NBD: Carvin 5 string P bass with Wilkins VR5P Pickup

Grateful · #1 03-23-2012, 11:46 AM

This is a new Carvin B50 that I ordered unrouted from Carvin for the sole purpose of having a 5 string P Bass that I knew would cost far less and play far better than pretty much any 5 string P-Bass within several hundred dollars. Sea Foam Green, Alder, Rosewood with Abalone blocks. Passive.

I took it to Pat Wilkins, here in LA to get routed for a P pickup. Despite having purchased a pickup for this bass, I heard that Pat was now winding his own pickups. He had a 5 string P pickup in development, but had not yet made one. So I waited. The result is his VR5P pickup. Here is the info from Pat on the pickup:

The pickup has .25" alnico v magnets.
The split coils were wound on our CNC winding machine with a programmed scatter wound pattern.
We ran 8 sets of pickups before we settled on this pattern, wire and # of turns.
There are 5 magnets, one each under the B,E,A,D and G strings.
The bass split coil has 3 magnets and the treble coil has 2 magnets.
There is a non magnetized slug under the A string in the treble coil so that the coil has the proper width and the wires have the proper length.
There is no dual magnet where the two coils overlap to prevent false phasing issues.
The pickup voicing leans towards being modern, but still retains some vintage characteristics. It is not voiced as a Hi-Fi pickup.

Pat also wired it up with 250k pots and a 400V .047mfd orange drop.

Initial impressions are fantastic. Rehearsal tonight will give me a chance to play it in a mix, and I'll report back. I will be trying to get some sound samples up as soon as strings and whatnot break in a little more.

Pics!

**WoodyG3** · #2 03-23-2012, 01:07 PM

cybersnyder · #3 03-23-2012, 01:21 PM

Sweet! Carvin should take note. They're a CNC routing program and a pickup away from a P bass.

I tried to get an unrouted bass from Carvin a few years ago and was told "Hell no".

Nice bass!

tink9975 · #4 03-23-2012, 01:27 PM

Lovely. Carvin definitely needs to start offering a P option, would love to have a B50 or SB5000 with a PJ setup

Commreman · #5 03-23-2012, 01:33 PM

Wow! If Carvin would take note of this, they would probably sell a boatload of these. Nicely done!

LiquidMidnight · #6 03-23-2012, 01:36 PM

That is sweet, and the SB headstock really sets it off.

bassmonkeee · #7 03-23-2012, 02:01 PM

Yowza. That's super.

Bass_Thumper · #8 03-23-2012, 02:09 PM

Love the color, looks fantastic. How do you like the tone?

jim777 · #9 03-23-2012, 02:13 PM

If you don't mind my asking, what did it run to get the body routed for that pickup?

bassbenj · #10 03-23-2012, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cybersnyder

Sweet! Carvin should take note. They're a CNC routing program and a pickup away from a P bass.

I tried to get an unrouted bass from Carvin a few years ago and was told "Hell no".

Nice bass!

Super nice bass!

Carvin should take note that Fender has really dropped the ball in that you can't even buy a 5 string P/J from them.

Since Carvin already has the setup and pickups for 4, 5 and 6 string basses, and have had great success with their foray into old school basses, I urge them to consider being the first to offer a complete line of Fender clone basses.

I am talking here about J, P and P/J basses in 4, 5, and 6 string versions with a fretless option on each. I mean they are almost there now anyway. All they need to blow Fender out of the water is a few CNC programs and a killer P pickup in 4, 5, and 6 string to fit. What are they waiting for?

PS. To get my P/J I had to get new pickups and mod a used Squire Special P. 5er. That's how scarce things are out there.

Blues Bass 2 · #11 03-23-2012, 03:23 PM

Great Idea . That really looks cool , knowing how Carvins play I bet it's a killer bass . I agree , Carvin should take a look .

LAG · #12 03-23-2012, 06:45 PM

A Carvin P bass with split coil pup. Why not?

Eggman · #13 03-23-2012, 08:25 PM

Nice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yvon · #14 03-23-2012, 08:27 PM

I love it! I might make one for myself in a near future.

Grateful · #15 03-23-2012, 09:50 PM

Thanks everyone for the compliments.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bass_Thumper

Love the color, looks fantastic. How do you like the tone?

THe tone is great. Sounds like a P should.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jim777

If you don't mind my asking, what did it run to get the body routed for that pickup?

Routing can be anywhere from $40-$100 depending on where you go. Pat was doing a bunch of the other stuff, so I don't really have a breakdown of what costs what. Check with pat(at)wilkinsguitars.com

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassbenj

Carvin should take note that Fender has really dropped the ball in that you can't even buy a 5 string P/J from them.
All they need to blow Fender out of the water is a few CNC programs and a killer P pickup in 4, 5, and 6 string to fit. What are they waiting for?

PS. To get my P/J I had to get new pickups and mod a used Squire Special P. 5er. That's how scarce things are out there.

I agree. Fender, IMHO, has left plenty of room for folks to build instruments in their backyard. Limited choices, colors and materials along with inconsistent quality will tend to do that. I'm so spoiled now that I am able to order a US made bass however I want it, and know that, even with mods, it will be less money and higher quality than a few factory-determined choices.

thombo · #16 03-24-2012, 02:39 AM

your bass is a beaut! i've been gasing for a fretless b50, but haven't pulled the trigger b/c i want a p-pup. i'd also like to see a p pickguard on a b50. carvin copies classic guitar shapes, i don't know why their basses always had to look so "original." the b50 is a nice twist on an existing design.

Grateful · #17 03-24-2012, 08:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thombo

your bass is a beaut! i've been gasing for a fretless b50, but haven't pulled the trigger b/c i want a p-pup. i'd also like to see a p pickguard on a b50. carvin copies classic guitar shapes, i don't know why their basses always had to look so "original." the b50 is a nice twist on an existing design.

Thanks.

I've got a fretless B50 (H50a/HB5) that is an amazing player. Technically it started a a fretted B50, but I had need of a fretless, so I just ordered a pre-drilled fretless neck from Carvin. Now I have 2 basses in one. And if I want a fretless P, I can slap it on this bass.

Doug Parent · #18 03-24-2012, 08:35 AM

nice project! just curious, is the neck width @the nut 1.75 or 1.81ish ?

Grateful · #19 03-24-2012, 11:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doug Parent

nice project! just curious, is the neck width @the nut 1.75 or 1.81ish ?

It's 1.75 at the nut, 19mm (3/4) at the bridge. It has the exact same neck as the SB5000. If you had the pleasure of playing one of those, you'll know just how comfortable and amazing the necks are.

Mojo-Man · #20 03-24-2012, 12:33 PM

That's super nice.
Carvin take note, start doing this.