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Carvin SB5000 / SB4000 Roll Call...Part 4!

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#261
smeet said:
Nice looking bass, but the blocks look like stickers, the first and last one look a bit crooked to me...
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Jarrett said:
He even says inlays in the ad. Sounds fishy.
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I'm not sure about the block/sticker issue, but even tho he's got 42/100% feedback, he says mint and the bass is clearly not mint. His pics are crappy but you can still see a LOT of wear on that pickup cover. No "damage", but that bass has been played a LOT, so I'd imagine it'd have at least normal wear everywhere.

Bottom line is, especially at that price, might as well just buy new.
 
#262
Vic said:
I'm not sure about the block/sticker issue, but even tho he's got 42/100% feedback, he says mint and the bass is clearly not mint. His pics are crappy but you can still see a LOT of wear on that pickup cover. No "damage", but that bass has been played a LOT, so I'd imagine it'd have at least normal wear everywhere.

Bottom line is, especially at that price, might as well just buy new.
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Yup - Carvin doesn't do the blocks on maple and I highly doubt that he took that to a luthier to have them install the blocks.
 
#265
phillipkregg said:
Yup - Carvin doesn't do the blocks on maple
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Basshappi said:
Carvin doesn't offer blocks on maple.
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Are you sure? Could this simply be another option that's simply not available unless you call on the phone? I haven't asked, but since they do offer blocks on some necks/boards, I don't know why they couldn't on a maple SB neck.

Just a thought.
 
#266
They posted sometime back that they didn't offer it because they didn't want to go cheap on the process like some other vendors and the finishing process when using the MOP blocks was damaging to the maple or something like that. I will try and dig it up.
 
#267
Jarrett said:
They posted sometime back that they didn't offer it because they didn't want to go cheap on the process like some other vendors and the finishing process when using the MOP blocks was damaging to the maple or something like that. I will try and dig it up.
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Yeah, I'd be interested to read that. Thanks.
 
#268
From Albert:

"The main reason we don't use block inlays on maple boards is because abalone or MOP inlays are very dense materials. More so than maple by far. So, when the fretboard is given the radius, the inlay will not sand evenly. You would need to use more pressure when sanding causing the maple to burn. Not a pretty sight. There's also the filling issue as well.

It can be done with plastic inlays, which is what most companies like gibson, jackson and ibanez use. But not something as dense as abalone or MOP.

Now, I'm not saying it can't be done. But it would require different tooling and would be extremely time consuming, making it not worth the effort at that point. So we opt not to have this as an option."
 
#270
Jarrett said:
From Albert:

"The main reason we don't use block inlays on maple boards is because abalone or MOP inlays are very dense materials. More so than maple by far. So, when the fretboard is given the radius, the inlay will not sand evenly. You would need to use more pressure when sanding causing the maple to burn. Not a pretty sight. There's also the filling issue as well.

It can be done with plastic inlays, which is what most companies like gibson, jackson and ibanez use. But not something as dense as abalone or MOP.

Now, I'm not saying it can't be done. But it would require different tooling and would be extremely time consuming, making it not worth the effort at that point. So we opt not to have this as an option."
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Ok, that makes sense. Thanks for digging that up! :) (Edit: Phillip too!) :)

Yeah, I wouldn't fault them for that choice. Does make me wonder a lot more about that ad, tho... if they are actual inlays, then they were a one off custom from Carvin (which is what he says, to be fair) or some other person did them, but that would really drive the price up a lot, so maybe it is kind of a fire sale in his case? Not that it makes it worth a whole lot more to us, but interesting at least.
 
#271
Vic said:
Are you sure? Could this simply be another option that's simply not available unless you call on the phone? I haven't asked, but since they do offer blocks on some necks/boards, I don't know why they couldn't on a maple SB neck.

Just a thought.
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The other posts answered your question but I would add that I had called them and spoken to them specifically about this subject a few years ago. I was given the same general reasons.
 
#274
Dr Funk said:
Could possibly be new technology?
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If you're asking what I think you're asking, it'd be regarding their manufacturing process. They'd have to switch from their current sanding method to probably a cutting method via CNC process so the material density diffs wouldn't matter anymore, and sanding would only be done as a final smoothing stage (not material removal, which would be where the problem is per their comments).

I generally agree if they don't get tons of requests for it, there's probably not a strong enough business case to make significant changes like this to the process to offer it.
 
#277
I *love* the Carvin/LaBella nickles that came on the SB4000 I have. Nice medium tension, great tone from bottom to top,, and they seem quite long lived so far.
Has anyone tried the Carvin/LaBella SS, and found them similarly awesome?
Or, not?
 
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