ESCONDIDO, CALIFORNIA · FACTORY-DIRECT CUSTOM · ELECTRIC · BASS
Kiesel
Kiesel is the current guitar-and-bass side of the family business that began with Lowell Kiesel in 1946 and later became known for decades as Carvin. Since the 2015 company split, Kiesel has developed a large catalog of configurable California-built instruments: headstock and headless, bolt-on and neck-through, standard and multiscale, six strings through extended range. The base model is only the beginning—the option sheet is part of the guitar.
MODEL SEARCH
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OVERVIEW
What to know quickly
The model name does not fully describe a Kiesel. Wood choice, neck construction, scale, bridge, pickups, fretboard, electronics and finish can materially change both the guitar and its used-market value.
IDENTIFY YOUR GUITAR
Which Kiesel do you have?
Kiesel identification begins with the model family and serial number, but the build specification matters more than with many fixed-SKU brands. Photograph anything that reveals factory options before comparing prices.
- Find the base model. Aries, A2, Delos, Vader, Kyber, Zeus/Z2, Osiris/O2, Solo, CT6 and K-Series belong to different construction and design families.
- Record the serial number. It appears on current instruments and in-stock listings; preserve it with photographs even when it does not by itself reveal the entire build specification.
- Photograph the neck joint and bridge. Bolt-on, neck-through, headless, fixed-bridge, tremolo and multiscale choices quickly narrow the configuration.
- Document the woods and electronics. Kiesel offers unusually broad choices in top wood, body wood, neck laminates, fingerboards, pickups and control layouts.
- Keep original build paperwork. An invoice or option sheet can turn a visually complicated custom guitar into a precisely documented instrument.
SERIES & CURRENT RETAIL GUIDE
Find the family first
Official Kiesel starting prices checked September 29, 2026. Options can add hundreds or thousands of dollars, so the configured price—not only the base price—matters.
USED VALUE GUIDE
Custom specification changes the comparison
Guitar Center showed about 100 used Kiesel guitars in late September 2026. Common current examples such as Aries, Delos, Vader and Kyber instruments frequently appeared around the low-to-high $1,000s, while elaborate builds and specialty models climbed higher.
- Match the exact model, string count and construction type before choosing comparables.
- Separate factory options from later modifications; a custom-looking feature may have been original.
- Inspect headless hardware, bridge saddles, locking components and multiscale setup closely.
- Verify pickups and electronics, especially when the original build used Kiesel proprietary components.
- Use the original configured price carefully: expensive cosmetic options do not always return their full cost on the used market.
CURRENT USED MARKET
See what the market is doing now
A generic search for 'Kiesel guitar' mixes hundreds of possible configurations. Add the model, string count, construction and a major option—such as multiscale, headless or a distinctive top wood—to improve the evidence.
COMPARE
What else lives in this neighborhood?
Kiesel belongs beside other premium performance and custom-shop instruments rather than one single mass-market competitor. Compare the exact construction, scale, hardware and option level.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
Before you buy—or price—one
- Custom-price anchoring. A $4,000 original order does not guarantee a $4,000 used value; some options are deeply personal.
- Non-returnable options. Kiesel's builder can mark some custom configurations non-returnable, which matters to a new-order buyer.
- Carvin / Kiesel crossover. 2015 was a transition period; use the actual headstock branding and build documentation.
- Extended-range setup. Seven- and eight-string multiscale instruments need comparison to the same scale and bridge configuration.
- Build-time expectations. Kiesel's current builder states an estimated 10–14 week build process, which can vary.
HISTORY & COMMENTARY
The Kiesel name returned to the headstock
The family instrument story begins with Lowell Kiesel's 1946 company, later known as Carvin. In 2015 Carvin announced a separate company, Kiesel Guitars, led by Mark and Jeff Kiesel, to take over guitar and bass manufacturing and sales.
That history is practical rather than merely genealogical. A Carvin DC127 and a modern Kiesel Aries can come from the same family manufacturing lineage while belonging to different company eras. The modern Kiesel catalog has since developed its own identity around direct custom ordering, aggressive ergonomics, headless designs, multiscale options and an unusually large menu of construction choices.
WHAT PLAYERS LIKE
Why a Kiesel can be worth picking up
- Customization. Few current brands let a buyer vary so many woods, scales, bridges, neck constructions and visual details inside one model family.
- Modern ergonomics. Deep bevels, sculpted heels and headless options appear throughout the range.
- Extended-range depth. Seven- and eight-string and multiscale choices are normal parts of the catalog.
- USA construction. Kiesel states that current instruments are handcrafted in Escondido, California.
- Direct documentation. The online builder and in-stock listings expose unusually detailed build specifications.
CURRENT RETAIL & REFERENCE
Current Kiesel model and price observations were checked September 29, 2026. Options and special runs can change quickly.