Let's Buy A Guitar: Episode 53 [Kiesel Sale Edition!]

It's Kiesel time! Thought it'd be fun to take a look at their President's Day sale options. Free upgrades right now: royal ebony board, roasted maple board, roasted maple neck, antique ash finish, and chambering. Highly recommend the Delos, HD6, or Aries model. Nearly unbeatable with the free options right now. www.kieselguitars.com/customs...
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[@TheGuitarPit]

I've ordered an HD6! Stay tuned for a review....8 weeks or so? The exact spec can be a surprise :)

[@JimDewdGuitars]

Can't wait to hear your thoughts on the HD compared to the delos!

[@clarencebeaks1315]

The Guitar Pit I’m getting my new vanquish today

[@mylesadams1662]

They really need a visual representation when you go through the spec builder.

[@TheGuitarPit]

I totally agree. Wish the builder was better. I get that it would be a monstrous lift to create a visual builder with every option, but I'd even be happy with the basics. Matt's Music has a good one for Suhr Custom, and there are quite a few options on there. I'd think it would be money well invested...

[@jasonulrich3818]

I agree too but like Jeff said in a recent interview, he would rather put his effort into the quality of the actual guitars he is building. But the gallery of the guitars can give you a pretty good idea of the look and options you might be looking for.

[@woocifer]

@@jasonulrich3818 It wouldn't take too much to have a mouse over bring up the jpg that gives the best example of what's being described. They have swatches, but they are tiny. At least when you click on the paints and such, it brings up half a guitar. Which is helpful. I just wish it was a little more integrated into the UI.

[@richardpickman2826]

Considering what Ibanez is now charging for their MII guitars Kiesels are just a no-brainer at this point.

[@TheGuitarPit]

I agree with that any day, but right now its $550 off options most people probably want. Now its indisputable lol.

[@ThunderFalcon333]

Glad u did this show. That's a kick a$$ sale they are having. 🤘

[@TheGuitarPit]

Yeah the delos I spec'd in the video would have been ~$1800ish probably. Pretty crazy considering what you get.

[@circleofSHRED916]

That thing is gunna be a beast!! Can’t wait to see your review video when you get it! 🤘🏻

[@TheGuitarPit]

I hope so! ETA is late April, so I'll have to survive until then haha.

[@Eventual420]

Kramer had a V shape which closely resembles the Kiesel. Perhaps part of Kramer's relaunch that V is expected to return. Who knows? I buried it out in the woods (headstock first) with RIP carved in it.

[@TheGuitarPit]

Sounds like a proper metal burial :) \m/

[@Eventual420]

The Guitar Pit, I was rebelling against Gibson before it was cool! ;) Sincere congrats Chris!

[@jasonulrich3818]

I’ve had 3 Carvin guitars and ordering another this week. Hands down amazing quality guitars.

[@TheGuitarPit]

Sweet! What are you going to order? I'm half tempted to get an Aries with an Evertune as well...

[@jasonulrich3818]

CS3 with clear gloss, solid mahogany, ebony fretboard no inlays. And custom controls(1 volume, no tone control, and pickup selector in tone control spot.) lol gonna be a plain rock machine. I’ve had 2 cs guitars built to be like Buckethead’s les pauls and a DC series. Regret having to sell all of them. Better quality and playability than any Gibson I’ve had. And I’ve had the Buckethead signature Les Paul. Just didn’t compare to Carvin/Kiesel.

[@RequiemDead]

You could do an Aries with all those options too + the soft case is free, so that's 70 off. If I wasn't awaiting my 6th Kiesel I would order on this sale. Kiesel has always done me right and I am super happy with their quality of instruments.

[@TheGuitarPit]

Awesome, didn't know that was a sale deal too. Crazy deals right now.

[@currituck]

You can also get metal dome knobs if you don't like the plastic knobs. Can't wait to see it.

[@TheGuitarPit]

Sweet! I went with the HD6 in a crazy color :) I think it'll be fun. Also super excited to check out their new Mark single coils...that was something Kiesel could improve on so I really wanted to make sure to try them on my next build.

[@tysonhatch]

Damn I just missed that free roasted neck sale. Shit I would have been all over it. Just heard about this Gibson-Kiesel debacle yesterday!

[@TheGuitarPit]

I was trying to spread the word! Hah. I think the retail prices on the builder are doubled, but you still save like ~350 on the options. More, if you bother with chambering.

[@tysonhatch]

@@TheGuitarPit: still a great value! Glad there is some huge support for Kiesel through this. You set a good example!

[@JimDewdGuitars]

It's like you made this video just for me! 🤣

[@TheGuitarPit]

Considering a new build? :)

[@JimDewdGuitars]

@@TheGuitarPit oh yeah just waiting on my tax return and getting my most expensive build yet. 7A claro walnut topped vader, mahogany body sides, 5 pc walnut purple heart neck, purple heart fretboard, diamond abalone inlays, polarity pickups. Hoping to get it in during a future sale so I can save a few hundred bucks.

[@TheGuitarPit]

@@JimDewdGuitars Oh so you're going alllllllll in haha. Wow man, that's awesome. Good luck with it!

[@JimDewdGuitars]

@@TheGuitarPit yes it's gonna be my craziest build to date. I'm still worried how the purple heart will hold up. My cheaper option is a crimson red Cali burst poplar burl top with roasted neck and board but still waiting to see what I actually end up going with. 🤷🏻‍♂️🤣

[@JimDewdGuitars]

@@TheGuitarPit well I ended up getting my build in Monday! I went Vader 6, mahogany body, poplar burl top, crimson red Cali burst, roasted neck and board, red offset inlays, polarity active pickups, and tung oil finish neck. Can't wait! 😁😁😁

[@ArnoVdVelde]

As a Carvin owner over in Europe, I'd jump on this in a heartbeat, but by the time I get that thing here it is too expensive! Alas!

[@TheGuitarPit]

Yeah, you guys have to pay a pretty hefty tax on arrival, right? What a bummer.

[@megostryder]

That should be a cool guitar. I love swamp ash....especially on strat type builds...the grain just pops. I've been concidering the theos as a shur modern alternative but Jeff just won't do an HSH. And HSS I already have on the GH3. Otherwise I'd send in my own PUs or possibly try Mark Kiesel's new single coils which there seems to be next to nothing anywhere about those. Two thorn's on a chambered Thoes is kind of attractive too but is not exactly what I really want. Can't wait for the review/

[@TheGuitarPit]

Thanks! I went HD6, and you'll be happy to know I ordered Beryllium/Mark/Mark in HSS. So we'll to check those pickups out in detail since, like you mentioned, I couldn't find much out about them.

[@greekfreak1980]

They did a H-S-H Delos and it was a lefty model to boot. The customer posted it on their FB group and I asked her about it. She answered me that she asked them if they can make her a H-S-H configuration and they said: "Yeah sure we can do it." The guitar was even on the "Guitars of the Day"-section on Kiesel´s FB page,go figure. Here:facebook.com/kieselguitars/photos/a.1527008624249101/2568814383401848/?type=3&theater

[@JeffMillerCurtJester]

I just bought a Delos because of that sale price and of course your previous review. Hard to believe the price point with those options. I have been wanting something strat-like with modern options but figured that was 2k or more territory. Maybe they have such great pricing since they don't invest in their website. That site has a decades-old look and is aesthetically awful. Plus no way (I could see) to change options on previous pages other than starting over.

[@TheGuitarPit]

I agree, one thing they could REALLY use is a visual builder. It's so much more fun to day dream builds if you can see them. I also wish the builder showed you more possible options. For example, I know they'll do a rosewood neck...but I don't see it listed. I understand when it's super rare woods they might not have often, but things like Kiesel's own pickups missing and stuff has never made sense. And congrats, hope your Delos comes out nicely! Absolutely cannot argue with the price after the free options this weekend!

[@greekfreak1980]

About the pricing: they can offer such speced out instruments,for such low prices because of their "factory direct" business model. Nobody else does this. For example,you can´t call up Suhr or Mayones and order a guitar from them,you have to go through an official dealer and the dealer is gonna charge you at least twice the money of the actual build cost. If you look at the price for a Suhr Classic S at Thomann,(almost 3,000 Euros incl. shipping and considered a "good price"! ) that´s absurd for a bolt-on modern Strat,even with all the ss-frets and what not. The downside,at leats for us overseas customers, is that we have the extra costs of shipping and import tarifs,but still.. Just compare the price for an USA PRS Cu24 "core"model with a Kiesel CT624 and the PRS doesn´t come with ss-frets,carbon reinforced necks nor do you have the option for roasted necks/fingerboards. About their website: yup,that thing is so completely outdated it´s not even funny. And they just don´t seem to give a flying fuck about it,which is baffling to me.

[@elevenAD]

screw chambering plus it can make a guitar sound weird and airy,save that cash!

[@TheGuitarPit]

Yeah fair point, certainly. I could see it being nice on a big boy like the Crescent model, but there isn't a need on most of them. Not to mention I don't think they even offer it on a Delos, and to Chamber an Aries you probably need bevel delete. But yeah, I'm feeling the roasted necks on a Delos, HD6, or Aries for $1200. Impossible to argue with that price.

[@babyyoda2190]

I agree

[@greekfreak1980]

Say whatever you want about Jeff Kiesel and his company and believe me,I have some gripes against them,but that Gibson C&D Order is fucking bullshit and they deserve all the hate that they´re getting over the years as a company. Instead of improving their shitty QC,they started a YT channel! Also, the Ultra V: a). is around since the late 1980´s and b). doesn´t look anything like the Gibson Flying V.If anything it´s a reversed Jackson RR,but Jackson doesn´t seem to mind. Also,their CS model was introduced after PRS won the lawsuit again Gibson in the early 2000´s which set a legal precedent.Btw. You don´t see Gibson going after ESP and their various subsidiaries or Harley Benton,who all make Gibson "rip-off models",because their lawyers would have a field day against Gibson. So,I smiled when Jeff Kiesel gave them the middlefinger,with the discount and designing a headless V just for shits & giggles.

[@TheGuitarPit]

100% agree. Kiesel has always been a local underdog company for me, so I'm 100% on their team. As soon as I saw Jeff cut the horns off that X-type and go "well, guess we have a new V!" I was in. Gibson's predatory behavior is just embarrassing at this point, so I'll certainly avoid them from here on out.

[@greekfreak1980]

Rumour has it,that all this BS was "retalliation" on behalf of Gibson,because Kiesel is designing a new 7string Explorer type guitar for Jason Hook from FFDP,who is a Gibson/Epiphone endorsed artist. Apparently,he wanted a 7string Explorer with some special features and they failed miserably,so he went to Kiesel,after Andy James hooked him up with Jeff. Even though,I can´t stand this band,they´re a very high-profile act and Gibson´s new marketing strategy is to push their inferior product by using famous endorsers,like Slash,Jerry Cantrell or Phil X and that whole thing messed that up. They just sued Dean only 3 months ago,too. That´s a perfect representation of what´s wrong with Gibson´s management,since the 80´s. I mean,at NAMM they were pushing their new Slash signature series,when Slash´s iconic AfD guitar isn´t even an "authentic" Gibson,but a high-end replica of a 59 L/P with Duncans. Just fix your myriad QC issues and offer some affordable models for modern players,besides the more traditional models for the boomer blues lawyer-dentist demographic. Naaahh.. lets waste money on an online TV-channel,make idiotic marketing campaigns and act like arseholes to the competitors. Anyway,enugh ranting for today..

[@tonlarj37]

I'm wanting to pull the trigger on another one. This is a great week to do it! I was on the builder when you posted this. lol I also saw the original post on FB. Shame on Gibson. smh

[@tonlarj37]

They're offering things that are not on the builder. Compound radius and there's no chambering on a Delos

[@TheGuitarPit]

Oh nice. Yeah I went with the HD6, but so tempted to pick up another Aries, or maybe even a Crescent. Hard to decide!

[@tonlarj37]

The Guitar Pit I was looking at maybe an Aries with evertune. $1300. Crazy!

[@TheGuitarPit]

@@tonlarj37 Dude...that's what I'd get too. I have a set of Fishaman classics I'd probably send em. Then Antique Ash + trans purple. Mmmmm.

[@troyharrell622]

I watch the Kiesel factory tour with the tone King and absolutely was fascinated and love his guitars but the headstocks are atrocious on all these guitars

[@TheGuitarPit]

I don't mind the 3x3 PRS-y headstock too much. The pointy 80's one can be ok on the right body too, but those are the ones I'd prefer. Really hate the stubby Holdsworth headstock haha.

[@Oilid]

Gibson being Gibson... Releasing hyped products at NAMM and then shooting themselves in the foot... 🤦

[@TheGuitarPit]

Yeah it's basically clockwork with them at this point lol.

[@Oilid]

@@TheGuitarPit 👌🤣👍

[@TheGuitarPit]

@Ron Gillespie Yeah that's a very fair point, but I feel like they gotta stop going after the small guys. It's a bad look. Kiesel isn't taking a single sale away from Gibson.

[@LetsJamMan]

Gibsons are my favorite guitar but also my least favorite company XD

[@TheGuitarPit]

I totally get it. Bought my R9 right before playauthenticgate. Stunning guitar. But man, feels bad to own haha.