Carvin or Warwick - your opinion please.

[Double E]

I played a Carvin 5 string fretless for a while...it had a great neck and tone. The build quality and finish was impeccable. I doubt that a similarly priced Warwick would compare.

 

[MYLOWFREQ]

Carvin.

 

[Bass Viking]

I'm a huge fan of German Warwicks.. not so much of the rockbass variety... I'd choose Carvin over rockbass any day... I'd choose German Warwick over Carvin 9/10 times.. if clean playing/non rock was my gig, then I'd take the USA Carvin over a German Warwick.

Hard to beat that Warwick growl for rock/punk music.

One of the most amazing fretless tones I've heard is Ralphe Armstrong playing a fretless Thumb. He makes the damn thing sound like an upright!

 

[Bass Viking]

I've written here before that I don't consider Carvin to be professional equipment - and I never will.

You sound like an open-minded person...

Look at the number of Carvin instruments that are for sale on TB, CL, EBay and other sites. Its my observation that their ibstruments don't deliver much long term satisfaction. All my friends that have bought Carvin turned right around and sold them fairly quickly.

I've had my Carvin Icon for 10 years and still enjoy it. Your friends should have returned theirs within the 10 day return period.

 

[MyMusic]

I own both a Carvin Bass (XB75) and a Carvin Guitar (Bolt) and I'm very happy with both. The bass is in my avatar. I prefer the feel and the quality of these instruments. Of course the price is a bargain also. Depending on how custom you want it to be, you can get one for less than $1500.00. Did I say quality?

 

[J. Crawford]

Carvin has been on my GAS list for a long time, and will probably be my gift to myself when I finish my Masters.

Merica or bust.

 

[Toptube]

I'd love to get a Kiesel JB, I just can't get past the wooden shoe headstock.

You might be able to get the Icon headstock on a JB. I know you can on the PB. The IC5 headstock, in particular, looks good.

I would have bought another Carvin for sure if they offered a P-bass nut width. I've never been impressed with rockbasses. However German Warwicks are quite nice.

I dunno if its wide enough for you, but the Icon 4 has a wider nut width than their other basses. its on the specs page.

 

[TheMartianBassist]

What's your beef with the Ibbz?

 

[Eilif]

I dunno if its wide enough for you, but the Icon 4 has a wider nut width than their other basses. its on the specs page.

At the time I was looking for a fretless P-bass which is offered in 1.54. 1.6 on the Icon isn't bad. I've used 1.625 with some success but my favorite is 1.7 to 1.75. I ended up buying an LTD 214 (pbass clone) which was quite nice but I sold it to fund a Wendler 35" fretless (1.75) which is being built now. I never could figure out why carvin didn't offer a choice of neck widths. Everything's CNC anyway why not have the option?

Also wondered why the website doesn't mention anything about different scale lengths. I'm pretty sure you can at least get an LB75 in a 35.25 scale option if you ask.

 

[JaredBT]

Carvin basses are stellar... would put them against any other bass on the planet

 

[BassJuju]

What's your beef with the Ibbz?

They left me swinging in the wind on an obviously defective and brand new Portamento. GC stood by the purchase, but Ibanez could have not possibly cared less.



Thanks for all the input... I am spec'ing my new Carvin right now.

 

[groooooove]

i've owned several carvins, just recently took shipment if a brand new one. their quality is exceptional and this instrument has been very stable. highly reccomended.

 

[pasi]

You can't compare carvin to mic warwick.
Compare carvin to made in germany warwick
And crvin looses 10/0

 

[BassJuju]

The bass is ordered. I blew my budget. Now to wait. NBD photos in 10 weeks or so.

 

[engedi1]

warwick fretless are wonderful. Great B strings. I miss mine.

 

[engedi1]

I've written here before that I don't consider Carvin to be professional equipment - and I never will.

Look at the number of Carvin instruments that are for sale on TB, CL, EBay and other sites. Its my observation that their ibstruments don't deliver much long term satisfaction. All my friends that have bought Carvin turned right around and sold them fairly quickly.

Don't tell that to Roy Vogt lol.

 

[BawanaRik]

I have both a German Warwick and an American Carbon. they are both neck thru. the Warwick weigh s about twice as much as the Carbon. and it's not for sale

 

[HubbardsFate]

I have both a German Warwick and an American Carbon. they are both neck thru. the Warwick weigh s about twice as much as the Carbon. and it's not for sale

"Carbon"?

 

[Ekulati]

The bass is ordered. I blew my budget. Now to wait. NBD photos in 10 weeks or so.

Cool. Let us know.

FWIW...I bought an LB70 (my avatar pic) in 1998, and have cycled thru several other basses since, but I keep coming back to the Carvin. And I've used it "professionally..." with zero issues.

 

[Pep]

I've had a Carvin PB5 for about 2 years and love it. Ash body, satin black with raised grain, black hardware, black pick guard, ebony fretboard. One P-Bass pickup with active electronics.