Carvin Guitars?

[Pepi]

Originally posted by FlesheatinFlesh Picked up a carvin SC90 at GC about a year back for $400. I adored the thing. The pickups are just GREAT for modelers, but i felt they lack in a band situation. It was alder, im more a mahogany guy. Funny story, somehow my guitar was thrown downstairs, hitting every damn step on the way down, landing on a thin ass rug, on concrete... No it wasnt in tune, and to boot, the headstock was totally {censored}ed up. But whatever happened that fateful night, It mysteriously played better. The bitch resonated like no guitar i ever heard... :confused: It was like I was suddenly Gary moore. That guitar is now gone.

I agree. If it's broke beat on it until it's fixed I bet the neck wasn't making a good fit in the body and the shock cured that

[FourT6and2]

Originally posted by GCDEF No, but you could buy a used PRS for $1,000 and change it up pretty much any way you wanted. Carvin isn't really THAT custom. You have several choices in body shape and pickup configuration. From there you can choose your top wood and color and some hardware options. Most manufacturers have enough different models that you can pretty much get what you want anyway.

 

 

Well, it would depend on which Carvin you look at. The two I'm considering have 4 options for body wood and likewise for top wood, a bunch of wood options for neck and fretboard, pickup options, hardware options, bridge type, fret radius, fret wire, body shape, etc..

 

That's a fair amount of options to me. Especially if you can pick between Maple, Mahogany, Koa, Walnut, and if you call them you can request other woods.

[SFW]

I have the DC127c, and my bass player has three Carvin basses. All of them are top notch guitars. I have never played a PRS that felt as good in my hands. I'm not slagging PR, because I do think they make excellent guitars as well.

[GCDEF]

Originally posted by FourT6and2 Well, it would depend on which Carvin you look at. The two I'm considering have 4 options for body wood and likewise for top wood, a bunch of wood options for neck and fretboard, pickup options, hardware options, bridge type, fret radius, fret wire, body shape, etc.. That's a fair amount of options to me. Especially if you can pick between Maple, Mahogany, Koa, Walnut, and if you call them you can request other woods.

 

 

Great and the options you pick will probably be available on some other manufacturer's guitar anyway. Personally I'd rather have an ash or mahogany body guitar that works reliably for years, than koa or walnut that's in the shop every few weeks, but that's just me.

[Mister Crowley]

I have a used DC200 that I bought used at GC for $450 out the door including case. Fantastic guitar. Mahagony body, Original Floyd, EMGs, Sperzel locking tuners, ebony fretboard, neck thru etc. If you're looking for a deal I'd look for a used one, though I'm so impressed with mine I'm thinking of buying one new from Carvin.

[FastRedPonyCar]

I've got two and used to own a 3rd one.

My DC135 is my workhorse in case any others are down. It's got a blocked wilkinson, wolfgang bridge pickup, AP11 single coil in the middle and TB60 twin blade single at the neck. All the rest of the options are stock. Amazing guitar. Easily on par with the top of the line jackson/ibanez's.

My holdsworth that I traded for my C66 had the most unbelievable neck/fretboard I've ever played. 20 inch radius on that sucker. The fretboard was almost totally flat and played like butter.

The C66 I got for it is on par (believe it or not) with the anderson drop tops. A friend of mine has one configured very similarly as my C66 (floyd, flamed top, HSH config) and the only area that the anderson one up's the C66 is resale value. The action is just as low (measured with one of those feeler gauges), the necks are very different though. And personal preferences aside, I enjoy the tone and character that the dimarzio evo's that I've got in the guitar deliver better than the anderson pickups.

Finish, wood quality, setup is all flawless. Aside from the holdsworth, it's easily the best guitar I've played in a long, long time. The coil splitters are icing on the cake. The evo neck pickup split is unreal.



The only carvin I've never played is a CT, which is actually the next model I want. It'll be a plain jane sleeper. All mahogany, tung oil everywhere, SS frets, no trem, no inlays

[FastRedPonyCar]

Originally posted by Pepi I bet the neck wasn't making a good fit in the body and the shock cured that

SC90's are neck through

[DeathMonkey]

Originally posted by GCDEF Great and the options you pick will probably be available on some other manufacturer's guitar anyway. Personally I'd rather have an ash or mahogany body guitar that works reliably for years, than koa or walnut that's in the shop every few weeks, but that's just me.

I had mine for months, and I beat the {censored} out of them live, and I have had zero problems. In contrast, every Gibson I have had has had a failure of some kind within 3 months. {censored} happens. I have guitars right now from Schecter, Gibson, Epiphone and Fender that all need wiring help, a few of them have been played only a few times - my Epi Ace Frehley broke within two days. Should I infer from one or two guitars that everything Fender or Gibson makes is crap?

I am not trying to diminish your experience - your cautionary tale is well warranted. It does not, however, merit a blanket statement about the quality of Carvin guitars.

I simply could not find the combination I wanted in any other guitar:

Find me this new for under $1300
Stainless steel jumbo (6100) frets, ebony fretboard, no inlays, tung oiled neck, stained black top with satin finish. And then find me another one JUST LIKE IT, with a Wilkinson trem, also for under $1300.

[Digital Jams]

Originally posted by GCDEF I don't know about the custom options. I don't rate them very high compared to the guitar actually producing sound on stage. For the same money as a new Carvin, I'd take a used Gibson or PRS, or a new Fender or G&L any day. Pretty much anything you buy can be customized if it's important to you.

 

 

Not doubting you and I am not meaning to jump on the pig pile cause I do not like gear that is loved here and have been falmed for it but.....................

 

With all of the documented Gibson QA issues why would you get one of those? They out-number Carvins 100-1 at least.

[danhops]

Originally posted by Digital Jams falmed for it

Sounds painful;)

[BadgerMolester]

Got a s/h DC-727, swamp ash thru/mohogany wings, fixed bridge, pretty stock electronics (master tone, vol, phase switch, 2x coil tap switches). Guitar was in showroom condition so wasn't that old.

One of the best built guitars I've played. Quite a fat, but not uncomfortable neck. Stock p/ups sound good through a decent amp, although a bit noisy, and sustains for ever.

Don't know what the 6 strings are like but if the build is anything like this I'd go for one.

[GCDEF]

Originally posted by Digital Jams Not doubting you and I am not meaning to jump on the pig pile cause I do not like gear that is loved here and have been falmed for it but..................... With all of the documented Gibson QA issues why would you get one of those? They out-number Carvins 100-1 at least.

 

 

I've owned probably 20 Gibson and every one of them has been an excellent, well made, very playable guitar. I've owned two Carvins and they've both been useless.

 

Obviously some people love Carvin and some have had bad luck with Gibson. I'm just relaying my personal experience.

[Digital Jams]

Originally posted by danhops Sounds painful;)

It does sound painful whatever I typed

[GCDEF]

Originally posted by DeathMonkey I am not trying to diminish your experience - your cautionary tale is well warranted. It does not, however, merit a blanket statement about the quality of Carvin guitars.

 

 

And I'm not making one. Just talking about my direct personal experience.

[JnBroadbent]

Originally posted by GCDEF Guitar 2 was a DC127 purchased last year with the Fishman piezo bridge. Within a few months it developed a short in one of the output jacks. Had to replace the jack. About the same time the volume pot got really scratchy. Not a big deal, but doesn't usually happen in a guitar that's only a few months old. Then the active electronics started making random sputtering and hissing noises. Within a month or two after that, the guitar quit working altogether. I had it in the shop 4 times in 6 months. I sent it back to Carvin and they say they replaced all the electronics. I never even plugged it in when I got it back. Went straight to ebay.

A few people have complained about the carvin electronics. The jacks and pots they are are cheap but the other wise the quality of the guitar is top notch. I've been wanting a custom carvin for 3 years now.

I wish they could do absolute custom builds for more cash.

[FastRedPonyCar]

Originally posted by JnBroadbent A few people have complained about the carvin electronics. The jacks and pots they are are cheap but the other wise the quality of the guitar is top notch. I've been wanting a custom carvin for 3 years now. I wish they could do absolute custom builds for more cash.

There are hidden options if you call and more custom build stuff they can do if you know who to talk to.

[la0tsu]

I got my Bolt in 2000 and my DC-120 in 2001. Neither has had any issues at all. I had to adjust intonation twice - once when I moved from Humid Minnesota to Arid Arizona and once when I moved back.

The AP11 pickups are pretty darn nice, though I'm not overwheemed by their humbuckers. My DC-120 is koa body, koa/maple neck, and flamed koa top. It looks and sounds spectacular. The Bolt is alder body and maple neck, and I have to say I like the way it feels much better than a Strat with double the price tag. It feels more substantial, for some reason.

At any rate, I would recommend Carvin. I think you'll find that GCDEF's experience is the exception rather than the rule.