Keisel Guitars

[Ascension]

Re: Keisel Guitars

If they actually knew about guitars they would realize that graphite rods are a good thing.

Stiffer necks have better tone and sustain, and the carbon rods raise the resonant frequency of the neck, which eliminates dead spots.

But then these are the same people that think wood “breathes” and don’t realize that nitro cellulose is a form of plastic. [emoji16]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Own a bunch of Carvin guitars. The first few years with the graphite Rods tone wise were a little hit or miss. Don't know why but preferred the tone of the the pre rod necks to most of them. Now the newer ones I own and have played are much better and more constant don't know what changed but something did. My 2015 and 2017 Carvn Kiesels are both super even in response across the necks and very lively in tone plus both sustain like crazy. Had a couple of the early ones with the rods that just lacked some thing in the tone compared to my other Carvins hard to describe but was noticeable. Still nice guitars but --. Have a Mahogany neck and body DC 400 from 95 now that is a killer but owned a couple from that era that were meh so?

 

[muttznmongrelz]

Re: Keisel Guitars

I like my Kiesel and my Carvin; both high quality, well built and amazing players. Zero complaints.

 

[Boogie Bill]

Re: Keisel Guitars

I have always appreciated Carvin guitars, but never bought one. They just seem to miss the mark for me. I nearly bought a used CT-6 a few years back but it just didn't feel right in my hands.

They do build beautiful instruments.

Bill

 

[Ascension]

Re: Keisel Guitars

I like my Kiesel and my Carvin; both high quality, well built and amazing players. Zero complaints.

Kinda figgured that pair was gonna reach up and grab ya man

 

[devastone]

Re: Keisel Guitars

I get the opposite vibe from him. I think he seems like a really cool dude...like we could hang out and have lots to talk about.
Seems really down to earth to me. I like that he is younger. It gives the whole company a “hip” feel.

Do some looking around, apparently he isn't so "bro-like" if you have a problem, especially with a custom order.

There is a 100+ page thread on SSO - https://sevenstring.org/threads/kiesel-never-again.320132/

I'm sure there are good experiences too, but there is too much public bad that I would be very hesitant to deal with them now days.

 

[Gtrjunior]

Re: Keisel Guitars

Ill have a read on that a little later when I get some free time.
I hate to see that type of thing though[emoji3525]

 

[Mincer]

Re: Keisel Guitars

I don't like to see that kind of thing, either. But I understand if customers are frustrated, and they don't get anywhere on the phone, and their emails are ignored. They post on the official forum, and it either gets erased or people pile up on them. So they go to a neutral forum (SSO) to post, and it is 100 pages of people with the same issues.

 

[DavidRavenMoon]

Re: Keisel Guitars

Own a bunch of Carvin guitars. The first few years with the graphite Rods tone wise were a little hit or miss. Don't know why but preferred the tone of the the pre rod necks to most of them. Now the newer ones I own and have played are much better and more constant don't know what changed but something did. My 2015 and 2017 Carvn Kiesels are both super even in response across the necks and very lively in tone plus both sustain like crazy. Had a couple of the early ones with the rods that just lacked some thing in the tone compared to my other Carvins hard to describe but was noticeable. Still nice guitars but --. Have a Mahogany neck and body DC 400 from 95 now that is a killer but owned a couple from that era that were meh so?

They used to use two steel bars in the neck. Has the same effect as carbon fiber, but adds weight. In my experience as a builder, CF rods never take away anything from the tone. Just makes the neck more stable. It’s still a wooden neck.

I use two rods, on each side of the truss rod.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[DavidRavenMoon]

Re: Keisel Guitars

I never understood their PRS-like models. At those prices, just get a PRS. I don't mind the headless instruments (obviously), but I hate those gaudy finishes. Also, Jeff Kiesel's 'bro-titude' in his live videos leaves me not wanting to really give him any money.

He is kind of annoying. It also bothers be that the whole split up of the company seems to have been a beef between him and the family... Carvin wasn’t named after him after all.

Then he said things like he hated the 22 pole pickups, which I always thought sounded great. He’s eliminating a lot of the uniqueness of the products because he didn’t think of it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Ascension]

Re: Keisel Guitars

I don't like to see that kind of thing, either. But I understand if customers are frustrated, and they don't get anywhere on the phone, and their emails are ignored. They post on the official forum, and it either gets erased or people pile up on them. So they go to a neutral forum (SSO) to post, and it is 100 pages of people with the same issues.

That "official forum" and the nastys that run it is a major part of the Problem man. There are 2 long time mods that came in in the late 1990's there that I would hate to meet face to face as I may go to jail over it---just saying. One of he reasons I love this place brother are folk like you being the mods. It was a hostile take over of that community back in the late 90's that changed a lot of things for Carvin. With them never selling retail and having such a dynamic on line community it was not a good thing.

 

[devastone]

Re: Keisel Guitars

Ill have a read on that a little later when I get some free time.
I hate to see that type of thing though[emoji3525]

I don't like to see that kind of thing, either. But I understand if customers are frustrated, and they don't get anywhere on the phone, and their emails are ignored. They post on the official forum, and it either gets erased or people pile up on them. So they go to a neutral forum (SSO) to post, and it is 100 pages of people with the same issues.

Yes, I'm not a fan of threads like that either, sorry if it bothers you Mincer, please feel free to delete it (or maybe I'm misinterpreting your statmenent?). It's just when I see a thread like that about a company, especially if the company doesn't seem to be doing anything to rectify it, it does make me question wanting to doing business with that company, I'm pretty sure I won't be dealing with them/Jeff personally.

That "official forum" and the nastys that run it is a major part of the Problem man. There are 2 long time mods that came in in the late 1990's there that I would hate to meet face to face as I may go to jail over it---just saying. One of he reasons I love this place brother are folk like you being the mods. It was a hostile take over of that community back in the late 90's that changed a lot of things for Carvin. With them never selling retail and having such a dynamic on line community it was not a good thing.

I'm not sure which "official" forum you are talking about, if it is SSO, it is not an "official" forum for anything. As far as the mods go, I don't know them, I just pop in there every once in a while to get different perspectives on gear and I really enjoy playing 7 strings... I don't play death/doom/metal FWIW.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Keisel Guitars

I think he means the Kiesel forum.

I don't have a problem with threads here. Nothing has crossed the line into personal attacks or anything. To me, it is no different than commenting about Gibson's recent troubles. I will say that I have seen some very pretty Kiesels (not the gaudy alien vomit ones they usually post) and their booth at NAMM is full of really beautiful instruments. None have ever personally connected with me, but I was one of the teens in the 80s dreaming over the Carvin catalogs.

 

[Gtrjunior]

Re: Keisel Guitars

I read through a couple pages of the SS thread. It sucks that he had that experience and while I certainly didn’t read the entire thread, at least 2 others posters chimed in to say that they had the opposite experience.
While bad customer experiences happen to every business and Kiesel is surely no different, I’d wager that those types of experiences are few and far between the typical experience.

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: Keisel Guitars

Back in the late 90s I ordered a 5 string bass from Carvin
It was excellent
It was heavy
And one of the pickups wasn't adjusted properly when it arrived

But it was excellent
Had a tone that was great
Was so pretty. Non players wanted to hold it , touch it

Exquisite neck thru

As with other builders, you always think of options you should have asked for

My experience was a good one
Most probably are

Happy customer is a dime a dozen
May tell a few close friends
Unhappy ones tell everyone

 

[Gtrjunior]

Re: Keisel Guitars

Back in the late 90s I ordered a 5 string bass from Carvin
It was excellent
It was heavy
And one of the pickups wasn't adjusted properly when it arrived

But it was excellent
Had a tone that was great
Was so pretty. Non players wanted to hold it , touch it

Exquisite neck thru

As with other builders, you always think of options you should have asked for

My experience was a good one
Most probably are

Happy customer is a dime a dozen
May tell a few close friends
Unhappy ones tell everyone

About that same time period I was in a band with a guy that also ordered a Carvin bass....and again, it was an awesome instrument. Sounded huge and played like buttah.

 

[Wattage]

Re: Keisel Guitars

I like 'em better racing cars...

 

[Ascension]

Re: Keisel Guitars

I think he means the Kiesel forum.

I did what is now the Kiesel Forum was the Carvin Forum before the name change. Back in the late 1990's the forum ownership changed ( has always been owned and run outside the company but is affiliated) at about the same time several long time Carvin employees including my long term sales guy were also let go. Attitudes changed with the board and those of faith were purged in rather dramatic fashion from the forum. Had several large Christian forums running Christian Carvinite refugees check in here threads was brutal and very nasty. Now understand Carvin as a company was before this spending a LOT of $ specifically advertising in Worship and Christian Music Magazines and even had scripture references on the inside of the old catalogs so this was both a shock and created a war on the forum.
Duncan here has never specifically openly courted and welcomed this community on this forum so this is an entirely different situation. Carvin for many years did openly then suddenly gave us all the left foot of fellowship and stepped on us.
Not a smart business move and loosing all that Church business was likely a factor in the collapse of the Pro sound side of the company.
There are 2 mods there to this day would love meet in a dark ally to rearrange their faces for their actions.
What part Jeff Kiesel played in all this is unknown but the timing is spot on with the changes in the company leadership. Have never questioned the quality of the instruments amps and sound gear in fact I personally think they are the best guitars I have ever had in my hands. It's why I have owned about 30 Carvin Kiesels over the years many rescued and resold from local pawn shops.

 

[The_Junior]

Re: Keisel Guitars

I wish they would come back down on the price for their neck thru blanks. I see they now come standard with stainless frets is probably one of the reasons. Stewmac used to stock those same Carvin necks a few years back. Had no complaints about the necks.

 

[Gtrjunior]

Re: Keisel Guitars

I wish they would come back down on the price for their neck thru blanks. I see they now come standard with stainless frets is probably one of the reasons. Stewmac used to stock those same Carvin necks a few years back. Had no complaints about the necks.

I also saw on the website that they offer standard and thin neck profiles. Any idea what the approximate measurements are on those?

 

[The_Junior]

Re: Keisel Guitars

I also saw on the website that they offer standard and thin neck profiles. Any idea what the approximate measurements are on those?

It's been years since I last had it in my hands. Couldn't tell you.