"Official" Carvin Club - Part 2 - Page 30

3234718 · #**581** 01-25-2013, 08:44 AM

Just an FYI ladies and germs, my AC40F is up for sale in the classifieds. I checked with a mod to make sure saying this isn't against the rules. I don't want to be a trouble maker.
FS Carvin AC40F

Willy Franklin · #**582** 01-25-2013, 08:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3234718

Just an FYI ladies and germs, my AC40F is up for sale in the classifieds. I checked with a mod to make sure saying this isn't against the rules. I don't want to be a trouble maker.
FS Carvin AC40F

That's awesome... I have my heart set on a fretless Godin A5 Ultra though... The Carvin AC's are a close second in my thought process...

3234718 · #**583** 01-25-2013, 08:58 AM

Godin shmodin, I say. Though I kinda want one of those too.

Willy Franklin · #**584** 01-25-2013, 09:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3234718

Godin shmodin, I say. Though I kinda want one of those too.

LOL!!!

basskidd · #**585** 01-25-2013, 02:52 PM

Hey, so I've a quick question... I've had my Carvin Icon for about 18 months now (I love it), but I've been having some trouble with it lately... Basically, the active electronics are really really scratchy. Even when I'm not turning one of the pots (though it gets worse when I do). When I switch to passive it's fine (no scratching).
Does anyone know if it's going to be a simple process of cleaning the pots, or do I need to send it to the techs at Carvin for them to take a look?
Or does anyone have any other suggestions? (It would be a pretty big hassle for me to send it in; I'm a music student and don't have a backup...)

3234718 · #**586** 01-25-2013, 03:11 PM

Battery change?

basskidd · #**587** 01-25-2013, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3234718

Battery change?

Shouldn't be, but I'll give it a shot (these batteries have only been in for a couple weeks, but now that you mention it something similar happens when the batteries are on the fritz...)

Edit:
Battery change didn't work... Made it a little better (scratching got quieter), but didn't fix it...

Willy Franklin · #**588** 01-25-2013, 06:09 PM

I had the same sort of problem with my B50, and swapping out the batteries with brand new ones did the trick...

It's weird that it's not working for you...

basskidd · #**589** 01-25-2013, 08:29 PM

Yeah, it's kinda bugging me... I've had problems with the batteries before (only cheap, physically larger batteries work; else they don't make the physical connection) but nothing like this....

3234718 · #**590** 01-26-2013, 09:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by basskidd

(It would be a pretty big hassle for me to send it in; I'm a music student and don't have a backup...)

I totally understand being a broke student, but ya gotta have something. Get an SX, or at least some pawnshop cheapo. Just buy some Raman, eat only that for a week, hope you don't get sodium poisoning, and with the saved food money buy yourself a backup.

Grateful · #**591** 01-26-2013, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by basskidd

Shouldn't be, but I'll give it a shot (these batteries have only been in for a couple weeks, but now that you mention it something similar happens when the batteries are on the fritz...)

Edit:
Battery change didn't work... Made it a little better (scratching got quieter), but didn't fix it...

Time to try cleaning the pots?

Willy Franklin · #**592** 01-26-2013, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grateful

Time to try cleaning the pots?

Grateful is right... Try cleaning the pots with a good can of cleaner like chemtrinox kontact clean... ~$15.00 a can but its worth it...

And if you try it yourself, make sure you keep it off the finish of the bass. It may do bad things...

Another possibility is a bad (or dirty) output jack on the bass, or a bad cable... Or maybe the bass doesn't like 1/4" jack on the cable... I had that problem with a planet waves cable once... Wouldn't work in all of my basses... Dunno... Good luck!

Willy Franklin · #**593** 01-26-2013, 12:04 PM

http://www.mcmelectronics.com/produc...LAID=220229781

This is the stuff... More expensive than I thought, but it will last you years, and save you money taking your equipment to a tech to get fixed...

Showdown · #**594** 01-26-2013, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Willy Franklin

http://www.mcmelectronics.com/produc...LAID=220229781

This is the stuff... More expensive than I thought, but it will last you years, and save you money taking your equipment to a tech to get fixed...

DeoxIT is cheaper and works very well. You can find it from $10 - $15.

basskidd · #**595** 01-26-2013, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Showdown

DeoxIT is cheaper and works very well. You can find it from $10 - $15.

Cool, I'll take a look into it. Thanks!

Anyone have any recommendations for tutorials / how-to's on how to clean them?

basskidd · #**596** 01-26-2013, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3234718

I totally understand being a broke student, but ya gotta have something. Get an SX, or at least some pawnshop cheapo. Just buy some Raman, eat only that for a week, hope you don't get sodium poisoning, and with the saved food money buy yourself a backup.

Yeah, It's something I've been wanting to look into for a while, it's just every time I get close to getting one I find something else that I need more urgently and so drain my funds...

Showdown · #**597** 01-26-2013, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by basskidd

Cool, I'll take a look into it. Thanks!

Anyone have any recommendations for tutorials / how-to's on how to clean them?

I don't know about tutorials or videos, but I can try to explain it. It is very easy.

Pots generally have a gap or hole that you can squirt the cleaner into. Here is an example, notice the gap next to the connections:

Others have a hole on the edge like this one:

DeoxIT and other contact cleaner sprays are aerosol, with a little red tube that goes into the spray can, like this:

Put that tube into the hole on the pot, spray a little bit (be careful to protect the finish on your bass), then turn the knob on the pot back and forth a few times. This should do it, although you may have to repeat it until it is clean.

One thing to be aware of, there are two types of contact cleaner, one with lubrication and one without. For pots you want the one with lube or the pot will eventually become scratchy. DeoxIt has lube and is well suited for them. Radio Shack usually carries it.

basskidd · #**598** 01-26-2013, 03:04 PM

^^^ That was an awesome post. Thanks man! I'll give it a shot!

mark beem · #**599** 02-01-2013, 09:18 PM

The LB76PF arrived today. Needs some work.. Bass was virtually unplayable when I got it out of the case (I did let it acclimate for about 8 hours). Too much relief and the saddles were set so high there was no discernible "mwaahh" at all!

First I replaced the strings with a set of Carvin nickels, gave the neck a 1/4 turn and lowered the saddles. That helped but I'm gonna have to crank on the truss rod some more. Still too much relief. Pups need to be lowered too.

Anyway, while I'm waiting for the neck tweak to set, here are a couple of pics.

IronSpatula · #**600** 02-02-2013, 11:21 AM

Love it!