ive had 3 kiesel and or Carvin guitars. They are all built GREAT but for some reason they just didn’t have the feel in an almost resonant way. They look amazing as well but they were not for me
I really wouldn't call this expensive, considering these are USA built and custom, they're a great price. They can get expensive, but to be able to spec a solid guitar for like 1600 usd is great imo. Along with almost every other custom brand costing a lot more on a basic build....
@@SIRiAlerion Exactly, Kiesel is even cheaper than Balaguer which is SK built. I actually just got a shipping notif yesterday that my current kiesel build is making it's way to me lol
Eh. I get every company has to raise their prices right now but I think Kiesel's are starting to price themselves out of the market on certain models. I just spec'd out a well-equipped but nothing crazy Theos and it is well into Suhr Modern pricing territory. I also account to have to replace the Kiesel pickups off the bat as well. YMMV, but I find even their better pickup options to just be okay. So add another $300 to the price with taxes and its well over $3k. I think they make good stuff but at $3k+ I'd rather go for a Suhr or used Mayones Aquila. I don't buy guitars based on resale but both of those hold value exceptionally well. You can pick one up to try out and if you don't like it you can make your money back very easily. The resale certainly isn't there on a Kiesel. If its a returnable build you're still paying a restocking fee and return shipping and there are plenty of options that make it non returnable. I think at the $1,600 price point you're talking about they're a very solid option but I couldn't recommend spending over that on a Kiesel.
I don't think they are overhyped. It's cool what they are doing in terms of the range, options, finishes, and level of quality. Not cheap, but the price is very fair. Nice stuff...
Kiesel are the best. I’ve been playing for over 60 years and had Ibanez s, fender, Gibson, John Petrucci and many more. I ordered the A2 and specked it out with my priorities like ebony fretboard, stainless steel jumbo frets , thin neck , 2 humbucker pickups and many more specific items. Since I have so much experience with many guitars I knew just what I wanted. And it’s the best guitar I’ve ever had and it wasn’t that expensive either. The are the best if you order with your specifications.
Kiesel’s are basically cheap. For a custom guitar as low as 2-3k with pretty high specs. The same custom build from any of the bigger companies that spend a ton on advertising would cost 6-7k especially if you want it built in the US.
I own several Kiesels and I love them. They aren't overhyped because you can get exactly what you want and the quality is always going to be great. They are definitely not overpriced. You can get a baseline Kiesel for around $1,400 and it will have the same quality as a $4,000 Kiesel, which is a lot better than most guitar manufacturers. Of course, you can spend a lot if you load your build with expensive options. You can buy a lot cheaper guitars, but you won't get the quality, nor the customizability.
Recently got a second hand Carvin DC400. The neck on that guitar is amazing in feel/play. If they still make guitars with that quality and feel I would not hesitate to get a Kiesel. Also Jeff seems like a straight forward guy and maybe that rubs people wrong. I'd rather a straight shooter, even if we don't agree, than someone blowing smoke up the .... but I never had a personal dealing with the man or business.. so all observation at this point. Great Video Taylor as always, thanks!
Kiesels seem cool, and I can definitely see the appeal of them, but they're also waaaaaaaay outside of my price range, so I kind of have a detached view of them, since it's unlikely I'll ever own one. It's very clear to me that they're awesome instruments, but I know that I can find an instrument at a price range I can afford that will keep me very happy.
seems high but then people buy 3 £500 guitars because they're "affordable" , so now they have 3 mediocre below average guitars that they probably only play 1 of anyway. when they could've just got a kiesel that's built to exactly what they want
@@omgdisfunny4852 All you have to do is save $25 per week for a year. A homeless person could pull that off if they really wanted to. Being broke just means being more patient.
@@DingDongDaddyFromDumas you realise that only equals £1200? Kiesel are like £1600, also yea if you have a job you can afford things who would've known 🤯 I was just making the point that people think short term, and get bad cheap guitars because they don't have to wait and don't think about it
The mixed song demo guitar sound is amaizing! In the end that's what matters IMO in regards of sound The ergos & balance are the really most important and this is where kiesel is just on another level
I bought a Carvin (their old name when they were still bundled with the amps/pro audio half of the family) CS6 in 2008. I got bit by the customization bug. I sold my Les Paul and Strat after I got that CS6. In 2016 I bought an Aries which was built even better. Last year, I got an SH6 and it was built even a little better still. My CS6 is still my #1 because I just tend to prefer single cuts, but the other two guitars are "better" in every objective measure.
Wait?!?! Ur talking price on Kiesel .. what does a Korean built KM7 Artist cost!? There’s no damn comparison .. it’s a custom built US custom shop guitar? Have you asked ESP or Jackson Custom shops to build you a guitar lately?!
I own 4 kiesels with a 5th on the way. I totally agree about the pickups, very harsh and shrill sounding. Newest build will have the Thorium in the bridge so hopefully it will sound better than the lithium’s which I absolutely despise. And as far as customer service goes, I’ve had nothing but great experiences with them and I fully trust them with my money going towards them.
@@PhantomSonata The thorium’s are definitely still my favorite for anything detuned. In standard the highs can be a bit ice picky but it can be dialed out eq wise
@conorday7893 I can't jive with any of the Kiesel pickups. The guitar...the best. But the pickups just to shrill. You can roll back the volume a touch..or roll the the tone in a little. But I'm gonna get some Dimarzios I think. I have Berylliums in my Aries. I had Lithiums in another build. Didn't like them either. I had C22s in a Carvin that weren't too bad.
Just FYI to those who find Kiesel Guitars 'pricey'. These ARE NOT expensive compared to other CUSTOM built guitars with similar specs. Compare apples to apples for one. If you only buy mass produced production guitars and trying compare a Kiesel to them, that's not really a good comparison. You'd be better off comparing them to the likes of Mayones, Skervesen, or any of the custom shop guitars by companies like ESP, Jackson, Gibson, Fender, etc. where higher quality woods are sourced, finish quality, and overall construction comes into play. Then the other consideration when comparing custom built to other custom built guitars is the turn around time and wood quality options (ie. how much more is it to get a mastergrade wood from each company). Kiesel has the fastest turn around time out of all of them and really the most affordable way to get into extremely higher grade woods at a lower cost. Also, the other consideration That being said.... custom guitars are a league of the own in general. If you haven't played one, you must!
How would you know if you have never had one built by him? You just listen to a few unhappy customers? I know many people that have done like 6 builds with them and they are happy.
I think if you're not super picky you can pick one used for a killer deal. I wouldn't personally spend over $2g for one but you can snag a decently spec one for $1500 or so.
@@Gabos_Parfums Dang that's sad to hear. I'll take your word for it. I bought two Kiesel guitars used and of course I'm happy because I didn't go through any headaches acquiring them. I want to order an Aries but hearing comments like this always has me backing out.
Yes, there are great guitars made all over the world, and many will be cheaper. For US customers who want to support a US brand, then there's much more fierce competition. For example, the higher-end guitars from PRS, EBMM can be very excellent...but just don't offer the customizability at this price. Love everything about a specific PRS but want a different fretboard radius? Yeah, good luck with that... For almost the same amount of money or maybe a little less you can get a custom Balaguer, but the wait for those are just as long, and made in Asia and shipped over to the US. I can't speak about the European experience because there seems to be more custom builders there and there's of course import duties/taxes/fees which to degrade the Kiesel value proposition. For me, the ability to customize so much of the instrument, for a reasonable price for a USA-made guitar, and still has a 5-year warranty and the security of a company that's been around for 75 years...there's a lot to be said for that, for me.
I'm not a fanboy of any product, just to get that out of the way... I just think Kiesel offers something that few other vendors do - a guitar built to your specifications (even if it means shipping them your own pickups and having them put them in your build - Bare Knuckles seems to be really popular lately). If you play Djent then you're probably going to hate the passive Lithiums in your buddies guitar. As far as cost... If you go for a flamed maple neck with roasted flame maple fret board, a burl top wood and some crazy configurations, you can top out at $4k+ - but that's still cheaper than many off the shelf PRS's out there. My first DC600 was $1800 and my next build is looking like it'll be around $2500 with a bunch of options - but just try to find a US made Gibson, Fender, PRS, Ibanez, or any other brand that matches the specs for near that price and plays so well.
Have a Vader 8 string and absolutely love it. Osiris is in the works. They definitely have a different feel from other brands. For a reputable custom US made guitar the cost is unbeatable as long as you don't go crazy on options. Compare it to the cost of ESP or Schecter custom shop models...
ESP sure, but Schecter custom shop are a solid step up in quality from Kiesel for very reasonable pricing. USA Schecter stuff is among the best guitars made.
They don't dry their wood properly anymore. My DC600 has fret sprout already. From what I've heard Framus/Warwick are about the only company still drying their wood the right way.
Your experience with a fret issue has nothing to do with the quality of Kiesel's wood drying process. I've been with Kiesel since 1992 when they were Carvin to this day and I have never had one single fret issue. And I've owned a dozen or more of their Instruments, and still do to this day.
Have to disagree pretty strongly. $3k is too much for well spec'd Theos IMO. They're nicely built and good looking guitars but they're not quite Suhr or Mayones level which can be had at the same price. Before the price hikes I'd say go for one but I think they've begun to price themselves out of the market.
@@user-te3qq1rb7u I've owned all of those. You're absolutely incorrect. You can spec a sick Theos for $2200. The options that push price over 3k aren't even available on those other brands.
I built my Kiesel DC600 to match a Jackson Soloist SL2H minus cosmetics (binding, etc) and the factory will install the JB/Jazz for $50 for about 1/2 the price and it was and remains flawless. Picked all the features I wanted (colors, etc) and it’s a terrific guitar. I do wish Kiesel would just give up and buy pickups for their guitars. That’s the weak area, but the Thorium and Beryllium are actually pretty good.
@@tommyvercetti6217 Yes, at least on their six string models. Their seven and eight string models are routed for passive style pickups so I don’t know if the pickup routs are large enough for EMG style soapbar extended range pickups. I know Kiesel does offer Fishmans as an option on all their guitars. I don’t know if the routing for those will support the larger EMG style seven and eight string pickups, though.
i own and have owned 10+ Kiesels! they are amazing. American made, high quality and affordable for the price/specs vs other custom high end luthiers etc Jeff gets too much hate online. i love Kiesel and i like other brands too lol a lot of people cant get over one or two statements over the last year or so that Jeff said etc its done and over with. stop beating a dead horse. these trolls dont even play Kiesel or could probably afford a Kiesel so their opinions dont really matter or have any merit behind it! #triggered PS- Kiesel Lithiums are super bright alnico V pickups! If you want actives, check out the Polorities! (Andy James swears by them) I love the Thorium pickups especially for Metal!
Yeah I agree, I think too much emphasis of a guitar brand being placed on the Ceo is a bad thing. I get that it’s the social media era and that’s what’s expected, but at the same time, if you know you’re the head of a company… maybe don’t make a video ripping on one of your customers and leave that to settle behind closed doors 🤷♂️
@@TaylorDanley I agree. I'm cool with Jeff and I feel we are all human and mistakes are made and we can learn from them and move on but people are seriously butt hurt over bs that has nothing to do with them or the guitars themselves
@@aether_antares7761 I mean...there's almost always going to be a "higher end" somewhere, and I don't doublt Padaka and vandermeij are that higher end...but they had better be when you're looking at guitars that *start* at over $2000 and go up (Padalka says their average is $3,000-$5,000 USD on their own site). The cheapest in-stock Vandermeij right now on their site is $3700 USD. The cheapest (only) OD is one with damage that's $3,000. A Mustang or Corvette might be the great performancevalue, and excellent cars and already better than cars most people would splurge on...but there's always a Ferrari or Lambo beyond it. And for every Ferrari, there's a Bugatti. And for every Bugatti there's a Pagani or Konigsegg, etc.
You’re killing it man. I think your subs have doubled since I found your channel through SWOLA in November. Thanks for being an inspiration and confirming that even newer channels can grow.
One thing I really think that makes an extended scale guitar stand out from the rest is if you can play it and it doesn't feel a lot longer. My Solar is very easy to play at 26.5 inches. I am considering getting a Kiesel someday
I wouldn't say they're S-tier (had Mayones/Kiesels/PRS/Aristides/etc) however, you're not gonna get a semi-custom Jackson/Mayones/PRS/etc for the price you can get with Kiesel. That and you can score a pro-level instrument for a great deal used since people tend to flip them for different builds. Just don't go crazy on a popsicle burst build with 5 piece necks and Imo you're good to go.
Speaking as a left handed player i think it is worth it. I own a Carvin and a Kiesel guitar (also a Carvin amp) and plan on getting another one in the next year. Practically all other guitar builders barely care about Lefties and Kiesel will gladly make me a custom instrument without an upcharge.
Yes, craftsmanship is awesome. But, the price(s), Jeff's attitude towards customers when the shop makes a mistake isn't great. Least he rectified that fiasco though, as for the the price and worth etc. I'm in disagreement with the price, performance, options. Been playing 23 yrs have 6 guitars (all of which I modify/upgrade myself) even build my own too. That's just my opinion though. To each their own though, I've played numerous companies and the ones that usually impressed me were ones I least expected.
I have 2 Kiesel Vanquish basses. I love them. The craftsmanship is 2nd to none. My problem is since I bought mine they changed to gig bags. So you spend a lot of money on a very well built guitar an it gets shipped in a gig bag. I also have a fender Mod shop P bass and the quality is just as good and it came with a nice case. Also tr cost way much lower. I get that the options on Fenders Mod shop are much less however the point I'm trying to make is 1) Kiesel continues to raise prices and 2) they come in. Gig bag.
Hey there, can you tell how do you like the forearm contour of the Aries? It looks as though your wrist will rest right at that edge where the flat surface of the guitar transitions to the forearm cut. I doubt if that's very comfortable compared to a smooth transition.
The basses are incredible and worth the money. Always win the "which one to pick, if there may be any situation!" challange. Always in tune, solidly build and perfect playability.
Kiesel guitars are fine, but the thing that annoys me is the fanboys. They are SO annoying lol That being said, for a well spec'd Kiesel, you can also buy a Mayones BL series or a Suhr... And those run laps around any Kiesel lol
US instruments are expensive, compared to other US made guitars I've considered (mostly in the 6K range) I ordered a kiesel 8 string Zeus multiscale. I'm pretty excited. I've only ever owned imported guitars.
Kiesels are ace. Totally worth the money. Hand crafted in the USA, no surplus for left handed ones, default back of neck = tung oiled...simply outstanding
Kiesel is only overhyped because they do a ton of social media and internet advertising. I ordered a kiesel. I love it. Very nice attention to detail. I’ll will probably buy another kiesel. But maybe put in a higher output pickup. I don’t have a $3000 sound processor
The “sound” comparison with Agile is unfair since they use different pickups. That’s exactly why it sounded darker but the video is really good. Cheers 🥂
I’ve noticed that Jeff Kiesel can be a dick to customers if they experience quality control problems. Gives me pause. Has anyone here experienced anything like that with Kiesel?
Are u sure the shrillness comes from the pickups? I think it's the brass plate on the hipshot bridge doing that. The agile has a zinc or steel bridge plate.
@@TaylorDanley It is probably a combo of the pickups and body wood. I imagine the pole pieces can be adjusted to take the top end out some. I have a kiesel and the alder sounds like it has way more mid's and Highs than my ibanez basswood guitars. They sound way better on kemper. They were always a little harsh needing more tone adjustment on my AX8
There have been some very public customer service issues that populated FB and message boards, but the vast majority of CS stories are positive. I've got two - a V220 and a JB200 and have never had anything but great experiences and interactions with them. My V220 is ancient though - ordered it in the 80s and have had it ever since. The JB of course is a lot newer. Both are excellent and two of my favorite guitars. I'm not the original owner on the JB, and earlier this year I contacted them to ask about history and details regarding it. They were incredibly friendly and helpful, and were even pretty hyped about my old V220 and my phone rep was interested enough to ask for a picture of it. Super nice guy, and left a good impression for me. Necks are subjective, but I really love my Becker. It's a great playing, great sounding instrument. The 25" scale length is a little odd to some players, as it falls sort of in between a strat 25.5" and an LP 24.7" length, but I never really found it noticeable. I played my V220 for years with the same scale 25" scale length and never even realized it was different than my other guitars until I measured it one day :) Play one first if you can before ordering one, but for most, it's a very likable guitar.
Kiesel is usa made . The price is so much lower in cost to other USA companies & when agile had a Simi custom shop. Kiesel was cheaper. The quality is untouchable. I'm happy to see Josh Travis is with them now. Kiesel made 9 string has to be sick
Kiesel are all about value for money. I have had custom made guitars made in the past. The problem is over time my needs changed as I moved into different styles and genres of music. In short I felt I needed something different and that meant selling a guitar that very few wished to own. Unlike a Gibson or a Fender that you can sell easily and quickly and often even at a profit a Kiesel in spite of the hype will depreciate in value overnight.
How would you sell an 800 dollar Mexican strat for a profit? lol. Especially if you are selling locally people are huge tight asses when it comes to local market shopping. Facebook marketplace etc. I see several new strats sitting right now for 400. And it's been there for two months. On the other hand I listed a white Kiesel Vanquish locally and the messages would not stop..So I am not too sure what you are talking about.
All this bitching about Kiesels being "overpriced" makes me believe that you guys have no clue about the guitar market at all. To put the price tag of a Kiesel into perspective: a new, Made in Japan ESP E-II model costs much more. And these are production models without ss-frets and with no customisation option. Now, a similar spec´d, custom build guitar by any other USA company goes for at least twice the price. Hell, a new USA PRS "Coreline" Cu 24 goes here in the EU for over 4,500 Euros, that´s over 4,700 $. And again, that´s a production model with no customisation options. Even with the extra costs of import taxes & shipping, a similar spec´d Kiesel CT model goes for half the money. And the Kiesel has ss-frets, which the PRS doesn´t ! Ffs,some made in Indonesia production guitars are more expensive as a Kiesel, without a crazy top. Not to mention, in the USA you don´t have the extra shipping & import taxes costs and you´re still bitching about the price tag?!
I've been buying them since they were Carvin. I love their instruments but the 'bang for the buck' ratio has diminished considerably since the company was taken over by the next generation. That being said, I play them almost exclusively even though I will most likely never buy another one due to price increases. I'm glad I bought a bunch before this happened. In fairness, there have been several stock upgrades that came with said increases. THAT being said, I'm a lefty bass player and finally got my hands on a real German Warwick and it was more expensive than any of my Carvin/Kiesels. The Warwick does not even compare to my Carvin and Kiesel basses. Ergonomic gems. Great sound and playability. Lots of options.
On several of the models yes, but my oldest Carvin is a V220 that I ordered in 1987. I took the price that I paid for it in 1987 and plugged it into an inflation caclulator. I went to the Kiesel site and built the closest thing to my old one (some options have changed, but I got close). The new one has stainless frets, which were not an option on the old. The final price was a little over $300 more than the inflation-adjusted price I paid for my old V220. Stainless frets are debatably not worth a $300 increase, but it was no where near as big a gap as I thought it would be. Great deals can sometimes be found on used ones as well, due to the resale value not being as strong as some better-known US built brands. I picked up a fantastic JB200 Becker model this Spring with a bunch of upgrade options for $1300.
To be fair, Kiesel guitars are not that expensive for a fully blown custom guitar that is made the way that you configured it to be. For $4000 you can build yourself a fully loaded 7 or 8 string that looks and feels incredible. A custom shop Fender will be half of that but let's be honest, that shit is just doing some extra configuration of standard models.
Go buy a fender custom shop that you specd yourself then tell me if you still think kiesels are expensive lol. I have tons of kiesels I just ordered a K series 2 weeks ago that was almost 5k. I think they are totally worth the money.. they have kind of spoiled me because I have no desire to play anything else now lol.
Am i the only one wondering whts wrong with the place the volume knob was supposed to be, they juz leave it open? Did they juz cnc any top together? It pokes me in the EYE!!
I think I prefer the 2nd guitar. I didn't like the lead tone on the Kiesel at all, too harsh / shrill / bright or something. The two tone bevelling doesn't work for me either. I don't know.... all of those options. Alot of the time, we'll most, it's the tradesman and not the tools. E. G a great player will sound good on any guitar. Rather spend the time and money on practice and lessons.
Lol these are maybe the MOST cost effective guitar on the market. Basic builds cost less than an American strat but come with carbon rods/SS frets etc. It's a custom guitar for a production price. FFS.
I don’t think they’re overhyped, but they’re too expensive for normal people. The idea of Kiesel was that they had custom options at reduced prices due to how they obtain things like their woods and veneers. Now, they’re just way too expensive for the everyday human.
A bit bizarre this video. Kiesel vs Agile, really? Active pickups vs passive pickups, really? But I'm definitely agree in one point in this video, about the taste of what sound you like.
I don't have anything against Kiesel, I'm sure that they build great guitars! Now to answer the question if they are overhyped... Do you need to spend a lot of money to own a Kiesel? -Yes! Do you need to spend a lot of money to own a good guitar? -No! You can get an entry level guitar, lets say a Jackson, LTD, Ibanez, whatever brand you prefer... And modify/customize it, till you are happy with the way it plays, sounds and looks! Not everyone has the skills to do that? Maybe, but everyone can learn how to do it! It takes less time to learn how to customize guitars than learning how to play them!
I had to learn how to fix/mod guitars out of necessity and it was totally worth it. An early girlfriend of mine sat on my Squier Pbass while it was plugged in and screwed up the output jack. Right then it was either stop playing or learn to solder (the joy of being poor). Now all I do is get low cost guitars and do some minor mods to get it where I need it. Way better than dropping thousands on wood and wires with a name printed on it.
I have a 1990 japanese jackson fusion pro that I got for 330$ and I am completely happy that I paid 1700 for my kiesel because it is as good or better than that japanese jackson.
@@riffsnoleads I have a frankenstein ibanez I did that to. Still one of my fav guitars even though I will need to refret it soon. I put a dimarzio steve special and air norton in it.
LMAO I don't think any actual player is legitimately happy with a low end Jackson, LTD, Ibanez. Do you need to spend a lot of money to own a Kiesel. No? They cost as much as American strats if you don't go overboard on the options. Do you need to spend a lot of money to own a good guitar? NO is correct. If you don't like the way a guitar plays in the beginning if you mod it, it will not change the way it feels it will still feel like crap it will just sound different lol........ So don't take this advice. Buy a guitar that's ready to go and has the badge and you will be much happier.
It’s a called a fret wrap, it helps keep open strings from ringing when you aren’t playing them. You can do the same thing with an elastic hair band but it’s not as cool haha
The thing is, most people see $2000 and $3000 prices, but really...if you stick with the base price specs, you will get a guitar that plays, feels and sounds identically...you just don't get as many of the eye-candy upgrades...they are much better value. Still with Luminlay SuperBlue side dits, stainless frets, all of their necks are quarter-sawn, Hipshot , Gotoh or "ORF" floyd rose bridges, etc.
Sup. I got a Kiesel Zeus, highly recommend to anybody. The lithium pickups, for my style are perfect. bright, articulate and not overkill on the high output.
This last decade of guitar industry brought the CEOs and companny creators to the spotlight, because of the social media. The image and name of the company now blends with the image and name of the person. So if you make a mistake as a person, this is gonna damage the image of the brand. Happened with Chapman, then with Kiesel recently... Maybe the person should stay away to avoid this kind of problem, maybe their ego just don't let them stay away.
Who knows, I mean I think this is just common now in the age of social media. I’d be interested to see how much of an affect it had on the overall brand, especially after he came out and publicly apologized.
Couldn’t agree more. Maybe I’m missing something here but are there any cheaper alternatives on the market that are made in the USA/Japan with excellent fretwork, SS frets and carbon fiber neck rods? Like you can get a barebones Kiesel for less than your typical Ibby Prestige and even that doesn’t have SS frets
@@the_armada5579 don’t disagree! It’s a chunk of change objectively. Just personally think comparing the price to similar things on the market is a more useful discussion than whether it’s cheap/expensive full stop
I find it funny anyone thinks Kiesel guitars and basses for that matter are so high priced. Compared to PRS which truly is way over priced and IMHO not worth the cost. I could name a few other companies aw well. How about Fodera?? Sadowsky?? Great stuff, but WAY over priced!!
I find a lot of these beveling designs ugly. They may be fine playing instruments, but I kinda preferred their original designs when they were Carvin over any of the Kiesels.
Both these things, but also I’m playing a drop tuned 7 string which makes me change up the style quite a bit too, and it could be you prefer that more as well
ive had 3 kiesel and or Carvin guitars. They are all built GREAT but for some reason they just didn’t have the feel in an almost resonant way. They look amazing as well but they were not for me
Those pickups are definitely Djenty. Everything you played turned into Scale the Summit........... Yeah I hate volume knobs that are below the strings. Unfortunately that's about 90% of all guitars made........ Tone knobs are pretty much useless for Metal rhythm but tone knobs and coil splits are great for cleans and leads......... I hate having those middle single coils. Whenever I dig into the strings hard (trying to make chugs and palm mutes pop and stand out) my pick keeps hitting it.......... What else do I want to bitch about today? Eh.......I'm good for now.......
@@JosePineda-jn8jk hmmm . My kiesel vanquish with the thinner neck option is pretty thin. BUt not Ibanez prestige thin. I'd agree. But not all ibanez have thin necks. The cheaper ones have shitty clunky necks.
I usually play the super nice unbeatable Don Grosh handmade guitars but just got a kiesel and super impressed., great personality clean. dont play metal
So, last summer was really shitty, image-wise, for Kiesel...but I have to say...I follow them really closely, both on their own social media platforms, and also other forums where people would post their experiences (sevenstring, talkbass, HC, etc) and so far, every single issue (and there always will be some) was solved. Someone a couple days ago mentioned he wasn't satisfied with the work on the fretboard, and they agreed to re-built the neck immediately, no back-and-forth. There were a couple other issues that popped up, like a backwards headstock, and one where there was an issue with the piezo electronics...both solved right-away, on Kiesel's dime. One woman didn't realize the specs never got finalized and entered from her last email until she went to make her final payment as her expected date approached. It turned out that the order wasn't put in, so they did a "RUSH" (not rushed build, but put at the front of every queue along the way), and gave her a discount, and she's super pleased. From what I've seen, Kiesel went from a D+ to an A, when looking at issue resolution. And since they build 4,000 guitars per year with a social-media-savvy customer base, I think they are still doing really well on that front. Possibly still room for improvement, but I was really pleased to see the improvements.
@@roryt1985 it's one of those things where the model came with a standard headstock and the option for the backwards one almost has the same option code with just with one extra letter, and that letter was missed....but, yeah...it should have been caught by a final QC spec-check.
I wanted one really badly back in the day and they’re still very nice axes, but they have so much competition from custom builders these days for a similar price point that.. ehh, I don’t know anymore.
Who? Where? What company? Because I'd like to price out some builds. I seriously doubt you will name another company that will build you one for the price point Kiesel will.
I always feel like a dick offering an opinion because I'm usually going against what's new and "hip" but as great as I'm sure they are I will never understand why someone would shell out that kind if money for one of those hideous headless Keisels. That particular one looks cool but all their stuff is a bit too fancy for me. Oh and your buddy forgot to take that velcro off the headstock when he set it up 🤘
Thanks for dropping in! Leave me a like if you like! 👍
ive had 3 kiesel and or Carvin guitars. They are all built GREAT but for some reason they just didn’t have the feel in an almost resonant way. They look amazing as well but they were not for me
the playing sounds like a literal DOOM song
I really wouldn't call this expensive, considering these are USA built and custom, they're a great price. They can get expensive, but to be able to spec a solid guitar for like 1600 usd is great imo. Along with almost every other custom brand costing a lot more on a basic build....
My thoughts exactly. Other USA custom built guitars are easily double the price.
@@SIRiAlerion Exactly, Kiesel is even cheaper than Balaguer which is SK built. I actually just got a shipping notif yesterday that my current kiesel build is making it's way to me lol
Eh. I get every company has to raise their prices right now but I think Kiesel's are starting to price themselves out of the market on certain models. I just spec'd out a well-equipped but nothing crazy Theos and it is well into Suhr Modern pricing territory. I also account to have to replace the Kiesel pickups off the bat as well. YMMV, but I find even their better pickup options to just be okay. So add another $300 to the price with taxes and its well over $3k. I think they make good stuff but at $3k+ I'd rather go for a Suhr or used Mayones Aquila. I don't buy guitars based on resale but both of those hold value exceptionally well. You can pick one up to try out and if you don't like it you can make your money back very easily. The resale certainly isn't there on a Kiesel. If its a returnable build you're still paying a restocking fee and return shipping and there are plenty of options that make it non returnable. I think at the $1,600 price point you're talking about they're a very solid option but I couldn't recommend spending over that on a Kiesel.
@@user-te3qq1rb7uyou won’t get the customer service with kiesel as you will suhr I know that from experience, still there nice players 👍
9 builds with kiesel and all have been absolutely amazing quality instruments. Haven't sold one of them but sold all my other guitars.
Im selling my ibanez for my next kiesel
How the fuck do you afford that????
@@DingDongDaddyFromDumas shit tons of overtime 🤣
@@JimDewdGuitars I wish I had the energy for that 🤣
@@JimDewdGuitars work hard play hard.
Kiesel are expensive? In comparison to what other brand? (for a usa custom build)
I don't think they are overhyped. It's cool what they are doing in terms of the range, options, finishes, and level of quality. Not cheap, but the price is very fair. Nice stuff...
Totally worth the price imo
lol Yes they are.
Price? These are USA made and completely custom to what you want! I don’t know of ANY builder in the country that make a custom guitar for 3k!
Kiesel are the best. I’ve been playing for over 60 years and had Ibanez s, fender, Gibson, John Petrucci and many more. I ordered the A2 and specked it out with my priorities like ebony fretboard, stainless steel jumbo frets , thin neck , 2 humbucker pickups and many more specific items. Since I have so much experience with many guitars I knew just what I wanted. And it’s the best guitar I’ve ever had and it wasn’t that expensive either. The are the best if you order with your specifications.
Kiesel’s are basically cheap. For a custom guitar as low as 2-3k with pretty high specs. The same custom build from any of the bigger companies that spend a ton on advertising would cost 6-7k especially if you want it built in the US.
I own several Kiesels and I love them. They aren't overhyped because you can get exactly what you want and the quality is always going to be great. They are definitely not overpriced. You can get a baseline Kiesel for around $1,400 and it will have the same quality as a $4,000 Kiesel, which is a lot better than most guitar manufacturers. Of course, you can spend a lot if you load your build with expensive options. You can buy a lot cheaper guitars, but you won't get the quality, nor the customizability.
Recently got a second hand Carvin DC400. The neck on that guitar is amazing in feel/play. If they still make guitars with that quality and feel I would not hesitate to get a Kiesel. Also Jeff seems like a straight forward guy and maybe that rubs people wrong. I'd rather a straight shooter, even if we don't agree, than someone blowing smoke up the .... but I never had a personal dealing with the man or business.. so all observation at this point. Great Video Taylor as always, thanks!
Kiesels seem cool, and I can definitely see the appeal of them, but they're also waaaaaaaay outside of my price range, so I kind of have a detached view of them, since it's unlikely I'll ever own one. It's very clear to me that they're awesome instruments, but I know that I can find an instrument at a price range I can afford that will keep me very happy.
seems high but then people buy 3 £500 guitars because they're "affordable" , so now they have 3 mediocre below average guitars that they probably only play 1 of anyway. when they could've just got a kiesel that's built to exactly what they want
@@omgdisfunny4852 All you have to do is save $25 per week for a year.
A homeless person could pull that off if they really wanted to.
Being broke just means being more patient.
@@DingDongDaddyFromDumas you realise that only equals £1200? Kiesel are like £1600, also yea if you have a job you can afford things who would've known 🤯 I was just making the point that people think short term, and get bad cheap guitars because they don't have to wait and don't think about it
I have two $1440 Schecters and my Kiesel 7 Aries (bought used for 1600) destroys them both in every possible way.
@@omgdisfunny4852 Generally true. However, there are some really good guitars at that price range like Michael Kelly and the Sire Larry Carlton line.
The mixed song demo guitar sound is amaizing!
In the end that's what matters IMO in regards of sound
The ergos & balance are the really most important and this is where kiesel is just on another level
I bought a Carvin (their old name when they were still bundled with the amps/pro audio half of the family) CS6 in 2008. I got bit by the customization bug. I sold my Les Paul and Strat after I got that CS6. In 2016 I bought an Aries which was built even better. Last year, I got an SH6 and it was built even a little better still. My CS6 is still my #1 because I just tend to prefer single cuts, but the other two guitars are "better" in every objective measure.
Got my first (used) Carvin DC400 a month ago. Love it.
Will definitely make my own custom build one day
Wait?!?! Ur talking price on Kiesel .. what does a Korean built KM7 Artist cost!? There’s no damn comparison .. it’s a custom built US custom shop guitar? Have you asked ESP or Jackson Custom shops to build you a guitar lately?!
Dude some people just don't get it. You can get a hand crafted guitar made in the USA for the price of a new American Fender. It's a no brainer.
I own 4 kiesels with a 5th on the way. I totally agree about the pickups, very harsh and shrill sounding. Newest build will have the Thorium in the bridge so hopefully it will sound better than the lithium’s which I absolutely despise. And as far as customer service goes, I’ve had nothing but great experiences with them and I fully trust them with my money going towards them.
Hey this is super insightful. How do you feel about the pickups now? Is the thorium shrill as well? I will be placing an order tomorrow
@@PhantomSonata The thorium’s are definitely still my favorite for anything detuned. In standard the highs can be a bit ice picky but it can be dialed out eq wise
@conorday7893 I can't jive with any of the Kiesel pickups. The guitar...the best. But the pickups just to shrill. You can roll back the volume a touch..or roll the the tone in a little. But I'm gonna get some Dimarzios I think. I have Berylliums in my Aries. I had Lithiums in another build. Didn't like them either. I had C22s in a Carvin that weren't too bad.
Love mine, I've owned 2 but sold one a few years ago. I love my Kiesel vanquish, such an odd shape but is super comfy
Just FYI to those who find Kiesel Guitars 'pricey'. These ARE NOT expensive compared to other CUSTOM built guitars with similar specs. Compare apples to apples for one. If you only buy mass produced production guitars and trying compare a Kiesel to them, that's not really a good comparison. You'd be better off comparing them to the likes of Mayones, Skervesen, or any of the custom shop guitars by companies like ESP, Jackson, Gibson, Fender, etc. where higher quality woods are sourced, finish quality, and overall construction comes into play. Then the other consideration when comparing custom built to other custom built guitars is the turn around time and wood quality options (ie. how much more is it to get a mastergrade wood from each company). Kiesel has the fastest turn around time out of all of them and really the most affordable way to get into extremely higher grade woods at a lower cost. Also, the other consideration That being said.... custom guitars are a league of the own in general. If you haven't played one, you must!
facts......
I’m sure they make some quality instruments but their owner Jeff is an unpleasant guy to deal with so I’ll pass
How would you know if you have never had one built by him? You just listen to a few unhappy customers? I know many people that have done like 6 builds with them and they are happy.
@@beefnacos6258 believe me their customer service isn’t the best but they get it done im an owner of a dc600x 🤘🏻
I think if you're not super picky you can pick one used for a killer deal. I wouldn't personally spend over $2g for one but you can snag a decently spec one for $1500 or so.
@@Gabos_Parfums Dang that's sad to hear. I'll take your word for it. I bought two Kiesel guitars used and of course I'm happy because I didn't go through any headaches acquiring them. I want to order an Aries but hearing comments like this always has me backing out.
Yes, there are great guitars made all over the world, and many will be cheaper. For US customers who want to support a US brand, then there's much more fierce competition. For example, the higher-end guitars from PRS, EBMM can be very excellent...but just don't offer the customizability at this price. Love everything about a specific PRS but want a different fretboard radius? Yeah, good luck with that... For almost the same amount of money or maybe a little less you can get a custom Balaguer, but the wait for those are just as long, and made in Asia and shipped over to the US. I can't speak about the European experience because there seems to be more custom builders there and there's of course import duties/taxes/fees which to degrade the Kiesel value proposition. For me, the ability to customize so much of the instrument, for a reasonable price for a USA-made guitar, and still has a 5-year warranty and the security of a company that's been around for 75 years...there's a lot to be said for that, for me.
That demo took me back to like 2009/2010 when I found Bleeding Skies / Entrosolet on TH-cam. Good stuff
🤘
I'm not a fanboy of any product, just to get that out of the way... I just think Kiesel offers something that few other vendors do - a guitar built to your specifications (even if it means shipping them your own pickups and having them put them in your build - Bare Knuckles seems to be really popular lately). If you play Djent then you're probably going to hate the passive Lithiums in your buddies guitar.
As far as cost... If you go for a flamed maple neck with roasted flame maple fret board, a burl top wood and some crazy configurations, you can top out at $4k+ - but that's still cheaper than many off the shelf PRS's out there. My first DC600 was $1800 and my next build is looking like it'll be around $2500 with a bunch of options - but just try to find a US made Gibson, Fender, PRS, Ibanez, or any other brand that matches the specs for near that price and plays so well.
Have a Vader 8 string and absolutely love it. Osiris is in the works. They definitely have a different feel from other brands. For a reputable custom US made guitar the cost is unbeatable as long as you don't go crazy on options. Compare it to the cost of ESP or Schecter custom shop models...
ESP sure, but Schecter custom shop are a solid step up in quality from Kiesel for very reasonable pricing. USA Schecter stuff is among the best guitars made.
They don't dry their wood properly anymore. My DC600 has fret sprout already. From what I've heard Framus/Warwick are about the only company still drying their wood the right way.
My 2019 Warwick bass with fret sprout would disagree.
@@necrojoe well shit
Trust no one! 👀
Your experience with a fret issue has nothing to do with the quality of Kiesel's wood drying process. I've been with Kiesel since 1992 when they were Carvin to this day and I have never had one single fret issue. And I've owned a dozen or more of their Instruments, and still do to this day.
@@mariosangermano enlighten me then, what's the issue?
good review and nice editing/multiple angles/etc I appreciate the work that went into this review!
Best guitars for the quality even with the recent price hike.
Have to disagree pretty strongly. $3k is too much for well spec'd Theos IMO. They're nicely built and good looking guitars but they're not quite Suhr or Mayones level which can be had at the same price. Before the price hikes I'd say go for one but I think they've begun to price themselves out of the market.
@@user-te3qq1rb7u I've owned all of those. You're absolutely incorrect. You can spec a sick Theos for $2200. The options that push price over 3k aren't even available on those other brands.
I built my Kiesel DC600 to match a Jackson Soloist SL2H minus cosmetics (binding, etc) and the factory will install the JB/Jazz for $50 for about 1/2 the price and it was and remains flawless. Picked all the features I wanted (colors, etc) and it’s a terrific guitar. I do wish Kiesel would just give up and buy pickups for their guitars. That’s the weak area, but the Thorium and Beryllium are actually pretty good.
If You are Lefty hand player Kiesel it's the way !
I've had 3 Kiesels built. All of them have been flawless and supremely playable.
I've just been waiting to find the ONE comment that justifies my need to purchase a Kiesel 😂
Can I change the pickups to emg pickups after I get the order?
@@tommyvercetti6217 Yes, at least on their six string models. Their seven and eight string models are routed for passive style pickups so I don’t know if the pickup routs are large enough for EMG style soapbar extended range pickups. I know Kiesel does offer Fishmans as an option on all their guitars. I don’t know if the routing for those will support the larger EMG style seven and eight string pickups, though.
i own and have owned 10+ Kiesels! they are amazing. American made, high quality and affordable for the price/specs vs other custom high end luthiers etc Jeff gets too much hate online. i love Kiesel and i like other brands too lol a lot of people cant get over one or two statements over the last year or so that Jeff said etc its done and over with. stop beating a dead horse. these trolls dont even play Kiesel or could probably afford a Kiesel so their opinions dont really matter or have any merit behind it! #triggered
PS- Kiesel Lithiums are super bright alnico V pickups! If you want actives, check out the Polorities! (Andy James swears by them) I love the Thorium pickups especially for Metal!
Dont worry, il stick with LTD/ESP and other higher end brands like padalka, vandermeij, OD guitars instead.
Yeah I agree, I think too much emphasis of a guitar brand being placed on the Ceo is a bad thing. I get that it’s the social media era and that’s what’s expected, but at the same time, if you know you’re the head of a company… maybe don’t make a video ripping on one of your customers and leave that to settle behind closed doors 🤷♂️
@@TaylorDanley I agree. I'm cool with Jeff and I feel we are all human and mistakes are made and we can learn from them and move on but people are seriously butt hurt over bs that has nothing to do with them or the guitars themselves
@@aether_antares7761 I mean...there's almost always going to be a "higher end" somewhere, and I don't doublt Padaka and vandermeij are that higher end...but they had better be when you're looking at guitars that *start* at over $2000 and go up (Padalka says their average is $3,000-$5,000 USD on their own site). The cheapest in-stock Vandermeij right now on their site is $3700 USD. The cheapest (only) OD is one with damage that's $3,000. A Mustang or Corvette might be the great performancevalue, and excellent cars and already better than cars most people would splurge on...but there's always a Ferrari or Lambo beyond it. And for every Ferrari, there's a Bugatti. And for every Bugatti there's a Pagani or Konigsegg, etc.
What up Joe!
Hey Taylor. Just discovered your channel and was watching some of the back catalog. Cool stuff man. Keep it up, glad I found you!
Thanks so much!! 🙌🏻🙌🏻🤘🤘
@@TaylorDanley you’re welcome!! Have a great day!!
Expensive? Pretty cheap for a custom built guitar in the USA
You’re killing it man. I think your subs have doubled since I found your channel through SWOLA in November. Thanks for being an inspiration and confirming that even newer channels can grow.
Thanks! It’s a constant grind and sometimes you feel like TH-cam is giving you crumbs for your effort, but yeah it’s possible!
One thing I really think that makes an extended scale guitar stand out from the rest is if you can play it and it doesn't feel a lot longer. My Solar is very easy to play at 26.5 inches. I am considering getting a Kiesel someday
Yeah I wondered about the longer scale solars!
I wouldn't say they're S-tier (had Mayones/Kiesels/PRS/Aristides/etc)
however, you're not gonna get a semi-custom Jackson/Mayones/PRS/etc for the price you can get with Kiesel. That and you can score a pro-level instrument for a great deal used since people tend to flip them for different builds. Just don't go crazy on a popsicle burst build with 5 piece necks and Imo you're good to go.
Speaking as a left handed player i think it is worth it. I own a Carvin and a Kiesel guitar (also a Carvin amp) and plan on getting another one in the next year. Practically all other guitar builders barely care about Lefties and Kiesel will gladly make me a custom instrument without an upcharge.
Yes, craftsmanship is awesome. But, the price(s), Jeff's attitude towards customers when the shop makes a mistake isn't great. Least he rectified that fiasco though, as for the the price and worth etc. I'm in disagreement with the price, performance, options. Been playing 23 yrs have 6 guitars (all of which I modify/upgrade myself) even build my own too. That's just my opinion though. To each their own though, I've played numerous companies and the ones that usually impressed me were ones I least expected.
I have 2 Kiesel Vanquish basses. I love them. The craftsmanship is 2nd to none. My problem is since I bought mine they changed to gig bags. So you spend a lot of money on a very well built guitar an it gets shipped in a gig bag. I also have a fender Mod shop P bass and the quality is just as good and it came with a nice case. Also tr cost way much lower. I get that the options on Fenders Mod shop are much less however the point I'm trying to make is 1) Kiesel continues to raise prices and 2) they come in. Gig bag.
That song you wrote for this was awesome man!
It had some serious
dissonance in design vibes!
B.t.w. criminally underated band.
Hey there, can you tell how do you like the forearm contour of the Aries? It looks as though your wrist will rest right at that edge where the flat surface of the guitar transitions to the forearm cut. I doubt if that's very comfortable compared to a smooth transition.
The basses are incredible and worth the money. Always win the "which one to pick, if there may be any situation!" challange. Always in tune, solidly build and perfect playability.
What tuning are you using in this video ??
Kiesel guitars are fine, but the thing that annoys me is the fanboys. They are SO annoying lol That being said, for a well spec'd Kiesel, you can also buy a Mayones BL series or a Suhr... And those run laps around any Kiesel lol
US instruments are expensive, compared to other US made guitars I've considered (mostly in the 6K range) I ordered a kiesel 8 string Zeus multiscale. I'm pretty excited. I've only ever owned imported guitars.
Kiesels are ace. Totally worth the money. Hand crafted in the USA, no surplus for left handed ones, default back of neck = tung oiled...simply outstanding
Kiesel is only overhyped because they do a ton of social media and internet advertising. I ordered a kiesel. I love it. Very nice attention to detail. I’ll will probably buy another kiesel. But maybe put in a higher output pickup. I don’t have a $3000 sound processor
Kiesels are the best. Great vid
🙌🏻
I didn't think my kiesel was that expensive, just about $1200.
The “sound” comparison with Agile is unfair since they use different pickups. That’s exactly why it sounded darker but the video is really good. Cheers 🥂
I’ve noticed that Jeff Kiesel can be a dick to customers if they experience quality control problems. Gives me pause.
Has anyone here experienced anything like that with Kiesel?
Are u sure the shrillness comes from the pickups? I think it's the brass plate on the hipshot bridge doing that. The agile has a zinc or steel bridge plate.
I don’t think it’s the bridge, I have a few hip shot bridge in my rg7321 and it doesn’t have the same shrillness at all.
@@TaylorDanley It is probably a combo of the pickups and body wood. I imagine the pole pieces can be adjusted to take the top end out some. I have a kiesel and the alder sounds like it has way more mid's and Highs than my ibanez basswood guitars. They sound way better on kemper. They were always a little harsh needing more tone adjustment on my AX8
I have lithium’s. They’re just hot and shrill in general. I got some strandberg put in and it’s a night and day difference
I'm a bit wary of their CS but goddamn I've wanted a Becker model for years.
If you like the cs style or les paul definitely pull the trigger and get a cs custom made to your specifications!
There have been some very public customer service issues that populated FB and message boards, but the vast majority of CS stories are positive. I've got two - a V220 and a JB200 and have never had anything but great experiences and interactions with them. My V220 is ancient though - ordered it in the 80s and have had it ever since. The JB of course is a lot newer. Both are excellent and two of my favorite guitars. I'm not the original owner on the JB, and earlier this year I contacted them to ask about history and details regarding it. They were incredibly friendly and helpful, and were even pretty hyped about my old V220 and my phone rep was interested enough to ask for a picture of it. Super nice guy, and left a good impression for me. Necks are subjective, but I really love my Becker. It's a great playing, great sounding instrument. The 25" scale length is a little odd to some players, as it falls sort of in between a strat 25.5" and an LP 24.7" length, but I never really found it noticeable. I played my V220 for years with the same scale 25" scale length and never even realized it was different than my other guitars until I measured it one day :) Play one first if you can before ordering one, but for most, it's a very likable guitar.
Me too (Becker model)
I have. DC 400 from 1999. Wonderful guitar, but I’m just not as excited about todays Kissel. There’s just something missing about the new company.
Great info, and excellent choice in chords and playing.
Kiesel is usa made . The price is so much lower in cost to other USA companies & when agile had a Simi custom shop. Kiesel was cheaper. The quality is untouchable. I'm happy to see Josh Travis is with them now. Kiesel made 9 string has to be sick
Kiesel are all about value for money. I have had custom made guitars made in the past. The problem is over time my needs changed as I moved into different styles and genres of music. In short I felt I needed something different and that meant selling a guitar that very few wished to own. Unlike a Gibson or a Fender that you can sell easily and quickly and often even at a profit a Kiesel in spite of the hype will depreciate in value overnight.
That’s a good point!
How would you sell an 800 dollar Mexican strat for a profit? lol. Especially if you are selling locally people are huge tight asses when it comes to local market shopping. Facebook marketplace etc. I see several new strats sitting right now for 400. And it's been there for two months. On the other hand I listed a white Kiesel Vanquish locally and the messages would not stop..So I am not too sure what you are talking about.
All this bitching about Kiesels being "overpriced" makes me believe that you guys have no clue about the guitar market at all.
To put the price tag of a Kiesel into perspective: a new, Made in Japan ESP E-II model costs much more. And these are production models without ss-frets and with no customisation option.
Now, a similar spec´d, custom build guitar by any other USA company goes for at least twice the price.
Hell, a new USA PRS "Coreline" Cu 24 goes here in the EU for over 4,500 Euros, that´s over 4,700 $. And again, that´s a production model with no customisation options. Even with the extra costs of import taxes & shipping, a similar spec´d Kiesel CT model goes for half the money. And the Kiesel has ss-frets, which the PRS doesn´t !
Ffs,some made in Indonesia production guitars are more expensive as a Kiesel, without a crazy top.
Not to mention, in the USA you don´t have the extra shipping & import taxes costs and you´re still bitching about the price tag?!
So true. A typical custom Suhr pushes $5k usually.
I've been buying them since they were Carvin. I love their instruments but the 'bang for the buck' ratio has diminished considerably since the company was taken over by the next generation. That being said, I play them almost exclusively even though I will most likely never buy another one due to price increases. I'm glad I bought a bunch before this happened. In fairness, there have been several stock upgrades that came with said increases.
THAT being said, I'm a lefty bass player and finally got my hands on a real German Warwick and it was more expensive than any of my Carvin/Kiesels. The Warwick does not even compare to my Carvin and Kiesel basses. Ergonomic gems. Great sound and playability. Lots of options.
On several of the models yes, but my oldest Carvin is a V220 that I ordered in 1987. I took the price that I paid for it in 1987 and plugged it into an inflation caclulator. I went to the Kiesel site and built the closest thing to my old one (some options have changed, but I got close). The new one has stainless frets, which were not an option on the old. The final price was a little over $300 more than the inflation-adjusted price I paid for my old V220. Stainless frets are debatably not worth a $300 increase, but it was no where near as big a gap as I thought it would be. Great deals can sometimes be found on used ones as well, due to the resale value not being as strong as some better-known US built brands. I picked up a fantastic JB200 Becker model this Spring with a bunch of upgrade options for $1300.
I'm having one built right now . Do they give you updates on how its coming along ?
Not mine, so I have no idea. This particular one was also a few years old
@@stevelafontaine3652 do you still have it? How is the guitar?
For a US made instrument, Kiesell’s are not expensive
To be fair, Kiesel guitars are not that expensive for a fully blown custom guitar that is made the way that you configured it to be. For $4000 you can build yourself a fully loaded 7 or 8 string that looks and feels incredible. A custom shop Fender will be half of that but let's be honest, that shit is just doing some extra configuration of standard models.
Go buy a fender custom shop that you specd yourself then tell me if you still think kiesels are expensive lol. I have tons of kiesels I just ordered a K series 2 weeks ago that was almost 5k. I think they are totally worth the money.. they have kind of spoiled me because I have no desire to play anything else now lol.
Overhyped? Overpriced?
Not even close.
You get custom guitars with better components and MUCH better necks and finishes, for less than a Gibson.
Am i the only one wondering whts wrong with the place the volume knob was supposed to be, they juz leave it open? Did they juz cnc any top together? It pokes me in the EYE!!
Sick riff there!
Loved that volume/tone dpdt switch mod.
Is the Tone circuit overall bypassed when in normal pushed in position?
Thanks! Yes it’s bypassed when the knob is pressed in.
I just have one kiesel, it’s amazing 🤟🏼
I think I prefer the 2nd guitar. I didn't like the lead tone on the Kiesel at all, too harsh / shrill / bright or something. The two tone bevelling doesn't work for me either.
I don't know.... all of those options. Alot of the time, we'll most, it's the tradesman and not the tools. E. G a great player will sound good on any guitar. Rather spend the time and money on practice and lessons.
These pickups are too "plucky" sounding for you?? C'mon man.. lolol
Lol these are maybe the MOST cost effective guitar on the market. Basic builds cost less than an American strat but come with carbon rods/SS frets etc. It's a custom guitar for a production price. FFS.
Nice demo track! Really liked the melodic element to it!
Thanks! 🤘
I don’t think they’re overhyped, but they’re too expensive for normal people. The idea of Kiesel was that they had custom options at reduced prices due to how they obtain things like their woods and veneers. Now, they’re just way too expensive for the everyday human.
A bit bizarre this video.
Kiesel vs Agile, really?
Active pickups vs passive pickups, really?
But I'm definitely agree in one point in this video, about the taste of what sound you like.
I don't have anything against Kiesel, I'm sure that they build great guitars!
Now to answer the question if they are overhyped...
Do you need to spend a lot of money to own a Kiesel? -Yes!
Do you need to spend a lot of money to own a good guitar? -No!
You can get an entry level guitar, lets say a Jackson, LTD, Ibanez, whatever brand you prefer...
And modify/customize it, till you are happy with the way it plays, sounds and looks!
Not everyone has the skills to do that? Maybe, but everyone can learn how to do it!
It takes less time to learn how to customize guitars than learning how to play them!
I had to learn how to fix/mod guitars out of necessity and it was totally worth it. An early girlfriend of mine sat on my Squier Pbass while it was plugged in and screwed up the output jack. Right then it was either stop playing or learn to solder (the joy of being poor). Now all I do is get low cost guitars and do some minor mods to get it where I need it. Way better than dropping thousands on wood and wires with a name printed on it.
@@riffsnoleads I can well understand that👍
I have a 1990 japanese jackson fusion pro that I got for 330$ and I am completely happy that I paid 1700 for my kiesel because it is as good or better than that japanese jackson.
@@riffsnoleads I have a frankenstein ibanez I did that to. Still one of my fav guitars even though I will need to refret it soon. I put a dimarzio steve special and air norton in it.
LMAO I don't think any actual player is legitimately happy with a low end Jackson, LTD, Ibanez. Do you need to spend a lot of money to own a Kiesel. No? They cost as much as American strats if you don't go overboard on the options.
Do you need to spend a lot of money to own a good guitar? NO is correct. If you don't like the way a guitar plays in the beginning if you mod it, it will not change the way it feels it will still feel like crap it will just sound different lol........ So don't take this advice. Buy a guitar that's ready to go and has the badge and you will be much happier.
Can anyone tell me what the black thing is on the neck of the guitar I thought it was a capo, but it’s by the tuners.
It’s a called a fret wrap, it helps keep open strings from ringing when you aren’t playing them. You can do the same thing with an elastic hair band but it’s not as cool haha
@@bucknasty69 Thank you!!!
Not over hyped. I have played a few that were really good. Pricey yes. I wanna possibly get a headless
Yeah same friend had a headless that I think he ended up selling because the whole feel and aesthetic was so different.
The thing is, most people see $2000 and $3000 prices, but really...if you stick with the base price specs, you will get a guitar that plays, feels and sounds identically...you just don't get as many of the eye-candy upgrades...they are much better value. Still with Luminlay SuperBlue side dits, stainless frets, all of their necks are quarter-sawn, Hipshot , Gotoh or "ORF" floyd rose bridges, etc.
Nah nothing is pricey when it comes to how bad inflation has got. Have you priced out a custom shop guitar elsewhere? Now that's pricey .
The guitar appears to be very nice but I'd have to agree on the pickups. Are those Lithiums??
My Kiesel Vanquish is the best guitar i've ever had
Sup. I got a Kiesel Zeus, highly recommend to anybody. The lithium pickups, for my style are perfect. bright, articulate and not overkill on the high output.
This last decade of guitar industry brought the CEOs and companny creators to the spotlight, because of the social media.
The image and name of the company now blends with the image and name of the person.
So if you make a mistake as a person, this is gonna damage the image of the brand.
Happened with Chapman, then with Kiesel recently...
Maybe the person should stay away to avoid this kind of problem, maybe their ego just don't let them stay away.
Who knows, I mean I think this is just common now in the age of social media. I’d be interested to see how much of an affect it had on the overall brand, especially after he came out and publicly apologized.
@@TaylorDanley Good question.
Unfortunately, people use to not hear apologies and keep the hatred.
I like how he considers kiesel expensive, but one of the best things about kiesel is how inexpensive they are for what you get
Couldn’t agree more. Maybe I’m missing something here but are there any cheaper alternatives on the market that are made in the USA/Japan with excellent fretwork, SS frets and carbon fiber neck rods? Like you can get a barebones Kiesel for less than your typical Ibby Prestige and even that doesn’t have SS frets
@@SpaceJamzzz yea but to he fair everyone has a different view of "expensive" and to some people, a bare bones Kiesel is too expensive
@@the_armada5579 don’t disagree! It’s a chunk of change objectively. Just personally think comparing the price to similar things on the market is a more useful discussion than whether it’s cheap/expensive full stop
@@SpaceJamzzz yea thats what draws me to kiesel so much and why I have one being built rn ;)
@@the_armada5579 right on, enjoy it dude! I love my Zeus!
I find it funny anyone thinks Kiesel guitars and basses for that matter are so high priced. Compared to PRS which truly is way over priced and IMHO not worth the cost. I could name a few other companies aw well. How about Fodera?? Sadowsky?? Great stuff, but WAY over priced!!
Moding on a custom guitar, is not a good idea. It makes it worth a bit lesser. Sick guitar though all the Kiesels.
I find a lot of these beveling designs ugly. They may be fine playing instruments, but I kinda preferred their original designs when they were Carvin over any of the Kiesels.
Anyone else think Taylors playing has improved 3fold?
True but maybe he just became more comfortable playing in front of the camera.
Both these things, but also I’m playing a drop tuned 7 string which makes me change up the style quite a bit too, and it could be you prefer that more as well
Can Anyone who bought a custom kiesel I. The U.S tell me how long it took to arrive?
wow, cool, I heard about distrokid. and I need to record, you in jersey?
ive had 3 kiesel and or Carvin guitars. They are all built GREAT but for some reason they just didn’t have the feel in an almost resonant way. They look amazing as well but they were not for me
Is that guitar considered a baritone?
I have 2 haha Vader and Osiris
Nice!
If and whenever you decide to get one you should totally do it
Those pickups are definitely Djenty. Everything you played turned into Scale the Summit...........
Yeah I hate volume knobs that are below the strings. Unfortunately that's about 90% of all guitars made........
Tone knobs are pretty much useless for Metal rhythm but tone knobs and coil splits are great for cleans and leads.........
I hate having those middle single coils. Whenever I dig into the strings hard (trying to make chugs and palm mutes pop and stand out) my pick keeps hitting it..........
What else do I want to bitch about today? Eh.......I'm good for now.......
I’m not a fan of middle pickups really either 🤣
@@TaylorDanley that’s why I lowered and disconnected it 😎 accepted my mistake in the build and moved on
Is the neck as thin as an Ibanez? And does it have a D shape?
Even kiesel’s thinnest neck profile doesn’t feel as flat and thin as an Ibanez. Close but not exact
@@JosePineda-jn8jk hmmm . My kiesel vanquish with the thinner neck option is pretty thin. BUt not Ibanez prestige thin. I'd agree. But not all ibanez have thin necks. The cheaper ones have shitty clunky necks.
Kiesel makes great guitars for the money, all of mine are awesome 🤘
I usually play the super nice unbeatable Don Grosh handmade guitars but just got a kiesel and super impressed., great personality clean. dont play metal
Do they still have really poor customer service ?
No idea!
So, last summer was really shitty, image-wise, for Kiesel...but I have to say...I follow them really closely, both on their own social media platforms, and also other forums where people would post their experiences (sevenstring, talkbass, HC, etc) and so far, every single issue (and there always will be some) was solved. Someone a couple days ago mentioned he wasn't satisfied with the work on the fretboard, and they agreed to re-built the neck immediately, no back-and-forth. There were a couple other issues that popped up, like a backwards headstock, and one where there was an issue with the piezo electronics...both solved right-away, on Kiesel's dime. One woman didn't realize the specs never got finalized and entered from her last email until she went to make her final payment as her expected date approached. It turned out that the order wasn't put in, so they did a "RUSH" (not rushed build, but put at the front of every queue along the way), and gave her a discount, and she's super pleased. From what I've seen, Kiesel went from a D+ to an A, when looking at issue resolution. And since they build 4,000 guitars per year with a social-media-savvy customer base, I think they are still doing really well on that front. Possibly still room for improvement, but I was really pleased to see the improvements.
@@necrojoe that’s good to hear, although I’m not sure how a backwards headstock gets missed by the luthier or the QC.
@@roryt1985 it's one of those things where the model came with a standard headstock and the option for the backwards one almost has the same option code with just with one extra letter, and that letter was missed....but, yeah...it should have been caught by a final QC spec-check.
I borrowed this guitar from my friend Alex... Now Alex has mysteriously disappeared... 😉😄
Not hyped enough honestly my Kiesel AM7 is my favorite guitar I own out of 18 and none are slouches.
My st300 has a magical neck. It's a high end sports car.
I wanted one really badly back in the day and they’re still very nice axes, but they have so much competition from custom builders these days for a similar price point that.. ehh, I don’t know anymore.
Who? Where? What company? Because I'd like to price out some builds. I seriously doubt you will name another company that will build you one for the price point Kiesel will.
What are the names?
I always feel like a dick offering an opinion because I'm usually going against what's new and "hip" but as great as I'm sure they are I will never understand why someone would shell out that kind if money for one of those hideous headless Keisels. That particular one looks cool but all their stuff is a bit too fancy for me. Oh and your buddy forgot to take that velcro off the headstock when he set it up 🤘
Personally, I fuckin' LOVE mine!