Carvin SH-550 - A Comprehensive Evaluation

[ooglybong]

That is beautiful. I wonder if the cedar dents easier than the usual maple, or even spruce.

In my experience, cedar is definitely a softer top. I used to play one song within a percussion/drums/bass "solo" section, contributing to the rhythm by having fun thumping along percussively on the top of my Taylor 514C. One day I looked down and wondered who the heck had dented my guitar like that?! I really didn't realize it until later that my own fingernails had been the culprit. Duh. And It had also happened on my backup Yairi with a cedar top. In the end I had the Taylor's top refinished by a great local Taylor-authorized tech and he took the liberty of applying an even thinner finish. End result: it came out sounding even better and the finger dents (now filed in) look more like a natural feature of the wood, kind of like mini bearsclaw markings. But yeah, cedar is definitely softer.

BTW... I have many guitars (too many), including my original '65 ES-335, and I'm always getting compliments on "what great shape" they are all in. So, I really felt like a total airhead once I realized the very stupid thing I had managed to accomplish in using my Taylor like a percussion instrument! Lesson learned, though.

[whiskey02]

Cedar is darker than spruce on an acoustic guitar, I don't think it will give you what you're looking for as far as a"dark jazz" sound. I'd stick with the maple.

[jazz.fred]

I owned an SH550 for about 3 1/2 years. It was a very well made, pretty guitar. But, I didn't like it for chord melody. The fretboard was too narrow. There wasn't enough room between the strings. Sold it and replaced it with an Ibanez AF125 which proved more appropriate for chord melody.

[jzucker]

can't be a comprehensive review without audio clips. Just sayin'....

[Woody Sound]

Cedar is darker than spruce on an acoustic guitar, I don't think it will give you what you're looking for as far as a"dark jazz" sound. I'd stick with the maple.

I don't usually have such strong opinions, but on this, I have to totally disagree.

[Robertkoa]

Thanks guys...I want you to keep these coming..

Carvins have great Fretwork and precision fingerboards and are especially for Carlton type bends and the medium jumbo Frets actually easier to play for me than most other brands for very technical stuff so I am very interested in this Model or possibly a Carved Top CS ( kind of an LP type with 25"
scale).
I want the deepest Tone unplugged from the Instrument comparing the two...

Because you can always change pickups but IMO adding bottom end resonance that is not there in the first place is another thing.
Personally I prefer a fat sounding Guitar unplugged (solid body or semi hollow) and to " thin it out" with special pickup selections ( H-S-H) ( H-S-S etc.) series parallel switches etc .

So I am wondering if I can get a deeper tone from a Carvin SH 550 or a Carvin CS 6 never played or heard either in person.

I prefer " woodier" Guitar Tones even Strat types...listen to a Steely Dan record and even the "single coil" Tones are never really bright.
Listen to Hendrix clean Tones and they are always full and warm - listen to people play
" Little Wing" "Wind Cries Mary" and it's often obnoxiously bright...lol.

I don't want to " stick out " in a mix.

Rolling off highs is OK but as I say I like a lot of bottom end unplugged which is not available unplugged on any Fender Strat but a properly specified Carvin Bolt or Anderson Strat can do this ...

I used to own an ES 347 and if I still had it I wouldn't be looking around..

I tried an ES 137 and it showed some promise ...reasonably priced.

Fretwork not on par with Carvin and the Guitar is very large...I wish they made a slightly smaller version.

I need to try a 339 and maybe 335...but if the Carvin is fatter / deeper unplugged- it would be an easy choice.

The demo with the the Carvin SH 550 and the Ibanez GB 12 - is that a pretty accurate comparison ?

Will a Cedar or Mahogany Top darken Tones significantly ?

A Koa Body and Neck will probably increase the weight and deepen the Tone but at increased $$$$.

Anyone have a Koa SH 550 ?

Thanks..