Carvin / Kiesel Guitars UK Shipping

We used to be part of Carvin's dealer network and saw a lot of guitars come through our doors. Honestly, they were all absolutely incredible with some of the most amazing finishes we have ever seen. The consistency of the guitars is impeccable and the most staggering thing is sheer number of choices you get when you order one. Made in San Diego, USA!

Carvin Split

Back in 2015 Carvin split in to two separate companies with Carvin Audio and Kiesel Guitars forming.

Kiesel was the original name of the company so it's fantastic to see this return. This great video of Mark Kiesel and Jeff Kiesel explains a lot more about this transition.

My Own Carvin

I received my custom 12 string Carvin a few years ago now. It is a stunning Spalted Maple Top with All Koa Neck/Body and a flawless Ebony Fretboard.

It is quite simply, an incredible guitar and always turns heads for both it's look and the sound. A little studio session with it below.

Buying In The Uk

So, there are a few things to think about but nothing complicated. This will hopefully help you understand the full cost so there are no hidden surprises when it arrives!

1. Quote

First you will need to get a price from the guys over at Kiesel and can do that by filling out the 'build forms' on their website. This will give the Dollar Price of the instrument. Make sure you have selected a Hard Case for shipping.

2. Conversion

Although you can put a conversion in to a search engine, it will only give you the current rate. Bear in mind you will pay the bank or card company a slightly different exchange rate. This won't make a massive difference but it will be more significant as the price you pay goes up.

3. Shipping

The guys at Kiesel will be able to give you a shipping quote but it is likely to be around $150 and will take about 5-7 days when it leaves the US.

4. Import Duty and VAT

When the guitar arrives in the UK it will pass through Customs and Excise. There will be a Tariff charge of about 2.5% and also 20% VAT added based on the value of the intrument coming in. This will be collected by the Courier firm who delivers it. They will also add a fee of £20-30 for handling this.

5. Arrival

As I said previously, we saw a lot of guitars come through. They were all extremely well setup by Carvin/Kiesel but due to the temperature changes in flight we would sometimes have to check the Truss Rod Setting. This is of course a minor and expected adjustment but should be done by a guitar technition.

6. How Long Will It Take To Build?

This is be a variable depending on how busy they are and the options you have selected. They are, however, one of the quickest custom build companies we have ever come across. Build times were anywhere between 4 and 12 weeks. Please check with Carvin for more information as you order.

Should You Buy One?

If you already own high quality guitars you will know how hard it is to find the one for you. With Carvin/Kiesel you will have an incredible range of choices and all available Left Handed! The quality is there with the likes of Paul Reed Smith, which I don't say lightly.

Simply put.. Yes, yes, YES, you really should be considering one of these guitars in your collection. If you are Left Handed, you are almost mad not to have one since there is no surcharge and you will never have choice like this anywhere else. Don't get put off by the vast array of choices. The standard option are very well thought through so if you are in doubt, leave it standard.

Good Luck!