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Carvin players!! What is your Low B like?

Scott Lynch

Scott Lynch

Supporting Member
Nov 27, 2002
1,490
1,884
#1
Hey bassers,
I am strongly considering an Icon 6 in the near future. The features and options for the price are a really strong considering factor for me, not to mention I think the Claro Walnut finish is gorgeous. I've also read a handful of good reviews.

What I have not heard much commentary on is the low B string on these basses. My five string is a Lakland (35" scale), and I absolutely love the tightness of the B on that thing, especially compared to my (34") Fender Deluxe 5. The B on that thing had more flop than a game of Texas Hold 'Em.

24 frets is a must for me, so the XBs are out of the question. I know that B string tightness varies from make to make, and I do remember playing a 34" Warwick 5er that had a fantastic low B on it. So, if I threw a heavier B string like a .135 on one of these basses, would it cut the mustard?

Send me your thoughts, IMHOs and IMEs, please!!

Scott
 
#2
Hey Scotty,

I have owned my Carvin LB76 since 1996 and it has been a love hate relationship.

the Pros:

The J99 pickups and active preamp really sing and
the ebony fretboard feels good under my fingers. The
Carvin always felt good in my hands and sounded good when cranked up.


the Cons:

The LB76 is a neck through Body Design. (I think the Icon is too?) For me the neck-thru design really helps the tone and sustain of a bass but the structural integrity is lacking.


I noticed that Carvin still offers the option for the Wilkinson Bridge. I have the Wilkinson bridge on mine and IMO it sucks. (rattles & has too much wiggle like a stock fender bridge lol)

I am willing to bet that Carvins newer basses with the string through the body design are a little tighter. I am and always will be a fan of Carvin though. Best Bang for the Buck in my opinion.

Hope that helps!
 
#3
Hey Zach, thanks for getting back to me so fast!

The newer Carvins are string trough body, which I think would help with string tightness. I think the newer basses use a Hipshot Style A bridge, which I have seen on quite a few more expensive boutique instruments.

About the neck-through-body, what specifically do you mean by "lack of structural integrity"? And what do you think specifically of the B string on it? Can you compare it to any other basses you own/have played?
 
#4
I personally didn't care for the B on my '99 LB75. It was a bit floppy and not that well defined. I much prefer the B on my Stingray 5. The Carvin was a very nice instrument, though. It looked and felt great. The sound was just average IMO. It sounded better when I put a Bart preamp into it.
 
#6
I had an LB76 for 6 or 7 years. Maple Neck-through with Walnut wings; J99 pups. I had to replace the stock 2-band with a Bart NTMB 3-band to soften the sound.

As far as the B-string: I think if the neck had been a 3 or more piece, the neck would have been much more rigid. I really liked the slimness of the neck and the string spacing.

I kinda miss it. lol

[edit]- I had to really baby the B to get it to sound. My plucking action HAD to be straight up and back. The other strings were fine. (obviously)
 
#7
I have a 92 LB-75 and I really dont have any complaints about the B. granted I dont use it all that much but I never found it to be muddy or floppy.
Mine also has an older Wilkinson bridge and I do not find that mine rattles or is loosey-goosey in any way.

I also love the look of the Claro walnut on the Icon-just gorgeous!

Also I'm curious-you say 24 frets are a must for you-how often do you use the highest 2 frets on the G and arent you actually playing G****r at that point? :ninja::hiding::p
 
#9
Here´s a little fast Clip of my Carvin, that I descibed above. Recorded quick with my Tascam Interface and Cubase.

Only Lows and Highs from the 3-Band EQ of the LB75 slightly boosted.

Klick to hear this one

120krkj.jpg
 
#12
ScottyAx800 said:
Thank you for all the posts! So a neck with multiple types of wood, like the 5 piece neck option that Carvin offers, would reinforce and stiffen the neck?
Click to expand...

As it goes, the 5-piece neck option not only looks cool, it’s supposed to keep that neck from warping/twisting. Actually I was strongly considering an Icon 5er but I’m now opting to go with an X75 with the asymmetric neck option. Why? I tried an MTD Kingston Z bass and really dug the neck, which happens to be asymmetric with 35" scale. I could always just buy that bass; after all, it’s a great bass. However, I figured for a couple of more bucks, why not order a Carvin built to my specs?

If you could sacrifice a couple of frets, I think the X75 is the way to go for you as well. But if a two-octave neck is a must for you, I guess its best to stick with what you know will work. So I'd go with the Icon with a 5-piece maple/walnut neck for an additional $100. Not bad for the $$$ and heck, it looks cool!
 
#13
I play an XB75PF,and I use the B string a lot for Country and Country Rock...(at least I did when we were playing more) I personally like the B string,and don't have any issues with it...(of course I don't slap and pop.)I think their B string is as nice as any B string I've played on other basses.I wouldn't hesitate recommending a Carvin 5-string.
Kent:bassist:
 
#14
I've got 2 Carvin 5er's, a LB75AP Anniversary and an Icon IC5. The low B on the Icon sounds better in active mode than the LB75, tho in passive mode the LB sounds better than the Icon 5'er.

I also used to own a Lakland 55-01 and the low B on it sounded better than both the Carvins that I own. Tho the rest of the bass didn't. Too many dead spots on the neck of the Lakland so I sold it, but like I said the low B sounded great.

I play my Icon more than I play the LB75AP, but both Carvin's don't get as much play as my '08' MIA Fender Jazz V does. It's low B is thunderous compared to the Carvins. The Jazz is my main gigging axe.

Quality of all 3 basses are excellent, there's no denying that.
 
#15
vinxbass said:
I've got 2 Carvin 5er's, a LB75AP Anniversary and an Icon IC5. The low B on the Icon sounds better in active mode than the LB75, tho in passive mode the LB sounds better than the Icon 5'er.

I also used to own a Lakland 55-01 and the low B on it sounded better than both the Carvins that I own. Tho the rest of the bass didn't. Too many dead spots on the neck of the Lakland so I sold it, but like I said the low B sounded great.

I play my Icon more than I play the LB75AP, but both Carvin's don't get as much play as my '08' MIA Fender Jazz V does. It's low B is thunderous compared to the Carvins. The Jazz is my main gigging axe.

Quality of all 3 basses are excellent, there's no denying that.
Click to expand...


Could pickups factor on the sound of your Carvin low Bs? I take it you've got the new soapbars on the Icon, how about the LB75AP? Don't tell me, 2 Js or a J and a humbucker, no?
 
#17
vinxbass said:
The Icon has 2 soapbars which I really like alot. The LB75AP has J in the neck position and humbucker in the bridge position, with coil tapping and a piezo pup.

100_1927.jpg
Click to expand...

Beautiful axe, man! I want to order an XB75. I've been torn between pickups, either 2 Js or soapbars (I'm not interested in the MM style pickups, I've been playing a 2 humbucker bass for years and want something different). I'm really leaning towards the soapbars, however I've heard good things about the new Carvin J99s. Got any friendly pickup advice?

Thanks!
PS Say, how's about letting us have a peek at the Icon too!
 
#18
The low B on my BB75 is super-clear and tight,probably one of the best I've ever heard from a 5 string bass...I bought that instrument without even playing it once but I have to say I've been blown away by its tone and playability.
 

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