I just had to jump in and say that was one hell of an excellent review. I've been watching a lot of Kiesel reviews lately as I'm planning on ordering one of my own and that was most definitely one of the best I've seen. Thank you for taking the time to make it. I really appreciated your well articulated insights and fantastic playing.
Great review! Thanks for the video. Much prefer someone sharing their opinion instead of a demo + specs. And from everything I've read on the forums, your observations are accurate. Better to not go crazy with the options when ordering a Kiesel and you will have an amazing instrument that is moderately priced. I hope to get a Kiesel headless some day and am excited about the new one (Leia) but not unless I am in North America.
Hey, thanks for checking it out! Sounds like international shipping is kind of prohibitive, eh? Hope you can get your hands on one sometime, the one downside of selling direct is that it's basically impossible to give one a test run unless you live in/travel to California, which is why I think so many people are so curious about these instruments. Personally I also really dig the Leia, I find the extra bevels and neck-thru design result in a much sleeker and more pleasing design compared to the Zeus.
@@eirmusic5774 Hi Eir, you're welcome! Sorry, I thought I had responded to you earlier but apparently I missed it. Hope you're doing well. I'm actually moving to Nova Scotia this summer and may finally get a Kiesel next year or so. Shipping costs for the international orders are not as prohibitive but the custom duties levied over here are exorbitant.. and I'm not comfortable ordering an unfamiliar product over such a long distance. Btw, after some thinking, I am leaning towards the Zeus myself as I feel the Leia and HH2 models have bodies that may feel too small (lack of arm support).. I checked your video again and it's very informative. Thanks! I wish it was possible to just play the models for a couple of minutes.. perhaps I'll buy a used Kiesel out before committing to a new one.
@@vaibhavjoshi9141 Oh dang! Hope the move goes well and that you enjoy living in Canada!! The used route actually might be a great idea. You don’t see it often but every now and again there are some great deals on used Kiesels. Right now there’s a Delos 7 in alright cosmetic condition on Reverb for like $1500 CAD which is pretty stellar
This is a great review! really helpful for me as I'm going to be putitng an order in on a Zeus 6 very soon. The horror stories are defintiely off putting but I think you hit the nail on the head with overspeccing the instrument! Thanks!
Hey, thoughtful review. I agree that you maximize value by keeping the options to a minimum, especially those that are purely aesthetic in nature. I've also seen times where Kiesel's customer service has been surprisingly combative. I'm right around $1450 US for the z6x I have specced (CS, THNN, BMF, IAB, R14,, SL), which to me is a good deal for a made to order guitar.
Hey, thanks for checking it out! I agree, Kiesel's customer service has a bit of a track record for being hostile, and there's no excuse for Jeff bad-mouthing specific customers on social media and stuff, it's pretty gross. $1450 US is definitely right in that sweet spot for a Kiesel imo, probably one of the best parts is the legitimately useful features like SS frets and luminlay side dots which you're probably not going to find on anything else remotely within that price point. I dig the options on the Zeus you've spec'd out, sounds wicked!
Hey man, a really In-depth review! One question though, If one was to find a balance point between fancy aesthetics and bang for the buck, what do you consider a reasonable price point to spend up to for the build quality to still be able to match the number?
Hey, thanks for checking it out! That’s a great question. I think the $2000-2500CAD zone is the absolute sweet spot for a Kiesel, but you can’t get very much in the way of aesthetic for that price. Still, I don’t really see the point in spending more than $3000 on a Kiesel, but that’s just me. USD > CAD exchange rate sucks pretty bad though so you might be able to get more mileage out of what you spend depending on your currency lmao
Hey, great informative vid! As an "amateur hobbyist", you play better than a lot of pros lol. How do u like the headpiece and how the screws grab the thinner strings? What gauges do you use? I had a problem with a Steinberger headpiece where you had to be real careful with the string screw clamps on the 1st and 2nd strings, where it was a fine line between the string slipping or getting severed. Thnx
Thanks for the nice compliment and for checking the video out! That's a great question, I actually can't answer it right now because I haven't changed out the stock strings yet. I'll get back to you on this once I do. I personally use 9-52s on my 7's, this thing came stock with Elixirs so it might be a while before I need to change them LOL
Hey man, not sure if you care anymore but I wanted to let you know that when I change the strings on this thing, I personally have no issue with the headpiece screws cutting into the high E and B even when I really crank 'er. I use 9-42's for what it's worth.
@@eirmusic5774 hey man! yeah I def still care lol. I'm on Week 11 waiting for the Zeus. I use the same gauges. Alright, that's great news! thanks for the update!
its been a year since you've got this guitar(or at least posted this review). I was just curious if your opinion of it overall has changed over time now. specifically, how has that one piece neck held up stability-wise so far?
Hey, thanks for checking it out! My opinion hasn't changed much, this thing's still probably the best instrument I own. I was also initially a bit concerned about the one-piece maple neck, but to be honest it hasn't tended to shift any more than my guitars with laminate necks. The carbon fiber rod reinforcement might be helping with this. Overall still a great instrument.
@@eirmusic5774 that's great to hear! This is one of the best Zeus reviews I've seen out there, so I'm glad you've had (and still do have) positive things to say.
Thanks for checking it out! Good question, I actually don’t have a way to weigh it and give you an exact figure. Just comparing it to my other guitars I’d say it feels pretty average. Not really heavy, but also not super duper light.
Now this is a great review! I would turn the background music down just a but while you're talking. Harder to hear you using shitty phone speakers haha
Thanks for checking it out! On this guitar I use standard tuning. You can go a whole step down comfortably but any lower than that and you're gonna want a longer scale length imo
One question I have is after owning it for awhile now, how does the size feel of the whole guitar? Do you feel like it's too small and awkward or is it very comfortable?
It's definitely super small, compact, and light, so maybe that might not be everyone's cup of tea. I find it really comfortable tho, especially for playing standing. To me, the smaller body and reduced neck dive just makes it feel super ergonomic and balanced, and it has a pretty aggressive bevel on the back which makes it hug my body in a pretty comfy way (I prefer the belly cut and the way it rests on my body standing compared to my RG, for example). You can just set the body at any angle when you're playing standing, and it'll just stay there rather than dive slightly towards the floor like a heavier guitar with a headstock where you're spending a little extra energy in your forearm just holding up the instrument. I personally feel that it feels basically like playing really any other guitar when seated/classical position, the main benefit is in its ergonomics when standing. I wouldn't describe it as awkward to play at all.
@@eirmusic5774 awesome thanks so much! That's exactly the answer I was looking for. Trying to decide between this and an Osiris but was really digging the Zeus's shape
@@JHOLE21 No worries at all! Yeah, I feel the Zeus looks a bit weird as a 6 string guitar, but I love how the 7 and 8's look. I hope you really enjoy whatever guitar you decide to go with, man!
I just had to jump in and say that was one hell of an excellent review. I've been watching a lot of Kiesel reviews lately as I'm planning on ordering one of my own and that was most definitely one of the best I've seen. Thank you for taking the time to make it. I really appreciated your well articulated insights and fantastic playing.
Hey, thank you for checking it out and for the nice compliment! Really appreciate it and glad you found it helpful.
Excellent review saving for an 8 string version, you've reassured me.
Glad to help, thanks for checking it out!
Damn, this voice is the smoothest I've ever heard after a metal demo. Me clicking on this video was totally a happy accident.
Great review! Thanks for the video.
Much prefer someone sharing their opinion instead of a demo + specs.
And from everything I've read on the forums, your observations are accurate.
Better to not go crazy with the options when ordering a Kiesel and you will have an amazing instrument that is moderately priced.
I hope to get a Kiesel headless some day and am excited about the new one (Leia) but not unless I am in North America.
Hey, thanks for checking it out!
Sounds like international shipping is kind of prohibitive, eh? Hope you can get your hands on one sometime, the one downside of selling direct is that it's basically impossible to give one a test run unless you live in/travel to California, which is why I think so many people are so curious about these instruments.
Personally I also really dig the Leia, I find the extra bevels and neck-thru design result in a much sleeker and more pleasing design compared to the Zeus.
@@eirmusic5774 Hi Eir, you're welcome!
Sorry, I thought I had responded to you earlier but apparently I missed it.
Hope you're doing well.
I'm actually moving to Nova Scotia this summer and may finally get a Kiesel next year or so.
Shipping costs for the international orders are not as prohibitive but the custom duties levied over here are exorbitant.. and I'm not comfortable ordering an unfamiliar product over such a long distance.
Btw, after some thinking, I am leaning towards the Zeus myself as I feel the Leia and HH2 models have bodies that may feel too small (lack of arm support)..
I checked your video again and it's very informative. Thanks!
I wish it was possible to just play the models for a couple of minutes.. perhaps I'll buy a used Kiesel out before committing to a new one.
@@vaibhavjoshi9141 Oh dang! Hope the move goes well and that you enjoy living in Canada!!
The used route actually might be a great idea. You don’t see it often but every now and again there are some great deals on used Kiesels. Right now there’s a Delos 7 in alright cosmetic condition on Reverb for like $1500 CAD which is pretty stellar
This is a great review! really helpful for me as I'm going to be putitng an order in on a Zeus 6 very soon. The horror stories are defintiely off putting but I think you hit the nail on the head with overspeccing the instrument! Thanks!
Hey man, thanks for checking it out, glad it was helpful! Hope you love your Zeus! :)
Hey, thoughtful review. I agree that you maximize value by keeping the options to a minimum, especially those that are purely aesthetic in nature. I've also seen times where Kiesel's customer service has been surprisingly combative. I'm right around $1450 US for the z6x I have specced (CS, THNN, BMF, IAB, R14,, SL), which to me is a good deal for a made to order guitar.
Hey, thanks for checking it out! I agree, Kiesel's customer service has a bit of a track record for being hostile, and there's no excuse for Jeff bad-mouthing specific customers on social media and stuff, it's pretty gross. $1450 US is definitely right in that sweet spot for a Kiesel imo, probably one of the best parts is the legitimately useful features like SS frets and luminlay side dots which you're probably not going to find on anything else remotely within that price point. I dig the options on the Zeus you've spec'd out, sounds wicked!
Awesome, well informed video, my man! Definitely wanna get a Zeus with similar specs
Thanks for checking it out, dude! Hope you found it useful!
Hey man, a really In-depth review! One question though, If one was to find a balance point between fancy aesthetics and bang for the buck, what do you consider a reasonable price point to spend up to for the build quality to still be able to match the number?
Hey, thanks for checking it out! That’s a great question. I think the $2000-2500CAD zone is the absolute sweet spot for a Kiesel, but you can’t get very much in the way of aesthetic for that price. Still, I don’t really see the point in spending more than $3000 on a Kiesel, but that’s just me. USD > CAD exchange rate sucks pretty bad though so you might be able to get more mileage out of what you spend depending on your currency lmao
Thanks Great vid
Thank you for watching!
You are the metal version of Brandon Acker! Great review!
Thanks so much for checking it out!
Hey, great informative vid! As an "amateur hobbyist", you play better than a lot of pros lol. How do u like the headpiece and how the screws grab the thinner strings? What gauges do you use? I had a problem with a Steinberger headpiece where you had to be real careful with the string screw clamps on the 1st and 2nd strings, where it was a fine line between the string slipping or getting severed. Thnx
Thanks for the nice compliment and for checking the video out! That's a great question, I actually can't answer it right now because I haven't changed out the stock strings yet. I'll get back to you on this once I do. I personally use 9-52s on my 7's, this thing came stock with Elixirs so it might be a while before I need to change them LOL
@@eirmusic5774 I ordered the Z6 in Vintage Cream but with the gloss so I'll guess I'll find out (over 3 months from now)
JoeyRapps1 That sounds wicked! Hope you really love the guitar when you get it man!
Hey man, not sure if you care anymore but I wanted to let you know that when I change the strings on this thing, I personally have no issue with the headpiece screws cutting into the high E and B even when I really crank 'er. I use 9-42's for what it's worth.
@@eirmusic5774 hey man! yeah I def still care lol. I'm on Week 11 waiting for the Zeus. I use the same gauges. Alright, that's great news! thanks for the update!
Hi, Eir! Guitar looks just great! Is that a custom or a standard color?
Hi Eugene! Thanks for checking it out. It's their Vintage Cream colour, which is standard.
its been a year since you've got this guitar(or at least posted this review). I was just curious if your opinion of it overall has changed over time now. specifically, how has that one piece neck held up stability-wise so far?
Hey, thanks for checking it out! My opinion hasn't changed much, this thing's still probably the best instrument I own. I was also initially a bit concerned about the one-piece maple neck, but to be honest it hasn't tended to shift any more than my guitars with laminate necks. The carbon fiber rod reinforcement might be helping with this. Overall still a great instrument.
@@eirmusic5774 that's great to hear! This is one of the best Zeus reviews I've seen out there, so I'm glad you've had (and still do have) positive things to say.
nice vid! how heavy is this guitar?
Thanks for checking it out! Good question, I actually don’t have a way to weigh it and give you an exact figure. Just comparing it to my other guitars I’d say it feels pretty average. Not really heavy, but also not super duper light.
Now this is a great review! I would turn the background music down just a but while you're talking. Harder to hear you using shitty phone speakers haha
You definitely have a guitarist fingers 🙂
cool thanks 4 the info
Thanks for checking it out!
B I G B O Y C H O R D S.
Awesome review, Eir. When do we get some new music?
Thanks so much Jerb! New music..............err, someday!
how does the 25.5 scale length work with lower tunings? what tuning do you have set it?
Thanks for checking it out! On this guitar I use standard tuning. You can go a whole step down comfortably but any lower than that and you're gonna want a longer scale length imo
Beautiful guitar btw. I have a strandberg multi scale but I’m stoked for my
Recent kiesel order which I plan to
Leave in drop A.
One question I have is after owning it for awhile now, how does the size feel of the whole guitar? Do you feel like it's too small and awkward or is it very comfortable?
It's definitely super small, compact, and light, so maybe that might not be everyone's cup of tea. I find it really comfortable tho, especially for playing standing. To me, the smaller body and reduced neck dive just makes it feel super ergonomic and balanced, and it has a pretty aggressive bevel on the back which makes it hug my body in a pretty comfy way (I prefer the belly cut and the way it rests on my body standing compared to my RG, for example). You can just set the body at any angle when you're playing standing, and it'll just stay there rather than dive slightly towards the floor like a heavier guitar with a headstock where you're spending a little extra energy in your forearm just holding up the instrument. I personally feel that it feels basically like playing really any other guitar when seated/classical position, the main benefit is in its ergonomics when standing. I wouldn't describe it as awkward to play at all.
@@eirmusic5774 awesome thanks so much! That's exactly the answer I was looking for. Trying to decide between this and an Osiris but was really digging the Zeus's shape
@@JHOLE21 No worries at all! Yeah, I feel the Zeus looks a bit weird as a 6 string guitar, but I love how the 7 and 8's look. I hope you really enjoy whatever guitar you decide to go with, man!