Carvin SB5000 / SB4000 Roll Call...Part 7!

[boristhespider9]

I like that Carvin is at least a little unique in what they offer body style wise.

That said, I'm sure people would be quite happy if Carvin offered a Precision style pickup option, and I would probably have to order yet another bass from good old San Diego if that happened.

I agree with Vic that the B series would be the logical model for this option, but I would really love it if a PJ option was available on the LB series. A 24 fret active PJ from Carvin would most certainly get my attention!

I would like a new logo and new headstocks. The headstock on my SB, while an improvement over Carvin's horrendous pointy headstocks, still doesn't do it for me. I think they should stop resisting using more traditional headstocks. Clearly people like the SB because of it's more traditional J styling with a twist. Now, do the same with the headstocks.

Also, come up with a new logo. That old all-caps, clunky, WorkPerfect, inelegant logo turns a lot of people off. It's just uncool.

My .02.

 

[qervo]

That's perfect. I use to play a G&L also. Those pickups were a monster. I never had a problem being heard over the guitar amps.

 

[Jarrett]

That old all-caps, clunky, WorkPerfect, inelegant logo turns a lot of people off.

I saw this sentiment in another thread. I've never even thought twice about their logo before. Are there people out there that are concerned about this?

 

[qervo]

I don't care so much about looks. It's all about the sound. I would play a Frankenstein bass if it sounded killer. Also when a bass looks like it shouldn't sound good but does , it really shocks people. Great conversation piece so to speak.

 

[jb64]

I've been playing my SB5000 for over three years now and recently got a second one. Many engineers, upon hearing the bass, ask "Hey, what kind of bass is that?". They love the tone! My point is, the tone peaked their interest, and these are engineers who've heard everything!

Carl

 

[Jarrett]

I've been playing my SB5000 for over three years now and recently got a second one. Many engineers, upon hearing the bass, ask "Hey, what kind of bass is that?". They love the tone! My point is, the tone peaked their interest, and these are engineers who've heard everything!

That's one of the things that make me smile about the SB's. When seasoned engineers walk out of the booth just find out more about the bass because it sounds so good to them. Just more validation Carvin built something special in these basses.

 

[JoeVictim]

I would like a new logo and new headstocks. The headstock on my SB, while an improvement over Carvin's horrendous pointy headstocks, still doesn't do it for me. I think they should stop resisting using more traditional headstocks. Clearly people like the SB because of it's more traditional J styling with a twist. Now, do the same with the headtocks.

Also, come up with a new logo. That old all-caps, clunky, WorkPerfect, inelegant logo turns a lot of people off. It's just uncool.

My .02.

I thought they did an excellent job with the headstocks... especially in a market oversaturated with J bass copies, Carvin stands out.

The old 2x2 traditional headstock is pretty sweet if you don't like inline. (same style as their California Single Cut, aka Les Paul style)

As for the logo, meh. It is easy to read so there is no denying what bass you are playing. Remember the old BC Rich Logo of the big "R". Maybe a "C" for Carvin, with some elegant inlay? That would be a stunner.

 

[macribas]

I would like a new logo and new headstocks. The headstock on my SB, while an improvement over Carvin's horrendous pointy headstocks, still doesn't do it for me. I think they should stop resisting using more traditional headstocks. Clearly people like the SB because of it's more traditional J styling with a twist. Now, do the same with the headtocks.

Also, come up with a new logo. That old all-caps, clunky, WorkPerfect, inelegant logo turns a lot of people off. It's just uncool.

My .02.

Boris, great points, as usual we agree. I dislike Carvin's headstocks in general, and initially I didn't care for the SB headstock either. But it grew on me, I kind of dig it now.

 

[jb64]

That's one of the things that make me smile about the SB's. When seasoned engineers walk out of the booth just find out more about the bass because it sounds so good to them. Just more validation Carvin built something special in these basses.

My point exactly!

 

[boristhespider9]

I saw this sentiment in another thread. I've never even thought twice about their logo before. Are there people out there that are concerned about this?

I think so. Looks matter, including the logo. Carvin's logo has always looked cheap and "thoughtless" to me. Like they pulled it off an invoice or something and decided to use it for everything. Combine that with the other things Carvin has done on the aesthetic front in the past, and it's just off-putting to more traditional players who may want to try something new.

As for the SB headstock, I think it works better on the 5000 and than the 4000, but I still think it's ugly. Most of Carvin's headstocks are ugly and it's one of the consistent reasons you hear people putt-off by the looks even if they'd otherwise be interested in the features and tone of a Carvin.

 

[TonyP-]

I used to think it was not so hot either but it grew on me...

To be honest I don't even notice it/them (or any of my headstocks for that matters) until its time to change strings or tune.

I'm very much a J guy and all I can say is that I find the SBs Uber J like (almost exaggerated in J tone) with a very flexiable pre that I put right up with this with Audere and Nordstrand.

 

[Mystic Michael]

I really cannot understand the continuing fixation & fetishism with Carvin developing its own version of the Fender Precision Bass. I mean if that's your thing, why not just pick up the real thing (at least if you want a four-string)? Fender is producing some first-rate instruments as of late. You could hardly do better than a brand new Fender American Deluxe Precision.

My feeling has long been that Carvin performs best whenever it innovates - not when it produces knock-offs of currently existing designs...even if they're high-end knock-offs.

The SB line is very nice, granted. But so is the Bromberg line - and a much more sophisticated design as well, IMHO.

Seemingly lost in the whirl of TalkBass buzz is the Icon - surely one of the more under-rated bass guitars currently in production. But it's designed & styled as modern - not vintage. So I guess that automatically keeps it off the radar screens of many...

MM

 

[boristhespider9]

I really cannot understand the continuing fixation & fetishism with Carvin developing its own version of the Fender Precision Bass. I mean if that's your thing, why not just pick up the real thing (at least if you want a four-string)? Fender is producing some first-rate instruments as of late. You could hardly do better than a brand new Fender American Deluxe Precision.

My feeling has long been that Carvin performs best whenever it innovates - not when it produces knock-offs of currently existing designs...even if they're high-end knock-offs.

The SB line is very nice, granted. But so is the Bromberg line - and a much more sophisticated design as well, IMHO.

Seemingly lost in the whirl of TalkBass buzz is the Icon - surely one of the more under-rated bass guitars currently in production. But it's designed & styled as modern - not vintage. So I guess that automatically keeps it off the radar screens of many...

MM

Probably because people like the P-Bass sound and look but would love the options, colors, woods, features and attention to detail they could get if Carvin made a version. Buy a Fender MIA and your options are pretty limited.

I'd hope they'd come up with a new headstock though if they did a P.

 

[Jarrett]

For some like myself, Carvin represents a builder that offers the same or similar product with higher quality than other builders (Any production Fender, Japanese Sadowsky) for a much more reasonable price. In the case of the SB, its just a better Jazz bass at a lower price for me. Stands to reason if they made a P bass type model, the same would hold true.

I'm not a P bass guy, so its really not skin off my back if they don't make one. I just have a feeling that others might really appreciate it. As long as they keep churning out SB5000's I'm all good

 

[Vic]

I guess Carvin knows what they are doing by not building a more traditional bass. I'm personally happy with the SB as it stands. I haven't picked up a Fender than can touch it.

FWIW, I would personally consider the B40/50 to be pretty traditional looking (though not the SB of course).

Yeah, I've spent a lot of time running the racks of what Fender puts out. I did this before I got the SB and then some more after.

Still a bit curious... when you tried the Fenders, were they also set up properly? That's one place I think their distro chain really falls down... most Fender dealers just take them out of the box and throw them on the wall and never touch them ever again. Many of the USA models should come fairly well set up, but IMHO, they've all needed to be touched up a bit more in my experience. HOWEVER, once done, they really do very well... take a great setup and play/sound great.

That said, at least regarding pickups, while I do think they have good ones, I don't think Fender has a pickup that sounds as good as the J99's, but I also think SB and Carvin worked REALLY hard on those, and they are a big part of the "key" to the SB line. Fender probably figures there's so many aftermarket pickups, they just need to provide a nice baseline of models, which they do. I will say some of the aftermarkets for Fenders keep right up with the J99's however.

Anyway, all IMHO/IME. Just trying to be fair to Fender because they really did clean up their game more recently.

 

[Vic]

On the headstock/logo, the headstock matters to me, but the logo? Meh, whatever. I guess especially on mine since it's almost invisible.

But the headstock does kinda' matter... and initially, it was a bit of a negative to me, but it also grew on me to the point where I just consider it part of the whole and with the body also being so unique looking, pretty much of a non-issue. I don't even think about it anymore at all. It just is what it is. Kinda' like the Alleva Coppolo headstocks... kinda' "bulbous" looking, and initially a fairly significant negative for me, but a non-issue now.

BUT, neither were (obviously) outrageous enough for me to consider them as primary purchasing criteria (though I can think of some basses where the looks are... but that's too far OT).

 

[J Gold]

I got my SB with a reversed Icon headstock because the SB head looks ridiculous to me.

 

[WoodyG3]

I would like a new logo and new headstocks. The headstock on my SB, while an improvement over Carvin's horrendous pointy headstocks, still doesn't do it for me. I think they should stop resisting using more traditional headstocks. Clearly people like the SB because of it's more traditional J styling with a twist. Now, do the same with the headstocks.

Also, come up with a new logo. That old all-caps, clunky, WorkPerfect, inelegant logo turns a lot of people off. It's just uncool.

My .02.

It just goes to show that there are always opposing points of view, because I love the pointed headstock, and I REALLY wish that's what I had gotten on my SB4000. I think the SB headstock looks, well... not so good. The logo, by the way, looks just fine to me, as well. I've always though it looked professional. But, everyone's gonna' have their opinion on anything involving aesthetics. I'm hoping that Carvin comes out with a headstock that people like you will find pleasing.

...
Seemingly lost in the whirl of TalkBass buzz is the Icon - surely one of the more under-rated bass guitars currently in production. But it's designed & styled as modern - not vintage. So I guess that automatically keeps it off the radar screens of many...

MM

I agree. Some people see the Icon as a sort of Ibanez-like design. I don't, and I like the way my Icon looks quite a bit. And, more importantly, I love the way it sounds and plays. I think, Michael, that if more people got their hands on one, they would be more popular.

Anyway, if Carvin did offer a P pickup option on the SB series, I think it might sort of put a dent in the perception that the SBs are a sort of "Super Jazz Bass." And, since Carvin designs are mostly "progessive" and "modern" I'm not sure if they want to do the P pickup thing at all.

Meh, what do I know? Just rambling.

 

[TonyP-]

FWIW, I would personally consider the B40/50 to be pretty traditional looking (though not the SB of course).

That said, at least regarding pickups, while I do think they have good ones, I don't think Fender has a pickup that sounds as good as the J99's, but I also think SB and Carvin worked REALLY hard on those, and they are a big part of the "key" to the SB line. Fender probably figures there's so many aftermarket pickups, they just need to provide a nice baseline of models, which they do. I will say some of the aftermarkets for Fenders keep right up with the J99's however.

Anyway, all IMHO/IME. Just trying to be fair to Fender because they really did clean up their game more recently.

+1
Nordstrand...I used them in everything but the Carvin. The J99s do a fine job.

 

[smeet]

I've been out of the SB loop for a while now, thought I would chime in a bit, as my bass is a bit different.

I have an SB5000 with the Vol/Blend and 3-band eq, maple fingerboard, alder body, to which I had a passive tone and active/passive switch added by Carey Nordstrand's shop (since Carvin wouldn't do that). I also found the bridge pickup a bit too thin and bright, so I had them replace it with a Big Single, routed to be a bit closer to 60's position rather than 70's. It's a great bass with a HUGE range of tones now (sweepable mids, active/passive with passive tone, bright J99 at the neck throaty Big Single at the bridge).

I also have a 2012 American Deluxe Jazz V, and although they sound different, there is some overlap, with the Carvin more modern and bright compared to the Fender. Although I like it a lot, I just haven't been playing the Carvin much lately. I'm switching out the pickups in the Fender (N3's are noisy!), and then I'll do some more head-to-head comparisons between the two. The new Fenders are really nice, so it should be interesting.


Here it is in original form:

New bridge pickup:

New controls (added stacked passive tone on the volume, and active/passive switch):