Kiesel Guitars has launched the Kyber, an all-new electric guitar model tailored for modern metal players who crave sleek playability, and it’s already found its way into the hands of some notable shredders.
Arriving after “the culmination of 79 years of Kiesel luthiery,” the Kyber is marked with “aggressive cutaways, an ultra-thin body, and extreme arm bend,” to represent “the ultimate, modern axe.”
Owning one isn’t going to break the bank, either, with the build-your-own instrument coming with an introductory price of $1,599. Adding a roasted maple neck and black limba body, typically premium specs of Kiesel builds, won’t cost any extra, making it Kiesel’s most affordable headstocked guitar available.
Weighing around six pounds on average, it was “designed to be featherlight without compromising tone,” while comfort has also proved a focus. Its “extreme arm contour and uniquely shaped body enhances classical position support while still excelling in standard position,” Kiesel says.
Available in six- and seven-string formats, with an optional multiscale design, hardware choices include a fixed Hipshot bridge, premium own-brand locking tuners, and a two-way adjustable truss rod.
Its bolt-on neck has a radiused heel for a 25.5” scale length regardless of the string count, unless the multiscale option is preferred. In those cases, it serves up a 25.5”-26.6” scale for the six, and 25.5”-27” for the seven. It also gets white pearloid dot inlays and Luminlay Super Blue side dots.
Lovers of fat necks, however, look away. Speaking in the guitar’s promo video, Jeff Kiesel says: “It’s amazing how thin these get, the access and playability is second to none.”
The Kyber is saddled with direct-mount passive Kiesel Thorium/Empryean humbuckers in the bridge and neck positions respectively, and can be twiddled with via a three-way selector and a Master Volume dial. The dial also has push/pull for getting single-coil twang on demand. A swish art deco-style backplate is a nice added touch.
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Eager to show off its next-gen creation, Kiesel sent several models to some Kiesel players to dig into. YouTuber and Thick Riff Thursday maestro Nick Broomhall was among the lucky few to get an advanced preview, and he has labeled the headstock as “insane” and commented on its lightweight design before ripping some tasty riffs on it.
“First and foremost, this guitar is a blast to play,” he says. “It feels so good in my hands. The body of this guitar is so thin, it’s such a sleek design.”
Shred wizard Jesse Michel proved it’s a deft machine for sweep picking, adding that he’s “loving” the model – while genre-mashing riffsmith Logan Young says it feels “awesome” and is “super comfortable” to play.
With Abasi Concepts on the rise, alongside the futuristic, ergonomically-minded builds of Strandberg Guitars and plenty more besides, the Kyber’s arrival will see Kiesel offer fresh competition in the modern metal guitar market. How it will compare is to be seen, but on paper, there looks to be plenty to admire, and it’s a little cheaper than its closest rivals, too.
The Kiesel Kyber starts at $1,599 with a deposit of $320. Please note that certain spec choices will increase its overall price.
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