Carvin SB5000 / SB4000 Roll Call...Part 8!

[fivestringgecko]

@pickups

Probably a wise choice to go with an actual Hipshot. I've never had experience with a Guyker and it may work fine, who knows. But $20 for a bridge says a lot. I'd say I'm surprised that they pointed you to that bridge, but I've swapped out the preamp, pickups and tuners on two of my Icons, and their hardware was of noticeably cheaper quality. At least at the time anyway. As mentioned, I've heard they may have upgraded to go along with their "upgraded" pricing.

If you're going to go the the effort of swapping stuff out, I'd say your thought of actually upgrading is spot on. My upgraded 2014 Icon remains one of my favorite main basses.

5sg.

 

[Toptube]

*An actual Hipshot bridge. None of my four Kiesels/Carvins circa 2014-2019 came with actual Hipshot (or even any Hipshot/other licensed)
5sg.

During that time period, only the JB and PB did not have hipshot A style bridges.

 

[fivestringgecko]

You're definitely the resident Kiesel expert @Toptube, so good to know the bridges are Hipshot. The reason I didn't think they were is because my first Icon had the piezo bridge, and I don't think Hipshot has ever done piezos...?

Any info on the tuners during that time? The factory ones on all four of my Carvins/Kiesels have always been cheap and loose feeling. I replaced them on my two main Icons because the gears in one ended up stripping out and it wouldn't wind, and the Hipshots were a night and day difference. I also had to widen the control pot holes when I replaced the preamps, because the factory pots were a full 2mm thinner than the Pope or John East I dropped in.

What do you know about the hardware/electronics that Kiesel is currently using? With how much their pricing has gone up over the last couple years, I do hope they've upgraded their components.

5sg.

 

[Toptube]

You're definitely the resident Kiesel expert @Toptube, so good to know the bridges are Hipshot. The reason I didn't think they were is because my first Icon had the piezo bridge, and I don't think Hipshot has ever done piezos...?

Any info on the tuners during that time? The factory ones on all four of my Carvins/Kiesels have always been cheap and loose feeling. I replaced them on my two main Icons because the gears in one ended up stripping out and it wouldn't wind, and the Hipshots were a night and day difference. I also had to widen the control pot holes when I replaced the preamps, because the factory pots were a full 2mm thinner than the Pope or John East I dropped in.

What do you know about the hardware/electronics that Kiesel is currently using? With how much their pricing has gone up over the last couple years, I do hope they've upgraded their components.

5sg.

Bass tuners havent changed much, if at all, since probably 2011-ish.

I have commented a few times on their live streams, that they should switch to hipshot tuners. Or at least offer them. As it doesnt make sense after all the price increases; to buy a $3,000 Bass and get generic tuners.
And they otherwise have a stong relationship with Hipshot, for Bass. They use the 'A' style bridges and Hipshot makes the headless bridges for Kiesel.

It was known that they used skinny pots. I dunno if they changed that.

Based on what I have seen over the past couple years from new buyers: seems like their blend pot still isnt really a good 'blend'.

They also slightly enlarged their pickup routes at some point, to better accomodate aftermarket 'P2' shaped pickups. As Kiesel's radiused pickups are slightly skinnier than a P2 style from say, Nordstrand.

I know this because, I ran into the issue on my 2014 Icon. But, people with basses purchased in later years, had no trouble putting in Nords or Agular, etc.

I have not bought a bass from them in some time. And am not up on some of the most recent, smaller changes.
Closing down their official forum also masked away some of these details, which would otherwise come out of that community.