Members JoshuaLogan Posted March 1, 2007 Author Members Share Posted March 1, 2007 Well since the Ibanez is set up a hell of a lot better, yeah.But if I got the Carvin set up with some DR's and tuned it down, it would be VERY close. The Carvin has one thing that I LOVE...an ebony board. Its SSSOOOOO smooth. also the lockign sperzelz....and...yeah...its just awesome. I HATE being broke. I really wanna try out a dc127 and a ct6.... the dc727 7-string looks sweet too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Killa J Posted March 1, 2007 Members Share Posted March 1, 2007 do you think it's just a pickup thing or is it the body woods too? in other words, do you think DC upgraded with some really nice pickups would sound a lot better? isn't there someone else on here that owns a few? I think Deathmonkey, maybe? It's probably a combination of pickups and wood. My DC is mahogany with a maple neck, so it's pretty bright sounding... I wish I had ordered all mahogany. It also has an M22SD in the bridge as opposed to the C22B in the CT. The DC is better suited towards shred b/c it has more clarity and definition when I play fast leads on it, and the necks were thinner when I bought that one. The CT is more balanced, it sounds good with nearly everything - even bluesy sounding stuff with the coils tapped. I'm extremely happy with both, but I always get nervous about ordering a third when I read GCDEF's problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JoshuaLogan Posted March 1, 2007 Author Members Share Posted March 1, 2007 damn, they look so nice. you gotta wonder how companies like PRS charge so much for the maple tops when a company like carvin does it so well. I've seen a ton of really, really nice looking tops from carvin heh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Weathered Posted March 1, 2007 Members Share Posted March 1, 2007 I don't mean to alarm you, but your guitars are backwards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Killa J Posted March 1, 2007 Members Share Posted March 1, 2007 I don't mean to alarm you, but your guitars are backwards. Oh shit! I can no longer recommend Carvin guitars, their quality control is terrible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Weathered Posted March 1, 2007 Members Share Posted March 1, 2007 Oh shit! I can no longer recommend Carvin guitars, their quality control is terrible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GCDEF Posted March 1, 2007 Members Share Posted March 1, 2007 damn, they look so nice. you gotta wonder how companies like PRS charge so much for the maple tops when a company like carvin does it so well. I've seen a ton of really, really nice looking tops from carvin heh Please don't compare Carvin to PRS. Carvins are nice when they work, and I liked my DC127 a lot until it wigged out on me, but Carvin is to PRS as Agile is to Gibson. They look similar, but to me anyway, PRS is a significant step up from Carvin. Carvins to me are like models. They may look good in photographs, but you'd probably be happier in a long term relationship with the girl next door. Other opinions vary of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeathMonkey Posted March 1, 2007 Members Share Posted March 1, 2007 do you think it's just a pickup thing or is it the body woods too? in other words, do you think DC upgraded with some really nice pickups would sound a lot better? isn't there someone else on here that owns a few? I think Deathmonkey, maybe? I'll spare you the pics of my ugly mug. I love my Carved Tops. The neck is a bit more D shaped than C shaped, feels slightly larger than my PRS Wide/Thins, not as wide as the Wide/Fats. It took me awhile to appreciate the pickups, because they are very clear, midrange-y, PAF style low/med output. But they have a ton of detail and chime. The construction is flawless, the options are numerous, the finishes are CRAZY, and for the price, in a class by themselves. They have a variety of pickup options, from the smooth Holdsworths, to the Vintage C22s, to the higher output M22s - the M22SD is a fav for metalheads - and you can always upgrade to actives. I think part of the issue with a lot of the DC series is that people got them with the maple neck-through with Alder sides and ebony fretboards. Ouch! But I've heard a few that were mahogany neck through with either maple or mahogany sides and a maple cap (flame or quilt) that sounded much better. A lot of used Carvins I think get bad raps because the owner spec'ed em out weird, or didn't really know what they were looking for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RaceU4her Posted March 1, 2007 Members Share Posted March 1, 2007 damn, they look so nice. you gotta wonder how companies like PRS charge so much for the maple tops when a company like carvin does it so well. I've seen a ton of really, really nice looking tops from carvin heh well carvin is a direct company, there is no middle man so that is probally the difference right there. I have an old v220 that i love. they go for pretty cheap used too. heres a couple cool ones http://cgi.ebay.com/AWESOME-Flame-top-1990-Carvin-Ultra-V_W0QQitemZ280088751659QQihZ018QQcategoryZ2384QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem http://cgi.ebay.com/Carvin-CONTOUR-66-C66-Electric-Guitar_W0QQitemZ280087770633QQihZ018QQcategoryZ2384QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem http://cgi.ebay.com/CARVIN-CT6M-CALIFORNIA-CARVED-TOP_W0QQitemZ300085814130QQihZ020QQcategoryZ2384QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem http://cgi.ebay.com/1987-Set-Neck-Carvin-V220T_W0QQitemZ280088533065QQihZ018QQcategoryZ2384QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members starsnuffer Posted March 1, 2007 Members Share Posted March 1, 2007 I LOVE my DC747c -W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members stevehollx Posted March 1, 2007 Members Share Posted March 1, 2007 I used to have a DC127 alder with maple neck and ebony fretboard. It was too bright for me, so I sold it. I missed it ever since, so I ordered another Carvin: DC127T with mahog neck and body, maple top, maple fretboard. I threw Dimarzios in it the day it came. Love the guitar. Perfect tone, and one of the most comfortable guitars I've played. And stainless steel frets.....ahhhhhhh..... My only complaint is my low E string keeps slipping off the saddle. Probably need to replace the saddle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Zachman Posted March 1, 2007 Members Share Posted March 1, 2007 what do you think about them? The only really negative thing I could find about them is that most people don't like the stock pickups, but that's not a big deal to me... just swap them out. I was thinking about checking out the california carved top series and the DC shred style guitars..... just have been looking around on their website lately and getting pretty interested in trying some out. anybody here have a carvin(s) you love? tell me about it Not a fan of their guitars, but really liked their basses Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members whit townsend Posted March 1, 2007 Members Share Posted March 1, 2007 I've had one of these since it was new. http://www.carvinmuseum.com/decade/images/82-dc100.html Very well built guitar, esp for an economy model back then. Flawless set neck, ebony board. It still plays and sounds as good as the day it came out of the box. Never had the warmth of a Gibson, but plenty of bite to the M22 buckers. The pups actually sound better to me now that they've aged 20+ yrs and mellowed a little. I played a bolt 4str bass the other day. Its was servicable, played good, sound was just average. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarcapo Posted March 1, 2007 Members Share Posted March 1, 2007 Something like this is my idea of the best deal on a arvin. All koa, neck-through with an ebony board. Probably will sell for 600 or so. Swap out the pickups though... This guy even swapped the pickups out for you! Buy it now is around 600! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarcapo Posted March 1, 2007 Members Share Posted March 1, 2007 Something like this is my idea of the best deal on a arvin. All koa, neck-through with an ebony board. Probably will sell for 600 or so. Swap out the pickups though... This guy even swapped the pickups out for you! Buy it now is around 600! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarcapo Posted March 1, 2007 Members Share Posted March 1, 2007 Something like this is my idea of the best deal on a arvin. All koa, neck-through with an ebony board. Probably will sell for 600 or so. Swap out the pickups though... This guy even swapped the pickups out for you! Buy it now is around 600! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JoshuaLogan Posted March 2, 2007 Author Members Share Posted March 2, 2007 Please don't compare Carvin to PRS. Carvins are nice when they work, and I liked my DC127 a lot until it wigged out on me, but Carvin is to PRS as Agile is to Gibson. They look similar, but to me anyway, PRS is a significant step up from Carvin. Carvins to me are like models. They may look good in photographs, but you'd probably be happier in a long term relationship with the girl next door. Other opinions vary of course. 1. I think there's probably a lot of people that would disagree with that... 2. I wasn't talking about overall quality, just the quality of the finishes... the fact that prs charges so much for the beloved "10 tops" when a company like carvin puts out lots of flamed and quilted tops that look just as nice or even nicer for a lot less $ you have to take value into account too. I think if you got a carvin built with the same woods and specs as a prs, and swapped out the electronics and pickups for something similar... the differences would be minimal everybody changes pickups on most guitars anyways... and although shoddy electronics might be annoying, even the best pots, switches, and capacitors are still very inexpensive, so it wouldn't take much to buy some new electronics. and then with your choice of pickups... it seems like it could be a very good value... IMO, anyways Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JoshuaLogan Posted March 2, 2007 Author Members Share Posted March 2, 2007 I'll spare you the pics of my ugly mug. I love my Carved Tops. The neck is a bit more D shaped than C shaped, feels slightly larger than my PRS Wide/Thins, not as wide as the Wide/Fats. It took me awhile to appreciate the pickups, because they are very clear, midrange-y, PAF style low/med output. But they have a ton of detail and chime. The construction is flawless, the options are numerous, the finishes are CRAZY, and for the price, in a class by themselves. They have a variety of pickup options, from the smooth Holdsworths, to the Vintage C22s, to the higher output M22s - the M22SD is a fav for metalheads - and you can always upgrade to actives. I think part of the issue with a lot of the DC series is that people got them with the maple neck-through with Alder sides and ebony fretboards. Ouch! But I've heard a few that were mahogany neck through with either maple or mahogany sides and a maple cap (flame or quilt) that sounded much better. A lot of used Carvins I think get bad raps because the owner spec'ed em out weird, or didn't really know what they were looking for. Yeah, jacksons use the same exact thing on most of their guitars.... maple neck, ebony fretboard, and alder body... I stay away because I imagine that would be a painfully bright sounding guitar, heh. Those look really nice. Is that the CT3? CT4? What woods did you go with? and what is that black finish called? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JoshuaLogan Posted March 2, 2007 Author Members Share Posted March 2, 2007 anybody else? teh bump Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tlbonehead Posted March 2, 2007 Members Share Posted March 2, 2007 I've owned a couple and have played quite a few. Not much of a fan of them. Quality is decent. I don't like their neck and lack of choices there. They really don't have much for cool styles either. I don't mind their actual HBs and their AP11s are really pretty sweet. Overall, there are certainly better ways to spend one's money,IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members IPlayMetronome Posted March 2, 2007 Members Share Posted March 2, 2007 I've owned 2 CT's a 4,and a 6,I still have the CT6M.Its easily the best guitar i've played.I swapped out the stock pups and put them in my telecaster,I like 'em Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JoshuaLogan Posted March 2, 2007 Author Members Share Posted March 2, 2007 I've owned a couple and have played quite a few. Not much of a fan of them. Quality is decent. I don't like their neck and lack of choices there. They really don't have much for cool styles either. I don't mind their actual HBs and their AP11s are really pretty sweet. Overall, there are certainly better ways to spend one's money,IMO. yeah, but you just don't like shred style guitars in general, right? that'd kinda be like a metal head telling a jazz player that hollowbody's are low quality, just because he doesn't like the style... know what I mean? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JoshuaLogan Posted March 2, 2007 Author Members Share Posted March 2, 2007 I've owned 2 CT's a 4,and a 6,I still have the CT6M.Its easily the best guitar i've played.I swapped out the stock pups and put them in my telecaster,I like 'em pics? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Flametal Posted March 2, 2007 Members Share Posted March 2, 2007 Casrvins are not for everyone, I have a DC127 and I {censored}ing love it. The PUs are not as bad as everyone says just not for metal.The neck PU has the best cleans I have heard IMO. My experience is a lot depends on the amp with carvins they sound awesome through some and ok through others. Mine tends to sound very cold (not in a bad way, its a very musical coldness). I think this is why it depends on the amp, it seems to have a broadness of sound because of its cold quality which picks up the uniqueness of your signal path. The best way I could describe the guitar in one word is very smooth. It almost feels like a jazz guitar which is why I heard many fusion players swear by Carvins. The build on this thing is rock solid, mine has been through so many bumps and falls yet sounds great and shows very minimum wear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members frankencat Posted March 2, 2007 Members Share Posted March 2, 2007 I love my DC400. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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