"Official" Carvin Club - Part 2

[dgce]

Well the Rad-Js have certainly got my vote. I think they would match up nicely to the Icon. But if you were to go with the stock ceramic humbuckers, I wonder if the addition of the piezo pickup option would help add some snap and clarity to the "dark"ness. Of course, you'll have to slap on an additional $100. Did anyone address this part of the original question?

[Dan B]

You did say that you have experience with the radiused humbuckers. How are they compared to the normal humbuckers?

Thanks again for the answers; helps a lot!

[dgce]

Originally Posted by Dan B

You did say that you have experience with the radiused humbuckers. How are they compared to the normal humbuckers?

Thanks again for the answers; helps a lot!

Yes, I play a B24S with radiused humbuckers. Married to the Bromberg preamp, they're powerful (but not as monstrously powerful as a G&L humbucker), versatile, and quiet. Unfortunately I have not tried an Icon equipped with ceramic humbuckers or even other Carvin models equipped with stacked Js. So I can't really give you a comparison.

I'd really like to know how my radiuses humbuckers compare to radiused single coils. In the New Year I plan to get another B24S but set up with flats and I'm thinking single coil would be a nice way to go. So there's an additional question for you all.

[Handyman]

I asked this in the SBx000 thread, maybe I can get some more opinions in here.

What are people's thoughts on the big music man style Carvin humbuckers?

[Grateful]

Originally Posted by Mike Sorr

I was originally thinking about getting a Fender Precision 5 string, but the Carvin blew me away.

Been there, done that. I added a Fender P5 a few months back to see what all the hub-bub was about. Did not even come close to the tone of playability of my little B50 P-mutant. So the Fender is sold and gone. It's not a terrible bass, it just couldn't knock out my entry level Carvin...

Originally Posted by Mike Sorr

Anyone else have the H50A's? What do you think of them?

I have a B50 w/an H50a in the from and the HB5W MM in the back. Love 'em. It's currently set up as a fretless and they work phenomenally in that role.

Originally Posted by Dan B

- How often do people use the Piezo pickup system? I'm asking this because it does tack on $100 but if people say it's integral to the "Carvin Experience" I'm wondering if I should consider it.

I've not heard the 'integral to the Carvin experience' bit. It's just a Piezo that is available on lots of basses. I have a B25P and I honestly don't use it very often. If I had tapewounds on it, or maybe even flats, I could definitely see using it.

Originally Posted by dgce

I'd really like to know how my radiuses humbuckers compare to radiused single coils. In the New Year I plan to get another B24S but set up with flats and I'm thinking single coil would be a nice way to go. So there's an additional question for you all.

I had a B25 that originally had the Rad-H pickups with the Icon preamp (that's the pre that comes in the Brombergs with Humbuckers. The Bromberg pre does not work with HB's). I agree with your comments that they are clean and quiet, but not as hot as some other HBs (like the ones in my Mercalli). That is good for some and bad for others.

I had the pickups changed to single coils (there's a whole bunch of posts about why and how: in a a nutshell, the Carvin store sold me a B25 w/HB's, thinking they were Singles, so they made it right). Along with the SC's came a preamp change to the much heralded 'Bromberg' pre. It is a different beast entirely. Lots of that single cold, modern sound and the eq is super sensitive and broad.

I liked both to be honest, but the B25P stays set up as my 'Jam Band' bass so it's keeping the SCs.

[Matt Morgan]

Originally Posted by dgce

Yes, I play a B24S with radiused humbuckers. Married to the Bromberg preamp, they're powerful (but not as monstrously powerful as a G&L humbucker), versatile, and quiet. Unfortunately I have not tried an Icon equipped with ceramic humbuckers or even other Carvin models equipped with stacked Js. So I can't really give you a comparison.

I'd really like to know how my radiuses humbuckers compare to radiused single coils. In the New Year I plan to get another B24S but set up with flats and I'm thinking single coil would be a nice way to go. So there's an additional question for you all.

Unfortunately, if you have the radiused humbuckers in your B24S, you have the Icon pre-amp system as well. The Bromberg pre-amp is only available with/compatible with the radiused Js.

I dealt with this issue a good bit when I ordered my two B25P basses from Carvin. I was really hoping to get the humbuckers in my fretless B25P but ended up getting the single coils because I wanted the BriBrom pre. With that said, I've been nothing but THRILLED with the single coils in both my Carvins. They're flat out AWESOME.

[dgce]

Grateful & Matt Morgan,

Wow, all this time I've been playing an ICON preamp with my humbucker equip B24S and I didn't even know it? Yikes, egg on my face. Well, I'm still content with my tone but looking forward to trying out a single coil equip B24S with the Bromberg pre. I plan to order it with flats but as an experiment, may give round wounds a try and see how it compares to my humbucer'd B24S. But first, gotta get through the holidays ($$$).

[stephenleejp]

Just received my first Carvin bass.
Icon 6.

I'll post some full body pics soon

[BlacksHole]

That bass looks fantastic.

[bal704]

I've got them in the B50 kit I built. I love them, but, I really dislike J pickups in general. I love the big MM tone.

Originally Posted by Handyman

I asked this in the SBx000 thread, maybe I can get some more opinions in here.

What are people's thoughts on the big music man style Carvin humbuckers?

[dgce]

Originally Posted by bal704

I've got them in the B50 kit I built. I love them, but, I really dislike J pickups in general. I love the big MM tone.

You have 2 MMs on a kit B50? I did you custom rout it? I know you can order J/M for a bolt-on but not M/M normally. Got a picture, I'm curious!

[Handyman]

Originally Posted by dgce

You have 2 MMs on a kit B50? I did you custom rout it? I know you can order J/M for a bolt-on but not M/M normally. Got a picture, I'm curious!

Same here. A dual MM B50 sounds pretty intriguing.

[bal704]

From a previous post....

Yea, you can order the kit in a MM configuration from Carvin. You have to call it in, but it's the normal HB in the bridge, with the added option of HB2N for the neck.

Originally Posted by bal704

Just finished a Carvin bass kit. 5 String with active electronics. Can I get a number?

[dgce]

Originally Posted by bal704

From a previous post....

Yea, you can order the kit in a MM configuration from Carvin. You have to call it in, but it's the normal HB in the bridge, with the added option of HB2N for the neck.

Ahhhhh! Cool. How much did they charge you for this M/M option? I'd read sometime back that you could request this option for a neck-thru but not a bolt-on. If you could get this option on a kit, I guess it would be okay to request this option for a Carvin built B40/B50, no?

[Handyman]

Now you've got me excited. I know some folks have gotten turned away asking for the HB2N option in a non-kit B50.

Did you have to jump though any special hoops to get them to do this?

[bal704]

No special hoops. The HB2N option is $30. I'm not sure why they couldn't do it on the non-kit version. Supposedly it's the same bass, just with Carvin doing all the work.

If you get told no, just call back and talk to somebody else. I was told no as well by one rep, then told yes by another.

[Reggiep]

Originally Posted by stephenleejp

Just received my first Carvin bass.
Icon 6.

I'll post some full body pics soon

WOW!

[WoodyG3]

No new numbers for a few days as I'll be away from the computer. I'll catch up when I return to "civilization."

[stephenleejp]

Here's some more pictures!

[stephenleejp]

.