Carvin reviews

[randyc]

Nice, Joe, both the tune and the guitar. (I love the flexibility of my DC-150 but confess that it looks a little "busy" compared to your instrument, control-wise.) You have a beauty, thanks for sharing !

[petermelton]

the new carvin semihollow is awesome! they have one at the santa ana store going for 1300 right now. i'd jump on that if any of you are interested. it plays great. but i will agree, their pickups aren't top notch, but when your getting that great of a guitar for that cheap you can afford to throw in some nicer pups. im looking into getting their 7 string model. you can get some nice jazz tones from it and i dont have the pocket for a 7 string semi hollow

[randyc]

I just don't get why that guitar has attracted so little interest ! It's far and away prettier than anything coming out of Asia, if one picks some of the fancier woods + superior workmanship, plays better, sounds better ... VERY competitively priced.

If only they would make a hollow body, but it's just not their "thing", I guess. If I was looking for a semi-hollow, absolutely nothing could keep me from that Carvin ! We - me and the Carvin guitar - would literally be joined at the hip for a l-o-n-g time before I tired of playing it ...

BTW, for those that aren't familiar with Carvin, they guarantee the "action" of their electric guitars ... by distance measured at the twelfth fret, string to fret. So far as I know, only some boutique makers do this, not major manufacturers.

PS: I just "got it" about why Carvin doesn't offer hollowbodies - they don't have "the" wood. And THAT, along with design/craftsmanship/quality (i.e. experience) is the key to making a really wonderful-sounding archtop at the highest level of the craft.

[lpdeluxe]

I tend to think it's because they don't have dealers out flogging the brand. The lack of dealers contributes to the low resale value, since a store owner is not going to give a large trade-in on a brand he doesn't -- and can't -- handle.

I have played several Carvin guitars, besides the bass I owned, and each one was not only flawless, but replete with cool touches like the threaded brass inserts the screws holding on the plastic covers go into -- you'd never be super-gluing toothpicks in them, something I have had a lot of experience with in other brands. Another is the very neatly-done copper tape shielding -- if you've never tried installing it, you'll perhaps not appreciate the deftness required!

I just checked the Carvin web site and I see that the model I like is the 550B. Now, if it were only available with "real" binding, it might replace my 335. The CS6 single cut is also very attractive.

These appear a bit more mainstream than the typical Carvin. They have to walk a fine line between shapes that communicate "this is a Carvin" and shapes that say "this is the equivalent of a Gibson/Fender/PRS." I think that, generally, they do a good job; but they still don't have the instant recognition that, say, a Ric has, even though I would bet there are at least as many Carvins as Rics out in the world, with many in the hands of prominent guitarists.

Back in the early '70s, the Carvin catalog was practically the only source of parts such as pickups and tuners and bridges. I installed a Carvin lap steel pickup on the face of my old Japanese acoustic in '74, and gigged with it for years like that. I still have old Carvin catalogs going back to that era. It's amazing what they have done in constantly upgrading their instruments, from bolt-on necks and bodies imported from Hofner, to devising their own manufacturing facility and electronics division. At this point I will divulge that I owned a Carvin oak X-amp from 1982 until a couple of years ago, when I traded it off.

Has everyone checked out the "Carvin Museum" web site? There's a link to it at carvin.com under the heading "site features."

[randyc]

LPD, you really know your Carvin stuff ! I especially liked your comments regarding styling - long been my only complaint about the brand.

I absolutely LOVE my DC-150, by far the most versatile solid body guitar that I've ever played (it's the one that I gave up my natural-finish, six-month-old Les Paul Deluxe for). That model was discontinued, maybe around the early 1980's.

And then .... a few years later, after numerous requests to re-issue the model, the new DC-150 was released with those HUGE "ears". That model also disappeared within a couple of years, as I recall. It was a styling error of the first water - ruined the classic body shape of the original.

BTW, regarding the Carvin Museum, the ORIGINAL DC-150, identical to mine is there, check out that "Melody Maker body" - it's pretty and utiliitarian, too !

Incidentally, what I heard about the company, when I became interested in them back in the seventies was as follows. They are/were a family owned/operated business who had a strong Christian philosophy. Apparently, disliking certain areas of the musical instrument industry that they had observed, they created - and resolved to stay with - their unique business model.

It's for certain that they NEVER experienced those unfortunate periods of less than optimal quality control that other major marques have "enjoyed" Consistently high standards of quality, materials and workmanship.

IMO, where they have stumbled is in styling and market interpretation. But, for selfish reasons, that's been a good thing for those of us who scooped up superb instruments for stupid/cheap prices, YES !

I would never replace an ES-335 with a Carvin but I might quickly determine that the two would get along with each other very well.

Incidentally, for Telecaster fans, Carvin has made some mighty fine variations on that theme, too.

PS: forgot to add that Carvin amplifiers are also good buys and fine performers.

[lpdeluxe]

Oh no, Randy, you traded off a natural Deluxe? =sob!= Did it have mini-humbuckers?

Be still, my beating heart.

I was just perusing the latest Carvin catalog. I'd give up some upper-fret access on the 335 (I use that space more than I expected) but the 550 is an excellent looking instrument.

The amp I had was made about the time that Carvin was really hitting its stride. It was my main guitar amp for 17 years, and especially good after I installed a Torres Tone Kit, which made some cap/resistor substitutions and added a tube-powered gain stage (that's Torres' thing: take a tube amp and high-gain the snot out of it). The mod transformed the amp from one with a really useful distortion channel and a wimpy clean channel to one that had genuine hair on its chest. Torres claimed to have modded the Carvin circuits at their request, in the late '80s.

The 550 will remain an unrealized dream -- I had the 335 out last night, playing until quite late for a senior citizen like myself, in company with a close friend who brought his Martin cutaway dreadnaught. That guitar fits me so well -- sometimes I feel it pulling my fingers into the right notes.

The occasion was the delivery, after 6 weeks, of the Weber 15" cab and speaker. Alas, they mixed my order up with someone else's and I got the right speaker but the wrong cabinet. Tomorrow will be phone time, I guess. But I have to say, that thing sang! I was playing the 335 into a recent Fender Band-Master VM, and both of us were astonished at the tone.

At church this morning, the music director asked me to revive the dormant Baptist Blues Band, so we'll haul all our electric gear down there two weeks from now to amaze the congregation (it's a variation on the old stand-up comedian's saying: "don't learn new jokes, just tell the old ones to a new audience"). In other words, as familiar as Blind Willie Johnson and Blind Willie McTell are to thee and me, they are an unexplored and exotic world to the people in the pews.

[randyc]

LPD:

Yes, my Deluxe had the mini-buckers. It really was a beautiful, sweet guitar but it couldn't do all of the things that the DC-150 could do (single-coil and out of phase options). But I didn't trade it off, by 1976 I'd already realized that I'd let far too many fine guitars run away from home.

My friend, Stan, who had a good heart, good taste and very little money, had lusted for the LPD from the time that I bought it. (I thought about keeping the guitar but had already accumulated too much equipment for my tiny house in Mountain View.)

So I sold the Gibson to him for exactly what I paid for it and allowed him to make monthly payments. The understanding was that I could re-purchase the instrument from him at cost + inflation. (That was his insistence, not mine.)

I hope that you get the speaker confusion sorted out and can give a review + maybe some SPL measurements on that Weber ...

Your audience might also enjoy a Freddy King instrumental or two... I admired him since my second year of high school, finally met him around '74 and had a long, amiable conversation backstage, during the warm-up band's set (unhappily didn't get to jam with him). His unique sound that I always loved was easily explained, once I saw him: ES-335 with FINGERPICKS !!!

The earliest photo I have of him is with a Les Paul gold top, it was around '53, I think ...

[lpdeluxe]

Originally Posted by randyc

LPD:

Yes, my Deluxe had the mini-buckers. It really was a beautiful, sweet guitar but it couldn't do all of the things that the DC-150 could do (single-coil and out of phase options). But I didn't trade it off, by 1976 I'd already realized that I'd let far too many fine guitars run away from home.

My friend, Stan, who had a good heart, good taste and very little money, had lusted for the LPD from the time that I bought it. (I thought about keeping the guitar but had already accumulated too much equipment for my tiny house in Mountain View.)

So I sold the Gibson to him for exactly what I paid for it and allowed him to make monthly payments. The understanding was that I could re-purchase the instrument from him at cost + inflation. (That was his insistence, not mine.)

That's the proper ending to that story. Thank you. Guitars need to be put into the hands of those who play them. When I see someone's large collection of (unplayed) instruments, I cringe. Someone posted photos of the collection of a Japanese person's array of around 100 Les Paul Standard 'bursts. I said, those pictures give me the creeps. He responded, saying, he's preserving them! I said, they should be played. He replied, how do you know they are not? I said, mostly from the photos, which show row after row of Gibsons chained to their stands inside the glass crypts.

Tomorrow I'll get on the phone to Weber and see how things can be resolved. It's not like it's my only amp! Perhaps I can return the cabinet and retain the speaker...assuming it's the same one I ordered.

As to SPL measurements, I'm somewhat of a novice at that. I have a little digital meter than I put on a camera tripod when I'm setting up studio speakers, but I am not certain of its accuracy (I bought it from a company with the initials "R-A-D-I-O-S-H-A-C-K" several years ago). It seems to work pretty well in the mid-to-upper range, but less so down in the lower end. Any advice for how or what to measure for will be appreciated.

I pretty much go by feel: it's difficult, in my experience, to quantify what I mean when I say a bass part sound "tubby" for example, and I have accordingly developed strategies (I'm speaking of recording, here) to purge the sound of the more egregious artifacts...I understand that you are coming from a different perspective, and perhaps you can lead me a little further along the way.

[randyc]

Radio Shack has a partly-deserved questionable rep. In their defense, when the company came into being it provided a REAL service to electronic hobbyists, ham radio enthusiasts and repair technicians. Obviously the company has evolved over the years to it's present configuration. For a while, just as a matter of interest, back in the late 70's/early 80's RS was about the only practical source for home computers ... but I digress.

There's no reason (that I can think of) why your RS SPL meter can't make measurements as accurately as anyone on this forum might need, it's not exactly a lab environment, LOL.

One little thing that I overlooked was that, in addition to the SPL meter, you also need an audio generator so that you can generate different frequency signals and measure SPL at the speaker output. (Noise generators are even better for determining frequency response but they require more elaborate instrumentation to detect than the little SPL meter.)

Dang it, I sent my Uncle a small audio generator that I built a couple of years ago for similar measurements he wanted to make. If I had it, I'd send it to you in a flash - I don't need it and I'm interested in SPL measurements made in the "real world" (i.e. not measured and interpreted by employees of a speaker manufacturer).

Let me give this some thought .... but alternatively, might you have a nearby friend that owns an audio generator ?

(And if this actually produces real information, we'll need to back up a bit and transfer the beginning of this conversation + subsequent additions to a new thread, right ?)

Cheers !

[lpdeluxe]

I neglected to mention that I have a test-tone CD, which is what I used to calibrate my room (I should put calibrate in quotes, since it was observed more in the breach than the observance). Anyhow, last night I figured out an easy way to patch a CD player into my mixer and power amp so I can run the new cab off that to make the measurements.

But first I've got to head out to the food pantry, then when I get home I'll call Weber.

[randyc]

Of course, the audio test CD is a fine solution !! Looking forward to getting some measurements after you discipline Weber and get the parts that you ordered.

[rob72]

I'm not a Jazz player, in fact I can't stand the stuff

I Googled "Carvin Reviews" and this thread popped up.

I own a Carvin, a Bolt, and just recently ordered a CT4, I personally feel Carvin is the absolute best bargain in the guitar manufacturing industry... And their guitars are not good "For The Money", I hadn't owned any higher end good quality guitars before last year, but I certainly played a few, ranging from Anderson's to Brian Moore's, PRS, what are friends for, and I will say that my Bolt is as good as any of those guitars... Let's be honest, most of these high end guitar makers are putting a price on the name, not the guitar, Anderson's are awesome guitars, but is what amounts to a modded Strat worth $3000? You can get a custom made guitar from even a company called GMW that is much less than a one of the big name builders. It's all about the name.

Carvin makes an excellent guitar by any standard... And I can't believe people still think they are some upstart, they've been around for 60+ years, and in the 80's they were a pretty common guitar to see played by some of the most popular bands.

[A. Bruno]

I bought my Holdsworth Fatboy intending it to be my jazz guitar. Over time I became disappointed with it. Tried to sell it but no takers. Took it back home from the shop where it was on consignment, and a friend suggested I keep it as my rock guitar, which its much more suited for. I put a Lollar CC pickup in my former rock guitar (G&L ASAT Special) and now that's my jazz guitar. I'm very happy with both guitars. You should know, though, that the Holdsworth has a chunky neck. Not the worst I've ever played (that honor goes to a Gibson SG) but some players might find this annoying.

[derek]

Originally Posted by A. Bruno

I bought my Holdsworth Fatboy intending it to be my jazz guitar. Over time I became disappointed with it. Tried to sell it but no takers. Took it back home from the shop where it was on consignment, and a friend suggested I keep it as my rock guitar, which its much more suited for. I put a Lollar CC pickup in my former rock guitar (G&L ASAT Special) and now that's my jazz guitar. I'm very happy with both guitars. You should know, though, that the Holdsworth has a chunky neck. Not the worst I've ever played (that honor goes to a Gibson SG) but some players might find this annoying.

I really want to like the Fatboy. Well made, looks cool, like the chunky neck,etc. Never a fan of Carvin's electronics (easily fixed), but both Fatboys I played had too much neck dive to them. However, Alan can certainly make one sing. Glad you are pleased with it.

[dmort]

Anyone have any experience with the Carvin build your own guitar kits? They sell a kit bolt that I have my eye on for $379, seems like a very cheap way to get into carvin and building at the same time!

[lpdeluxe]

The kits seem to be very well made and are said to fit together quite well. The sticking point will be finishing the neck and body to a high standard. If you have space enough to accommodate careful finishing, it would be a good guitar.

[randyc]

The Carvin SH-550 is still under forum review and will be published within the next few weeks.

Randy C

[lpdeluxe]

To pin it down, it's on a stand in my living room, plugged into a Bandmaster head with a Weber 1x15 cab.

[skerfy]

I love my Carvin. I have one of the HF2's which I have used for years. It plays better than any other guitar I have played (Fender, Gibson, PRS, Godin, Parker, etc.). I would highly recommend one. I believe the return policy is 7-10 days from when you receive the guitar. Here is a clip of mine:http://ia360703.us.archive.org/16/it...cewillcome.mp3

[lpdeluxe]

The SH550 has been here in the hands of the friend (Lee) who bought it from Randy, a couple of months ago. Hearing it being played by someone else gives a different perspective. I ordinarily play bass and we have a drummer who joins us; we play a variety of material that we play at galas and senior centers (some of the residents are older than we are!).

My verdict is that the Carvin is a hell of a good guitar. Lee has been learning to play lead after a lifetime of rhythm playing, and even in his still-tentative hands, it has a great and versatile tone. If a few loose bucks show up unexpectedly, I may end up with a Bigsby-equipped one.

[Socalbill]

I don't know if anybody has mentioned it in this thread, but Carvin does have stores. Being in Southern California, we have a store in Santa Ana, a town south of LA. I've been in many times, I've played their nylon string, the semi hollow and a few others. They make pretty cool stuff. I have a Carvin vocal PA and I've purchased many a guitar part from them. Nice people. If you are dying for a Carvin, come on out and you can sleep on my couch.
Socalbill

[millman]

Carvin makes some very good products. I live in San Diego and their headquarters is about 30 miles from me. I go there once every couple of months to sample whats available and whats new. There's also a store in Hollywood, and Sacramento in addition to Santa Ana and San Diego. If you are in the area it would be interest to check them out. The prices can't be beat nor the quality.

[cstewart]

Originally Posted by MichaelJohnson@noirmusic.

I will start off saying that I have pretty messed up hands because of some RSI. So I am a little finicy about the size of the neck on a guitar. Now, I am sure whether you are a straight ahead product guy or if service matters to you. Some people don't care...I personally care a lot. I don't have a lot of expierence with guitar manufacturers but my expierence with Carvin is pretty horrible. Only once has a sales person been as rude to me as theirs.
To give you an idea, they say that there 10" radius neck "is like a strat" and their 14" radius neck "is like a classical guitar". When I said I need numbers if I am gonna buy a $1000+ guitar sight unseen they they say that ALL of their necks are 3/4" deep and 1 11/16 wide at the nut, for all 3 of sizes, 10,12 and 14" radius. I asked how that worked since a stanard nylon string accoustic (which they said there 14" was "like") has a fret board around 2.25" wide (though I have played some as narrow as 1.9") and a strat was much closer to 1.5" (maybe a tad more)... the response I got when I asked for more numbers (like circumference etc) was...
"The center of the neck does not change, but the edges do. I gave you the center measurement and the width. If you need the specific measurements there is enough information there to get the rest of the numbers. I do not have the circumference measurements of each neck. Sorry. "
That is the complete email response. So I suppose maybe I am just really slow but I don't see that it is possible to have a 10" radius neck like a "strat" and a 14" radius neck like a "classical" and have them have the exact same diameter, width and depth. Nor will I ever understand since they told me in the next e-mail "I've answered this question as much as you need, if you have anything else you want to know please let me know. Otherwise if the answer isn't sufficent you may take your business elsewhere."
So I will and if it is too much work for them to offer diagrams showing the shape, measurements ect of their necks, especially when you have to buy sight unseen I can't imagine that Carvin will have the longevity of some of the "name brand" guitars...

On guitars, radius describes the curvature of the fretboard between the E strings, not the thickness of the neck. In geometry, radius is the measurement from the center of a circle to the outside of the circle.

A 10'' radius fretboard describes a curvature that, if it could continue to form a complete circle would measure 10'' from the center to the edge, or 20'' edge to edge. a 10" radius (like most Fender models) are generally considered best for playing chords.

14'' inch radius would form a larger circle, thus the fretboard is flatter. 14" radius fretboards are generally considered best for soloing.

Some manufactures (Jackson, and Fender strarting in 2011, to name a few) offer a compound radius. Compound radius is typically a 10'' radius at the nut and 14" (or more) at the 22nd (or 24th) fret.

So, to simplify it, if you are a rythym player go with the 10". If you are a shredder, 14" would be better suited to your playing style.

Carvin guitars are high end instruments, comparable to guitars costing much, much more. They always rate very high in every category, by customers, as well as journalist/proffesionals. I have owned one (DC135) and have yet to find a better guitar for the money.

Carvin also offers a 10 day in home trial on every instrument they sell. Don't like it, return it for a refund. I assume returned guitars get sent to their stores or sold in the "guitars ready to ship" section of their website.