so we don't offer it, even if you're willing to pay extra''-nonsense.
For example, Jeff doesn't like Floyd Rose bridges. So he basically discontinued them from half a dozen models that used to have the OFR option ( like the CT6 models) and completely from the 7-string models.
"Why no 7-string OFR?''
''Because we used the Korean 1000 Series and that's a cheapo product...'' ( which is BS but I digress..)
''Why don't you just get the German 7-string OFR then?''
''Because, it doesn't fit with our string spacing..."
''Why the hell, don't you use the standard string spacing for 7-string OFR's then, like ESP does on their Japanese production models?''
''Because that's why... oh and the Kiesel Contour trem system is waaay better than an OFR in the first place...."
''You mean the HIPSHOT Contour trem and no, it's not ''better''. If I want to do more extreme whammy bar stuff ala Dimebag or Steve Vai, I need a recessed locking nut trem."
'' Trust me bro, the Kiesel Contour is better. End of discussion.''
Btw. if some famous endorsed artist would asked them to bring back the dual output jack, Jeff would do it in a heartbeat.
That's why I buy only 2nd hand Carvin/ Kiesels.
Thank-you Sir. I'll be buying a Suhr instead!
@@ericwalters5382 Their guitars are pretty good, but their policies are beyond stupid.
Another example: people were asking for the Fernandes Sustainiac system as an Option for years. Like Phil Collen from Def Leppard or Synyster Gates from A7x have on their Jackson/Schecter models.
Jeff was always: "Nah, this system is too much of a hassle to build into the guitars and its prone to malfunction,yada yada... "
Then they signed Sophie Lloyd as an endorsed artist, she asked for a Sustainiac on her guitar, of course they build her a guitar with one.
People saw it and asked also for this option.
They made the Sustainiac available but only on Sophie's Artist model, you can't get it on a different Kiesel model.
Why?
Because that's why.
I recently had a custom Kieslel built and am very happy with the service and guitar. With that said, you are correct! You should have the right, (as a customer), to express your opinion on a public forum, as it will help others make informed decisions on whether or not to purchase a Kiesel guitar. I have only had one built and I am extremely happy with the guitar and thinking of having them build another one. Thanks again for your video!! You should NOT have been banned as long as you were civil in your comments.
I had one Kiesel. I was satisfied about some things and not satisfied about other. The cons are too much for me to consider buying a Kiesel in the future.
Have you looked at Halo Custom Guitars? They have many more options and the reviews are good. They are willing to build whatever you want as long as you are willing to pay. Their buidler is also quite good. I think Halo was the first one with an online virtual builder.
I am happy with my Ibanez guitars.
Always wanted a Carvin guitar... when it changed over to Kiesel and Jeff's arrogance took over I stopped wanting a Carvin/ Kiesel product... I have followed along on different stories of Jeff going overboard on rants and such and it really is a turn off... wish the company well wish Jeff well ... just don't think I can support the brand by buying something of theirs
I sold my granny to buy a Suhr, and I love it to bits.
I will most probably get a Suhr Modern at some point, or an Anderson.
They could have said something to you during the Livestream. I have seen other streams do that. Perhaps they could have suggested the proper way to address your query (before banning).🎸👀
Yeah, Jeff is very reactionary. It's part of his personality, I think. Watch some of livestreams and you can see it. For that reason alone, I'd never buy a Kiesel. On the bright side, I'm sure Jeff doesn't care.
@@PeaceWatcher-ek7zl meh they become people after getting the options to about $3K+ and by not noticing any QC issues
Why would they bite the hand that feeds them! Where would they be without customers, at least make it an option for those that want it.
I'm really wanting a left-handed headless bass and Kiesel seems to be about the only company that will make one left-handed. But I hear nothing but horror stories like this!
I guess most people don't have problems, and you only hear about those that do, but don't take my word for it. Anything can happen.
Yeah. where there's smoke (multiple complaints) there's fire (the company is going down the tubes)
Yeah, of course.
Have you looked at Steinberger?
Don't listen to this asshat. I have a carvin and two kiesels. One of my kiesels I had a little bit of a wiring issue sent it back and had it taken care of without any issue whatsoever. They make great guitars their customer service is always been great to me. I've compared my guitars with PRS Gibson fender Suhr, you name it. I totally prefer my kiesel.
They should have made it an option at least....i have had about 10 carvins and own 2 kiesels currently. They are nice although....i think the pots and switched may be foreign made....they just do not seem all that great of quality like switchcraft and cts style pots
You could also go with another brand now and sell your kiesels!
I stopped buying Carvins when it switched to Kiesel and Jeff took over. The pots and electronics are no longer high end. They discontinued the M22 series of humbuckers which were some of the best pick ups ever made.
Damn man they did you dirty. It's a shame because of the lineage and history of the brand. It's not Jeff's baby. I miss carvin...
Companies - no matter the size or tenure - should always be open to discussion with their customers, and kudos to the ones that are willing to do so in public forums. It shows a real dedication to not only the customers but also their own product. It's so weird how the pedal community is so open (mostly) and shares everything with everyone, but the guitar community is still weird about it.
I don’t think you’re crazy for that. The decision on their part was unjust to say the least. Honestly that kind of treatment would have affected my outlook on their products. These guitars are supposed to be life long commitments.
Thank you for your kind words. I most appreciate them.
I spent a year planning an Osiris headless build through Kiesel and it arrived with a warped neck/incorrectly installed truss rod. It cost me nearly $1000 more for shipping costs for them to repair it, but overall they did not question me, sent me a much better instrument, and it is still my favourite guitar of all time. It’s a balancing act with companies like these and although their product line and custom shop can be amazing, things can and do go wrong and it seems that their customer service is behind other companies. The amount I ended up paying due to the issues could have got me a quality Suhr, Om, or PRS.
Looks like Jeff maybe forgot about staying thankful and loyal to customers and roots. Idk totally justified in my book. The only really cool "mainstream" building in my book nowadays is Paul Reed Smith. Thats a cool dude. and care about his players and guitars. I own a couple and they are top notch. If your just looking for 6 string. cheers
You did the right thing.
Its sad but you gotta move on .
Ive heard stories about that guy and he seems to be one of the biggest asses in the guitar industry. Nothing will change that .
Thank you. Yeah, he is well known for his attitude.
Carvin was a great company with excellent products and great customer service., the son took something special and basically turned it into what it is today, I just saw a video that was done recently of a factory tour and he couldn't stop saying..you know..we never give factory tours..his arrogance alone makes me stay away from his brand.
Own a Carvin and a Kiesel no regrets at all both of them are flawless.
Just cover the headstock name with tape, construction paper, etc. Maybe even make a laminate with the Fender name on it. Essentially , rebrand the guitar.
I erased the logo on my 2nd guitar, and put a passport photo of myself in its place. Pretty funny. I won't mess with these though. It's just Jeff Kiesel, who appears to be narcissistic, etc.. I still use them for recording etc., and the piezo feature is incredibly useful.
I ordered a custom guitar from Kiesel, it was ok but for some reason I could not bond with it, I wanted to like it but I was not playing it at all. So I sold it.
That's unfortunate.
Without all the details, I will keep this short. I purchased a seven string my first and was extremely disappointed after $2200. I could have purchased an Ivan as seven string for less and have better quality.
Really stupid to ban a paying customer who is referring others to your business.
Thanks, mate.
I've never had the funds to purchase a Carvin, but I still have their 50th anniversary DVD and catalog, which they did send all the way from the US for free back in the day. On one occasion, I learned that Carvin didn't sell instruments direct to my country and I had to go through a middle sales person. Once I emailed them with concerns about extra tax and the like, Carvin emailed said distributor so he could get in touch with me and assure the sales process would have no issues and extra costs. Fast forward to Kiesel and it's all issues left and right. Instruments which are ugly and tacky even considering modern guitar aesthetics, Jeff being rude to customers, Kiesel using guitar pictures from someone else on their IG page without permission from tthe original author than blocking said author when he requested them not to use his work, the infamous "ocean burst incident" where Kiesel is not capable of copying Agile's Ocean Burst color then claims it's the user's fault and so on. If I'm not mistaken the whole ocean burst incident got Jeff perma banned from three forums.
Wow! Haven't even heard about those yet. Yeah, he is a handful. Turns out that he didn't even make the change in the end anyway, so it was all this nonsense for nothing.
Get a Strandberg from 2020 or before! I own two 7 string Bodens, one of them has True temperament frets and an 8 string with True Temperament frets. Best guitars I have ever played. too bad they don't do custom orders anymore. I have honestly thought about getting a Keisel several times but ultimately keep finding out stuff I don't like. Both Strandberg and Keisel are making decisions today to save A LOT of money like your video. Only thing that makes sense... Even Strandberg dropped really nice "Handy" features on most of their guitars. 1-no more roasted necks, 2-No more real fretboards, 3-No more real tops, 4-No more neck-thru, like they make some but very limited. I'm guessing it cost a lot more to have it like the True Temperament frets. But not the jack situation you are talking about.. a lot cheaper. Greed is taking over the world. Thanks for the video.
Kiesel Kit guitars were the best deal. Don't think they have that anymore (they probably lost money on those?).
I decided to NEVER BYU A Keisel guitar after watching Jeff Kiesel's video telling customers that don't get what they ordered to MAN UP, IF YOU DON'T LIKE YOUR GUITAR SEND IT BACK AND TAKE THE RESTOCK FEE!! WOW!!! The reason he made the video was a customer ordered a roasted maple guitar neck and they didn't give him a roasted maple neck. The customer already had 10 Keisles. This hatred for customers that don't get what they ordered is nothing new. I ordered a Carvin back in the 90s and got a card in the mail it was done and to call. When I called they told me it was a different color and I should take it otherwise I'd be put at the bottom of the list for what I ordered. I said what if I just cancel and was told they'd keep my deposit. I decided to wait and it took 2 more months to get it. They punish their customers if you don't play their game. What a bunch of rats. I talked to many music stores and they are all well aware of Jeff Keisel hating their customers.
That's sad.
He’s more than a little thin skinned and reminds me of the man-baby response from Rob Chapman toward the KDH channel for criticism. I think Rob regretted his heavy handed response to KDH where Rob’s subscribers brutally attacked KDH. I think they buried the hatchet. Hopefully Jeff will man-up and recognize that criticism can make your company and products stronger…
I laid down $4,000 for a Kiesel and deeply regret it. I bought a Carvin and loved it. When I ordered the Kiesel they swore up and down that their necks were the exact same design as that of the original Carvin. They lied. It was a drastically different neck, thicker and with strange proprtions, like a D-shaped Wolfgang design. The fretboard edges were also left razor sharp. They also left out a finish option that I had ordered. I went to pick it up at the factory outlet and didn't even take it home.
I asked that they redo the neck down to their Slim design and that I would pay for it. They agreed that they had screwed up on the finish, so agreed that they would strip and refinish the guitar, but would not address the neck. I tried and tried and eventually spoke to this guy Stone who was the director of something or other. He told me that yes, it was possible to redo the neck while doing the refinish, but he had spoken to Jeff and they weren't going to spend time on it, instead needing to move on with other guitars. And because I had ordered the guitar with a custom wood for the top, it was not returnable.
To anyone who thinks that after 40 years of guitar playing that I must be imagining a profound differences in neck shape, I used a contour gauge to measure the original Carvin vs. the Kiesel and they were nothing alike. I eventually sanded down the fretboard, screwing up the fretboard finish in the process, and spent hours shaving the Kiesel neck down to the shape of the Carvin, but I'm still bitter about even having it. If I ever gig with this thing, I'll cover the Kiesel logo out of embarassment for having fallen for their bs.
I had plans to buy a bunch of other Kiesels, but there's no way I'm giving these scumbags more money. F U Jeff.
Oh man, that's just awful. I am really sorry this happened to you.
I think that making guitars with Option 50 dpecs non-returnable is total bs, if something is wrong with the build quality. My DC600 had the new body shape without being told so, and on the website, they kept showing the original shape for months, if not longer. Crazy!
I was considering buying a kiesel. Thank you for this information. I find more and more examples of such behavior. Im happy to boycott that brand because music has no space for ego and especially no space that i have to feed inconsiderate human beings.
Lol ego is and always will be a part of music. It's a part of life.
do without because of something someone you dont know said...brilliant !
I don't think I've ever played a "bad" Ibanez, one that maybe needed some TLC on the fretwork and setup, some specs not exactly to my liking, new DiMarzios, etc but always gave me some kind of tone and vibe that I could enjoy.
They are my favorite and the most expensive one I've ever bought turned out to feel the crappiest but my gio feel like gold ldk
I am seriously considering putting in an order for a Kiesel A2 very soon.. and I'm really looking forward to that.. but from what you're saying (and not hearing their side of the story) I would agree with you: they could have privately and tactfully given you notice that you might get banned from the FB group if you continue to make a scene.. that way you could decide your next move.
Exactly. And I had written a DM to Jeff Kiesel beforehand, which he ignored, even though he had responded to my previous DMs. Hope you will love yours, mate. Cheers.
I wouldn't buy anything from Jeff Keisel. He is arrogant, and has poor customer service. And his guitars aren't that great to begin with.
He is indeed quite the controversial figure.
I have two builds in my Kiesel account saved... I guess, that was it.
Have a look at Halo Custom Guitars
Hey Alienadin;
Yes the dual output from piezo guitar removed is one stupid & pointless thing. It makes getting a piezo really inconvenient. I have been considering it but its totally not an option.
I've watched your Kiesel receivings for years and it was a delight to see your passion and detailed breakdown of sound function etc. I do recall the piezo demos you did and loved them.
Your taste in guitars is impeccable too - they are so nicely designed/visualised!
Regarding why Jeff banned you - I dont know the details but perhaps you added some pressure that he wasnt able to deal with at the time. He has had his times when hes lost the plot a bit - even he has admitted that - and acted unreasonable to people. But then again getting 100s of tire kickers (not at all you) asking questions must be qa challenge. But he does get a tad arrogant at dealing with problem people. Again Im not adding you to that list - youve been a great exponent for Kiesel - in fact following your reviews I went ahead with my first Vader - and it really is the best and prettiest guitar Ive ever played! So thnx for your reviews & passion!
Given your love of these great guitar and your own reviews and of course playing I would be inclined to approach Jeff again if possible and let the past go. This assumes he is willing - which I dont know - he can be stubborn but Im sure you have many Kiesel owners agreeing with you!
He should also grow up a bit and considering your customership & promotion of Kiesel should be grateful and at least have a conversation with you.
But in such a case SOMEONE has to let it go and stop holding a grudge and get over the emotional and ego based pain they suffered. I dont know if hes willing to do that - but because I have admired your output playing and taste in building great guitars Id suggest that more mature person be yourself! Principles are nothing - an illusion of the Mind and serve no one. You can out grow that and transcend it. Youve done a good job for Kiesel - who have made some bloody annoying decisions about builds in the past - and if Jeff cant see fit to let the past go then let him fester - hes the one to suffer but dont let his issues stop you from being you whatever that involves.
Take care, good luck with it
Ivon
in Malaysia
Dude, you’re 100 percent right. I hope things are going better for you. Seen Jeff’s behaviour in a video before. Comes across as an arrogant asshole. Always wanted the blue Jason Becker model and the VINNIE VINCENT V guitar I don’t know the exact name of the model it’s like the two v’s. Really nice looking guitar. But thanks for your insight. Highly doubt I’ll ever give him business
Sometimes you have to take NO for an answer. Your conflict was self initiated. You were disappointed that Kiesel stopped offering a dual stereo output jack. You didn't accept his reasons so you kept pushing the issue and were banned for being obnoxious. In the meantime, if you did some serious self-reflection, you might consider that there are very few custom builders that would allow you to provide your own veneer top. Jeff Kiesel has got to be one of the greatest builders of all time. His guitars are incredible works of art, and his is constantly innovating and adding new designs and artist series. The guy is competing against the largest names in the industry like Fender, Gibson, Epiphone, Schecter, Ibanez, and continues to produce superior, innovative designs, while delivering one-of-a kind custom hand finished guitars that blow away Fender and Gibson custom shop guitars that sell for many times the price. Give yourself a break. Apologize to Jeff ... and order another guitar. Personally, I have issues with the lack of gloss finish on bolt on necks and cannot understand why the option is not available when it is most common on all bolt neck guitars like strats and teles. So what am I going to do ? Go on line and bash Jeff ?!?
🤣 You are hilarious! 🤣
clambelly i agree….over a output jack. it’s trivial.
I might buy a Kiesel used off of reverb because I like the guitars but don’t want to deal with the shitty customer service.
To be fare we need to see what you posted during the live feed. Everyone is taking your word you weren’t being a tool during the chat. I own 7 kiesels and love each one. Never had one problem with their customer service.
I am glad you didn't have any problems. Actually, I don't think I even got to posting during the live feed, and I had already written a personal message to Jeff about it.
@@Alienadin What were you posting on the group page? Like how did you phrase your complaint
I am pretty sure I was polite and voiced my opinion about it, saying that we should speak out about it together, so we can convince him to change his mind about it, and he didn't like that one bit. @@SackamanjaroX
I had a custom build saved in my account, waiting to be made. I just changed my mind. 🚪🔑
literally go to a local store or chain like Music-go-round and spend 2 hours trying used guitars until you find one that vibes :)
I play prs and Caparison guitars. The tone is superb. Fat and crunchy and loud. Say something about the playability and tone of kiesel guitars you have.
They use the cheapest electronics aswell. Theres no sweep in the volume pot either, if you ever used a silver sky before, u know what im talking about, you get the whole sweep with the volume and tone. U turn down to 5 you still have good sound with plenty of treble still. I have 30 guitar, 2 of them do it and there both prs guitars. Them alpha pots keisel use are ok for imports but for american guitars come on. I put vintage taper cts pots in all my guitars. Thats messed up they did that to you. Paul reed smith wont do that to you.
I've never personally been thrilled about Kiesel guitars. Their website has always felt a bit frustrating, and the ones I've played have been underwhelming.
However, some of my favorite guitars I've ever played were Carvin guitars.
The best acoustic I ever played was a Carvin (that one ended up getting stolen, sadly), and the electrics I found for several years were among the smoothest-playing instruments I'd touched.
Sadly, now I've played a couple Carvins that weren't as good, but I still like the idea that there might be some old Carvin somewhere that might be just perfect for me.
I've never really felt that way about Kiesel though, and I don't really know why. They certainly look pretty cool, but otherwise I just haven't ever been hooked in.
I guess that has very little to do with the video, but whatever. I just felt like saying something.
I like hamer. Now that that is settled you can go back to your cave
I do not have any first hand knowledge about this issue. Everything I am saying is purely speculative. What could be happening is Jeff may have gotten involved in a sweetheart deal with a parts distributor or manufacturer. It could be that whoever is providing them now does not offer the dual output version and Jeff can not be transparent about the situation because he would by default be admitting that he got involved in a deal that only benefits himself and the company but not the customer. Kiesel/Carvin historically have blurred the line between a boutique brand and a corporate brand. However, a move like the one you're talking about seems to be more towards the corporate side of business. Since we're on the subject, this reminds me of something from Ibanez's history. All throughout the shredder years of the late 80s and the 90s, Ibanez guitars were equipped with Dimarzio pickups. The cheaper models got some generic Ibanez branded pickup but the pro model guitars were all Dimarzio. It wasn't until the 2000s or 2010s that they started offering EMG, Duncan, or whatever else in their guitars. It was possible that Ibanez had an exclusive contract with Dimarzio but never wanted to promote it. The good news is, there's plenty of guitar builders out there. There's no need to spend your money on a company that wants to silence you. It was good of you to make this video.
Maybe I got lucky. About 2 years ago I bought a "Les Paul" style guitar, exactly what I wanted. Kiesel has some "Special" options I NEED, like thin oiled necks, great ebony fretboard, and the Hipstot Tremelo.. I am sorry you have had "Bad luck:. I see your problem. 10 days and maybe you can return it.-This can be devestating.-Best of luck.