Review – Kiesel Vader 6 String Headless Electric Bass

The latest in the line of basses from Kiesel is the Vader line, a headless bass available as 4, 5 or 6 string. Not only are these basses extremely eye-pleasing, they are very well balanced and sound really great.

The bass for this review is the Kiesel Vader 6 String Headless Electric Bass. While there are a wide range of options available, the bass for the review is what I believe is the standard offering… but don’t let that fool you. This bass is very well crafted from start to finish, and even though many options are offered, and I mean many, the standard model, as I would call it, is a real workhorse.

The first noticeable item about the bass is that only the headstock is missing. The tuning is done at the bridge and the string is held in the top nut by Allen screws. There is no need for custom strings for the bass, as regular bass strings will work. I have been fortunate to have owned a couple of headless basses years ago, which I wish were still in my possession, but I have to say, the tuning on these is second to none. The Kiesel Vader 6 String Headless Electric Bass allows you to precisely tune the bass like it should be, and when I took it out on a few gigs, the tuning had not changed. I think another feature that presents itself as being headless is the ability to have impossibly low action and extreme playability.

The standard electronics on the bass consist of the Kiesel Radium Radiused Humbuckers and there is an option for single coil too. Passive electrics are standard, with a choice for active/passive setup and you can also choose to replace the neck pickup with a split-coil.

The standard controls are master volume, pickup blend, and tone control. All of the hardware is black and the standard is to have three strap buttons. The first strap button is on the top horn, and there are two strap buttons on either side of the bridge. The balance of the bass when using either strap button near the bridge gives a natural feel. Personally, I prefer the lower strap button, which brings the bass a little higher and also gives the bass the same position on your body whether standing or sitting. The fingerboard as standard is 24 fret Ebony with a choice of inlays, and med-jumbo frets. This particular bass had the diamond inlays and standard side dots.

This bass is definitely tops in the headless arena. From the first day the bass arrived for review, it was hard to put it down… and yes, it really is that good. I was actually taken back a little when plugging it in for the first time as it was hard to believe that it was a passive bass, especially with the amount of volume output and tone. And that’s not all, as it also comes standard with a very nice soft case with more than adequate padding to protect the bass and enough pocket room for cords, tuner, etc.

The choices of woods and finishes for the body and neck, options for electronics, right down to the inlays and logo, give you that custom bass you have always wanted, without the custom price tag.

Watch it in action:

Check out the Kiesel Vader 6 String Headless Electric Bass and all of the other basses from Kiesel Guitars at kieselguitars.com