NBD! Kiesel Vader 30” (short scale) 5 string

[azwhofan]

I have a Roscoe headless fless that uses similar hardware (both supplied by Hipshot BTW). What i found to be really important when changing strings was to measure and cut one string at a time. Make sure you get the string length cut exactly as the old string. Even a couple of millimeters of difference makes a huge impact. Obviously, if it's too short, you're S.O.L .
It would help if you had some old dead strings to practice with before you put fresh ones on.
The first time I swapped out strings it took me an hour and a half! I'm down to less than 30 minutes now.

 

[Mekana]

Awesome!

How’s the B string?

I’m impressed with the B string. But here are the qualifiers... all my current 5 & 6 string basses are short scale. It’s been so long since I played a 34” 5 string, I’m not the right person to compare the Vader’s B to a longer scale B. (Its also possible that over time, I’ve just developed a lighter technique on the B string on my shorties.) That said, it’s just as nice sounding as the B on my Birdsong. The Vader isn’t string through the body like my other 5’s, either.

The second thing is that I’m not sure what strings came with the Vader! The strings that are on there right now sound good, and while they aren’t floppy, they are flexible, which I like a lot.

Between the mystery strings and the pickups (mine is passive), the sound overall is clear and punchy, including the B string. Hope that helps, even though it’s a hopelessly subjective review!

 

[Mekana]

I have a Roscoe headless fless that uses similar hardware (both supplied by Hipshot BTW). What i found to be really important when changing strings was to measure and cut one string at a time. Make sure you get the string length cut exactly as the old string. Even a couple of millimeters of difference makes a huge impact. Obviously, if it's too short, you're S.O.L .
It would help if you had some old dead strings to practice with before you put fresh ones on.
The first time I swapped out strings it took me an hour and a half! I'm down to less than 30 minutes now.

Thank you! I do have some old strings to practice with- that is a great idea. Thanks!

 

[Keger Jupit]

Awesome! I love headless basses. A friend of mine bought a 6er from Dave King in Portland about 25 years ago, & the balance was great.

That's a great looking Vader!

 

[Mekana]

A couple more observations- the balance on a strap is fantastic. (Lol Keger, we were writing at the same time!)

Tuning is incredibly stable. It arrived in the shipping box almost perfectly in tune.

I was a little worried about the wider string spacing. I believe it’s 19mm at the bridge. (It is not that wide at the nut.) It wasn’t that difficult to adjust to, thankfully! And a bonus (?) is that it makes it much easier to slap. So now I have no excuse not to put some time in on that.

Mine is passive, and it has the Carvin radiused pickups. I believe they sell both humbuckers and single coil radiused pickups, and tbh, I don’t know which mine are. It’s pretty quiet, but there is a slight hum when I plug into my desktop practice amp. That could just be all the other electronics nearby, though? Anyway, the tone changes quite a lot depending on which pickup is played over. It’s great! Just a change in plucking hand position will give you really noticeable tone options. The pickup blend and tone knob also seem really versatile. The volume doesn’t have that much range. But I generally just set that where I want it and use the volume on my amp to adjust anyway.

And finally, the luminlays are both fun and useful. I think glowing side dots will really help on a dark stage. They charge up quickly with a phone flashlight. Can’t comment on how long they last yet, though!

 

[azwhofan]

Thank you! I do have some old strings to practice with- that is a great idea. Thanks!

Using one of the supplied hex keys, slide it through the ball end of both strings, then measure and cut! they should match up really closely.

 

[Keger Jupit]

I was a little worried about the wider string spacing. I believe it’s 19mm at the bridge. (It is not that wide at the nut.) It wasn’t that difficult to adjust to, thankfully! And a bonus (?) is that it makes it much easier to slap. So now I have no excuse not to put some time in on that.

I had an Ibanez BTB with that string spacing. Lovely bass, but as I'm more of a Jazz-neck kid, we didn't totally bond. I don't slap women or basses, but would agree, it's awesome for slap style. Have fun!

 

[DJ Bebop]

Using one of the supplied hex keys, slide it through the ball end of both strings, then measure and cut! they should match up really closely.

I believe this bass use's single ball end string's (normal)

 

[DJ Bebop]

I’m impressed with the B string. But here are the qualifiers... all my current 5 & 6 string basses are short scale. It’s been so long since I played a 34” 5 string, I’m not the right person to compare the Vader’s B to a longer scale B. (Its also possible that over time, I’ve just developed a lighter technique on the B string on my shorties.) That said, it’s just as nice sounding as the B on my Birdsong. The Vader isn’t string through the body like my other 5’s, either.

The second thing is that I’m not sure what strings came with the Vader! The strings that are on there right now sound good, and while they aren’t floppy, they are flexible, which I like a lot.

Between the mystery strings and the pickups (mine is passive), the sound overall is clear and punchy, including the B string. Hope that helps, even though it’s a hopelessly subjective review!

I believe Carvin ships out their basses with Dunlop Super Brights installed, if the original owner didn't change them.

 

[azwhofan]

I believe this bass use's single ball end string's (normal)

Sorry, i should have been clearer. I meant to say that you slip the ball end of each string onto the hex key (or device of your choice lol) at the same time so you have a good reference of where to cut the new string. Does that make more sense?

 

[DJ Bebop]

Sorry, i should have been clearer. I meant to say that you slip the ball end of each string onto the hex key (or device of your choice lol) at the same time so you have a good reference of where to cut the new string. Does that make more sense?

Kinda
No it does, I reread your post. It was all right.
I was thinking double ball end. You wouldn't cut those anyway

 

[D.A.R.K.]

That's sick.

 

[Holdsg]

"I find your lack of head(stock)...disturbing...."

 

[symbolic_acts]

ah another opportunity for me to show off mine
looking back i think i would have went with the preamp instead of passive, but whats done is done.

and yes they come with superbright strings by dunlop. Mine was a poopy set that was not possible to intonate (surprised they let the bass ship with such terrible intonation). I have rotosound swingbass steels on it now, E-C.

 

[symbolic_acts]

Mine is passive, and it has the Carvin radiused pickups. I believe they sell both humbuckers and single coil radiused pickups, and tbh, I don’t know which mine are. It’s pretty quiet, but there is a slight hum when I plug into my desktop practice amp. That could just be all the other electronics nearby, though? Anyway, the tone changes quite a lot depending on which pickup is played over. It’s great! Just a change in plucking hand position will give you really noticeable tone options. The pickup blend and tone knob also seem really versatile. The volume doesn’t have that much range. But I generally just set that where I want it and use the volume on my amp to adjust anyway.

On the pickup cover if the little dot next to the kiesel logo is white, it's the humbucker. The other color (forgot what it is) is the single coil.
lucky for you about the tone and pickup blend knobs. Mine literally would be better off as rotary switches, because they basically are. Tone has 2 options, full on, full off. Blend has 3 options, neck, bridge, neckbridge. Anything inbetween is zero difference.

 

[Mekana]

I believe Carvin ships out their basses with Dunlop Super Brights installed, if the original owner didn't change them.

I’m guessing the original owner probably did change the strings, but it’s possible they kept using the Dunlop Super Brights... I’ll try sending an email and ask. I do like the strings that are on there now.

 

[Mekana]

"I find your lack of head(stock)...disturbing...."

LOL! Vader really is the perfect name for this bass.

 

[Mekana]

ah another opportunity for me to show off mine
looking back i think i would have went with the preamp instead of passive, but whats done is done.

and yes they come with superbright strings by dunlop. Mine was a poopy set that was not possible to intonate (surprised they let the bass ship with such terrible intonation). I have rotosound swingbass steels on it now, E-C.
View attachment 3391632

Oooh, yours is gorgeous!

 

[Mekana]

On the pickup cover if the little dot next to the kiesel logo is white, it's the humbucker. The other color (forgot what it is) is the single coil.
lucky for you about the tone and pickup blend knobs. Mine literally would be better off as rotary switches, because they basically are. Tone has 2 options, full on, full off. Blend has 3 options, neck, bridge, neckbridge. Anything inbetween is zero difference.

Thank you for that info!! Looks like I have one of each; humbucker (white dot) on top in the neck position and single coil (black dot) on the bottom at the bridge. Maybe that explains the tonal range, since they’re two different pickups? I actually don’t know the answer to that- how much difference is there in tone between a humbucker and a single coil?

Edit: looked it up: “Single coils tend to be brighter and crisper, with greater note definition between strings, while humbuckers are often louder, darker, and heavier.” That sounds about right.

 

[MovinTarget]

I was a little worried about the wider string spacing. I believe it’s 19mm at the bridge.

Maybe I am just used to headless gear chasing Steinberger, but I found this surprising as most headless hardware I've come across is 18mm for the *4* stringers... forget 19mm for a 5'er!

Gratz! It is a beauty!