Members newmaxnew Posted March 1, 2010 Members Share Posted March 1, 2010 When I was just a youth back in the 80s I used to drool over the Carvin catalogs and used to dream of owning a carvin double cut. I see those 80s Carvins on Ebay fairly often and have thought about buying one, mostly to satisfy that craving I had when I was younger. However I noticed that those old Carvins were built from hadr rock maple, bodies and necks both. How do those old 80s Carvin guitars sound being all maple? They seem to be going for around $500. I mostly play 60s and 70s rock covers these days would an 80s Carvin even be a good fit for that type of music? Max Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Guitar Heel Posted March 1, 2010 Members Share Posted March 1, 2010 Well, the first question is...how's your back? All-maple guitars can get pretty heavy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members EADGBE Posted March 1, 2010 Members Share Posted March 1, 2010 I think they would sound pretty good. Lots of sustain. Maybe on the bright side. I haven't played one yet. But I would love to try one out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members t1r2u3s4t Posted March 1, 2010 Members Share Posted March 1, 2010 I have one, DC127 with floyd. Pretty heavy, about the same as a non-weight-relieved LP. I was expecting it to sound bright, but it doesn't. Kinda midrangy actually. The guitar is very solid though. Go for one if you can find it cheap. They probably have a Schaller Floyd which is very very nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Pine Apple Slim Posted March 1, 2010 Members Share Posted March 1, 2010 I bought this DC100 in 83. It has had zero mods. Its not that heavy, because the body is fairly small(er than an SG). Maple is dense I guess, cause the body is heavy enough to offset any neck dive, it hangs comfortably. Yes, its bright, but it has a tone contol. I find it to be a very versatle guitar, going from hard distortion to clean LP sounds, to almost a Fender twang, depending on how you select the pickups, set the tone control, and the eq on the amp.There are no coil taps, just plain ole Gibson style wiring. Wrap around 2 peice schaller hardtail, brass nut, ebony board, M22 humbuckers.I'll for sure never part with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 3leggeddog Posted March 1, 2010 Members Share Posted March 1, 2010 I have an old (1984 I believe) Carvin DC150 (all original except for a seymour duncan pickup in the bridge). It was my first "good" guitar (got it used when I was 14), and remains my favorite after 10 years. Of all the equipment I've had since starting, this is the only thing I've kept and intend to keep until I die. It is indeed a heavy guitar, and is a little on the bright-side tonally (nothing the right EQ settings won't fix). The build quality of these early 80's Carvins is so superior to the new Carvins its almost a shame (for the current Carvin's anyway.) Even the fret-wire they used on the old one's lasts forever. I highly recommend the ebony fretboard over the maple one. If you want some tonal samples of an old maple Carvin, check out www.myspace.com/betteroffyourself Its all original stuff and it was all recorded with the DC150. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members newmaxnew Posted March 1, 2010 Author Members Share Posted March 1, 2010 Pine Apple Slim, that is the style I am looking at. I don't really want one with a trem. I would like to find one with the coild spit switched on it I think. I guess I will put aside some money and wait until the right one at the right price comes along. Until then I will just have to play one of my other 20 electric guitars. Yes I know it is sickness but I can't seem to stop. Max Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Pine Apple Slim Posted March 1, 2010 Members Share Posted March 1, 2010 You dont see em that often, esp the basic 100, so good luck. I think the 150s had the coil tap, not sure, and they seem to be a little more common.(I was poor at the time and bought the least expensive one.)According to the Carvin Museum Forum, they're only worth $400-$600.But the build quality exceeds most Gibsons in my book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rog951 Posted March 1, 2010 Members Share Posted March 1, 2010 I've got an '81 or '82 CM140 (the single cutaway)...all maple and heavy as hell! I love it though. Very versatile tonally...tending toward the bright side I guess but I rarely feel the need to roll the tone back in humbucker mode. It plays like butter too. Just a great guitar! I'd love to get my hands on a nice DC150 or DC160 as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 3leggeddog Posted March 1, 2010 Members Share Posted March 1, 2010 My DC150 doesn't have coil tap, tremolo, or the "messy-looking" (to me anyway) "stereo" set up on it. Its the only DC150 I've ever seen within the past 7 or 8 years without that unnecessary stereo set up. It looks basically like the white dc100 in the above post, but it has a natural maple finish.Geez...Maybe mine is a dc100 and I just always thought it was a dc150... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rog951 Posted March 1, 2010 Members Share Posted March 1, 2010 My DC150 doesn't have coil tap, tremolo, or the "messy-looking" (to me anyway) "stereo" set up on it. Its the only DC150 I've ever seen within the past 7 or 8 years without that unnecessary stereo set up. It looks basically like the white dc100 in the above post, but it has a natural maple finish.Geez...Maybe mine is a dc100 and I just always thought it was a dc150... If it has dots instead of the abalone block fingerboard inlays, it's probably a DC100...is there a headstock inlay? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Pine Apple Slim Posted March 1, 2010 Members Share Posted March 1, 2010 Accoring to the 83 Catalog page at the Carvin Museum, the 83 DC100 came in natural, white, red, or black. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 3leggeddog Posted March 2, 2010 Members Share Posted March 2, 2010 In response to ROG951, yeah my Carvin does have dots. There is an abalone "carvin" logo on the otherwise black headstock. If the dots are an indication though, I suppose mine is a DC100. At least I know now... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Busk Posted March 2, 2010 Members Share Posted March 2, 2010 My friend's guitarist had two DC200s in the 80's. He still has them. They are amazing. Excellent sustain. Bound neck. So cool.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarcapo Posted March 2, 2010 Members Share Posted March 2, 2010 Heavy and bright. Go with humbuckers for sure. Personally I'd rather have an ALL-KOA Carvin...Oh wait a minute I do...three of them as a matter of fact. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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