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Carvin Vader headless basses

#161
puremetal33 said:
Any idea if Carvin/Keisel plans to offer the Vader with the multi scale option as they do for the guitars? It's kind of a bummer they don't already. I like the idea of the headless, compact body but if I'm going to try one out I want the fan frets.
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Jeff designed a fanned fret/multi-scale bass, which will release soon. I would guess, just before Christmas. It is based on the Icon.

They do not sell nearly as many basses, as they do guitars. I doubt they will do another multi-scale, for awhile. However, if the sales are really good, it could persuade him to do another model. Such as a MS Vader. I'm saying this, based on how things have gone with their guitar models and based heavily one what he often says, in his weekly live casts.
 
#162
younggun said:
Build quality: equal to, and in some cases even surpasses, any other custom instrument I've owned or played. If this is something you are concerned about, I can simply say don't be.
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Amen to that.
I had Foderas, USA MTDs, Lulls, early Mayones, TRB JP, etc., and as far as build quality my early 2016 VB6 is on par or better than those. People complaining about Carvin/Kiesel quality maybe had experience with very old production models or when the Kiesel transition was not there yet.
I ordered mine with the neck/frets extras (5 piece maple neck, thinner neck profile, small/vintage stainless steel frets), swapped the Kiesel preamp & pups (good but not amazing, IMHO) for a pair of dual coil P2 Barts + a Mike Pope Flexcore preamp and now this bass is at least in the same league - with even more options/features - of those hand-made, expensive boutique basses IMHO.
 
#164
fretno said:
it looks like they used the same pups on all models , that puts a lot of extra pup out side the string area and well past a "thumbrest" on the 4 banger
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Yup. Having a one-size-fits-them-all pickup is very smart IMHO, and probably is one of the reasons of why they can sell high quality, american made custom basses at that price... scale economy.
Also, based on youtube clips, those Carvin/Kiesel SB or JB 4-string jazz basses seem to sound awesome to me - I don't hear any issue tonewise.
 
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#165
fretno said:
it looks like they used the same pups on all models , that puts a lot of extra pup out side the string area and well past a "thumbrest" on the 4 banger
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Yeah, that is one drawback, for people who anchor their thumb. I went to floating thumb anyway.

The upsides are one pickup design. One tone. If you make different size pickups, you have to re-engineer each one, to try and get them all to sound the same/similar. Any honest pickup maker will tell you that different size coils of the same model, do not sound exactly the same. Everything you do to a pickup, changes the magnetic field.

The other upside of one pickup size per model, is lower internal costs. Less parts means better bulk buys.
 
#169
All right. I'm on the verge of ordering one.

VB5
Right Handed

Maple Neck/Alder Body
Satin Matte Finish
Jet Black
Radium Humbuckers
Maple Fingerboard (Tung-Oiled)
No Top Inlays - Side Dots Only
Med-Jumbo Frets
Black Pickups
Black Hardware
Drop Shadow Silver Logo

I'm not sure about the naked maple fretboard though...
 
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#170
Herrick said:
All right. I'm on the verge of ordering one.

VB5
Right Handed

Maple Neck/Alder Body
Satin Matte Finish
Jet Black
Maple Fingerboard (Tung-Oiled)
No Top Inlays - Side Dots Only
Med-Jumbo Frets
Black Pickups
Black Hardware
Drop Shadow Silver Logo

I'm not sure about the naked maple fretboard though...
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Get zebrawood. It looks rad with satin black and should need less TLC than a maple board.

Any thoughts about.pickups?
 
#171
Toptube said:
Get zebrawood. It looks rad with satin black and should need less TLC than a maple board.

Any thoughts about.pickups?
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Oops I forgot to include that! I'm pretty sure I'm getting the Radium Humbuckers.

Edit: I think I might just go with gunmetal grey and an ebony fretboard. This bass is already unusual-looking enough. The maple fretboard may accentuate the weirdness for me.
 
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#172
Herrick said:
Oops I forgot to include that! I'm pretty sure I'm getting the Radium Humbuckers.

Edit: I think I might just go with gunmetal grey and an ebony fretboard. This bass is already unusual-looking enough. The maple fretboard may accentuate the weirdness for me.
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What kind of sound are you looking for with the fretboard? Maple has a "snappier" and brighter sound than ebony for example. You probably won't be unhappy with either one, but there is definitely a difference. IMO, you should go for the tone you want first, looks second...but that's just me.
 
#173
younggun said:
What kind of sound are you looking for with the fretboard? Maple has a "snappier" and brighter sound than ebony for example. You probably won't be unhappy with either one, but there is definitely a difference. IMO, you should go for the tone you want first, looks second...but that's just me.
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I prefer a darker sound. I've had two basses with maple fretboards and I didn't detect a significant difference from rosewood or ebony. I think I'm going for the ebony.
 
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#174
MobileHolmes said:
You should probably get one before they get a cease and desist from George Lucas. Then you'll have a pre lawsuit one
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Darth fader lack of bass disturbing.jpg
 
#178
puremetal33 said:
View attachment 1137128 So I decided to take the plunge. Grabbed this one off the floor at Kiesel yesterday. Passive but will get the Darkglass Tone Capsule installed soon.

I don't think she'll ever replace my Spectors but it's a nice, light, great sounding bass that's fun to play and it'll definitely get some good use.
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Oh, dear - this is a little creepy. I just finished building an AW5 with almost identical cosmetics on the Kiesel website today, and then I found your post.

Is that Gunmetal Grey Metallic? And what board wood is that - birdseye maple? It looks great!
 
#179
HeavyDuty said:
Oh, dear - this is a little creepy. I just finished building an AW5 with almost identical cosmetics on the Kiesel website today, and then I found your post.

Is that Gunmetal Grey Metallic? And what board wood is that - birdseye maple? It looks great!
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It's gunmetal, yeah, with the Birdseye maple board. It's a sweet player
 
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