The Carvin / Kiesel thread

[lurè]

Kiesel Wars I: The burled menace
Kiesel Wars II: Attack of the bevels
Kiesel Wars III: Revenge of the bevels
Kiesel Wars IV: A new bevel
Kiesel Wars V: The bevel strikes back
Kiesel Wars VI: Return of the bevel
Kiesel Wars VII: The bevel awakens
Kiesel Wars VIII: The last bevel
Kiesel Wars IX: The rise of the Skyburled

 

[Seabeast2000]

In b4 Rebevel Forces

 

[Seabeast2000]

Fanned Solo: a Kiesel Wars Story

 

[spudmunkey]

From 2017, i *think*, a "saber" KTB finish promo:

 

[Mathemagician]

From 2017, i *think*, a "saber" KTB finish promo:
View attachment 83510

All. Of. Those. Are. So. Ugly.

Bravo to them for making more money selling something so ugly that likely doesn’t add too much effort to their process.

It also means more direct new purchases as no one would want to buy one of those dyed monstrosities on the secondary market.

 

[spudmunkey]

Can someone explain how this model is any different than the Zeus?

Leia is quite a bit narrower and shorter in overal length.

Zeus:
Bolt on
Forearm bevel
6, 7 and 8 string, with some multiscale options
Kiesel Polarity, Fishman Fluence and Piezo electronics are all available.
Chambered body option available.
24.75" available on the 6-string, HH fixed bridge only.

Leia:
Neck-through
"bent wood/drop top" style forearm contour
6 and 7 only, no multiscale.
Also no active pickup or piezo.
Chambering not available.
24.75" is also avialable, but I don't know if it comes with the same restrictions as the Zeus.

Overlay comparison: (Leia is quote a bit narrower and shorter in overal length)

Here it is compared to a Vader, which is also neck-through, and has a similar forearm contour:

 

[spudmunkey]

They announced a sort of decent sale today, in case anyone was waiting for one. It's a "labor day" sale, so I'd expect it to run through next week, but there's no official announced end date.

The theme is "for Labor day, we're offering some free upgrades that normally require much more labor".

Three free "fade" paint job options: Teal to blue, Pink to purple, and Yellow to red. Note that these are done by their spray painter, and aren't going to be quite the same as the hand-applied dye finishes that Jeff does...but they still seem pretty good for the most part.

Free "Antique Ash Treatment" for swamp ash bodies.

Free deep or natural "binding effect"

Free "Select" finishes for ash bodies (Basically the finishes that are standard on the Johnny Hiland model, and a "Select Orange")

Free chambered body (if you've already selected a top).

Free 3-piece neck upgrade optionss: 2-piece maple, maple/walnut or walnut/maple

Free "drop shadow" logo upgrade.

And on their K series which comes standard with a "Master grade" flamed maple, spalted maple, burled walnut, ebony, royal ebony, flamed redwood, or Buckeye burl, you can also select some other Master Grade top woods that are normally $400-500 upgrades: Poplar burl, burled maple, quilted maple, flamed koa. I'm not sure if it includes the non-master grade, but still additional cost tops: cocobolo, or burled redwood.

 

[Hollowway]

@spudmunkey those paint fades - are they spray lacquers over figured wood, or opaque paint? That pink to purple sounds cool, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen it.

Edit: Nvm! I just saw Jeff’s post. The base price of the instruments I’m interested in are probably too high to pull the trigger on this sale, but the pink to purple fade is awesome!

 

[mbardu]

I have not seen the Red > Yellow in person so I'm hesitant...

That sale would have been perfect too for a short-scale Leia...but I just got my Capa...

 

[spudmunkey]

I have not seen the Red > Yellow in person so I'm hesitant...

That sale would have been perfect too for a short-scale Leia...but I just got my Capa...

A better photo of it:

 

[Avedas]

This sale is pretty good. I really like the pink/purple fade. I already have my own custom fade on order though

 

[Millul]

Kiesel Wars I: The burled menace
Kiesel Wars II: Attack of the bevels
Kiesel Wars III: Revenge of the bevels
Kiesel Wars IV: A new bevel
Kiesel Wars V: The bevel strikes back
Kiesel Wars VI: Return of the bevel
Kiesel Wars VII: The bevel awakens
Kiesel Wars VIII: The last bevel
Kiesel Wars IX: The rise of the Skyburled

I know I'm late to the party, but, given the history of the brand, I think "Option 50 strikes back" would be a pretty fitting title...!

 

[rabidwolverine214]

I know kiesel has some hate and rightfully so. I took a chance and custom ordered an HD6. I could not be happier, easy ordering experience and was finished fast at 8 weeks. 1 piece swamp ash with black raw tone finish, 3 piece walnut/blood wood neck, with a royal ebony fretboard, and lithium pickups. Sounds incredible and I can not find a flaw.

 

[spudmunkey]

I can not find a flaw.

in b4 "dur hur, they forgot to attach a headstock"

Looks awesome!

 

[Jeff]

I know kiesel has some hate and rightfully so. I took a chance and custom ordered an HD6. I could not be happier, easy ordering experience and was finished fast at 8 weeks. 1 piece swamp ash with black raw tone finish, 3 piece walnut/blood wood neck, with a royal ebony fretboard, and lithium pickups. Sounds incredible and I can not find a flaw.
View attachment 84900 View attachment 84901

That looks great

 

[Avedas]

That's my DC600 they posted today. Honestly I expected a bit more denim in the fade but can't complain too much, it looks pretty damn great.

 

[Dumple Stilzkin]

That's my DC600 they posted today. Honestly I expected a bit more denim in the fade but can't complain too much, it looks pretty damn great.

That’s looking good. Is it from the last sale they did with the fades being a reduced cost? Post a NGD. The paint job might match your expectations better once you see it in person.

 

[Albake21]

That's my DC600 they posted today. Honestly I expected a bit more denim in the fade but can't complain too much, it looks pretty damn great.

Wow! Now that's one of the nicest looking Kiesels I've seen.

 

[Dumple Stilzkin]

Wow! Now that's one of the nicest looking Kiesels I've seen.

That’s because it doesn’t look like a Kiesel.

 

[Avedas]

That’s looking good. Is it from the last sale they did with the fades being a reduced cost? Post a NGD. The paint job might match your expectations better once you see it in person.

Nah it was a custom one I requested a while back. And yeah, fades really react to lighting so I'm stoked to see more.