How come we all don't play Carvin instruments & amps/cabs?

[Handyman]

Originally Posted by edpal

It says nothing about him playing a Carvin instrument, only a Carvin amp. I have no reason to believe that is a Carvin bass.

Except maybe that picture of him playing an Carvin bass?

I have no idea if Jaco owned that thing, or if it was just a prop for a photo shoot, but an old Carvin bass that is.

[kreider204]

Originally Posted by fisticuffs

A better question might be "Why for aren't we not all un-playing Carvins?"

Is that you, Skwisgaar?!

[Showdown]

Originally Posted by ggvicviper

This the one?

Yup, at least from the same gig. The picture in his biography shows all of him though, that one is cropped. It is an LB60 or whatever they had back then, with a 2x2 Gibson type headstock. He was playing with Mike Stern at the time. It wasn't a posed picture for the endorsement, it was him in a bar in NYC somewhere (sitting on a stool, which is why there is no strap).

[Showdown]

Originally Posted by edpal

It says nothing about him playing a Carvin instrument, only a Carvin amp. I have no reason to believe that is a Carvin bass.

I have seen the full picture, it is a Carvin bass. Believe what you want, but that is a fact.

[jim777]

Originally Posted by Showdown

....it was him in a bar in NYC somewhere.

The 55 Bar

[Jarrett]

That settles it. We should all be playing Carvin.

[Showdown]

Originally Posted by jim777

The 55 Bar

Thanks.

[Passinwind]

Originally Posted by Jarrett

That settles it. We should all be playing Carvin.

Yep, and 4-stringers only.

[Jarrett]

Originally Posted by Passinwind

Yep, and 4-stringers only.

Now hold on there a minute!

[ggvicviper]

Originally Posted by Jarrett

That settles it. We should all be playing Carvin.

Reason #12 for hating Carvins:

Carvin made Jaco play a Carvin bass and amp at Bar 55 in New York one day, then made him pose for a picture at gunpoint. Then Carvin didn't even bother showing the uncropped photo of him with both products in their ads.

[Handyman]

Originally Posted by Jarrett

Now hold on there a minute!

Hey man, Jaco only needed 4 strings on a Carvin!

[Jarrett]

Yes! Carvin bullied Jaco, booooo

[Showdown]

My bad, it wasn't the same picture from the book, but was the same gig I think. Here is the one from the book. It is clearly a Carvin bass.




Here is one just like it:

[ggvicviper]

Originally Posted by Jarrett

Yes! Carvin bullied Jaco, booooo

In all seriousness though, couldn't they have at least shown the headstock?? Or the decal on the amp?!?!

[ggvicviper]

Originally Posted by Showdown

Here is one just like it:

That's another pretty nice looking Carvin!

[Howlin' Hanson]

And Jaco ended up with a Fender....

[Herrick]

Originally Posted by Grateful

Nice! I'd like to check out something like that but with a single coil bridge pickup, and maybe a 3 + 2 headstock. Did you do the routing & pickup installation yourself?

[WoodyG3]

Originally Posted by edpal

OP was claiming they are a cheap alternative to other makes/builds. My point was that your more typical Carvin example (the spalted maple) would be about $1900 with the body & neck wood and abalone dots as shown. Lots of companies are offering "custom shop" services". So it's no longer a real economical instrument plus the baggage it has from it's relatively short and humble existence.

It would be $1708, actually. I don't know of any other "custom shop" that would produce an instrument like that for less. A base model B40, passive with standard paint, costs $699, add the case and shipping and you are still under $800. So, yes, there is quite a range of prices.

Originally Posted by Personatech

+1 Also, I prefer traditional styling and that's not Carvin.

This B40 looks pretty traditional to me.



But, again, everyone likes something different. I just think a lot of people are only familiar with one or two Carvin models and pickup choices, and think that represents the whole brand.

[Showdown]

Originally Posted by Howlin' Hanson

And Jaco ended up with a Fender....

That picture is from the later years, long after he was known for playing Fender Js.

Since it was the dark years, it is certainly possible that he was only playing it because he lost the Fender and couldn't afford a bass and Carvin gave it to him for free, but regardless he did play Carvin for whatever reason.

[DJ Bebop]

I'll jump in and say what I have to say 'cause no one cares whatI have to say in this old thread but,
I can see my comments on the internet so that's cool 'cause it's on the internet and THAT make it real

Anywho, I liked getting the catalogues in the mail and their take back in the day on basses I actually thought they were cool.
But at the same time I thought why doesn't this stuff sell like Fender? I have an old 62 Fender P bass and I love that neck.
I think most of the old timers may remember them. A litter wider than a Jazz but thin front to back.

Years latter about 1996, I wanted a five string. Searched out everything I could get my hands on and nothing felted right to me I guess I was too used to the comfy feel of the old P bass and a five string at the same time.

Until I went on vacation with family to Disneyland
and visited a Carvin store after I bugged the hell out of the LA Guitar Center folks.

I feel in love with the Bunny Burnel basses. Not exact but, very very close to whatever I was looking for in a neck.
Wide spacing, nice old school Fender type feel to the neck and a five string and the pick up spacing.
Bridge pickup in the 60's space and the neck pickup in the bridge position of a P bass split pickup.
Which to my ear has more bark to it than the back position of a P bass pickup.

Since then I have tried a lot of basses, not everything and not any Laklands or Sadowsky's, just whatever the local GC has or our very own Apple Music ( Hi Kelly Howard ) So until then, this is THE ONE.

Now back to whatever was goin' on before I got here