I've never met Johnny but he is undeniably one of the greatest guitarists ever, while being a genuine, nice guy. I don't see how anybody can blame him for promoting stuff. We all need an income and Johnny deserves every dollar he earns.
Idiots refer to that as "selling out". If "selling out" means getting paid for your efforts, we are all "sellouts". My sister paints for the love of it but it is now a job and she likes to sell her art for big dollars. She is really good at it and I told her this spring - while watching her - that she impresses the hell out of me when dabbing different patches ofcolors on a canvas to make beautiful landscape scenes, her forte.
Hiland is a super talented guitarist. He can have as many endorsers and signature guitars as he can get in my opinion. Some of you have no idea how hard it is to be a pro musician trying make a living in the modern age. Kiesel having the volume knob closer to allow the fax violin technique is a great feature on a T style guitar. GO JOHNNY GO!
I've been playing guitar for over 40 years and I've seen all the best, hendrix, Clapton, van Halen etc, even Steve Vai and all the hot hands on UA-cam . None of them can do some of the things Jonny does but Jonny can do all they can do. I think he is one of the best I've ever seen
What a humble guy, he designed the most versatile tele I have ever heard. The switching is INSANE marrying the best of a tele and a strat and designing a real burner.The pickups sound killer and Oh yeah he can really shred too!
I first found out about Johnny Hiland by accident. I was getting out of my car at my local mall and I looked down, and on the ground was a guitar pick, a white pick with black writing with his signature on it. I'd never heard of him, this was 5-6 years ago. When I got home I googled him and a bunch of videos of him just tearing it up, like Satriani style came up. I was blown away, he's an amazing guitar player!!
Notice that his pickups, wiring harness and switching system hasn't changed. Just the plank of wood they're installed in. And by the way, I don't care if he changes who he endorses every other week. He's a working man, trying to make a living, get exposure and demonstrate a lot of new gear that most of us would never have a chance to in our busy lives. Give him a break, he's got bills to pay, never has an unkind word about any of his associations,still uses the same brand of strings.
Spyder Logan You are no dummy , I don't get the haters . Somebody builds a better trap you get it . If they are gonna give it to you and pay you it's a no brainer ...
WOW!! What's with all the nasty comments about Johnny?? The guy has pulled himself up all by himself. As a legally blind guy that showed up in Nashville with $90 he sure has accomplished a lot. I have not found a nicer guy and one of the most versatile players on the planet. I consider myself a friend of Johnny's and he is one of the nicest people I have known in a long time. Damn give him a break!!
Johnny does seem like a very nice guy, and a hell of a player obviously. Integrity isn't the first thing that comes to mind when I think of him though lol. For a guy that hasn't sold even 100,000 records in his entire career, I find it pretty silly that he's had so many endorsements.
+Jon Bailey what's lacking integrity? His business acumen? His playing on dozens of other people's records? The fact that guitar companies WANT to endorse him?
Anyone that has followed Johnny for any length of time knows that every piece of gear he plays "Is the best" until someone offers him a better deal, so yeah I'd say that lacks integrity. Nobody is discounting his abilities.
I don't get the hate either Bill. It's so hard to make a living in music nowadays, even for someone as incredibly skilled as Johnny and I'm happy for him. I don't blame him or any other artist who goes with whatever brand is gonna help pay his bills. Of course he says whatever brand he uses currently is great- helping sell is part of any endorsee's job, and they all were great guitars so it's not like he's lying, so how can anyone question his integrity? It's just business, and just like with any other business, deals are made & later dissolved - companies have no loyalty to individuals and individuals owe no loyalty to companies.
He''s an unbelievable musician. Holy crap I don't car who sponsors him. Some of us who are handicapped are treated like we have.an IQ of 40 so we tend to over-compensate so Johnny is using his handicap in a positive way.
ZACK COFFMAN I know he does I wasn't referring to him. I was referring to variety of tones from the pickups. Usually some switch positions sound better than others, but this all sound good
I've never been much a country music person but his playing is so beautiful that I can't help but want to explore his music. He really displays versatile sounds with his guitar. Great demo!
Johnny, there is one reason why I find it hard to believe anything you said here - you have the ability to transform a low-quality guitar into something spectacular. We love you, Johnny. 😂❤
What a nice looking guitar. And I’d like to add no matter the genre you prefer. Johnny is top,top shelf. And the nicest most pleasant and down to earth guy. A solid pro. With insane skill and sound. You want to sit and watch and listen to him for hours!!
He was doing a video for them after the Kiesel one. Then onto Carvel, Carwin and finishing off with Vigier. The best guitar family in the business and a pleasure to work with, Jason.
I'm digging the way Hiland designed this guitar. It looks and sounds like a workhorse axe for any style of contemporary music. The knobs and switching layout is simple and uncluttered, and all the tones sound very usable and musical. Impressive.
Section at 3:40 kills me! So sweet. Johnny is a helluva guitar slinger and I love all the fast stuff...but I also appreciate that Travis picking, or whatever it's called.
While you worry about the hit on resale for a smaller brand like Kiesel (who actually aren't that small), it's hard to argue that this doesn't blow an American Professional Tele (which is priced similarly) out of the water in terms of build quality and features
rob oliver I don’t really see it being much competition. People who want a fender telecaster typically want it for the tradition/vintage appeal and tone. This is a super modern guitar imo. I dig it. But don’t see how it replaces a classic fender telecaster. I wouldn’t buy this if I wanted to twang out on a t style. But I would buy this for many other reasons, it looks awesome.
Excellent player! And beautiful guitar! I have a Carvin TL60 but mine is neckthru and it has 24 frets... I'm really digging this new bolt-on model though👏
That's exactly the same combination that I prefer on 3 pickup guitars. Except that my middle pickup is on a 3rd position and both neck and bridge is on the 2nd. Vice versa with Johnny's version, but it's not a problem. The only problem is that you need your bridge pickup to be RWRP to have at least two quiet positions. If I could live with that headstock :)
A very seriuos fidler on tele/strat guitars! 😘🎄🎅 Absulot great! 👍🏼 Unreachable.......only with Chet, Albert and some few others! 😘 X U man, RGDS Johnny Bass
Nice shot of that giant Fender logo in the background throughout this video, hahahaha (hard to resist that one...). Really though, I had a Carvin that I ordered back in the early 80's...It was a DC160, so I'm absolutely not here to bash Carvin/ Kiesel...mine wasn't quilt, it was maple flame, hard tail, but I had a Kahler put on it after, so it is unmistakable in identifying it...wish I could at least see a picture of it, but don't see it on line on the web. Never had any trouble with that guitar's neck...no fretting out...anyway, nice demo of this guitar.
Maybe Dudebro Jeff Kiesel will make some Johnny Hiland custom gauges for your earlobes, too. I know I wasn’t the only one who giggled like a child when Johnny said “I love swamp ash.”
If you put those pickups in a pick guard on top it would do wonders for the tone, hard mounted sounds like a Chinese epiphone les Paul Jr going direct to a digital 4 track. DEAD AS A DOOR NAIL.
I only know of two signatures from Johnny. I own the prs one. Great guitar . Johnny is one of best and certainly knows incredibly much about guitars. If that knowledge goes into signature guitars, the better for us! ..... and this seems really a great sounding versatile guitar at a reasonable price. But much more exciting is for me the fact that he seemingly has switched to playing with a thumbpick... and sounds even better! Hows is that possible ?
Johnny switched to a thumb pick because his hand is giving him problems. He’s been at it for a long time and he’s no spring chicken anymore. I’m glad he’s losing weight also, he needs to be around for a long time.
I've never met Johnny but he is undeniably one of the greatest guitarists ever, while being a genuine, nice guy. I don't see how anybody can blame him for promoting stuff. We all need an income and Johnny deserves every dollar he earns.
Idiots refer to that as "selling out". If "selling out" means getting paid for your efforts, we are all "sellouts". My sister paints for the love of it but it is now a job and she likes to sell her art for big dollars. She is really good at it and I told her this spring - while watching her - that she impresses the hell out of me when dabbing different patches ofcolors on a canvas to make beautiful landscape scenes, her forte.
Hiland is a super talented guitarist. He can have as many endorsers and signature guitars as he can get in my opinion. Some of you have no idea how hard it is to be a pro musician trying make a living in the modern age. Kiesel having the volume knob closer to allow the fax violin technique is a great feature on a T style guitar. GO JOHNNY GO!
I've been playing guitar for over 40 years and I've seen all the best, hendrix, Clapton, van Halen etc, even Steve Vai and all the hot hands on UA-cam . None of them can do some of the things Jonny does but Jonny can do all they can do. I think he is one of the best I've ever seen
What a humble guy, he designed the most versatile tele I have ever heard. The switching is INSANE marrying the best of a tele and a strat and designing a real burner.The pickups sound killer and Oh yeah he can really shred too!
I first found out about Johnny Hiland by accident. I was getting out of my car at my local mall and I looked down, and on the ground was a guitar pick, a white pick with black writing with his signature on it. I'd never heard of him, this was 5-6 years ago. When I got home I googled him and a bunch of videos of him just tearing it up, like Satriani style came up. I was blown away, he's an amazing guitar player!!
Notice that his pickups, wiring harness and switching system hasn't changed. Just the plank of wood they're installed in. And by the way, I don't care if he changes who he endorses every other week. He's a working man, trying to make a living, get exposure and demonstrate a lot of new gear that most of us would never have a chance to in our busy lives. Give him a break, he's got bills to pay, never has an unkind word about any of his associations,still uses the same brand of strings.
Spyder Logan You are no dummy , I don't get the haters . Somebody builds a better trap you get it . If they are gonna give it to you and pay you it's a no brainer ...
WOW!! What's with all the nasty comments about Johnny?? The guy has pulled himself up all by himself. As a legally blind guy that showed up in Nashville with $90 he sure has accomplished a lot. I have not found a nicer guy and one of the most versatile players on the planet. I consider myself a friend of Johnny's and he is one of the nicest people I have known in a long time. Damn give him a break!!
Johnny does seem like a very nice guy, and a hell of a player obviously. Integrity isn't the first thing that comes to mind when I think of him though lol. For a guy that hasn't sold even 100,000 records in his entire career, I find it pretty silly that he's had so many endorsements.
+Jon Bailey what's lacking integrity? His business acumen? His playing on dozens of other people's records? The fact that guitar companies WANT to endorse him?
Anyone that has followed Johnny for any length of time knows that every piece of gear he plays "Is the best" until someone offers him a better deal, so yeah I'd say that lacks integrity. Nobody is discounting his abilities.
I don't get the hate either Bill. It's so hard to make a living in music nowadays, even for someone as incredibly skilled as Johnny and I'm happy for him. I don't blame him or any other artist who goes with whatever brand is gonna help pay his bills. Of course he says whatever brand he uses currently is great- helping sell is part of any endorsee's job, and they all were great guitars so it's not like he's lying, so how can anyone question his integrity? It's just business, and just like with any other business, deals are made & later dissolved - companies have no loyalty to individuals and individuals owe no loyalty to companies.
bullhunter45 Johnny Hiland is from Maine. A hick from the woods. A great guy and guitarist.
I couldn't give a damn how many different companies he's endorsed, he plays like Albert Lee on steroids.
He''s an unbelievable musician. Holy crap I don't car who sponsors him. Some of us who are handicapped are treated like we have.an IQ of 40 so we tend to over-compensate so Johnny is using his handicap in a positive way.
The guitar sounds great. The flat sawn wood look is ugly. I heard him playing rock and heavy metal on a less Paul on Utube. Amazing
Johnny is so awesome! And I really want one of those guitars!
Yes...he’s a great guy...and its hard to make a living playing guitar...thankyou for hanging in Johnny and making great music!
That guitar really does sound good
billville111 he sounds good on any guitar
ZACK COFFMAN I know he does I wasn't referring to him. I was referring to variety of tones from the pickups. Usually some switch positions sound better than others, but this all sound good
It sounds good, but does it djent?
I've never been much a country music person but his playing is so beautiful that I can't help but want to explore his music. He really displays versatile sounds with his guitar. Great demo!
The most likeable dude ever! Champion player as well!
Johnny, there is one reason why I find it hard to believe anything you said here - you have the ability to transform a low-quality guitar into something spectacular. We love you, Johnny. 😂❤
Man that fella' can play. I was introduced to him from an Ol' Rig Rundown and was hooked.
Johnny's lookin slim and trim... keep it up stay healthy!!
such a trully beautiful soul... god bless you.. Johnny
You gotta love Johnny! What a great picker.
Such a nice guy!!! I wish to see a jam with him and Greg Koch!
That would truly be a 'worlds collide' moment...
Wow that intro and outro though, solid playing and good interview man... Peace and Love
Great! I like the combinations of pickups provided by the switch. It's always nice to hear Johnny's playing too.
"I've definitely found my guitar home" - until next NAMM.
Iggytommy Exactly, Johnny endorses everything
Who else did he endorse other than Musicman?
he's had loads of endorsement deals or signature gear
Wasn’t Vivian Campbell the same way? Hell it seemed like he endorsed everyone under the sun
Next NAMM ? More like Next Monday.
Why do companies endorse this guy ? Every player knows its meaningless.
Johnny Highlands the man
A: That guitar is GORGEOUS!
B: Johnny can flat play!
C: Whatever delay he’s using is fantastic!
D: Can’t Afford
What a nice looking guitar.
And I’d like to add no matter the genre you prefer.
Johnny is top,top shelf. And the nicest most pleasant and down to earth guy.
A solid pro. With insane skill and sound.
You want to sit and watch and listen to him for hours!!
One of my favourite guitarplayers!!!
The huge Fender logo in the background is quite ironic :P !
He was doing a video for them after the Kiesel one. Then onto Carvel, Carwin and finishing off with Vigier. The best guitar family in the business and a pleasure to work with, Jason.
Not only will Johnny go down as one of the greatest pickers ever, but also as the most genuine, upstanding guy you could ever meet!
I'm digging the way Hiland designed this guitar. It looks and sounds like a workhorse axe for any style of contemporary music. The knobs and switching layout is simple and uncluttered, and all the tones sound very usable and musical. Impressive.
$1599.99 That's actually not bad for that guitar!
Section at 3:40 kills me! So sweet. Johnny is a helluva guitar slinger and I love all the fast stuff...but I also appreciate that Travis picking, or whatever it's called.
Largest ever fender logo behind him as he says that. Funny.
TJ&JM Brooks I found that particularly amusing myself. Kiesel makes a hell of a guitar though!
I agree it is incredibly funny. In fact I think it may be the 23rd funniest thing I’ve ever seen.
This guitar sounds like a tele...a good copy of a tele...not as good tho haha
Great player, great guitar
Love that guy talking all secretly to his buddy like he's someone important...
Wow! Those are great tones. I agree with you on the neck pickup. Very versatile guitar.
one of the best sounding tele style guitars i've heard
Man I love his playing.
While you worry about the hit on resale for a smaller brand like Kiesel (who actually aren't that small), it's hard to argue that this doesn't blow an American Professional Tele (which is priced similarly) out of the water in terms of build quality and features
rob oliver I don’t really see it being much competition. People who want a fender telecaster typically want it for the tradition/vintage appeal and tone. This is a super modern guitar imo. I dig it. But don’t see how it replaces a classic fender telecaster. I wouldn’t buy this if I wanted to twang out on a t style. But I would buy this for many other reasons, it looks awesome.
kiesel have grown with a strong reputation in terms of quality as for I know.
Very nice guitar Johnny the eternal salesman.
This is one of the greatest guitarist on the planet .
Any guitar Johnny plays sounds great!
Excellent player! And beautiful guitar! I have a Carvin TL60 but mine is neckthru and it has 24 frets... I'm really digging this new bolt-on model though👏
Yeah this guy does it better then everyone else man what a player
He’s had a sig model with every guitar maker on planet. Does sound really nice tho
If you buy one of these, get it in a natural finish. If you get a painted one, the paint won't be dry before Johnny's playing something else.
Wow thats sounds great. Anybody knows which guitar technique he uses on 3:40?
Wow! That neck position pickup tone!!
Well T- style guitars that are hand crafted in America; are like none other. Only the best.
His skills are reasonably well developed
Mister Tee well then- that covers it!
He'll get there with more practice.
Ehhhh.........lol
And where do we find your video's showing your "reasonably well developed" skills?
And you are named: Mr. Tee? I want to see your expert playing of the guitar.
That huge fender logo while he speakes ... genius
I'm not sure about the look, personally, but it has every feature I'd want for a gigging guitar. The pickup selector would work perfectly for me.
I just bet that it`s an awesome guitar....Friggin love it 1
Nice tone, wow I'd live that in a sparkle finish..
4:43. Guy says to himself, "Holy crap, that's Johnny Hiland!"
Is the end of the neck hanging over the neck pickup?
I love how they're talking about this T-style demo with that big F sign in the back 😂
That's exactly the same combination that I prefer on 3 pickup guitars. Except that my middle pickup is on a 3rd position and both neck and bridge is on the 2nd. Vice versa with Johnny's version, but it's not a problem. The only problem is that you need your bridge pickup to be RWRP to have at least two quiet positions.
If I could live with that headstock :)
Can anybody tell me what song he plays @03:40 ?
this guitar is growing on me!
1599.00 now 1999.00.....400.. more
A very seriuos fidler on tele/strat guitars! 😘🎄🎅 Absulot great! 👍🏼 Unreachable.......only with Chet, Albert and some few others! 😘 X U man, RGDS Johnny Bass
They should sell a boatload of these. Congrats, chaps.
Wait, Johnny Hiland has new piece of signature gear? Where's the news? LOL
Nice shot of that giant Fender logo in the background throughout this video, hahahaha (hard to resist that one...). Really though, I had a Carvin that I ordered back in the early 80's...It was a DC160, so I'm absolutely not here to bash Carvin/ Kiesel...mine wasn't quilt, it was maple flame, hard tail, but I had a Kahler put on it after, so it is unmistakable in identifying it...wish I could at least see a picture of it, but don't see it on line on the web. Never had any trouble with that guitar's neck...no fretting out...anyway, nice demo of this guitar.
What's he playing at 3.40 on the middle pickup?is it a song of his because I would love to learn that
Country Guitar Master
4:48 Johnny's heavy metal doppelganger in the back there..... D'johnny Highland
Idk what you are plugged into, but that guitar is sounding like butter man.
He surprised me with that Mesa behind him.
ARhgh he just touched again. :D The most touchy Premier Guitar boi.
Maybe Dudebro Jeff Kiesel will make some Johnny Hiland custom gauges for your earlobes, too.
I know I wasn’t the only one who giggled like a child when Johnny said “I love swamp ash.”
Great player and person
That's a nice Guitar.
Boy, would I love to jam with him...
Wonder why he doesn't use a flat pick anymore, I am left handed but play right handed style, trying to pick up hyper picking from his videos!
that’s a dope guitar
tele/strat remix!
Looks great - good luck to them grabbing some market share - will be looking
People are super nasty about this guy. Chill.
Liam Tahaney Agreed he is a gentleman and a professional. I'm all metal and jazz but his playing gets my respect to the fullest.
johnny "the salesman" hiland.
Johnny can play METAL!! Just watch some of his vids, he can out Metal any player, any day!!
Gotta get me a red johnny hiland guitar..great presentation
NICE MELODIC COUNTRY GUITAR 🎸 TONES !!
Awesome, thanks.
When did he start using a thumb pick?
A great player.
Pena que nao vai chegar no Brasil pra mim comprar. Nen teria condições de comprar uma dessa.kkk
Sou teu fã johnny!!!
If you put those pickups in a pick guard on top it would do wonders for the tone, hard mounted sounds like a Chinese epiphone les Paul Jr going direct to a digital 4 track. DEAD AS A DOOR NAIL.
That dude in the back with the phone at 4:50 - I swear he's auditioned for just about every band we've all ever been in
Can we get this same model with an Ebony Fretboard?
Rifle Twist I'm gonna say no
Yes you can
Kidsels all custom
I don't care what he plays on.. as long as he keeps playing!..
He's using a thumb pick now? Never seen that before.
They look very like Chapman guitars.
That thing is basically an ML3 with strat pickups. Johnny probably went to Kiesel because they are based in the US.
Almost every single guitar manufacturer under the sun has been doing a Tele shape guitar at one point or another.
I wanna hear that guy with the black guitar that walked up at the end. He looks ready to take on Johnny.
He djents; he loses.
That is the first time I've seen Johnny use a thumb pick .
Johnny is the best
i'm not a fan of t style guitars but this one seems very appealing.
reminds me of a musicman axis in some ways, but with single coils.
Slevin Hyde I Agree first t style I thought was great and I'm not a fan of the company but you can't deny it when it's right.
what a player. wow.
kiesels are awesome
Johnny you r a killer on guitar
I mean he endorses one after another..I can’t take his endorsements seriously anymore!
I only know of two signatures from Johnny. I own the prs one. Great guitar . Johnny is one of best and certainly knows incredibly much about guitars. If that knowledge goes into signature guitars, the better for us! ..... and this seems really a great sounding versatile guitar at a reasonable price. But much more exciting is for me the fact that he seemingly has switched to playing with a thumbpick... and sounds even better! Hows is that possible ?
Well, this will really put Kiesel on the map if they weren't already. Everyone wants a guitar his guitar hero played and JH is one of mine :)
Johnny switched to a thumb pick because his hand is giving him problems. He’s been at it for a long time and he’s no spring chicken anymore. I’m glad he’s losing weight also, he needs to be around for a long time.