How about doing a video on Reverend guitars? I’ve played several and really liked them. Great styling, lots of options, and interesting features like roasted necks and the bass contour knob.
bass countour/cutoff knob should be standard on all passive circuits... theirs arent as steep as G&L's (different cap value) but work really well, their korina line was especially resonant iirc!
Now I own a Fender but decided to buy a 2019 Squier Classic Vibe 60's Lake Placid Blue. Just came in today and can not believe the quality and sound for $349. Really amazing stuff they are doing with the brand.
Dad of Three I just checked out a brand new classic vibe Tele. The neck was amazing. Nothing in that price point came close. Not Ibanez, not Washburn, not even the MIM Charvel. This thing was nice.
You are missing absolutely nothing. Squires are good, inexpensive guitars. They are not built with the professional in mind. A lot of bang for the buck for a budget minded player. I have owned several classic vibe squiers. Including the coveted original pine bodied Tele that was made at the Harmony plant in India. Good guitars, but not as good as the Charvel MIM guitars.
Luey Sixty-six the frets were so much better on the vibe. I like the way it feels. I play a 72 MIM Tele it has a thick poly as well. Guess I just prefer that.
Ha! Sittin' here watching Phil play all these expensive guitars with my brand new CV Tele (not Cort!) in my lap. Plays like a dream, has good pickups and a pine body. My second one. Unbelievable value.
I have to agree , I have the classic vibe 50s tele , its heavy , well made , and the neck is fantastic for the price , although I do steel wool the back of the neck on all my fenders , I don't like the sticky poly on any guitar , makes a big difference , its string through body , brass saddles , and the pickups sound great , dare I ruffle some purists feathers when I say it's almost as good as a fender 50s reissue , I've played both , the classic vibe was a surprise I wasn't expecting.
Hey Phil, these brands might be out of consideration (price point, custom shop, etc) but I'd love to see a Mayones, Claas, Skervesen, Aristedes, Markline, Vandermeij, or Padalka on the show sometime!
Hey Phil, I got a dozen Kiesels / Carvins... Had owned lots of other brands before but sold them all... The Aries (shown in my profile pic) is the best guitar I have ever played and the best sounding/most versatile guitar I had ever felt. And I sold guitars for 10 years at the biggest musical retail store,so have some experience. Rock on!
I have a custom Kiesel Vader and I absolutely love it. I went the opposite way though. Mine is not stripped down. It has virtually every option that was available and even a couple that were not listed. I have the dragonburst finish which looks awesome. I went with the 5 piece thin neck. Went with the 8 string. I don't think I will ever go back to a 6 or 7 string. I almost did not buy it because I wanted a single coil in the middle. I am a long time Ibanez player. I really like the clean tones you can get by playing single coils and I did not want to give that up. I asked them if I could get a single in the middle like all my Ibanezes have. Not only did they put a single coil in the middle for me they one upped it. I have coil taps in both humbuckers controlled by a push pull on the tone knob. The additional single coil in the middle only cost me $75 more. This is the ultimate shred guitar. The neck plays better then my Ibanez Prestige and Universe. As a result I have not played either guitar since I got the Kiesel. It took a while to build bc of all the options I had put in but it was so worth it. Best guitar I have ever played hands down.
i really like it when you shine a light on lesser known brands like what you did with Tagima guitars. Though its impossible for you to make a comment on EVERY one of their products, but its good that you essentially encourage people to look outside of what's only big, which is Fender and Gibson, Ibanez, and now PRS.
I've been watching your videos for a very long time. I finally subscribed tonight, even though I've been searching out and watching your videos for so long. Thank you for this video. You're the man!
I have the first Carvin 3 S/C pickup tele from 1997. It is my favorite guitar ever. I have a couple of nice strats, an Epi 339 with Gibson pickups and all the electronics upgraded and a 1976 Les Paul Custom that I bought new. The Carvin outplays them all and sounds great. It would be my dessert island guitar
You’re not wrong about the Kiesel tuning stability, Phillip! I have an Osiris guitar and a Zeus bass and I can leave them in their cases for a month and they’ll still be in tune or will only need a tiny adjustment. I’m about to order one of their new Type-X headless guitars while they have their Black Friday freebie options going on.
Phil, it seems your playing has improved over the years of watching your videos! I think the Knaggs is my favorite looking and sounding of the three. Great video as always!
Congrats on those 3 purchases! I hope you keep them because all 3 are amazing! I myself am a huge Kiesel fan and have made several mentions to you to get yourself a Kiesel. In 1 year I have purchased 4 Zeus models and 1 delos and can't say enough good things about all of them. Actually just received my Delos today and it is absolutely incredible! Maybe next year try an Ormsby, Skervesen and Mayones.
Fun fact about the Kiesels, typically on their 5-ways the 2 and 4 the pickups are coil split together utilizing the outer and inner coils, so you can’t cool split separately but you still have the option to split.
I just got my sixth Kiesel yesterday and it will not be my last. The amount of guitar you get for the money is incredible. All of them have fantastic build quality. I do not care for the lithium pickups, but you can choose several other options as well as sending in your own if you like. I like the fancy woods but it is usually out of my budget range, so I get paint. My five custom builds cost between $1249 - $1589. The most expensive being an 8 string multiscale. The sixth is a used 7 string with piezo for less than $900.
Vola's have definitely become one of my top 5 brands of Guitar brands in recent times, have a sick tone that can vary across multiple genres, and they feel great to play! Awesome to see you review them!
Phil, you should try out Eastman guitars. Lots of hollow and semi-hollow bodies and they make one solid body -- an LP-style guitar -- in a few different versions.
I've got one of their Warren Ellis tenor guitars, shockingly flawless for the price, though it's funny they needed three pieces of alder to make that tiny Mustang body, lol.
Great video. I really liked getting to see guitars from these three up-and-coming builders right next to each other. It was very interesting to see all of the contrasts between these three, with the contrasts of the woods, the finishing techniques (covered in more detail on the websites), the frets and fretboards, choices of pickups and components, the geometry differences, and how all of these differences added up to the tonal variations and the differences in feel. As a custom guitar and bass builder and Luthier myself, this was very interesting on many levels. I found the differences in pricing, particularly interesting, relative to the differences in materials and components mentioned earlier, as well as the construction techniques, in terms of not just the construction methods themselves, but also the amount of handwork and hand power tools vs the extent to which CNC machines are used(again, cross referencing on the websites). I also was noticing for each company, and each of these guitars, where everything is sourced globally, and how that may be impacting price point. One last thing I noticed, Phil, and that was when you were discussing pricing, and how the company structured the different levels and how is that affected the price of the guitar, you said that the price increased, "exponentially," and I think that you probably didn't mean to use that word, because that would be an incredibly rapid increase in price. Again, though, enjoyed the video. I really like seeing these smaller craft builders, that we don't often see in the reduced number of brick-and-mortar retailers in most areas.
Anything by Vintage. Played their Appetite for Destruction LP and their 335 today. Gonna buy both. Their Tele and the Blug strat are on my list as well. SG is cool too. Great price point.
Aldahir Lopez The Blug models have a dummy coil in the bridge pickup which is very cool. this one is an HSS but is at a great price: reverb.com/item/21321143-vintage-v6-electric-guitar-black-finish?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI2Nj8x7aH5gIV7x6tBh0bvQ7pEAQYBCABEgKIy_D_BwE&merchant_id=101083369&pla=1&
thoroughly enjoyed listening to you explain things, Phillip - nicely done, sir. By the way, it's neither here nor there, but while you were showing us the1st two guitars, I was eyeballing the wall behind you....& I'd decided I really liked the looks of that blue guitar (completely unaware that it would be your 3rd choice, mind you - lol)
My Carvin DC145C is 16 years old and sounds and plays beautifully, always in tune! Recently picked up a PRS Custom 24 and a Vela Semi-Hollow, love them both!!!
Those lessons are definitely working, your playing is much better or at least you seem more confident and sounds better! Liked the video and keep up the good work. Regular viewer of the stream
I would like to see what you think of the new B.C. Rich guitars. I have an older Masterpiece arch top Mockingbird that I love and the new ones interest me.
Lots of my fave guitarists are starting to play Legator guitars, I'd love to get your opinion! That Vola is beautiful for sure, though I like the sound of the Keisel more
The Charvel DK24 with the caramel maple neck is the best production guitar under $1k of all time. Feels just like the $3500 Govan signature Suhr Used they go for 600-700. You cannot beat that currently. They have literally everything you'd want out of an off the shelf instrument.
People are telling you that they are tired of talking about the same damn guitars all the time. I'm 100% in that camp. Let's broaden those horizons. Thanks Phil!
Philip - have you tested a Suhr without Peter Thorn sitting next to you? I second Justin's suggestion below. You sat on a guitar master designer, and an American guitar icon and genius, the great Leo Fender. That will be with you in your heart for the rest of your life. You are blessed in many ways - mostly for being such a wonderful and jovial human being. Cheers and thanks!
Great episode! I really think if possible, you should check out some EBMM. My EBMM Cutlass is a great strat-like guitar. Very light, frets as smooth as glass. The EBMM Stingray is like a Les Paul and Strat had a baby, and it's glorious.
Phil, you’ve got to try a few Eastman guitars. I bought single cut LP style with Lollar Imperial pickups. I loved the quality and tone so much I bought their T486 w a Bigsby, and a special edition matte black Wildcat with SD59 pickups. Complete wins. I’m local if you want to borrow them.
Love that you explained Knaggs was a PRS master builder. Did not know that. I already have 2 PRS but I'd give Knaggs a look. That radius sounds awesome. I have a 20" PRS and I rarely play it sadly... Maybe I should sell it and get a Knaggs..... Honey???!
Try the Kiesel Delos with the thin neck option. You can’t go wrong. Owning a guitar and the way it feels in each individual’s hands is going to be different from one person to the next. For me it’s the Kiesel. I own 37 guitars and out of those 37, 8 are Carvin/Kiesel. All of them are great instruments.
I have 4 Kiesels (Osiris, DC600, Bolt, DC800) and love them all. I can get one tricked out exactly how I want it and still come out cheaper than an American Standard Fender! The Knaggs didn't do anything for me, but the Vola seems pretty cool. One to try: the Schecter E-1 Special Edition (purple burst with a Sustainiac). It's pretty much the ultimate import shred machine! (And I have one of a select few lefties)
Great video Phill! I would love to see you review some G&L Tribute guitars like the S-500. It's a Strat-style fiddle like the Legacy but with the MFD single coils and a push-pull to make 7 way switching. I'd like to see your opinion on the Tribute series vs the MIM Strats too. Thanks!
Awesome video. I'd love to see you try a Schecter USA (Production and Masterworks each to compare would be cool, though even just a Production would be interesting to see your take). Maybe I missed it but comparing a PRS Private Stock to a standard one would be cool.
Great video! Now try some of the new Epiphone Artist Series guitars. They look great and come in at good prices. I would like to know what you think of some of them??
I would love to see you review a Rick Toone guitar. You would do an excellent job if even it was just on loan. Also would like to see you build a super wide neck warmoth.
Actually sir, the one thing I would love to see ya do is a comparison between guitars with different radius. Like a 12 compared to a 16 and 17. Reason is for people who have smaller hands, would a smaller radius be easier to play or would the higher radius be easier to play in general. I know that also different neck shapes will also come into play but I am just trying to wrap my old mind around the radius thing. Thank you :)
Radius is going to be that of a personal preference and what yours used to. Guys that are classically trained are going to prefer larger radius number. It's really easy to tell just by watching the player play. Classically trained the thumb is perfectly in the center of the neck all the time. The thumb never wraps over the top. Classical guitar fret boards are super high radius number if not flat. So anyway that's what you get used to. 4 years of college being yelled at daily on your form as well as the notes you play. Plus in classical you play a lot of open strings while fingering others very oddly. This is hard to do on smaller radius. Your fingers need to come straight in while fretting. Also there are a lot of players that don't or rarely wrap thumbs just the position of the hand the player is more comfortable. Now if you wrap your thumb you usually want that smaller radius typical to Fenders. While I had a custom shop fender for a long time I had a 16 inch radius on it for me that was the most perfect fender I ever played. However 12" is as low as I can go. Below that the neck feels weird to me. Les Paul which are typically 12" are ok to play but not preference. However I own several Taylor accoustic which are also 12" and I find them extremely comfortable to play. So there is some other magic with Taylor's that make them feel right but don't know what it is. Most manufacturers do a 12 or 14 as that's right in the middle of a lower radius vs the high radius. Oh and there are exceptions to that rule that may have to do with finger length as well. That I can't tell you about. An example.of this is Steve Vai as his guitar are 16-17 inch radius where he always wraps thumb. But he has insane long skinny fingers.
That Vola paint is... something. I've been to the Kiesel factory and played some of the guitars in their showroom. They were all well made and felt good. The headless thing though doesn't really appeal to me but if I were traveling a lot then I could see it as an awesome travel guitar. I however would get a more traditional model from them. Tha Knaggs would probably be my choice just from the way it looks (as you seem to say they are all really good guitars.). If I were buying for myself though I'd probably go with a low end but different model Kiesel due to as you mention the same quality for a much better price.
Hey Phil...great video and thanks for sharing! ???How about trying a Fan Fret guitar next??? I know you're not a shredder and neither am I really, but curious about your thoughts on playability...maybe a Standberg? Thanks again for all you do for this community!
I would like to see more Kiesel guitars . I know they’re known for exotic builds but I would like to see a standard build single cut LP style and a Strat style one which I forget the model name . I’ve seen some very impressive examples and think they deserve more exposure.
Can you review the Kissel Johnny Hiland signature guitar? I want to hear someone other than Johnny play it because he could plug a cigar box into a fridge and it would sound like a custom shop Tele in a fender tube amp.
Build your own! You could use body/neck from eg. Warmoth. Would be interesting to see what hardware you'd pick for it and the build process would be cool to see. :)
Phil.. how about some semi / hollow guitars. Maybe a budget series. I watched your channel for years and it’s mainly solid bodies. Would be good to hear your opinion and see what you think is good in the hollow space.
I feel like you picked the least Knaggs-like out of all the Knaggs models. I would've loved to have seen more discussion on the non-traditional trem. I also would have preferred if you reviewed on of their hardtail models, preferably with their 2-1 tune-o-matic style bridge.
I saw a Wreck guitar and it sounded GREAT... It LOOKED GREAT... Odd pyramid interior to disperse sound evenly. Any chance for a demo of that specialty item?
I'd like to see you try a Suhr Modern Satin. Those were cool though. I like the Kiesel but that bridge pickup would have to go and it weighs a pound and a half more than a Strandberg.
It's weird how much more noticeable the delay is with the Kiesel. I know they're all using the same settings, but the delay just pops with that headless guitar. It really made it sound awesome.
I have that same vader, it's my favorite guitar even over my other kiesels which cost more cash, stock alder Vader plays itself and has some killer tones
Hey man, happy holidays! I was watching an old Q&A (#87) and was thinking about the convo about Asian copies of classic pickups, and was wondering if maybe you could do a few comparison videos of guitar fetish pickups. They've got a TON of different, and as far as I've been able to find, there are no real quality reviews or comparison videos. Especially the active line of pickups to which there are 2 variations. The gold series, which is supposed to be a more "modern" voicing, and the standard "red" series which is, according to them, supposed to have all the nuances of vintage pickups. The red series also have variations on each model that have mini switches on the pickups themselves that have a 10db boost for bass, treble, and gain which, from what I've read, really open up the pickup (I guess something along the lines of EMG's X Series?). I'm especially intrigued by their tele set with and without the boost option. My shop (which was part of my home) was robbed about 2 years ago and my son and I literally lost everything. All of my tools, guitars in mid-build, amps, my guitars, my son's toys, everything. I lost my freshly started luthiery business in one foul swoop, and not too much time later, we lost our home as well. I'm finally just starting to get back on my feet finally and to treat myself/celebrate that fact and the fact that I'm able to give my 3 year old, Hendrix, a Christmas this year. Being a single dad, everything goes to my son, and I finally have the opportunity, although it may not be til after Christmas, to treat myself, and would like to trick out my only guitar as a tribute to one of my favorite players; Richie Kotzen (I have an LTD ST-213 I candy apple red). That being said I still have to be mindful of price, so guitar fetish is going to basically be my one stop shop for the hardware and electronics. Hence where my curiosity about their pickups came from. I'm wondering if they're worth grabbing, or should I just grab the gold/pearl tuners, trem, etc and grabbing the loaded DiMarzio Kotzen strat pickguard? Sorry for the GIANT message, you're one of the few guys on here who's review would away my decision one way or another. Thanks for your time, and happy holidays!
Awesome video Phillip. Personally, i am more curious with the Vola. Specially with the OZ V3 MC. i wanna see you break apart the guitar and explain it same as you did with your other demos. Wanna know your opinion about the Vola build quality. Thanks!
One of my best friend's has a Kiesel and it has the straightest neck I have seen to date besides his Anderson Tele which you should try. His Kiesel is an Alan Holdsworth model. It is sweet. Try an Anderson made Tele or Strat type. Tom came up with the best neck mount system I have seen for a bolt on.
I think it would be a cool idea to do a Balaguer select custom where a live stream picks the feature set and then you order it. Seem like cool guitars at a cool price point for the feature set.
I would like to see you compare the Schecter Diamond series Nick Johnston model (~ $600) to the range of Fender strats. It would be interesting to see where you though it falls in the value range of MIM vs Vintera vs performer vs professional.
Novo....built by Dennis Fano and fantastic. He also designs Rivolta, but they’re built by Eastman...I’ve played both (and will be buying each, the Rivolta Mondata in Laguna Blue first since it’s about a third the cost of the Novo).
My Kiesel Aries is among the best guitars I've owned or played, and I own a few Ibanez Prestiges and two Suhrs. The only guitar in my collection that beats it in value for the money is my RG550 Genesis, which I scored for $799 new. Kiesel is extremely hard to beat!
The guitar shop I work at just got a Squier Classic Vibe Starcaster in. I think it is great and I would like to hear your opinion about it. I also would like to hear your thoughts on mini-humbuckers from Gibson/epiphone (firebird & sg), and your thoughts on Gretsch Dynasonic pickups.
Hey Phil, great staff. I know is late, but I just find out Harley Benton got new headless models. It would be very useful for everybody to know your opinion on the new Dullahan model from HB. Looking forward to hear from you soon. Cheers, Dan.
Hi Phil, great channel; try an Ormsby. What’s your view on multi-scales? I’m a traditional guitar fan, but I think headless guitars are coming into their own and seem to be ergonomically superior.
You’re so good to us.
How about doing a video on Reverend guitars? I’ve played several and really liked them. Great styling, lots of options, and interesting features like roasted necks and the bass contour knob.
I came here to make the same comment. Great guitars.
bass countour/cutoff knob should be standard on all passive circuits... theirs arent as steep as G&L's (different cap value) but work really well, their korina line was especially resonant iirc!
Now I own a Fender but decided to buy a 2019 Squier Classic Vibe 60's Lake Placid Blue. Just came in today and can not believe the quality and sound for $349. Really amazing stuff they are doing with the brand.
Dad of Three I just checked out a brand new classic vibe Tele. The neck was amazing. Nothing in that price point came close. Not Ibanez, not Washburn, not even the MIM Charvel. This thing was nice.
You are missing absolutely nothing. Squires are good, inexpensive guitars. They are not built with the professional in mind. A lot of bang for the buck for a budget minded player. I have owned several classic vibe squiers. Including the coveted original pine bodied Tele that was made at the Harmony plant in India. Good guitars, but not as good as the Charvel MIM guitars.
Luey Sixty-six the frets were so much better on the vibe. I like the way it feels. I play a 72 MIM Tele it has a thick poly as well. Guess I just prefer that.
Ha! Sittin' here watching Phil play all these expensive guitars with my brand new CV Tele (not Cort!) in my lap. Plays like a dream, has good pickups and a pine body. My second one. Unbelievable value.
I have to agree , I have the classic vibe 50s tele , its heavy , well made , and the neck is fantastic for the price , although I do steel wool the back of the neck on all my fenders , I don't like the sticky poly on any guitar , makes a big difference , its string through body , brass saddles , and the pickups sound great , dare I ruffle some purists feathers when I say it's almost as good as a fender 50s reissue , I've played both , the classic vibe was a surprise I wasn't expecting.
Hey Phil, these brands might be out of consideration (price point, custom shop, etc) but I'd love to see a Mayones, Claas, Skervesen, Aristedes, Markline, Vandermeij, or Padalka on the show sometime!
Hey Phil, I got a dozen Kiesels / Carvins... Had owned lots of other brands before but sold them all... The Aries (shown in my profile pic) is the best guitar I have ever played and the best sounding/most versatile guitar I had ever felt. And I sold guitars for 10 years at the biggest musical retail store,so have some experience. Rock on!
Phil with that tasty finger tapping lick! 👍
Currently have a Kiesel on order! I'm stoked for it to arrive
Same. So you're the reason I'm waiting so long :)
To bad they dont roll the fretboard on any models. To sharp I sold mine
I ordered mine on jan 31st! I know your pain bro im so excited, it's gonna be my first headless, Vader 6
Oh yes I just pushed the button myself+
I have a custom Kiesel Vader and I absolutely love it. I went the opposite way though. Mine is not stripped down. It has virtually every option that was available and even a couple that were not listed.
I have the dragonburst finish which looks awesome. I went with the 5 piece thin neck. Went with the 8 string. I don't think I will ever go back to a 6 or 7 string.
I almost did not buy it because I wanted a single coil in the middle. I am a long time Ibanez player. I really like the clean tones you can get by playing single coils and I did not want to give that up. I asked them if I could get a single in the middle like all my Ibanezes have. Not only did they put a single coil in the middle for me they one upped it. I have coil taps in both humbuckers controlled by a push pull on the tone knob. The additional single coil in the middle only cost me $75 more.
This is the ultimate shred guitar. The neck plays better then my Ibanez Prestige and Universe. As a result I have not played either guitar since I got the Kiesel. It took a while to build bc of all the options I had put in but it was so worth it. Best guitar I have ever played hands down.
Love the video. I own a Kiesel V6X with the tremolo option and the 14 in radius neck. The tuning stability, as you stated. is impressive.
Pls do a complete guitar collection video!
Oehhhhh yes please I second this!
Yea Phil, been a while since you did one.
i really like it when you shine a light on lesser known brands like what you did with Tagima guitars. Though its impossible for you to make a comment on EVERY one of their products, but its good that you essentially encourage people to look outside of what's only big, which is Fender and Gibson, Ibanez, and now PRS.
I've been watching your videos for a very long time. I finally subscribed tonight, even though I've been searching out and watching your videos for so long. Thank you for this video. You're the man!
I have the first Carvin 3 S/C pickup tele from 1997. It is my favorite guitar ever. I have a couple of nice strats, an Epi 339 with Gibson pickups and all the electronics upgraded and a 1976 Les Paul Custom that I bought new. The Carvin outplays them all and sounds great. It would be my dessert island guitar
We so appreciate how you “suffer” for your fans😊. Love the Knaggs spalted maple.
Thanks for the details on these guitars , i really like how you play on them enhancing their best tones right away like a pro
My Kiesel will be in less than a month can't wait! Ordered my Know Your Gear shirt the other day too! Excited to rock them both.
You’re not wrong about the Kiesel tuning stability, Phillip! I have an Osiris guitar and a Zeus bass and I can leave them in their cases for a month and they’ll still be in tune or will only need a tiny adjustment. I’m about to order one of their new Type-X headless guitars while they have their Black Friday freebie options going on.
Yeah. I just ordered a Type-X. The free options saved me at least $700.
Jason Hetzler damn, you must’ve went with every option available to hit $700!
You’re a Strat guy Phil, get a Kiesel Delos and compare that with a high end Fender or Suhr
Kiesel would demolish a Fender for sure, but I'd be interested in a head to head against Suhr.
@@SoupKitchen91 - but keisel guitar has no head
@@danielmann5427 that was a beautiful reply
I'm a Strat guy too...so, just gimme a Strat lol 😉
@@danielmann5427 But he's suggesting a Delos which is a Strat copy with a headstock.
Phil, it seems your playing has improved over the years of watching your videos! I think the Knaggs is my favorite looking and sounding of the three. Great video as always!
Congrats on those 3 purchases! I hope you keep them because all 3 are amazing! I myself am a huge Kiesel fan and have made several mentions to you to get yourself a Kiesel. In 1 year I have purchased 4 Zeus models and 1 delos and can't say enough good things about all of them. Actually just received my Delos today and it is absolutely incredible! Maybe next year try an Ormsby, Skervesen and Mayones.
I recently started watching your show instead of the news. Coincidentally I'm loving life now, so thanks my dude.
I'm in love with the Vader. I also appreciate that Jeff and "his guys" are cramming as much value as possible for the price.
Call my guys😁
@@j.d.leslie8458 RAAAAAAD!!!!
love mine too, such a killer guitar.
Fun fact about the Kiesels, typically on their 5-ways the 2 and 4 the pickups are coil split together utilizing the outer and inner coils, so you can’t cool split separately but you still have the option to split.
I just got my sixth Kiesel yesterday and it will not be my last. The amount of guitar you get for the money is incredible. All of them have fantastic build quality. I do not care for the lithium pickups, but you can choose several other options as well as sending in your own if you like.
I like the fancy woods but it is usually out of my budget range, so I get paint. My five custom builds cost between $1249 - $1589. The most expensive being an 8 string multiscale. The sixth is a used 7 string with piezo for less than $900.
I am not sure if I have seen an ESP Custom, USA or EII on the channel. I really love vintage ESP guitars.
Went to Reverb to check out the Violas. Not much info on the specs, but what a great look. Your playing continuously gets better. Great review!
Vola's have definitely become one of my top 5 brands of Guitar brands in recent times, have a sick tone that can vary across multiple genres, and they feel great to play! Awesome to see you review them!
Phil, you should try out Eastman guitars. Lots of hollow and semi-hollow bodies and they make one solid body -- an LP-style guitar -- in a few different versions.
Yeah I'd love to see a review of one of the antique varnish LP-style guitars from Eastman
Eastman's are so good. I'd like to see his thoughts on them as well.
I own two SB59s -- a nitro and an antique varnish. I love them.
I've got one of their Warren Ellis tenor guitars, shockingly flawless for the price, though it's funny they needed three pieces of alder to make that tiny Mustang body, lol.
@@cullenjames7542 Me, too! Aren't they great?
Great video. I really liked getting to see guitars from these three up-and-coming builders right next to each other.
It was very interesting to see all of the contrasts between these three, with the contrasts of the woods, the finishing techniques (covered in more detail on the websites), the frets and fretboards, choices of pickups and components, the geometry differences, and how all of these differences added up to the tonal variations and the differences in feel.
As a custom guitar and bass builder and Luthier myself, this was very interesting on many levels.
I found the differences in pricing, particularly interesting, relative to the differences in materials and components mentioned earlier, as well as the construction techniques, in terms of not just the construction methods themselves, but also the amount of handwork and hand power tools vs the extent to which CNC machines are used(again, cross referencing on the websites).
I also was noticing for each company, and each of these guitars, where everything is sourced globally, and how that may be impacting price point.
One last thing I noticed, Phil, and that was when you were discussing pricing, and how the company structured the different levels and how is that affected the price of the guitar, you said that the price increased, "exponentially," and I think that you probably didn't mean to use that word, because that would be an incredibly rapid increase in price.
Again, though, enjoyed the video. I really like seeing these smaller craft builders, that we don't often see in the reduced number of brick-and-mortar retailers in most areas.
Anything by Vintage. Played their Appetite for Destruction LP and their 335 today. Gonna buy both. Their Tele and the Blug strat are on my list as well. SG is cool too. Great price point.
The V6 are the ones that look interesting from vintage
Aldahir Lopez The Blug models have a dummy coil in the bridge pickup which is very cool. this one is an HSS but is at a great price:
reverb.com/item/21321143-vintage-v6-electric-guitar-black-finish?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI2Nj8x7aH5gIV7x6tBh0bvQ7pEAQYBCABEgKIy_D_BwE&merchant_id=101083369&pla=1&
I felt vertigo when you were playing close to that kiesel fretboard edge... I felt I was falling, lmao
I think that's why, if I ever get a headless, it'll probably be a Strandberg.
Awesome video Phil! Very informative for those of us that wonder about these guitars but don't have a place to lay hands on them!
thoroughly enjoyed listening to you explain things, Phillip - nicely done, sir.
By the way, it's neither here nor there, but while you were showing us the1st two guitars, I was eyeballing the wall behind you....& I'd decided I really liked the looks of that blue guitar (completely unaware that it would be your 3rd choice, mind you - lol)
My Carvin DC145C is 16 years old and sounds and plays beautifully, always in tune! Recently picked up a PRS Custom 24 and a Vela Semi-Hollow, love them both!!!
Those lessons are definitely working, your playing is much better or at least you seem more confident and sounds better! Liked the video and keep up the good work. Regular viewer of the stream
I really enjoyed your tap n slide technique on the Knaggs!! Great video!!
I would like to see what you think of the new B.C. Rich guitars. I have an older Masterpiece arch top Mockingbird that I love and the new ones interest me.
Lots of my fave guitarists are starting to play Legator guitars, I'd love to get your opinion!
That Vola is beautiful for sure, though I like the sound of the Keisel more
I got a Kiesel a year ago. Love it. May be getting another one in the future.
The Charvel DK24 with the caramel maple neck is the best production guitar under $1k of all time. Feels just like the $3500 Govan signature Suhr
Used they go for 600-700. You cannot beat that currently. They have literally everything you'd want out of an off the shelf instrument.
I love my Kiesel headless basses. A Type-X guitar is likely in my future.
Black Snowman Ha, I just typed the same thing! I have an Osiris guitar and Zeus bass and I’ll be ordering a Type X tonight.
I want to get one of those so bad. Wish they would do those left handed.
People are telling you that they are tired of talking about the same damn guitars all the time. I'm 100% in that camp. Let's broaden those horizons. Thanks Phil!
Philip - have you tested a Suhr without Peter Thorn sitting next to you? I second Justin's suggestion below. You sat on a guitar master designer, and an American guitar icon and genius, the great Leo Fender. That will be with you in your heart for the rest of your life. You are blessed in many ways - mostly for being such a wonderful and jovial human being. Cheers and thanks!
The Leo Fender comment comes from your G&L video.
It's weird watching you play these guitars, but, you are so versatile that right out the way it feels familiar, nice work, as always, Phill
Great episode! I really think if possible, you should check out some EBMM. My EBMM Cutlass is a great strat-like guitar. Very light, frets as smooth as glass. The EBMM Stingray is like a Les Paul and Strat had a baby, and it's glorious.
I agree. The James Valentine model is really something too. I have a hh albert lee with hums and totally love it.
I really like the sound of the Keisel.
I personally liked the Knaggs the best. It had the beefiest tone. I'd like to see you get your hands on a new BC Rich Mockingbird.
Did he say which Duncan’s are in it?
I'd recommend you give a Yamaha Revstart 502T a try. Excellent guitars for the price. The low cut on it is a very nice addition also.
Reverend BC 1 looks actually innovative and high quality love to see you give it a go
Kickass! I liked all 3 as far as sound goes & your playing was great. 😊👍🏻
Phil, you’ve got to try a few Eastman guitars. I bought single cut LP style with Lollar Imperial pickups. I loved the quality and tone so much I bought their T486 w a Bigsby, and a special edition matte black Wildcat with SD59 pickups. Complete wins. I’m local if you want to borrow them.
Love that you explained Knaggs was a PRS master builder. Did not know that. I already have 2 PRS but I'd give Knaggs a look. That radius sounds awesome. I have a 20" PRS and I rarely play it sadly... Maybe I should sell it and get a Knaggs..... Honey???!
Try the Kiesel Delos with the thin neck option. You can’t go wrong. Owning a guitar and the way it feels in each individual’s hands is going to be different from one person to the next. For me it’s the Kiesel. I own 37 guitars and out of those 37, 8 are Carvin/Kiesel. All of them are great instruments.
I have 4 Kiesels (Osiris, DC600, Bolt, DC800) and love them all. I can get one tricked out exactly how I want it and still come out cheaper than an American Standard Fender! The Knaggs didn't do anything for me, but the Vola seems pretty cool.
One to try: the Schecter E-1 Special Edition (purple burst with a Sustainiac). It's pretty much the ultimate import shred machine! (And I have one of a select few lefties)
Great video Phill! I would love to see you review some G&L Tribute guitars like the S-500. It's a Strat-style fiddle like the Legacy but with the MFD single coils and a push-pull to make 7 way switching. I'd like to see your opinion on the Tribute series vs the MIM Strats too. Thanks!
Awesome video. I'd love to see you try a Schecter USA (Production and Masterworks each to compare would be cool, though even just a Production would be interesting to see your take). Maybe I missed it but comparing a PRS Private Stock to a standard one would be cool.
Would love to see some coverage and reviews of OD, Sully, Skervesen, Blackat, Aristides etc if you're going to NAMM
The Knaggs neck pickup sounded wonderful.
Great video! Now try some of the new Epiphone Artist Series guitars. They look great and come in at good prices. I would like to know what you think of some of them??
Greate episode, thank you so much! I would love to see you test a PENSA guitar. I think they have enough history and quality and diserve a test
I would love to see you review a Rick Toone guitar. You would do an excellent job if even it was just on loan. Also would like to see you build a super wide neck warmoth.
This was a great episode
Hey Phil, how about putting your Kiesel up against a Strandberg Boden Prog 6 neck-thru!!
Scar-You-A-Guitar and a Santa Cruz acoustic. Thanks and Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!
Actually sir, the one thing I would love to see ya do is a comparison between guitars with different radius. Like a 12 compared to a 16 and 17. Reason is for people who have smaller hands, would a smaller radius be easier to play or would the higher radius be easier to play in general. I know that also different neck shapes will also come into play but I am just trying to wrap my old mind around the radius thing. Thank you :)
Radius is going to be that of a personal preference and what yours used to. Guys that are classically trained are going to prefer larger radius number. It's really easy to tell just by watching the player play. Classically trained the thumb is perfectly in the center of the neck all the time. The thumb never wraps over the top. Classical guitar fret boards are super high radius number if not flat. So anyway that's what you get used to. 4 years of college being yelled at daily on your form as well as the notes you play. Plus in classical you play a lot of open strings while fingering others very oddly. This is hard to do on smaller radius. Your fingers need to come straight in while fretting. Also there are a lot of players that don't or rarely wrap thumbs just the position of the hand the player is more comfortable.
Now if you wrap your thumb you usually want that smaller radius typical to Fenders. While I had a custom shop fender for a long time I had a 16 inch radius on it for me that was the most perfect fender I ever played. However 12" is as low as I can go. Below that the neck feels weird to me. Les Paul which are typically 12" are ok to play but not preference. However I own several Taylor accoustic which are also 12" and I find them extremely comfortable to play. So there is some other magic with Taylor's that make them feel right but don't know what it is. Most manufacturers do a 12 or 14 as that's right in the middle of a lower radius vs the high radius.
Oh and there are exceptions to that rule that may have to do with finger length as well. That I can't tell you about. An example.of this is Steve Vai as his guitar are 16-17 inch radius where he always wraps thumb. But he has insane long skinny fingers.
For a person with smaller hands, the main consideration is the neck profile (thinner is easier) and nut width (e.g. standard Strat width is 41mm).
That Vola paint is... something. I've been to the Kiesel factory and played some of the guitars in their showroom. They were all well made and felt good. The headless thing though doesn't really appeal to me but if I were traveling a lot then I could see it as an awesome travel guitar. I however would get a more traditional model from them. Tha Knaggs would probably be my choice just from the way it looks (as you seem to say they are all really good guitars.). If I were buying for myself though I'd probably go with a low end but different model Kiesel due to as you mention the same quality for a much better price.
Hey Phil...great video and thanks for sharing! ???How about trying a Fan Fret guitar next??? I know you're not a shredder and neither am I really, but curious about your thoughts on playability...maybe a Standberg? Thanks again for all you do for this community!
Digin that keisel, now I have to try it!
I would like to see more Kiesel guitars . I know they’re known for exotic builds but I would like to see a standard build single cut LP style and a Strat style one which I forget the model name . I’ve seen some very impressive examples and think they deserve more exposure.
Can you review the Kissel Johnny Hiland signature guitar? I want to hear someone other than Johnny play it because he could plug a cigar box into a fridge and it would sound like a custom shop Tele in a fender tube amp.
Thank you Phillip! I will buy my first KIESEL then!
Build your own! You could use body/neck from eg. Warmoth. Would be interesting to see what hardware you'd pick for it and the build process would be cool to see. :)
Phil.. how about some semi / hollow guitars. Maybe a budget series.
I watched your channel for years and it’s mainly solid bodies. Would be good to hear your opinion and see what you think is good in the hollow space.
I feel like you picked the least Knaggs-like out of all the Knaggs models. I would've loved to have seen more discussion on the non-traditional trem. I also would have preferred if you reviewed on of their hardtail models, preferably with their 2-1 tune-o-matic style bridge.
That Kiesel sounds pretty good but it looks like a spatula.
For me, the Vola was the best sounding, that bridge pickup is great
I love spatula thats why i have Vader hahaH
Could be good for Flippin burgers.
Spatula? Is that an Italian guitar maker? haw haw haw
Great, now I'm gonna be hungry when I play my spatulas.
I saw a Wreck guitar and it sounded GREAT... It LOOKED GREAT... Odd pyramid interior to disperse sound evenly. Any chance for a demo of that specialty item?
You stole my tapping riff when you played the Knaggs clean tone 😆
I'd like to see you try a Suhr Modern Satin. Those were cool though. I like the Kiesel but that bridge pickup would have to go and it weighs a pound and a half more than a Strandberg.
It's weird how much more noticeable the delay is with the Kiesel. I know they're all using the same settings, but the delay just pops with that headless guitar. It really made it sound awesome.
How about CMG? Chris Mitchell Guitars. Your old shop in AZ is still listed as a dealer on their website.
I have that same vader, it's my favorite guitar even over my other kiesels which cost more cash, stock alder Vader plays itself and has some killer tones
Just got that exact vola at the shop!!!!
Great video... thanks! For another guitar, note that Mark Lettieri from Snarky Puppy plays a Grosh (a builder in Colorado). I'd be curious about those
Hey man, happy holidays! I was watching an old Q&A (#87) and was thinking about the convo about Asian copies of classic pickups, and was wondering if maybe you could do a few comparison videos of guitar fetish pickups. They've got a TON of different, and as far as I've been able to find, there are no real quality reviews or comparison videos. Especially the active line of pickups to which there are 2 variations. The gold series, which is supposed to be a more "modern" voicing, and the standard "red" series which is, according to them, supposed to have all the nuances of vintage pickups. The red series also have variations on each model that have mini switches on the pickups themselves that have a 10db boost for bass, treble, and gain which, from what I've read, really open up the pickup (I guess something along the lines of EMG's X Series?). I'm especially intrigued by their tele set with and without the boost option. My shop (which was part of my home) was robbed about 2 years ago and my son and I literally lost everything. All of my tools, guitars in mid-build, amps, my guitars, my son's toys, everything. I lost my freshly started luthiery business in one foul swoop, and not too much time later, we lost our home as well. I'm finally just starting to get back on my feet finally and to treat myself/celebrate that fact and the fact that I'm able to give my 3 year old, Hendrix, a Christmas this year. Being a single dad, everything goes to my son, and I finally have the opportunity, although it may not be til after Christmas, to treat myself, and would like to trick out my only guitar as a tribute to one of my favorite players; Richie Kotzen (I have an LTD ST-213 I candy apple red). That being said I still have to be mindful of price, so guitar fetish is going to basically be my one stop shop for the hardware and electronics. Hence where my curiosity about their pickups came from. I'm wondering if they're worth grabbing, or should I just grab the gold/pearl tuners, trem, etc and grabbing the loaded DiMarzio Kotzen strat pickguard? Sorry for the GIANT message, you're one of the few guys on here who's review would away my decision one way or another. Thanks for your time, and happy holidays!
Awesome video Phillip. Personally, i am more curious with the Vola. Specially with the OZ V3 MC. i wanna see you break apart the guitar and explain it same as you did with your other demos. Wanna know your opinion about the Vola build quality. Thanks!
One of my best friend's has a Kiesel and it has the straightest neck I have seen to date besides his Anderson Tele which you should try. His Kiesel is an Alan Holdsworth model. It is sweet. Try an Anderson made Tele or Strat type. Tom came up with the best neck mount system I have seen for a bolt on.
I think it would be a cool idea to do a Balaguer select custom where a live stream picks the feature set and then you order it. Seem like cool guitars at a cool price point for the feature set.
Used to have an old Fresher guitar. I dont know much about them but it played great. Would be nice to know your thoughts on them Phillip.
Yeah that knaggs sounded fantastic even on my phone. Absolutely killer guitars
I would like to see you compare the Schecter Diamond series Nick Johnston model (~ $600) to the range of Fender strats. It would be interesting to see where you though it falls in the value range of MIM vs Vintera vs performer vs professional.
Love the Keisel. The Knaggs sounded the best.
Novo....built by Dennis Fano and fantastic. He also designs Rivolta, but they’re built by Eastman...I’ve played both (and will be buying each, the Rivolta Mondata in Laguna Blue first since it’s about a third the cost of the Novo).
I liked the clean sound of knag the most
My Kiesel Aries is among the best guitars I've owned or played, and I own a few Ibanez Prestiges and two Suhrs. The only guitar in my collection that beats it in value for the money is my RG550 Genesis, which I scored for $799 new. Kiesel is extremely hard to beat!
The guitar shop I work at just got a Squier Classic Vibe Starcaster in. I think it is great and I would like to hear your opinion about it. I also would like to hear your thoughts on mini-humbuckers from Gibson/epiphone (firebird & sg), and your thoughts on Gretsch Dynasonic pickups.
Saw Elvis Costello playing a Baldwin 12 String with Burns pups. Also recently heard a Reverend solid electric 12.Compare or comment??
Hey Phil, great staff. I know is late, but I just find out Harley Benton got new headless models. It would be very useful for everybody to know your opinion on the new Dullahan model from HB. Looking forward to hear from you soon. Cheers, Dan.
I love the bridge rock tone on the Vola. Does anyone know what model that is? Thanks for the demo 👍
Hi Phil, great channel; try an Ormsby. What’s your view on multi-scales? I’m a traditional guitar fan, but I think headless guitars are coming into their own and seem to be ergonomically superior.
Great video as always. How about a reverend guitar?