Kiesel --- Never Again!

[Drew]

It's the sort of basic customer service stuff an organization of this size and age shouldn't still be having problems with.

It's weird, and why I mostly tune out this thread. Carvin had a reputation for being maybe a bit boring and bland, but generally making well made guitars. A bad one would be like maybe less resonant than you might want, but not unplayable.

And then the guitar branch got spun off as Kiesel, and they got flamboyant, over the top... and very hit or miss. And, very willing to blame their customers when something went wrong. I'm always a little surprised when this comes as a surprise to someone, though - I know Kiesel has done their best at keeping this stuff under the radar, but it's not like there haven't been any shortage of stories about, like, custom-ordered guitars showing up wrong, occasionally in ways rendering them basically unplayable, and they're as likely to "ban" the customer from ever doing business with them again as they are to actually try to make it right.

At this point, I'd own something that says Carvin on the headstock, but not Kiesel.

 

[jaxadam]

It's funny, because I think I know exactly who you're talking about.

I think if you *engage* in this thread a little longer it'll hit you.

 

[Alberto7]

I think if you *engage* in this thread a little longer it'll hit you.

My dyslexia made me read this as "if you engage in this thread I'll hit you" and I'm all like wtf is this violence about

 

[MaxOfMetal]

It's weird, and why I mostly tune out this thread. Carvin had a reputation for being maybe a bit boring and bland, but generally making well made guitars. A bad one would be like maybe less resonant than you might want, but not unplayable.

And then the guitar branch got spun off as Kiesel, and they got flamboyant, over the top... and very hit or miss. And, very willing to blame their customers when something went wrong. I'm always a little surprised when this comes as a surprise to someone, though - I know Kiesel has done their best at keeping this stuff under the radar, but it's not like there haven't been any shortage of stories about, like, custom-ordered guitars showing up wrong, occasionally in ways rendering them basically unplayable, and they're as likely to "ban" the customer from ever doing business with them again as they are to actually try to make it right.

At this point, I'd own something that says Carvin on the headstock, but not Kiesel.

I don't think at any point the guitars themselves were particular more hit or miss, I'd even go as far as saying the instruments made now are actually the best they've been.

But how issues are handled and how prevalent non-returnable instruments have become skews outcomes to be far more negative when an issue does pop up.

I've ordered several new instruments (and bought a number more used) from Carvin back in the day and most had small issues to some degree, and a couple had fairly large issues. But I was completely taken care of, even in the case of a guitar with a non-standard "option 50". These days I'm weary about ordering something because I don't think if there is a significant issue I'll be taken care of.

 

[ShadyDavey]

I've been jumping on and off the fence concerning a potential future purchase from Kiesel. Having owned several wonderful Carvin models over the years (including one I picked up from a local store way back in the late 80s) I, rather foolishly, always maintained an optimistic opinion of the company and nearly let my past experiences dictate a course of action.

Of course, we're all aware that statistically the number of guitars that appear below par is a very low percentage indeed, but the roasted neck debacle, and several other threads across various forums have led me to a very similar conclusion to Max, exacerbated by the fact I live in the UK and have little to no confidence that any problems would be dealt with professionally. It's a darn shame (my DC400 was pretty much the best 6er I ever played or owned) but I am just not prepared to take the risk. That said, I would still buy the old Carvin active pre-amp setup if I could find one, that was awesome.....

 

[Drew]

I don't think at any point the guitars themselves were particular more hit or miss, I'd even go as far as saying the instruments made now are actually the best they've been.

But how issues are handled and how prevalent non-returnable instruments have become skews outcomes to be far more negative when an issue does pop up.

For me, the first sentence is kind of irrelevant, because of the second. It's not even that I'd be worried about getting a bad one, so much as I don't want any association with or support to the brand.

 

[gunch]

Carvin had quiet dignity

Kiesel doesn’t

 

[Chri]

Carvin had quiet dignity

Kiesel doesn’t

Carvin Does What Kiesel Ninten-don't.