Kiesel Aries (New model)

[HaloHat]

is that bloodwood neck & purple heart fingerboard an 50 option?
how much does it cost?

Yes it was an option 50 for sure [non standard and not offered by Carvin-Kiesel at the time]. You probably could get a Purple Heart fret board nowadays, though of course you would have to talk to the sales guys/Jeff about that.

I provided most of the woods for this and my first DC7X [ebony top and back and a 5 pc wenge and black limba neck] using a process Carvin-Kiesel calls "customer provided wood". The wood you source and buy. Not for the faint of heart as Carvin-Kiesel can reject the wood you send them for any reason they want and that is the way it is. They were very good about telling me the specs the wood had to meet and also very clear about possible rejection as well as the no return op50 issue etc. Of course you also have them tell you the size they want the wood blanks. I sent a lot extra hoping Jef might dig the woods. Looks like he liked the Purple Heart anyways but I'd take the bloodwood and wenge over it myself ha.

Jeff does not seem like he is interested in doing it anymore and the price I was quoted if he would was... well, I said thanks, but no thanks ha.

My first DC7X was the last "Elite" model Carvin before starting the Kiesel Edition guitars. Yep I got a hella deal. I could see why Jeff wants more $ now. But not as much as he wants imo lol. Grateful for the ones I did get done and they did an awesome job on the builds for sure.

 

[Jaxcharvel]

I wanna see that ebony top DC7X.

 

[OmegaSlayer]

Everytime I look at it something new pops into my mind.
I think that the crazy bevel + double wood fade is too busy, especially with that kind of "binding".
Next stop nightmare...the "Taurus", I'll leave the photoshop abomination to stevexc

 

[HaloHat]

I wanna see that ebony top DC7X.

Yes sir

http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/sevenstring-guitars/265096-ngd-carvin-dc7x-love.html

 

[ZeroS1gnol]

Meh...

The multi layering looks so gaudy and cheap tbh, but I already had my reservations about Kiesel's aesthetic sense.

 

[canuck brian]

Honestly that brutal bevel looks lazy. Why obliterate a matched top like that?

 

[chewpac]

i like the antique ash treated one.

not sure it's my style. i love my dc700...but there definitely is some sort of appeal to this model. i felt the same way about the vader when it first came out - didn't like it. now i think it looks very cool, but not for me.

this one i can probably get behind, though. it seems like there will be some colors and finishes that work very well, while others will look gaudy and terrible/off balance.

i'm looking forward to seeing more examples.

 

[n4t]

Honestly I don't get all the griping. They have several superstrats with full tops on them (a super rare item to be sure), what in Sam's Hell would be the point of another?

I like the asthetic of giving the guitar a more 3D look. Something different than the endless single and doublecut sameness. Tons of options on how you can accent the bevel (binding, colors, woods) or you can just do a solid color.

Do any real people care that the maple top is an inch smaller, or that the burst is 'off-center' (duh) - or is it just the OCD nutjobs with too much internet time?

My biggest problem is by the time I spec this, or an SCB, to my liking I can no longer justify the cost for a 7th guitar. Eventually I will add one of these to my collection.

 

[big_aug]

Honestly I don't get all the griping. They have several superstrats with full tops on them (a super rare item to be sure), what in Sam's Hell would be the point of another?

I like the asthetic of giving the guitar a more 3D look. Something different than the endless single and doublecut sameness. Tons of options on how you can accent the bevel (binding, colors, woods) or you can just do a solid color.

Do any real people care that the maple top is an inch smaller, or that the burst is 'off-center' (duh) - or is it just the OCD nutjobs with too much internet time?

My biggest problem is by the time I spec this, or an SCB, to my liking I can no longer justify the cost for a 7th guitar. Eventually I will add one of these to my collection.

Its not OCD man. It looks terrible. I don't care about Carvin either way, but it's flat out ugly.

 

[Chokey Chicken]

Honestly I don't get all the griping. They have several superstrats with full tops on them (a super rare item to be sure), what in Sam's Hell would be the point of another?

I like the asthetic of giving the guitar a more 3D look. Something different than the endless single and doublecut sameness. Tons of options on how you can accent the bevel (binding, colors, woods) or you can just do a solid color.

Do any real people care that the maple top is an inch smaller, or that the burst is 'off-center' (duh) - or is it just the OCD nutjobs with too much internet time?

My biggest problem is by the time I spec this, or an SCB, to my liking I can no longer justify the cost for a 7th guitar. Eventually I will add one of these to my collection.

Carvin/kiesel has a lot of bolt on 6/7 string bolt on guitars with full tops? People have personal taste and are entitled to think .... is ugly. I personally don't mind it, but I'm not going to crap on people for having an opinion.

 

[stevexc]

Honestly I don't get all the griping. They have several superstrats with full tops on them (a super rare item to be sure), what in Sam's Hell would be the point of another?

I like the asthetic of giving the guitar a more 3D look. Something different than the endless single and doublecut sameness. Tons of options on how you can accent the bevel (binding, colors, woods) or you can just do a solid color.

Do any real people care that the maple top is an inch smaller, or that the burst is 'off-center' (duh) - or is it just the OCD nutjobs with too much internet time?

My biggest problem is by the time I spec this, or an SCB, to my liking I can no longer justify the cost for a 7th guitar. Eventually I will add one of these to my collection.

Welcome to SSO, where if you don't like it, it's an abomination that ruins everything, but if you do like it, it's the second coming of Misha!

 

[narad]

Welcome to SSO, where if you don't like it, it's an abomination that ruins everything, but if you do like it, it's the second coming of Misha!

We all know if Misha presented this as his sig everyone would be saying, "wow, look at that deep bevel -- it looks so comfy! Great design, Misha!"

 

[BuckarooBanzai]

The only thing that this thing has going for it is the carbon fiber neck reinforcement... I'm at a loss as to why someone would pay a $50 premium over the DC127 or ST300 for a bolt-on instrument. Anybody know something that I don't?

 

[celticelk]

The only thing that this thing has going for it is the carbon fiber neck reinforcement... I'm at a loss as to why someone would pay a $50 premium over the DC127 or ST300 for a bolt-on instrument. Anybody know something that I don't?

Some people strongly prefer bolt-on necks, apparently. Also, 25.5" scale instead of 25".

 

[Chokey Chicken]

We all know if Misha presented this as his sig everyone would be saying, "wow, look at that deep bevel -- it looks so comfy! Great design, Misha!"

Misha has a particular taste in guitars. Quite honestly, if he released it as a SIG I'd be wondering who dropped him on his head since it's way off base from what is typical of him.

I feel it worth saying that seeing this guitar in Jeff's video has me appreciating it a bit more even with a figured top. Still not my first choice but its not as fugly as I initially thought.

 

[BuckarooBanzai]

Some people strongly prefer bolt-on necks, apparently. Also, 25.5" scale instead of 25".

Touche. I also just peeped the vid on the Kiesel Facebook and the top edge of that thing is sexy... sort of reminds me of the Ibanez Radius series. I agree that they should have beveled more than just the top, however. Imagine how badass this instrument would look with that kind of bevel the whole way around the guitar

 

[narad]

"Because so much of the model is beveled away, you get a lighter guitar typically."

$#*t son, bevel so hard it's also your solution to weight relief!?

 

[kevdes93]

I definitely like it more after seeing the video. Kinda reminds me of an Ibby S

 

[xzacx]

I watched the video. Hearing him say that headstock was designed for the Aries is just puzzling. Other than the fact that they both have bevels, I don't see how they go together.

 

[ferret]

Jeff loves to market speak. That headstock didn't even start with a bevel, he added that after they revealed it.