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

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#821
Okay, okay! Sorry about my little rant. Maybe I’ve been on TB too long. Seems like no matter how nice the product (be it Carvin or otherwise), most of us seem to have this bizarre need to “upgrade.” You know, a guy gets a pretty nice bass then before he’s even gigged with it, he’s already planned on ripping out the electronics for Nordstrad pickups and an Audere preamp. Then sanding the finish on the back of the neck and treating it with tung oil. Then installing a ramp. Etcetera, etcetera, and so on. There was a time I’d read stuff like this a drool over any provided pictures. But now that I’m getting old and farty, I find myself thinking, “really?”… “ REALLY???” It really requires all that to get “the tone?” Sheesh.

But I’m no better. I’m already lusting for another Bromberg B25 and I may go with stainless steel frets and strings with full maple body and neck (I’m running with your heavy maple idea, Mr. Funkinthetrunk). Then I find myself thinking about a more old school nickel SB5000 with a useless but cool looking pickup cover. So I guess I’m not much better.
 
#823
fivestringgecko said:
GUITAR CENTER has ruined bass shopping for me.
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This GC in Dallas has a lot of nice bass gear. Modulus, Pedulla, MusicMan, Ibanez, Fender, MarkBass, GK, Ampeg, some used SWR stuff.


dgce said:
Sorry to get all curmudgeony here but Carvin offers a gazillion options on a sizeable variety of bass models, built in the U.S., at a pretty damn reasonable price. But will it make THAT big of a difference in your playing?
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No, but its fun to be able to customize your bass the way you like it instead of just eating whatever Fender decides to put out.

Ewo said:
Well, I just might get it Plekked, but that's icing on the cake...
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I've been thinking about doing that as well, but I don't have enough down time between gigs to send it off. Let me know if you pull the trigger.
 
#824
dgce said:
But now that I’m getting old and farty, I find myself thinking, “really?”… “ REALLY???” It really requires all that to get “the tone?” Sheesh.
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Geez, just give it a rest already. Really. And not just you personally, but all the rest of you cranks. There's nothing sacred or untouchable about a stock instrument. And there's nothing wrong with upgrading and/or customizing a stock instrument in order to make it better. Period. :eyebrow:

dgce said:
But I’m no better...So I guess I’m not much better.
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Uh, it's not a matter of being "better" or "worse". It's not even a value question or a virtue question at all. It's just personal preference. Really, that's all. It's just personal preference... :eyebrow:

MM
 
#825
Ewo said:
e.

Well, I just might get it Plekked, but that's icing on the cake...
Click to expand...

A waste of good money IMHO as it does not need it. I owned Plekked Laklands, which were great, and an improvement (also IMHO) over their non-plekked Skylines. But I'll put the Carvin fretwork up against pretty much any factory..


dgce said:
Seems like no matter how nice the product (be it Carvin or otherwise), most of us seem to have this bizarre need to “upgrade.” You know, a guy gets a pretty nice bass then before he’s even gigged with it, he’s already planned on ripping out the electronics for Nordstrad pickups and an Audere preamp. Then sanding the finish on the back of the neck and treating it with tung oil. Then installing a ramp. Etcetera, etcetera, and so on. There was a time I’d read stuff like this a drool over any provided pictures. But now that I’m getting old and farty, I find myself thinking, “really?”… “ REALLY???” It really requires all that to get “the tone?” Sheesh.

But I’m no better. I’m already lusting for another Bromberg B25 and I may go with stainless steel frets and strings with full maple body and neck (I’m running with your heavy maple idea, Mr. Funkinthetrunk). Then I find myself thinking about a more old school nickel SB5000 with a useless but cool looking pickup cover. So I guess I’m not much better.
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I agree that automatically swapping electronics at time of purchase for similar electronics from a different manufacturer is kinda silly, especially for the B, SB and Bromberg series. Those electronics are upgrades in and of themselves IMHO.

Every neck I have ends up with a smooth finish, courtesy of som 00 Steel Wool. My Bromberg came with a gloss neck, but it's satin now.

But as the owner of the (currently) only Carvin P5, I'm as guilty as anyone. Although, that bass was ordered to be that way from day 1.

dgce said:
And yeah... I suppose a P-pickup option from Carvin would be pretty hip.
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Yes. Yes it would. You can still build one to your spec from scratch for less than a US Fender (unless you go nuts with the options) and I highly recommend it. I almost had to sell mine and it was just ripping out my soul to do it. Luckily, I got to keep it....
 
#827
MysticMichael said:
And there's nothing wrong with upgrading and/or customizing a stock instrument in order to make it better. Period. :eyebrow:
...
Uh, it's not a matter of being "better" or "worse"...
...It's just personal preference. Really, that's all. It's just personal preference... :eyebrow:
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:D

Sorry, couldn't resist. :)

:hiding:

I agree, tho. I'm generally not too much of a tinkerer... but I have been known to make changes from time to time. Instruments are a really personal thing, which is why it's truly possible that one person's poison is another person's pleasure.
 
#829
Grateful said:
But as the owner of the (currently) only Carvin P5, I'm as guilty as anyone. Although, that bass was ordered to be that way from day 1.
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Ahhh yes, your dreamy Carvin P5. Basically a B50 but with one single killer P pickup, a vol and tone, no? Lean, mean, elegant. Interesting, you could have built that bass anyway you wanted and yet it’s pretty straightforward. Plan on any uranium powered Aguilar electronics with titanium nut, LED dot fretboard, and fog release button on that beauty or does it basically do the job you designed it to do?
 
#830
dgce said:
Okay, okay! Sorry about my little rant. Maybe I’ve been on TB too long.
Click to expand...

Ain't no thang...buddy. We all deserve to rant every now and then.

dgce said:
Seems like no matter how nice the product (be it Carvin or otherwise), most of us seem to have this bizarre need to “upgrade.” You know, a guy gets a pretty nice bass then before he’s even gigged with it, he’s already planned on ripping out the electronics for Nordstrad pickups and an Audere preamp. Then sanding the finish on the back of the neck and treating it with tung oil. Then installing a ramp. Etcetera, etcetera, and so on.
Click to expand...

In total harmony with you on this.

dgce said:
I’m already lusting for another Bromberg B25 and I may go with stainless steel frets and strings with full maple body and neck.
Click to expand...

It's a heavy bass and your chances of ever selling it would be slim due to the weight....but to my ears, it edges out my first B24 in tonal respects. It's just a larger and clearer sound. BTW, I went with standard med jumbo frets. And big kudos to Carvin for the gently flamed 5 pcs maple/walnut neck they gave me. Needless to say, I was pretty giddy when I saw it.
 
#833
dgce said:
Ahhh yes, your dreamy Carvin P5. Basically a B50 but with one single killer P pickup, a vol and tone, no? Lean, mean, elegant. Interesting, you could have built that bass anyway you wanted and yet it’s pretty straightforward. Plan on any uranium powered Aguilar electronics with titanium nut, LED dot fretboard, and fog release button on that beauty or does it basically do the job you designed it to do?
Click to expand...

I just needed a plain, traditional, Alder/RW P bass, but was so spoiled by Carvin playability, especially w/the SB5K neck, that I knew I wouldn't be happy with anything else. As said before, I actually bought a US Fender P5 after getting the Carvin finished and it wasn't even a competition. I think I kept the Fender for less than a month. I may put a bone nut on it soon, but other than that, it's perfect to me as is. I'll leave the uranium fog generation to our Boston Terrier.

Next is an unlined fretless Icon that is all-non-figured-Walnut neck and body, all Tung-oiled with RAD-H's, Piezo pickup and and Icon Pre (due in about 2 weeks). It will come from the factory with Tapewounds.

I was thinking about an SB5000 P/J, but ended up grabbing a Wilkins Roadtested from Pat and that is going to work out just fine....
 
#834
Grateful said:
I just needed a plain, traditional, Alder/RW P bass, but was so spoiled by Carvin playability, especially w/the SB5K neck, that I knew I wouldn't be happy with anything else. As said before, I actually bought a US Fender P5 after getting the Carvin finished and it wasn't even a competition. I think I kept the Fender for less than a month. I may put a bone nut on it soon, but other than that, it's perfect to me as is. I'll leave the uranium fog generation to our Boston Terrier.

Next is an unlined fretless Icon that is all-non-figured-Walnut neck and body, all Tung-oiled with RAD-H's, Piezo pickup and and Icon Pre (due in about 2 weeks). It will come from the factory with Tapewounds.

I was thinking about an SB5000 P/J, but ended up grabbing a Wilkins Roadtested from Pat and that is going to work out just fine....
Click to expand...

I know what you mean. Tough to pick up an F. Carvin (moreso, Sekou Bunch) has nailed this bass. Jazz bass players really should check this bass out. You won't get a bass of this caliber, without spending more. Even then, the comparisons are minot (sp?). Carvin raises the bar on "mid priced" instruments.
 
#837
Straight from my brain, here is my custom order that I just picked up yesterday.

Epoxy neck, Diamond Pearl White (new color), passive/active, hipshot ... I love her! 2013-04-03_15-19-21_371-1.jpg
 
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