The Carvin / Kiesel thread

[IwantTacos]

I wish they did standard tele routings when the multi scale solos were available. oh well.

 

[CanserDYI]

I wish they did standard tele routings when the multi scale solos were available. oh well.

You can still get a multiscale solo, even on the builder.

 

[IwantTacos]

You can still get a multiscale solo, even on the builder.

oh I thought they discontinued it.

 

[binz]

The Kiesel strats (delos) are to me the by far most appealing strats in the game, for the gt headstock alone (Ibanez or schecter can compete, can't stand anything that looks like the fender ones). So I'm probably one of the untypical potential Kiesel customers they can attract with these models. Makes perfect sense to expand to teles as well imo

 

[bigcupholder]

Are they "at capacity"? What does that mean? They don't batch build, so it's more about stretching individual build times vs. not taking orders, which is usually what that means.

Tele players aren't afraid of spending money, so I don't think the per unit price average will drop.

This is just like brining the Delos to the lineup. The classic designs have an absolutely massive following and mean practically guaranteed sales to help prop up the more niche headless and pointy models.

At capacity = they're getting orders faster than they can build them, so the wait time has been steadily increasing for the past year.

I assume the average price would drop because their bolt-on models are cheaper and I would guess people will be less likely to choose crazy aesthetic options (where the real markup is) for such a classic design. That's completely a guess though - I can't say I always understand Kiesel customers tastes.

In terms of stocking additional parts, it's not just the bridge and control plate. It's also the pickguards and the pickups. The latter is notable because they don't currently make Tele pickups.

There's nothing wrong with making a tele necessarily but the timing is weird.

 

[Dumple Stilzkin]

At capacity = they're getting orders faster than they can build them, so the wait time has been steadily increasing for the past year.

I assume the average price would drop because their bolt-on models are cheaper and I would guess people will be less likely to choose crazy aesthetic options (where the real markup is) for such a classic design. That's completely a guess though - I can't say I always understand Kiesel customers tastes.

In terms of stocking additional parts, it's not just the bridge and control plate. It's also the pickguards and the pickups. The latter is notable because they don't currently make Tele pickups.

There's nothing wrong with making a tele necessarily but the timing is weird.

Kiesel is in the business of selling guitars, Jeff’s wording of them being “at capacity” is not a bad thing like you seem to think it is. Jeff is going to always be thinking of ways to increase profits, he’s not Mother Theresa.

 

[CanserDYI]

Kiesel is in the business of selling guitars, Jeff’s wording of them being “at capacity” is not a bad thing like you seem to think it is. Jeff is going to always be thinking of ways to increase profits, he’s not Mother Theresa.

Read about Mother Theresa a bit, her and Jeff Kiesel have a lot more in common than you'd think....

 

[MaxOfMetal]

At capacity = they're getting orders faster than they can build them, so the wait time has been steadily increasing for the past year.

I assume the average price would drop because their bolt-on models are cheaper and I would guess people will be less likely to choose crazy aesthetic options (where the real markup is) for such a classic design. That's completely a guess though - I can't say I always understand Kiesel customers tastes.

In terms of stocking additional parts, it's not just the bridge and control plate. It's also the pickguards and the pickups. The latter is notable because they don't currently make Tele pickups.

There's nothing wrong with making a tele necessarily but the timing is weird.

This is basically just a minor tweak to the existing Solo model, they'll make the pickups and pickguard, and possibly the control plate, in-house like existing similar parts and the bridge can easily be ordered from regular wholesale suppliers they already use. They're not reinventing the wheel.

As the Delos has shown, folks who want a more "classic" guitar can and will order them decked out with options, maybe not meme-bursts, but figured woods, especially fully flamed necks and boards, are extremely popular in the custom Tele space.

Bolt-on models might be a little cheaper than the neck-thru stuff, but they're faster (thus cheaper) to make at large as you can work on both separately at the same time, which is why the Kiesel portfolio is largely bolt-on after decades of it being more sparse in that regard.

Again, this is all familiar territory for Kiesel. Taking a Fender design and adapting it for themselves. If it wasn't a winning strategy we'd probably see less Delos, and not the continuing extensions.

 

[ramses]

... So I'm probably one of the untypical potential Kiesel customers they can attract with these models ...

It worked on me. I finally own a 7-string strat.

 

[CanserDYI]

It worked on me. I finally own a 7-string strat.

What I want is sacriledge to a lot of people, Trem'd Tele 7 string with a humbucker in the bridge

 

[wheresthefbomb]

It's going to be time, soon. Maybe not this year but early next year at the latest I'm going to put a payment down on a 24 fret LP style Carvin. I've firmly settled on this style of guitar but I'm not paying Gibson money and I'm ready to have a nice guitar that suits my needs.

 

[CanserDYI]

It's going to be time, soon. Maybe not this year but early next year at the latest I'm going to put a payment down on a 24 fret LP style Carvin. I've firmly settled on this style of guitar but I'm not paying Gibson money and I'm ready to have a nice guitar that suits my needs.

It'll be a bit hard to order a Carvin

Unless youre buying used? Jeff wont put the carvin logo on anything but the JB.

 

[wheresthefbomb]

It'll be a bit hard to order a Carvin

Unless youre buying used? Jeff wont put the carvin logo on anything but the JB.

Hahaha, I wasn't aware, I don't suppose I much care what's on the headstock though.

 

[RevelGTR]

Are they "at capacity"? What does that mean? They don't batch build, so it's more about stretching individual build times vs. not taking orders, which is usually what that means.

Tele players aren't afraid of spending money, so I don't think the per unit price average will drop.

This is just like brining the Delos to the lineup. The classic designs have an absolutely massive following and mean practically guaranteed sales to help prop up the more niche headless and pointy models.

Yeah it blows me away that people fall for Jeff’s “I don’t knowww I MIGHT be cutting off orders we’re at capacity who knowsss” routine.

 

[bigcupholder]

Kiesel is in the business of selling guitars, Jeff’s wording of them being “at capacity” is not a bad thing like you seem to think it is. Jeff is going to always be thinking of ways to increase profits, he’s not Mother Theresa.

I think you missed my point. Obviously being at capacity is a good thing for them. I'm saying the only way to increase profits at that point are to increase capacity (usually a large investment is required, e.g. moving to a larger facility) or increasing profit per guitar (e.g. introducing a headless K series).

I'm basing the capacity assumption entirely on their build times increasing steadily over the past year, not anything he said in a video.

 

[IwantTacos]

that's assuming that tele players don't want some crackly watermelon burst tele.

I'm sure they do. they sell very few guitars at the base price.

 

[MaxOfMetal]

I think you missed my point. Obviously being at capacity is a good thing for them. I'm saying the only way to increase profits at that point are to increase capacity (usually a large investment is required, e.g. moving to a larger facility) or increasing profit per guitar (e.g. introducing a headless K series).

I'm basing the capacity assumption entirely on their build times increasing steadily over the past year, not anything he said in a video.

A new options package on an existing model that's quick to produce would also help. Little prototyping/R&D needed, and the bodies and necks can be made in tandem.

If that happens to be one of the top five most popular models/options in the history of the instrument, well that doesn't hurt either.

 

[spudmunkey]

They will also be ending their long-running (I think probably 6 years now) "promo" of $100 in free options, likely by the end of the year, if not the end of the month, after Black Friday/Cyber Monday. This was brought up when someone asked if there will be a Black Friday special in the Q&A earlier in the week.

 

[spudmunkey]

A new options package on an existing model that's quick to produce would also help. Little prototyping/R&D needed, and the bodies and necks can be made in tandem.

If that happens to be one of the top five most popular models/options in the history of the instrument, well that doesn't hurt either.

And at least one of the differences from their existing standard model is designed to speed up production: control plate. In a Strat, that would also include the pickguard, but there's only one pickup in it on a Tele, so I'm not sure how much that actually helps. Same with the bridge.

 

[Dumple Stilzkin]

They will also be ending their long-running (I think probably 6 years now) "promo" of $100 in free options, likely by the end of the year, if not the end of the month, after Black Friday/Cyber Monday. This was brought up when someone asked if there will be a Black Friday special in the Q&A earlier in the week.

Thanks for the tip Spud, looks like I might order a Kiesel. This is looking like prices are going up up and away.