Oh man, that green ones tempting... especially because it doesn't have stainless frets...
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Carvin SB5000 / SB4000 Roll Call...Part 5!
- Thread starter smperry
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The pure amount of total awesomeness that comes with them
The only downside I know is that it would theoretically cost more to get them dressed, but I don't know of anyone that has needed to do.
Jarrett said:The pure amount of total awesomeness that comes with them
Sorry Jarrett, but I disagree. I don't like the sound of stainless steel frets.
Jarrett said:
Have you ordered a separate neck from them already? I've been flirting with the idea, but to do the opposite: get a fretless neck.
Do you know if it comes pre drilled for an SB5000 pocket? Tuner holes and pilot holes for the tuner screws?
Everything I've read and in my experience, there isn't an audible difference between the fret types.
I haven't done it yet.
With my hands they just sound too bright. Jazz Basses can be inherently bright anyway and a lot of the clips I've heard of the SB's have sounded fairly bright, the ones I've heard of basses that had stainless frets seemed especially so. Probably great for slapping or whatever but I like vintage tone.
Most guitar builders I've talked with have agreed that stainless frets are not vintage tone and don't have the same warmth. I've yet to own or play a bass with them that sounds good to my ear, played with my hands.
Also I liked to mention that I usually prefer maple fretboard and the combo of stainless and maple is just beyond bright to me.
Stainless frets may last forever but I do all my fret leveling so I could care less if standard frets wear. Unless you play insanely hard your still gonna get a lot of years out of a set of good quality .048" x .103" frets. Nickel strings, which are all I use, won't wear a fret like stainless string will either.
A friend of mine has a SB4000 that is identical to my SB4000 other than his has the SS frets (and his is a different color). I really didn't notice any differences in tone like I was expecting to hear. The biggest difference I noticed was the feel of the strings on the frets. The SS frets allowed the strings to move much easier side to side...which for my playing style is not something that I like.
I'm pretty sure all of their bolt-on necks are the same now (that is what they told me). Call and ask but yes, they come predrilled and should bolt right on the SB.
I've been following the SB threads since they started and am flirting ever closer to pulling the trigger on one. I've sort of been in the market for a new 5, but made a deal with myself that I couldn't buy any more axes until I sold one... well, I shipped out my Modulus yesterday. 
Premier Bass is opening near Boulder in a couple weeks and promises to be a bass player's candyland. If I can't find anything there, maybe it's time to finally pull the trigger on an SB5000. I keep visiting the builder and checking out different builds...
I'll see how things play out, I guess.
5sg.
Premier Bass is opening near Boulder in a couple weeks and promises to be a bass player's candyland. If I can't find anything there, maybe it's time to finally pull the trigger on an SB5000. I keep visiting the builder and checking out different builds...
I'll see how things play out, I guess.
5sg.
I just want a bass with a gecko inlay
lol. It definitely gets a lot of "Hey, that's kinda cool!" comments!
Do you guys have any idea as to what finish/color the SB5000 is that Tom Barney is playing in Invalid Link Removed? They cut to him with it at :22, but there's a much better front view starting at about 4:05. Seems like it might be deep orangeburst?
EDIT: Screenshot attached for easier reference...
Just curious, thanks in advance!
5sg.
Attachments
90% sure that is Deep Orangeburst. Whether or not it's the triple-deep-thing I can't be sure. I have a B25 in Deep Orangeburst and it is a beautiful finish!
If you wouldn't mind, do you suppose you could PM me a couple pics of it? I'm narrowing down the options on an SB5000 in case I don't find anything at the opening of this bass store in a couple weeks, and the deep orangeburst is one finish I'm considering. However, in the searching I've done, it seems that the deep orangeburst can vary quite a bit in terms of edge darkness.
I'd much appreciate it!
5sg.
If you wouldn't mind, do you suppose you could PM me a couple pics of it? I'm narrowing down the options on an SB5000 in case I don't find anything at the opening of this bass store in a couple weeks, and the deep orangeburst is one finish I'm considering. However, in the searching I've done, it seems that the deep orangeburst can vary quite a bit in terms of edge darkness.
I'd much appreciate it!
5sg.
There are some in the B25 thread!
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f8/brian-bromberg-carvin-model-730635/index43.html
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f8/brian-bromberg-carvin-model-730635/index40.html
Thanks for the links! But see, that's what I'm talking about... your bass looks pretty different (darker) from Tom's bass in that video. Hmm.
P.S. That SB in those pictures is pretty hot too!
5sg.
There's a zillion reasons that things can look different, especially when looking at lit video. It will look When I was at the Carvin store in Hollywood, they had 2 basses in Deep Orangeburst and the colors were identical. Case in point: Same bass, same place, taken seconds apart, but on one picture the flash didn't go off...
Thanks! I dig both basses thoroughly.
I ordered a vintage creme one just after the 2010 NAMM show. Carvin's NAMM photos had one in this color, and it looked so cool I called the company to see if it was available. It wasn't but they built me one the same color, which at that time was not a standard color. It's since been added to the color menu.
I just ordered a second one. I "need" this one to have at my office, so I can practice there. It's swamp ash, birdseye maple board, white pearloid pickguard, 4 string....just like one photoed at the beginning of this thread.
I looked at several of their basses, thinking I would get something "different" for my office bass, but I ended up deciding why screw with a perfect formula? The SB4000 sounds just incredible to my ears.
My son plays in a local School of Rock program, and they just put on a show of 80s/90s "Euro Rock." My son played the SB4000 on 2 tunes, and I'd say at least 5 other kids borrowed it for other tunes. It was easily the most popular piece of equipment in the show.
I guess if you don't count the drum kit.
I just ordered a second one. I "need" this one to have at my office, so I can practice there. It's swamp ash, birdseye maple board, white pearloid pickguard, 4 string....just like one photoed at the beginning of this thread.
I looked at several of their basses, thinking I would get something "different" for my office bass, but I ended up deciding why screw with a perfect formula? The SB4000 sounds just incredible to my ears.
My son plays in a local School of Rock program, and they just put on a show of 80s/90s "Euro Rock." My son played the SB4000 on 2 tunes, and I'd say at least 5 other kids borrowed it for other tunes. It was easily the most popular piece of equipment in the show.
I guess if you don't count the drum kit.
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