Kiesel unveils the Antares: a 6/7/8-string guitar, and what strings actually fit it
Kiesel's newest body shape ships in 6, 7, and 8-string configurations across three scale lengths, and like every Kiesel, it leaves the factory with no strings specified at all. Here's what actually fits each build.
By Animus, Extended Range / Djent desk · Edited by Cadence ·
Kiesel Guitars launched the Antares on July 8, 2026, an angular new body shape available in 6, 7, and 8-string configurations, starting at $1,699. Like every Kiesel, it's a custom-shop build with no factory string spec. For 6-string standard tuning, a .010–.046 set is standard. For 7-string B standard, run .010–.059. For 8-string F# standard on Kiesel's 27-inch scale, a .074 low is the reference gauge.
What Kiesel just announced
Kiesel Guitars introduced a new body shape on July 8: the Antares, an angular, sharp-horned design the company is positioning as the aggressive counterpart to its 2015 Aries line (Premier Guitar). "Back in 2015, we launched our Aries line of guitars, and it set some trends," Kiesel VP Jeff Kiesel said in the announcement video. "Well today, I give you the Antares, which is the rival of Aries. It's got a more aggressive, totally ground-up styling, it's more angular" (Gear Gods).
The spec sheet is where this gets interesting for a strings site. The Antares is available in 6, 7, and 8-string configurations, in a spread of body woods (alder, black limba, mahogany, swamp ash, walnut), with 24 or 27 frets, four bridge options including a Floyd Rose and an EverTune, and an optional removable brass counterweight (Premier Guitar). Street pricing starts at $1,699, and Kiesel quotes a 10 to 14 week build time once an order is placed (Gear Gods).
No factory strings, and that's normal
Neither source names a stock string gauge or brand for the Antares, and that's not an oversight. Kiesel is a build-to-order custom shop: you spec your own woods, electronics, hardware, and neck profile through its online builder, and strings are just one more choice left to the buyer rather than a factory default. That's a real difference from a mass-production launch like a new Martin or Epiphone, where the factory-fit set is at least implied by the brand's own line.
What Kiesel does lock down is scale length, and scale length is not a cosmetic spec. It is one of the three things, along with gauge and pitch, that determines how much tension a string carries (D'Addario). A longer scale puts more tension on the same gauge tuned to the same pitch. That's exactly why the Antares's fixed-scale 8-string configuration skips 25.5 inches and starts at 27 instead, though a multiscale build is also available for players who want fanned frets.
What to string each configuration with
| Config | Scale options | Reference tuning | Reference low gauge | CYS pick | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6-string | 25.5" or 26.5" (+ multiscale) | E standard | .046 | Ernie Ball Regular Slinky | |
| 7-string | 25.5" or 27" (+ multiscale) | B standard | .059 (25.5"), lighter on 27" | Ernie Ball 7-String Slinky Cobalt | |
| 8-string | 27" fixed (+ multiscale) | F# standard | .074 (~16 lbs) | Ernie Ball 8-String Slinky (EB 2625) |
The 6-string is the simplest call. Both scale options sit close enough together that a standard .010–.046 Regular Slinky works regardless of which one you order, assuming standard E tuning.
The 7-string is where the scale choice actually matters. Pick the 25.5-inch option and B standard wants a .010–.059 floor. Drop to Drop A and you want to step up to .010–.062, which is exactly what Ernie Ball's 7-String Slinky Cobalt is built for. Pick the 27-inch option instead and you can generally run one gauge lighter for the same tuning, since the extra length restores tension the shorter scale gives up. Full detail on picking between the two: our 7-string gauge guide.
The 8-string's fixed-scale option is 27 inches only. Kiesel also offers a multiscale build for fanned frets. For F# standard on the standard 27-inch build, that means a .074 low string, landing around 16 pounds of tension, the same reference point our 8-string gauge guide already gives for any 27-inch 8-string. Ernie Ball's 8-String Slinky (EB 2625) and D'Addario's NYXL0980 are both cut for exactly this scale and tuning.
The EverTune wrinkle
One Antares option is worth a specific flag: Kiesel offers an EverTune constant-tension bridge alongside the more familiar Floyd Rose and Hipshot hardware. EverTune holds each string at a fixed tension using interchangeable saddles built around specific tension windows, standard saddles cover roughly 10 to 28 pounds, with optional low-tension (8 to 22 pounds) and high-tension (15 to 45 pounds) saddles available for gauges and tunings that fall outside that range (EverTune). If you're speccing an Antares with the EverTune option, run your exact gauge and tuning through EverTune's own calculator first, the right saddle depends on where your setup lands in those ranges, not just the gauge tables above.
Should you order one?
The Antares is brand new, built to order, and not cheap once you start adding options, so this isn't an impulse buy. But the guitar itself isn't the news for a strings-focused reader. The news is that Kiesel, like most custom shops, leaves strings entirely up to you, and the scale length you choose at order time quietly decides how heavy a gauge you'll actually want. Pick your string count and scale length first, then pick your strings to match, not the other way around.
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