Tmart, I know where you are coming from there. It's nice to have a lot of different basses. But I think when it gets down to the player that can only afford or only wants one Jazz type bass to use is when people start trying to decide which builder gives them the most bang for the buck. When you want one Jazz type bass and start comparing the Carvin SB series to the current Fender Jazz bass offerings, that's when the Carvin SB's start making a whole lot of sense.
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Carvin Basses
- Thread starter vrussell
- Start date
I used to have a Carvin lb75a anniversary model with the quilt maple top. Fantastic bass that I wish I still had. Played a friend's sb5000 not to long ago and got me GASing again. Probably going for a lb76 next. To put it prospective, I plan on selling my '78 Fender Jazz to fund the Carvin. I still have a modified Mom Jazz that I'll keep for the certain flavor and feel I get from it, but I want to range and playability of another Carvin.
Roy Vogt
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I Have the old stacked humbucking jazz pickups
Unless someone custom ordered the stacked humbucking, the SB5000 should have the new single coil pickups. I actually like the stack coils for recording since there's no hum. Check by using just the front or back pickup and checking out whether there's any discernible hum. With both pickups full up you won't get any since the pickups work as one big humbucker.
Brian Bromberg just presented three clinics in Nashville and the new Bromberg basses sound great as well. They are using single coils.
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I have owned and built a lot of J type of Basses.
The Carvin SB is right up there they are top of the game IMHO.
Its like a big secret (I'm partially not kidding).
In the 'wood neck realm' I would rather play a Carvin SB series bass then any other. (Including the boutiques...and yes I have owned some of them as well).
The Carvin SB is right up there they are top of the game IMHO.
Its like a big secret (I'm partially not kidding).
In the 'wood neck realm' I would rather play a Carvin SB series bass then any other. (Including the boutiques...and yes I have owned some of them as well).
All depends on what sound presentation/tone you're going for.
I imagine DR Sunbeams on a SB5000 are sweet, lively sounding strings with a lot of smooth highs, smooth lively mids and punchy lower mids/low end.
The Thomastik-Infeld EB344 Powerbass Roundwounds are a big, killer tone....warm, but clear and gives you a full sound in all frequencies. They can sound warm, thick and more vintage, or you can brighten them up and Slap them up nicely. But they still sound big/thick even when Slapping.
Flats (such as Carvin's own FW40, which I think are actually made my GHS or LaBella) have a much more vintage, thick, warm thumping sound/tone; but also can present a very woody ......almost acoustic upright bass tone/presentation on my B40....with careful EQing.
TI JF344 Flats sound beautiful, too. Lovely sounding on the Carvin B40. But the A string is a .70 gauge and unfortunately to my ears, the A string sounds a bit thin or amemic in the mix.
I personally feel the A string sounds weak and thin in the mix, with my B40. But there are plenty of players who love the JF344 and don't find them weak or thin in the mix. Personal preference/tastes.
Most Roundwound strings I have tried (MTD, Rotosound 66 Swing Bass, Pyramid BR 45 Pure Nickel Roundwounds, Fender 7150 M with the B40 sound very lively, bouncey and are excellent for Slappers who want that Slapping bite and snap.
Do some research and try a few strings out on your SB5000, see what fits your tone preferences.
I Have the old stacked humbucking jazz pickups
I love the H50 stacked humbuckers, and have them in one of my LB70s. Don't feel badly that your bass has them. Remember, too, that replacing pickups is pretty easy and not very expensive. You can always put J99 pickups in later if you want to experiment.
Oh, I agree with you overall, Jarrett.
I was simply pointing out that knowing what tone/sound presentation you're looking for, is very important when shopping for a bass.
And in this scenario, I believe it's even more important because someone on a budget would want to be completely certain of his/her tone/sound presentation preferences/needs; because they won't want to lose any money in re-stocking/return fees or resale, should the bass not meet their needs/preferences. That's all I'm saying.
Yeah, that makes sense. If you know you want the sound of Fender and nothing else, then no reason to compare bang for the buck and quality since only Fenders sound like Fenders.
I Have the old stacked humbucking jazz pickups
There are people who really love those pickups.
In fact, when I ordered my SB4000 recently, I went with the H50A pickups, just to give them a try and see how they sound. If I don't like them, I could always buy a set of J99A from Carvin or even try some other brand of Jazz single coil pickups, with the SB4000.
LOL, I know. No matter how one tries, it's really quite difficult to nail down that Fender sound/tone with anything other than a Fender. God knows I've tried, lol
I have an American Fender jazz and a Carvin sb4000. I would say get the Carvin, it is by far the best bass I've ever played, and I've played and owned quite a few. You won't be sorry.
LOL, I know. No matter how one tries, it's really quite difficult to nail down that Fender sound/tone with anything other than a Fender. God knows I've tried, lol
I'd like to add Warmoth into the comparisons IF one is half-way a DIY type. I've owned Carvins, Fenders, Rics, Gibsons, Hofners, and a number of other "classic" basses for their particular sound. I love my Warmoths (and they are capable of Fender sounds, plus more) - they just plain work for me. That said...Carvin is the best bang for the buck of any American made instrument at anywhere near the price point of an optioned to order out there IMO & IME. Prices on used Carvins are outstanding, and often worth consideration. String and pup choices just further enhance one's experiences with them all
Being a new convert to Carvin - and enjoying their tone and playability - I have revamped my gear. Presenting the family:
(the black one is getting a new fretless neck)
(the black one is getting a new fretless neck)
I attended one of Brian's clinics and he allowed us to play all of his basses. Roy is right. They sounded great, but they FELT great too. The five string was a dream. Sweet action on that sucker. They were the only Carvin's I've ever played and I was very impressed.
So impressed that my Lakland Skyline 55-02 is starting to shake with fear that it might be sold and replaced with a Carvin Bromberg 5 (custom built in the USA to my specifications of course) for about the same money the Indonesian Lakland cost me new.
Being a new convert to Carvin - and enjoying their tone and playability - I have revamped my gear. Presenting the family:
(the black one is getting a new fretless neck)
That cream colored SB is just gorgeous
I love that 30 year old, aged nitro Oly white look, like butter.You've really gone hard for Carvin in the last few months!
That cream colored SB is just gorgeous
You've really gone hard for Carvin in the last few months!
They call that vintage cream, I believe. And yes, I have. I am an old Fender Jazz guy, but like newer stuff - designs, electronics, options. The SBs have really filled the space between vintage Fender and new technologies, for me. I own a 62 Jazz, so I know vintage. I have tried tons of other basses too. These work for me!
I have a early 90's LB75 5-string, and to echo everyone else its the most physically well-made and easy playing neck thru I've ever had. I picked it up hella cheap used to. My only complaint was, echoing everyone else, the stock electronics, so I yanked the pre and replaced the pups with Carvin's new J99A jazz pickups, and have it wired up pure passive. Now I'll never get rid of this bass.
I love the H50 stacked humbuckers, and have them in one of my LB70s. Don't feel badly that your bass has them. Remember, too, that replacing pickups is pretty easy and not very expensive. You can always put J99 pickups in later if you want to experiment.
I rocked the H50's for a couple years before deciding to change them, the stacked humbuckers and 2 band pre definitely went the distance. What killed it for me what when I AB'd it with a MIM Fender Jazz, the Fender reached a lower low and just had more character. Truly I think it was the different between humbuckers and single coils more than anything else. But the J99A's are single coil and they have that single coil snap I was looking for. The H50s are good, they just sound like....humbuckers.
