# Kiesel Finally Finished Their Multiscale Bass...



## LordCashew (Dec 30, 2016)

It's already been out about a week, but I've seen no mention of it here. So just in case anyone missed it...

http://www.kieselguitars.com/catalog/guitars/vm59k

I know a lot of folks were expecting a multiscale Icon or Vader.

I kinda dig it. Personally I think the Vanquish looks more natural with fanned frets than straight. I'm not super sold on the upper horn, but maybe it will grow on me...


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## ramses (Dec 30, 2016)

It is nice to have an affordable 36" bass.


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## cardinal (Dec 30, 2016)

Yeah, the body had a melted look to it that works well with fanned frets. Still not a looker, though. IMHO.


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## LordCashew (Dec 30, 2016)

ramses said:


> It is nice to have an affordable 36" bass.



I agree, but I would rather have 37". Still though, the fact that you can get an MIA multiscale for a price comparable to (or lower than) a Combustion is pretty sweet. The possibility that I could get an ebony fretboard and stainless frets is a big plus. If I was in the market for a bass it would be a tough decision between the two, but I'm not.


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## BrailleDecibel (Dec 30, 2016)

I don't like fanned frets most of the time, but they work on this bass. Usually they are an instant GAS-killer for me, so kudos to Kiesel for making them look cool to me. The blacker-than-thou aesthetic of this particular bass doesn't hurt, either.


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## Hollowway (Dec 31, 2016)

Yeah, happy they're doing it, but the low end needs to be longer for those of us that want to go to F#. All 3 of us.  Otherwise, super cool that they're expanding their options at this crazy rate. I honestly have no idea where they're going to go now. Fanned everything, 8 string trems, headless models. Maybe an 8 string semihollow? I'd be into that.


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## laxu (Dec 31, 2016)

I'm so bummed it wasn't based on the Icon. I just don't like how the horns on the Vanquish look. A multiscale Vader bass would be pretty cool too.

I wish they would just make all their models multiscale so you didn't have to pick based on if you want that or not.


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## Lorcan Ward (Dec 31, 2016)

Those basses are a steal for that price. If the euro to dollar wasn't so bad I'd be tempted. 



laxu said:


> I wish they would just make all their models multiscale so you didn't have to pick based on if you want that or not.



At the start they were just testing the waters since they were very unsure if there was an actual market for them. Now they could offer the majority of their range since the demand is there.


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## LordCashew (Dec 31, 2016)

laxu said:


> I'm so bummed it wasn't based on the Icon. I just don't like how the horns on the Vanquish look. A multiscale Vader bass would be pretty cool too.



I bet choosing the Vanquish was a cost-saving measure. Since it's a bolt-neck platform, I initially thought they only had to design and program CNC for the necks, and possibly drilling for the bridge. But upon closer examination, it appears they also reshaped the bottom contour of the body to allow for the angle of the bridge. (I think the offset there is what makes the lines of the multiscale flow better.) Still, I imagine it's simpler to create a new bolt-on neck and make whatever adjustments are necessary to the body than to make one of the neckthroughs into a multiscale.

Jeff said in a video that he was open to introducing more multiscale bass models in the future, but that the determining factor would be how well the Vanquish multi sells. I for one think the Xcellerator bass is their best candidate for a multiscale version, particularly if they give it a more offset contour like the VM59K.



Hollowway said:


> Yeah, happy they're doing it, but the low end needs to be longer for those of us that want to go to F#. All 3 of us.



I really wouldn't be surprised if fitting into one of their existing cases was a factor in their choice of scale length. That's the reason they give for refusing to put an inline headstock on their DC7X guitar.


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## xwmucradiox (Dec 31, 2016)

Every one of the major companies to do multiscale seems to be apprehensive about really going for it and having 37" or longer for the low string. I dont get the point. The physics of bass are such that you need to go significantly longer to get a couple steps lower and still sound good. For me Dingwall is still the top of the heap in this respect. Doesn't hurt that the NG2 also comes with the darkglass preamp and the excellent pickup arrangement that provides the huge dual humbucker in series tone.


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## Hollowway (Dec 31, 2016)

Lorcan Ward said:


> At the start they were just testing the waters since they were very unsure if there was an actual market for them. Now they could offer the majority of their range since the demand is there.



Yeah, which makes me wonder if they shouldn't have gone with the 34-37" scale to get the Dingwall crowd. (Apart from it maybe not fitting into the case, as was mentioned.) It's like when Ibanez did a fanned model and put the perpendicular fret at the 12th. It's like they aren't reading forums to see what everyone is buying. I have no use for a perp 12th fret, but give me 7th (to get the first and 24th frets at the same angle) and I would have snapped up the 8 string.


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Dec 31, 2016)

xwmucradiox said:


> Every one of the major companies to do multiscale seems to be apprehensive about really going for it and having 37" or longer for the low string. .



ESP's and Rondo's FF basses have a 37'' scale.

http://www.espguitars.com/products/17152-b-1005se-multi-scale-ns?category_id=1963318-b-series
http://www.rondomusic.com/defiant53437natb.html
http://www.rondomusic.com/defiant53437nat.html


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## xwmucradiox (Dec 31, 2016)

HeHasTheJazzHands said:


> ESP's and Rondo's FF basses have a 37'' scale.
> 
> http://www.espguitars.com/products/17152-b-1005se-multi-scale-ns?category_id=1963318-b-series
> http://www.rondomusic.com/defiant53437natb.html
> http://www.rondomusic.com/defiant53437nat.html



I didn't know ESP had multis out but good to know.


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## Hollowway (Dec 31, 2016)

Huh, yeah I didn't know ESP had that too. I've been trawling the ESP site the last couple of months because I picked up a Doris Yeh sig (from Nick at the Axe Palace), and I missed that bass. I got a NS-2 Dingy recently, but these are a great alternative.


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## A-Branger (Jan 1, 2017)

pretty cool they are doing this, but I could never bond with that shape bass sadly.

is far too big. If you delete the bevel parts, it actually has a nice shape for a bass. But with those bevels sections the bass becomes way too big for my liking. Plus that headstock is a turnoff for me too.

Sad, because I like the endless options to "customise" your bass


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## vansinn (Jan 1, 2017)

Hollowway said:


> Yeah, happy they're doing it, but the low end needs to be longer for those of us that want to go to F#. All 3 of us.



All _four_ of us 
My 7-string Wolf is a mere 35", and a .185 F# seems a Bit on the heavy side..



Hollowway said:


> ...Fanned everything, 8 string trems, headless models. Maybe an 8 string semihollow? I'd be into that.



Mmnn.. truly a custom _Hollow_, no?..


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## iron blast (Jan 1, 2017)

I hate how companies try to pick bodys styles and other asthetic choices Im not keen on to judge sales to determine using new tech. If they went with the vader off the bat he would sell tons. Also 36" is only a marginal benefit over the normal 35. Going 37" would make a lot more sense imho. Well hopefully these sell well so they can release more models later. I'm still hoping for a quality 7 string multi scale under 2k maybe someday


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## LordCashew (Jan 1, 2017)

iron blast said:


> I hate how companies try to pick bodys styles and other asthetic choices Im not keen on to judge sales to determine using new tech. If they went with the vader off the bat he would sell tons. Also 36" is only a marginal benefit over the normal 35. Going 37" would make a lot more sense imho. Well hopefully these sell well so they can release more models later. I'm still hoping for a quality 7 string multi scale under 2k maybe someday



7 string Vader? 33.5"-37"? Sounds like a winner.


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## Petar Bogdanov (Jan 2, 2017)

iron blast said:


> I hate how companies try to pick bodys styles and other asthetic choices Im not keen on to judge sales to determine using new tech. If they went with the vader off the bat he would sell tons. Also 36" is only a marginal benefit over the normal 35. Going 37" would make a lot more sense imho. Well hopefully these sell well so they can release more models later. I'm still hoping for a quality 7 string multi scale under 2k maybe someday



The difference between 35 and 36 is bigger percentage-wise than the difference between 36 and 37. Knowing Kiesel, they likely tested out a few different options and figured this was the best one.

Not saying that they're right, but they are big on ergonomics and balance and stuff and that could explain why they didn't copy the market leader Dingwall.


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## GenghisCoyne (Jan 2, 2017)




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## TemjinStrife (Jan 3, 2017)

Petar Bogdanov said:


> The difference between 35 and 36 is bigger percentage-wise than the difference between 36 and 37. Knowing Kiesel, they likely tested out a few different options and figured this was the best one.
> 
> Not saying that they're right, but they are big on ergonomics and balance and stuff and that could explain why they didn't copy the market leader Dingwall.



Or, not having to stock custom strings was the deal-breaker. Finding strings that fit the low B on my Afterburner was a pain, to the point where I just use the Dingwall ones at this point.


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## Grand Moff Tim (Jan 4, 2017)

TemjinStrife said:


> Or, not having to stock custom strings was the deal-breaker. Finding strings that fit the low B on my Afterburner was a pain, to the point where I just use the Dingwall ones at this point.



My ACG multiscale is 'only' 33-36", and even that's awkward when it comes to strings. Anything less than super-longs starts tapering too soon for the B. That's a big enough pain, I'd hate to have to find stuff for a Dingwall. 

The 36" B on my ACG feels and sounds great, incidentally, if anyone has reservations about that scale.


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## xwmucradiox (Jan 4, 2017)

TemjinStrife said:


> Or, not having to stock custom strings was the deal-breaker. Finding strings that fit the low B on my Afterburner was a pain, to the point where I just use the Dingwall ones at this point.



But you can just load these basses with Kallium strings, use that as marketing, and turn a profit on the strings you put on.


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## TheWarAgainstTime (Jan 12, 2017)

I always kinda hated the overall look of the Vanquish, but it looks a _*LOT*_ better and natural with the fanned frets


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## Drew (Jan 12, 2017)

TemjinStrife said:


> Or, not having to stock custom strings was the deal-breaker. Finding strings that fit the low B on my Afterburner was a pain, to the point where I just use the Dingwall ones at this point.



Yeah, that was why I finally got rid of my Dingwall, as well - finding something OTHER than a Dingwall string (which was a nonstarter for two reasons - I didn't want to pay shipping from Canada, and I wanted some sort of coated string) that you can use on a 37" scale was a nightmare. 

Daddario's extra-long 5 string set BARELY worked, though even then the taper started right on the nut. However, a 130 tuned to B at 37" was a LOT of tension, the truss rod had barely enough range to accommodate it. 

And, really, even 34" works well enough at B. I'd be surprised if you couldn't make a 36" work for F#, or maybe put better, that if you weren't happy with 36", you WOULD be at 37".


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## Mwoit (Jan 12, 2017)

Drew said:


> Yeah, that was why I finally got rid of my Dingwall, as well - finding something OTHER than a Dingwall string (which was a nonstarter for two reasons - I didn't want to pay shipping from Canada, and I wanted some sort of coated string) that you can use on a 37" scale was a nightmare.



Tell me about it, I usually ship 2 / 3 sets of strings from Kalium in the US for my ABZ pair. It's usually about £100, give or take shipping AND customs.


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## Drew (Jan 13, 2017)

Mwoit said:


> Tell me about it, I usually ship 2 / 3 sets of strings from Kalium in the US for my ABZ pair. It's usually about £100, give or take shipping AND customs.



For me, it wasn't worth the hassle, so I just sold the bass. I'd found myself playing a Squier P-Bass with J-Bass electronics more than the Dingwall anyway - the Afterburner was clearly the better made bass, but I found myself just preferring the J-Bass singlecoil sound more anyway.


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