🎸 “This one truly stands apart from the rest”: Eric Gales unveils his long-awaited Kiesel signature guitar

Blues guitar powerhouse Eric Gales has officially revealed his first-ever signature model with Kiesel, ending months of speculation and anticipation among guitar fans worldwide.

Naturally left-handed, Eric Gales is famous for playing right-handed guitars flipped upside down — a defining part of his unmistakable style. His move to Kiesel last year therefore raised more than a few eyebrows, especially as it marked the end of his long-standing partnership with Magneto Guitars. By joining Kiesel, he became part of an elite artist roster that includes Devin Townsend, Stephen Carpenter, and Paul Masvidal.

That transition immediately sparked questions about a potential signature instrument — and now those questions have been answered. Unsurprisingly, the Eric Gales Signature Series EG61 draws inspiration from the iconic Stratocaster outline, but elevates it with a carefully curated set of modern, high-performance specifications.

The guitar is built around a swamp ash body paired with a bolt-on roasted maple neck, finished with tung oil. Its 25.5-inch scale length is complemented by a reverse GT-Style headstock, a Gotoh 510 tremolo bridge, and a rosewood fingerboard featuring a 14-inch radius.

Electronics include a trio of Mounted Mark single-coil pickups, master volume and tone controls, and a five-way selector switch, offering extensive tonal flexibility. Additional premium touches include 22 Stainless Jumbo frets, Luminlay side dots, and a distinctive black acrylic signature inlay at the 12th fret.

In essence, this is a thoroughly enhanced Stratocaster, designed with an emphasis on pushing the concept forward, as Eric Gales himself describes it. Notably, it is also the only current Kiesel Signature Series model created specifically for a left-handed artist.

“It’s something that’s been building for a long time,” Eric Gales says of his collaboration with Kiesel. “There’s nothing assembly-line about their headquarters. Every guitar is crafted with genuine human heart, sweat, and emotion. I’m fortunate to own a wide range of guitars, and this one truly stands apart from the others.

Everything related to the wood selection and pickups has been absolutely incredible. It’s rare for me to see things I’ve never encountered before, but during the past 48 hours touring the Kiesel facility, I witnessed construction techniques I hadn’t seen in my 51 years. I felt like a kid in a candy store.”

Beyond the premium hardware and striking specifications lies a guitar that feels deeply personal to the artist.

“Comfort is what matters most to me,” Eric Gales concludes. “It’s effortlessly playable for an entire day — and that alone wins more than half the battle.”