r/kieselcarvinguitars

I wanted to show off some of my personal guitars because I think they're sick. Acid Green A2 (Left), a Leia themed after my late Boxer (Middle), and a Zeus with a splatter using my favorite colors (Right). *Reupload*

Hey everyone, I wanted to share a major update regarding my previous post about the Aqua Denim finish. I finally received an official email response from Kiesel. They have agreed to wave their strict non-returnable policy and offer me a full refund if I ship the guitar back to them. However, they completely refused to rebuild or refinish the instrument. They claimed that this total color departure is just an "aesthetic choice" rather than a defect, blaming the muddy green look entirely on the "natural yellow variations" of the top wood. This means they expect me to swallow the expensive international shipping costs back to the US for a execution error made by their own production team.

Image 1: The actual guitar I received
Image 2: What the website builder looked like when I ordered (and up until yesterday)
Image 3: What the website builder looks like today after their update.
Image 4: The official email response from Kiesel.

However, there is an interesting twist to this situation. I was reading through the comments on my previous Reddit post, and someone pointed out that Kiesel might have updated their site. After seeing that comment, I went directly to the Kiesel website builder to check it out for myself, and I realized they literally just changed the colour for the Aqua Denim finish today. Up until yesterday, the builder image showed a translucent aquatic light blue, which is exactly what I ordered. Now, they have changed it to a much greenish-teal shade with heavy yellow undertones—a look that remarkably resembles the muddy green guitar I actually received. To me, this feels like a silent admission from their side that their original rendering was highly misleading and flawed.

I haven't replied to the email yet. Should I demand that they cover the return shipping costs, or have any of you guys ever successfully gotten Kiesel to pay for shipping in a case like this?

Hey everyone,
I just received my custom Kiesel today after waiting for over half a year, and I’m feeling incredibly disappointed and surprised by how the finish turned out.
I ordered Aqua Denim, expecting the clear, bright, vibrant aquatic light blue shown in the builder . However, what I actually received is very dark, and has this aged, yellowish-green finish. The blue tone I was looking forward to is barely recognizable.
I’ve attached the photos of the builder vs. the actual guitar under clear lighting so you can see the contrast.
Has anyone experienced a similar finish discrepancy with Kiesel before? How did they handle it？
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks guys.

Update:
Hey everyone, thanks for your comments. I know that lighting plays a huge role, so I wanted to provide more context and be completely fair.
The first photo I posted was actually taken under pretty normal, everyday indoor lighting conditions. To rule out any lighting bias, I took the guitar into a very bright, heavily lit environment to capture the new photo attached here.
This new photo is literally the "bluest" I can possibly get this guitar to look, even under intense and clear light.
As you can see, the gap between reality and the builder remains massive. It is not a subtle shade difference caused by dim light. https://imgur.com/a/1He4FHz

This one took a whopping 29 weeks, but it finally arrived. By far the priciest of my 4 Kiesel builds. The master grade crotch flamed maple top is what drove the build time up and price up, as well as the custom paint. The top is great and you really have to get it under a lot of light in order to really see it properly.

The PME fretboard has plenty of figuring, but in hindsight I would've gone with master grade for that too.

First headless, multiscale or 8 string I've owned. It's only 5.8 lbs and feels very comfortable.

Specs:

1 piece roasted swamp ash body with scooped edges

Master grade crotch flamed maple top

Custom moss green/emerald green (I think), aqua burst

Roasted maple thinner profile neck

Pale moon ebony board

SS jumbo frets

Thorium bridge and Empyrian neck pickups

I tend to collect these at this point. Guitar Center is really bad at pricing Kiesel guitars in my opinion. It’s not uncommon to find like-new models that are 3500-4000 on the builder being listed for as low as $1200.

This is an interesting one for sure. The finish is THICK enough that the splatter is non-textured. The neck on this thing is to die for. I always thought I needed jumbo frets + raw neck but the satin they used is just incredibly smooth and comfortable. And the medium jumbos feel great.

The guitar resonates insanely well. Much better than my alder Zeus. And this one taught me that multiscale is definitely not what I need.

I setup these 2 on Kiesel's Guitar builder.

I like both for different reasons but can't choose between them.

Help me decide.

A2 metallic lavender raw tone, roasted birdseye fretboard and roasted maple neck. Plays like butter! First ever kiesel and I'm enamoured.

Picked up my Black November / Pick Your Own Top build on Friday… and it’s already heading back.

Specs:
O2 w/ trem
Koa top, chambered mahogany
Roasted maple neck + board
Holdsworth bridge, Mark singles neck/middle

The guitar looks incredible. Honestly 80% of it is flawless. But the last 20% is a
dealbreaker. It’s a lefty, so no real return option.

For context, I’ve been a longtime Kiesel / Carvin fan. I bought my first real “nice guitar” 25 years ago at the Santa Ana showroom. A few years ago I spec’d out a CT6 with Flock. Both are flawless and I still have them.

Also worth saying: I’m handy with guitars. I’ve built a few and do my own set ups and fret work, so I know when something’s not right. There were two major issues:

Fretwork
This thing buzzed BAD straight out of the gate. Before doing anything I checked all the usual suspects.

Nut height checked (fretting at 3rd) — good
Relief set with capo at 1st / fretting at neck joint — good
Action arrived nice and low-which I like (.050” low E / .040” high E), then I raised to about .060” / .050”

Notes were still choking out.
I busted out with a fret rocker and found issues on at least 14 frets:
* 4th fret: Low E, D
* 6th: D, G
* 8th: Low E, G, D
* 10th: High E, B, Low E
* 11th: High E, B
* 12th: High E, B, G
* 14th: High E, B, G
* 15th: High E, B
* 16th: Low E
* 18th: High E, B, Low E
* 20th: D, High E
* 21st: High E, A, Low E
* 22nd: Nearly the entire fret
* 23rd: Nearly the entire fret

Fret Issue Video - here’s what I mean, this is just one of the frets.

Pickup balance (somewhat on me)
Based on a recommendation I went with Holdsworth humbucker in the bridge with Mark singles in the neck and middle, hoping to have a vintage modern type thing going on. But they don’t balance well at all, especially with the neck single being pushed farther from the neck position because of the 24-fret layout.

I cannot physically raise the neck pickup any higher without it sounding terrible and getting Stratitis and lowering the Holdsworth any more makes the guitar sound like an acoustic.

Customer Service

I notified my sales rep and customer service and had a phone call. They’re covering the shipping cost to inspect the guitar and may do a complete neck rebuild if the required fret level proves to be too severe. Because these are vintage hight frets, I’m concerned that a heavy fret level would turn this into a fretless wonder.

The team was responsive and prompt, so credit where credit is due. What happens next remains to be seen. But again, after two decades following the brand and having these guitars (alongside of USA Gibsons and Fenders, Japanese Ibanez, and some luthier builds) I’m hopeful. They’ve been good to me so far, which is what keeps me coming back.

I’ll keep you all updated.

I'm so excited! Ordered February 13th.

First custom, and really happy how it turned out. Lefty life is tough, but nice when it’s offered.

Ordered early Jan

Specs:

7 String
Headless Tremolo Bridge
Left Handed
25.5” Scale Length
Beveled Body Edges
Zebrawood Top
Black Limba Body
Rear of Body Natural Clear
Satin Matte Finish
Clear To Blue Fade
Black Limba Neck
Tung Oil Neck
Royal Ebony Fingerboard
24 Frets
Offset Dot Inlays (Staggered)
Mother Of Pearl Inlay Material
20” Fingerboard Radius
Stainless Med-Jumbo Frets .048” H .103” W
Kiesel Illusionist Passive Bridge Pickup
Kiesel Beryllium Passive Neck Pickup
Black Pickup Coils
Gold Pickup Poles
Gold Hardware
Elixir 942E Super Light Gauge Strings
Drop Shadow Logo Black on Gold
Black Graph Tech TUSQ Nut
Dunlop Straplocks
Black Rear Electronics Cavity Cover

Manufacturer's description:

>"Kiesel Guitars is proud to announce the second installment in the Andy James series: the AJ2. Releasing two years after the first AJ, the new model takes features [...] a more affordable base price, all with the same high-quality craftsmanship Kiesel is known for. > >The most notable changes include the removal of the carved top, standard solid colors instead of a standard burst, and implementing a bolt-on construction rather than neck-through. The model is currently offered in a 6 or 7-string set-up and has the option of a Hipshot fixed bridge or Evertune bridge. [...] The AJ2 stands out in the already star-studded signature artist line-up, as it has its own unique shape that can’t be found with any other model."

 

Quote from the classified ad: >"Not all great custom guitars need to be expensive. Check out this beauty. The pickups have been changed out Fishman Modern Fluence. [...] Quality materials, build, sound, looks and a cool soft case."

 

Specs:

• upgraded Fishman Modern Fluence 'buckers, direct-mounted, white covers
• Hipshot hardtail bridge
• 'Satin Red' finish
• black hardware
• alder body
• contoured neck heel
• bolt-on maple neck
• 25.5" scale length
• 'C' neck contour
• ebony fretboard
• 14" fretboard radius
• 24 stainless steel, medium jumbo frets
• offset dot inlays, AJ logo at the 12th fret
• 2-way adjustable truss rod
• matching color 3+3 headstock
• Kiesel 19:1 ratio locking tuners
• Kiesel-branded gigbag included
• in production: 2021 – 2025
• price MSRP when new:
  • $1499 USD (Hipshot bridge)
  • $1799 USD (Evertune)
• price used:
  • $1200–$1500 USD
  • (depending on finish, features and condition)
• made in USA