Johnny Hiland signature JH6 Kiesel anybody play one ?

[KevWind]

After falling to "the Dark Side" some 3 years ago this coming November I have only had my one electric. A PRS CE 24
But for the last year or so I have been thinking about a single coil based guitar.
Either strat type or tele
After a post I made about JH in the EBMM thread, I stumbled on several video's of Johnny Hiland's ( new last year I think) signature guitar made by Kiesel.

A 3 single coil model, with JH's signature Six Shooter Electric City pickups and his preferred 5 way switch. BirdsEye maple neck 10 in radius 22 fret stainless medium jumbo frets, locking tuners. Swamp Ash body made in USA for $1599
I don't really care are about a "signature" guitar per se but the specs. on this, sounds like an impressive guitar for the money

https://www.kieselguitars.com/catalog/guitars/jh6

Anyone have any experience with this model or the Solo S6 that this one is based on ?

[Dru Edwards]

Hey Kev, I recall your post on the EBMM thread. I've never played the Hiland signature or the S6 but wanted to keep this thread alive. We hear very little about Kiesel or (previously known as) Carvin here on the AGF. Over the years I've read nothing but great things about both of those companies but sadly I've never had the opportunity to play any of those guitars.

What's Kiesel's return policy like?

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by Dru Edwards

Hey Kev, I recall your post on the EBMM thread. I've never played the Hiland signature or the S6 but wanted to keep this thread alive. We hear very little about Kiesel or (previously known as) Carvin here on the AGF. Over the years I've read nothing but great things about both of those companies but sadly I've never had the opportunity to play any of those guitars.

What's Kiesel's return policy like?

They have a 10 day (from received date) no questions asked return policy.

Couple things really interest me. First the claim is that with the custom 5 way switching it gives both both classic tele and strat tones in one guitar . It has the Kiesel thin style neck which for example I have a pattern thin on my PRS CE 24 and with my smallish hands I like a lot.
I like the idea of locking tuners.

Purportedly the Electric City JH Six Shooter pick ups are excellent ( However I have noticed that it seems as if Electric City's web site is offline , which is not a good sign)

And it is stated to be relative light weight 7.75 lbs.

I plan on calling them soon and asking a few questions,

[FrankHudson]

Three pickup Tele's are a great idea, so Kiesel and Hiland are working a good concept. You generally lose the Tele Bridge plus Neck sound with them, but you also typically gain the B+M and M+N "quack" positions and the Strat middle pickup alone sound. And you retain the single master tone/volume within finger-reach elements of a Tele and you can retain the famous Tele bridge impact (though I'm not sure this one does that).

[KevWind]

Here is a video where JH sort of explains the switching options, BUT I am guessing one has know (which I do not ) what the stock tele switching is .
The carves on the back appeal to me and the carved heel joint looks really interesting

[David Eastwood]

From the Kiesel website, the switching is “Neck Pickup; Middle Pickup; Neck and Bridge Pickups, Middle and Bridge Pickups, Bridge Pickup”.

So, positions 1,3 and 5 mimic a Telecaster’s 3-way switch; 2 adds the Strat-style middle pickup alone, and 4 the classic Strat ‘in-between’ middle and bridge tone.

Seems like a pretty versatile setup to me - altogether a very tasty instrument.

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by eatswodo

From the Kissel website, the switching is “Neck Pickup; Middle Pickup; Neck and Bridge Pickups, Middle and Bridge Pickups, Bridge Pickup”.

So, positions 1,3 and 5 mimic a Telecaster’s 3-way switch; 2 adds the Strat-style middle pickup alone, and 4 the classic Strat ‘in-between’ middle and bridge tone.

Seems like a pretty versatile setup to me - altogether a very tasty instrument.

Hey thanks I must have gotten bleary eyed looking at the web site and missed it .

[roylor4]

The ss frets are a huge upgrade too IMO.

[FrankHudson]

Originally Posted by eatswodo

From the Kiesel website, the switching is “Neck Pickup; Middle Pickup; Neck and Bridge Pickups, Middle and Bridge Pickups, Bridge Pickup”.

So, positions 1,3 and 5 mimic a Telecaster’s 3-way switch; 2 adds the Strat-style middle pickup alone, and 4 the classic Strat ‘in-between’ middle and bridge tone.

Seems like a pretty versatile setup to me - altogether a very tasty instrument.

I just watched the video and like the idea of that special switching which does give you one Strat quack (position 2), one middle pu only, and one B+N.

[KevWind]

Got to admit I am seriously considering calling Kiesel and discussing an order

da,da,da,da, cue theme from Jaws ---GAS is circling like Great White ,

[brandall10]

One thing that's a bit of a gotcha is the shredder thin neck thickness. Otherwise it looks awesome to me. Big fan of Johnny and ECP (have a set on one of my Les Pauls).

[Eric_M]

Originally Posted by KevWind

Purportedly the Electric City JH Six Shooter pick ups are excellent ( However I have noticed that it seems as if Electric City's web site is offline , which is not a good sign)

Yep, looks like they're out of business and the guitar will now come with Kiesel pickups (made to the Electric City specs):

http://www.kieselguitarsbbs.com/view...hp?f=1&t=50470

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by Eric_M

Yep, looks like they're out of business and the guitar will now come with Kiesel pickups (made to the Electric City specs):

http://www.kieselguitarsbbs.com/view...hp?f=1&t=50470

Thanks for posting this.
Well that is good news IMO .

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by brandall10

One thing that's a bit of a gotcha is the shredder thin neck thickness. Otherwise it looks awesome to me. Big fan of Johnny and ECP (have a set on one of my Les Pauls).

One thing I am not understanding the meaning of is " bit of a gotcha" ?

And the term "shredder thin" is foreign to me also , is that a specific neck shape or a generic or slang term ? Kiesel lists neck as "Thin"--- THNN (whatever THNN means) Also it has a 10 inch radius and I am given to understand a "shredder" type neck tends to be a bit flatter from 12" to 20" radius ?

And for me a thin neck is one main reason I am interested, given I have fairly small hands and probably why I like my Taylor ce 810 over say the old Martin V shaped neck. My PRS Ce 24 which has what PRS calls the "Pattern Thin" neck is super nice for me as well.

[Sonics]

Originally Posted by brandall10

One thing that's a bit of a gotcha is the shredder thin neck thickness. Otherwise it looks awesome to me.

EVERY guitar rolling off the Carvin/Kiesel assembly line is CUSTOM built and EVERY guitar is 'wood library'. The customer can spec every aspect of the guitar from top woods, neck dimensions through to the color of the screws used on the pickup mount. If all that choice is too overwhelming for you, then Jeff Kiesel will employ his experience and good taste and pick the woods for you.

Like the man said. He gets the first pick of the woods before the other guitar makers...