Built by Carvin/Kiesel's Custom Shop in San Diego, the NZ624 is a tricked-out version of the CT6 model, built to the specifications of melodic virtuoso Neil Zaza. It features a carved AAAA Maple top and a 24-fret 5-ply neck that absolutely rips. Minimalist details and over-the-top finishes make the top-tier woods flash, and ripping pickups with a single volume control are all you need to push your music into new dimensions.
This NZ624 Neil Zaza Signature was made in 2014, and it features a stunning Flame Maple top in an eye-catching Emerald Green finish with matching headstock. For pickups, this NZ624 sports two Seymour Duncan Black Winter humbuckers, which can be coil-tapped via the volume knob. As described on the Seymour Duncan site, the Black Winter are "merciless high-output passive humbucker pickups created for the most frigid Black Metal, Death Metal, or any other extreme style. As brutal as the Scandinavian Winter."
Although the design is right out of the shredder playbook, this NZ624 has a lot more range than you might expect. Obviously, it sounds fantastic in high-gain situations, and the set neck/string-through body provide impressive sustain. But at lower gain settings, the pickups clean up nicely and remain articulate. The natural acoustic resonance of the body comes through, and with the coil tap option, there's a lot of territory to explore.
Neil Zaza is a ripper, so playability is an important factor to the design of his signature model. This 2014 NZ624 was built with a 25" scale length and a 1-11/16" nut width. Its 24-fret neck has a Maple fingerboard, and the relatively flat 14" radius provides a fast feel. Medium Jumbo fret wire to boot! The Maple fingerboard feels just right, and we love the green abalone dot inlays.
All around, this 2014 Carvin NZ624 Neil Zaza Signature CT6 finds us in nice condition. It shows some superficial play wear, but nothing too severe. The frets are pristine, and the action is exactly where you want it to be. Nice weight for a carved top guitar, too—8 lbs 1.6 oz. It includes a Kiesel-branded G&G hardshell case.