Kiesel Builder

[JB_From_Hell]

Like most everybody else, I've been looking at the Carvin catalog for decades. I spend an absurd amount of time on their website building mock ups, and I think it's time to order one. I have no idea how I'm going to ultimately choose, but here are a few I keep going back to.

Things I'm undecided on:

body shape
finish
wood
6 or 7 string

Things I've decided on:

ordering a Kiesel
crescent moon with dots inlay
paying the few hundred extra dollars to pick all my specs rather than buying used
designing guitars on their builder is a lot of fun

 

[GuitarDoc]

That natural wood is awesome!

Other than Keith Richards, who plays just 5 strings?

 

[JB_From_Hell]

And some more...

 

[JB_From_Hell]

That natural wood is awesome!

Other than Keith Richards, who plays just 5 strings?

That was a typo, and should've been 6. Will correct

 

[JB_From_Hell]

... and here's a black limba with zebrawood and a Floyd DC.

 

[Benjy_26]

If I was building another Carvin, this is what I'd do differently:

I'd go easy on the maple. My DC127T is all maple with an ebony board. It is an unforgiving guitar. It sounds great it some contexts, but it is a very direct, high fidelity, almost stiff sounding instrument.

I'd eschew the floating Wilkinson for either a hardtail bridge, or I'd go with a Floyd. The Wilki sounds good, but it's a compromise.
I'd get a figured top. Why not?

 

[JB_From_Hell]

I like how limba looks as a neck. Wonder if it’d be any warmer than maple.

 

[Benjy_26]

I like how limba looks as a neck. Wonder if it’d be any warmer than maple.

From what I understand, limba is basically korina, so, assuming a whole lot of things and brutally generalizing the situation; I'd say that a limba neck would soften up the sound vs a maple neck. One thing I should mention is that my Carvin had the dual carbon rods inside the neck aside from the truss rod. Maybe this is part of what I'm hearing. With that said, my guitar is a LOT of maple. It's heavier than some LP's that I've played/owned.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

I’m probably going with a bolt on model. I’ve had a couple neck thrus over the years, and never gelled with them. One was a beautiful black cherry Charvel Model 6. It’s one of the only guitars I’ve traded off because I wasn’t thrilled with it, rather than just wanting a new guitar.

The other was an Ibanez RGT. Same deal.

Regardless, bolt on is the safer bet for me. I’ll probably do a maple neck with tung oil, black limba body with oil, or alder with a solid finish.

 

[Benjy_26]

I feel that. I'll probably keep my DC forever, due to personal reasons, but I don't think I'll ever get another neck-thru without playing it first. It's a very specific sound and vibe.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

I definitely think there’s something to that construction having an inherent tone. I’ve had a bunch of set-thru guitars, where the neck is set a little deeper than a Gibson, and it’s sculpted to feel like a neck thru, and love those. Set necks are fine, too, but bolt ons always wind up being my favorite.

 

[Metalman_666]

Interesting you don't dig the neck-through overall, maybe it's just my guitars but mine have a certain growl lower down whereas my bolt-ons have it up high.

Yet I like them both on different days, in different rooms, and different amps/models

Are you leaning more towards a headless guitar? Am I the only one that feels they look kinda silly?

Enviado desde mi SM-F926W mediante Tapatalk

 

[Mincer]

Are you leaning more towards a headless guitar? Am I the only one that feels they look kinda silly?

I think the Holdsworth is the only one I'd consider.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Are you leaning more towards a headless guitar? Am I the only one that feels they look kinda silly?

I have two, a Legator and an EART. They weigh nothing, are extremely comfortable to play, and have rock solid tuning stability. I’ve never weighed them, but I’d be surprised if the Legator weighs more than 5 lbs.

I’m really into low tunings, and they’re awesome for that. I have one of them strung 11-52, and it feels good down to drop B. The same string gauge is pretty floppy at that tubing on a normal guitar. I assume it’s the lack of friction points.

So yes, I’m a big fan of headless guitars. Given my experience with the cheaper ones (the EART is like $300 on Amazon) I’d love to get a really nice one.

 

[dave74]

Headless beer is a good thing,,,,,,guitars not so much. (IMO)

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Headless beer is a good thing,,,,,,guitars not so much. (IMO)

Play one sometime. Not something stupid like a canoe paddle Steinberger that you can’t hold, but something ergonomic. You might be surprised.

 

[dave74]

Play one sometime. Not something stupid like a canoe paddle Steinberger that you can’t hold, but something ergonomic. You might be surprised.

I'm sure they feel great with less weight and probably zero neck-dive ever,,,,,,,,but cosmetically I just much prefer a big bulky long fat headstock.