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

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#141
Here's a random though: Has anyone though of getting an SB routed for a P pickup in the neck position, then covering the resulting mess with a custom pickguard?

I've been looking at at various options for 5 string basses in a P/J configuration, and there aren't a whole lot of them. And the ones that are anywhere near as nice as a Carvin cost a fortune.
 
#143
Handyman said:
Here's a random though: Has anyone though of getting an SB routed for a P pickup in the neck position, then covering the resulting mess with a custom pickguard?

I've been looking at at various options for 5 string basses in a P/J configuration, and there aren't a whole lot of them. And the ones that are anywhere near as nice as a Carvin cost a fortune.
Click to expand...

I had thought of it but I'd probably go the B50 route if I was going to do it and just have Carvin not route the pickup cavities.
 
#144
Handyman said:
Here's a random though: Has anyone though of getting an SB routed for a P pickup in the neck position, then covering the resulting mess with a custom pickguard?

I've been looking at at various options for 5 string basses in a P/J configuration, and there aren't a whole lot of them. And the ones that are anywhere near as nice as a Carvin cost a fortune.
Click to expand...
The main concern with the body work is if you could find someone who could route correctly without doing serious damage to the finish. There may be a shattering/cracking issue or something. Then designing a custom guard should be do-able, but also a special skill set there and maybe kind of a big challenge to make it look good with all it has to cover.

However, the bigger problem (IMHO) is what happens electronically. Once you yank that single-coil (SC) J out and put a hum-cancelling (HC) P in, the bridge pickup no longer has anything to cancel with, and will make full SC hum noise all the time as long as it's in the mix. I've played PJ's with SC J's in them before and while it is venue dependent how bad it is, it's always been enough to drive me nuts because I most typically play fully blended on a bass. I don't think Carvin has a HC J pickup that sounds as good as the SB SC's, either, so at the end of the day, IMHO, that config will "lose tone" in a significant way.

Something to think about, since what you're talking about doing will be a major project, and potentially expensive.
 
#145
Vic said:
The main concern with the body work is if you could find someone who could route correctly without doing serious damage to the finish. There may be a shattering/cracking issue or something. Then designing a custom guard should be do-able, but also a special skill set there and maybe kind of a big challenge to make it look good with all it has to cover.

However, the bigger problem (IMHO) is what happens electronically. Once you yank that single-coil (SC) J out and put a hum-cancelling (HC) P in, the bridge pickup no longer has anything to cancel with, and will make full SC hum noise all the time as long as it's in the mix. I've played PJ's with SC J's in them before and while it is venue dependent how bad it is, it's always been enough to drive me nuts because I most typically play fully blended on a bass. I don't think Carvin has a HC J pickup that sounds as good as the SB SC's, either, so at the end of the day, IMHO, that config will "lose tone" in a significant way.

Something to think about, since what you're talking about doing will be a major project, and potentially expensive.
Click to expand...

The finish cracking issue isn't such a big deal, assuming the resulting mess fits under a pick guard.

Everything else that you've mentioned has kept me from trying such a thing. Ideally Carvin should just add an option for a P pickup. :p
 
#147
Freddels said:
I had thought of it but I'd probably go the B50 route if I was going to do it and just have Carvin not route the pickup cavities.
Click to expand...

That's what I did. I was thinking about the SB5000 with a new pickguard, but when I ran the numbers, even a used one didn't make sense vs. a brand new B50.

I got this B50 unrouted but painted. Pat Wilkins wound and installed one of his VR5P pickups (#1, actually) and it is astounding. It's the exact same neck as the SB, so in addition to sounding amazing, it plays like a dream. 8.5 pounds of heaven. Highly recommended. A Reverse P/J of this is next. Probably in Walnut...

IMG_1540.jpg

IMG_1700-1.jpg
 
#148
There was no finish cracking on that B50. I don't know how they did that one, but I'm sure the person doing the routing could tape it off, then maybe score the outline with a dremel before using the router.
 
#149
Bassorama57 said:
I case anyone's tracking wait times - I got "the postcard" this week. Ordered SB4000 on 09/27; postcard states "we expect it to be completed 11/16."
Click to expand...


I ordered my SB4000 on Sept 6 and it arrived today, Oct 11. Unfortunately I'm at work 3,000 miles away and won't see it until the weekend :(
 
#152
rizzo9247 said:
-R Ferrari Red
-MA Maple Neck/Alder Body (Standard)
PH Headstock To Match Body Finish
-SBH SB-Style Headstock (Standard)
-EB Ebony Fingerboard (Standard)
MP Mother Of Pearl Block Inlays
-FR Med-Jumbo Frets .048" H .103" W (Standard)
-R14 14in Fretboard Radius (Standard)
-CH Chrome Hardware (Standard)
-J9A J99A Alnico Single Coil Pickups (Standard)
-BLK Black Pickups
-WP White Pearloid Pickguard
Click to expand...

Just an update for those in the queue..ordered a SB5000 09/07/12 and expected completion date is 10/24/12...getting anxious!
 
#158
I've been admiring the SB's from a distance so to speak, but tonight may have been the turning point for me. TB's own Darryl Williams hosts a cool open mic night when he's home and tonight was my first night going. I know Darryl is a monster player and could kill it on anything, but his SB5000 was pure tonal bliss. He was covering a ton of styles backing everyone up and the SB delivered! I was really impressed with the quality too. Guess I said all that to say I'll be specing one out soon and I'll see what I can come up with. Hope to get in this club in the near future.
 
#159
jjk2007 said:
I've been admiring the SB's from a distance so to speak, but tonight may have been the turning point for me. TB's own Darryl Williams hosts a cool open mic night when he's home and tonight was my first night going. I know Darryl is a monster player and could kill it on anything, but his SB5000 was pure tonal bliss. He was covering a ton of styles backing everyone up and the SB delivered! I was really impressed with the quality too. Guess I said all that to say I'll be specing one out soon and I'll see what I can come up with. Hope to get in this club in the near future.
Click to expand...
Play one, one time, you'll be an owner.

Yeah, they're that good, especially at their price point. Carvin has a MASSIVE winner on their hands here IMHO. May literally be the best bass I've ever played from them at any price level... at least for my tonal prefs.
 
#160
Vic said:
Play one, one time, you'll be an owner.
Click to expand...
That was certainly my experience as well back in April 2010.

I think I see a trend though. It seems like people either like the SB500x series OR the SB400x series. There doesn't seem to be many that like both basses equally. I think a lot of it comes down to the neck profile. Me personally, I'm a SB5000 guy.
 
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