NGD KIESEL!

Ascension

Well-known member
Picked it up today. 2017 Kiesel DC 135 in Ferrari red gold hardware ss jumbo frets and a floyd. Visually the guitar is just stunning but it plays and sounds even better than it looks! Planned on swapping the bridge pickup untill I got it home and played it through my amp. This one will likely stay just as it is! The AP11's a the neck middle have great chime combined but the neck pickup alone really sings for solos! The M22SD in the bridge was however the biggest surprise!! I have owned many many of these Carvin Kiesel guitars over the years and more than I can count came with a M22SD in the bridge. None EVER sounded like this one does!! This pickup in this guitar is just explosive!! Dynamic warm round fat and oh so nasty on the harmonics and overtones but still has a sweet singing character on the solos. Don't know what they changed in these pickups but just WOW does it ever work in this guitar through my Zinky!! Still on the honeymoon but so far I am just blown away after playing this one through my rigs here at the house for a few hours! Best playing single guitar I have ever had in my hands bar none!!
Keisel frt bdy.jpg
Keisel 1.jpg
 
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Thin neck profile, SS Jumbos, ebony board with no streaking, MOP dots, AP11's and the M22SD with a 5 way, Gold hardware Floyd w lock nut, Kiesel locking tuners, Ferrari red, Black headstock, White logo, maple neck through w/alder wings, rounded body, and the Black G&C Kiesel hardshell. Have the Kiesel order form it's under a month old and the total came in just over $1600. Was a trade in at my local GC and I got it for a grand flat OTD.
Couple more quick photos with my phone.
Keisel frt head.jpg
Keisel.jpg
 
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That's a lot of guitar for the price.
They (Carvin) have always been a great deal when going mostly function-over-form as far as specs go.

You're right about the newer m22sd,,,,,,it's a beast with great bite, and amazing harminics. The lows are kind of jb-like, deep but a little loose.
 
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Still miss the Carvin logo. I have a DC135 my1988 myself. I remember the DMZ SuperDist I replaced the stock pup with, was way better in every aspect.
 
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Still miss the Carvin logo. I have a DC135 my1988 myself. I remember the DMZ SuperDist I replaced the stock pup with, was way better in every aspect.

I do understand the change on the name but like you kinda miss the Carvin brand on the guitars. Yep on some of the the older ( from say 94 or so up till maybe 2016 or so ) M22's being pretty lame. I REALLY liked the 1st gen M22's with the wire wrap leads and wood spacers but the later ones just didn't sound the same. Don't know exactly when they made changes in these or what they did but will say this the M22SD in this guitar is a flat out tone monster! Had a buddy tell me he bought a new one a couple months back for his mid 90's DC 135 and was really going on about how good it sounded so--?? How I understand what he was raving about as this pickup in this guitar is just a BEAST!
 
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Still miss the Carvin logo. I have a DC135 my1988 myself. I remember the DMZ SuperDist I replaced the stock pup with, was way better in every aspect.

You can still get the Carvin logo on orders,,,,,,, they're just placing the new logo on all the in-stocks.
 
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Wow, very nice! Reminds me of daydreaming while looking at the Carvin catalog in 1987.
 
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The M22SD/M22V surprised the hell out of me. I was going to put in the Duncan distortion (my fave bridge pickup) and Dimarzio Evo neck but ended up not doing it as the M22s sounded great!
 
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Wow, very nice! Reminds me of daydreaming while looking at the Carvin catalog in 1987.

At first was going to swap out the White Pickups but grew up with Alabama Football. My 1st Cousin " jack" was on the 62 nat champ team then coached there for over 30 still with the Bryan museum so this look is growing on me :naughty:.
 
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The M22SD/M22V surprised the hell out of me. I was going to put in the Duncan distortion (my fave bridge pickup) and Dimarzio Evo neck but ended up not doing it as the M22s sounded great!

Same here on te surprise. I was planning o drop in a 59/Custom Hybrid but quickly found out this one sure don't sound like the last M22SD I had ( and in a REALLY good way!!) that's for sure!
 
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I'm so glad this guitar is working out for you! It's awesome when everything just goes "right" sometimes
 
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I've often thought about trying the M22SD again. I really liked them in some of the older Carvin guitars I played, but I always forget about that pickup when it comes to pickup choices for other guitars. The M22SD pickups have always seemed highly underrated among the "Distortion" class pickups, in my opinion. Your description makes me want to order a brand new one just to try out!
 
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