I sold a SB5001 last year and regretted it. Look what I have coming on Monday !
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Carvin SB5000 / SB4000 Roll Call...Part 8!
- Thread starter Bryan R. Tyler
- Start date
wow, that is some fine grain flame!
I think these SB5000s and the B25's were Carvin at it's best. Stylish but not gaudy, well made but an incredible value even when new from a humble, supportive one-stop company that could cover you from instrument to amp to PA and most things in between. The new direction has lost my interest...IMHO, if they really want to be in that high-dollar-boutique-coffee-table-bass market, they need a dramatic re-think in their approach to electronics: Like being able to spec non-Carvin pickups/preamps in their instruments...They have already bitch-slapped Carvin amps by featuring other brands in their demos so why not carry that over to existing, well respected electronics? No way I'd drop 2K+ on a bass without big league electronics in it...
Personally, I think they're electronics are finally good. To me, it all started with the SBs (thanks Mr Bunch). Then comes Mr Bromberg and his bass ideas furthering Carvin's onboard preamp development. I own both and it's the only 2 Carvin basses that I didn't have to gut the electronics. Trust me, I own bunch of their basses and guitars.
I respect manufacturer who designs and makes their own electronics as I feel they have a total "vision" of what they're end product is meant to be. I didn't dig their tone "vision" before, but it seems their R and D is finally looking at a bass as a bass and not a guitar tuned an octave lower.
Now start offering slim neck options on all models? What about fanned fret basses? Or MIDI options for basses? Single cuts instead of the headless thing. Fingerboard binding as an option? They already make Jazz basses, give it a binding too.
I respect manufacturer who designs and makes their own electronics as I feel they have a total "vision" of what they're end product is meant to be. I didn't dig their tone "vision" before, but it seems their R and D is finally looking at a bass as a bass and not a guitar tuned an octave lower.
Now start offering slim neck options on all models? What about fanned fret basses? Or MIDI options for basses? Single cuts instead of the headless thing. Fingerboard binding as an option? They already make Jazz basses, give it a binding too.
I kept all the electronics in my Carvins except one that was built to be routed, and still have the RAD-H in my sole remaining B25 fretless. But to a lot of folks, even many in this thread, it would likely grease the skids to have the option to specify Nordstrands or Barts or whatever. Not too many folks buying $2K basses and asking for Carvin pickups in them...Although the Pre they used to offer in the SB's was tops. Like a more cost effective Sadowsky pre.
Of the options you listed, I could see the binding as a good thing, and I think they have a fanned fret bass in proto. I would guess that fewer people would really care about Single cuts and MIDI options than 3rd party electronics. YMMV...
A company that designs their own electronics would be very hesitant to install someone else's. I doubt Roger Sadowsky would be very open to installing preamps that's not his. But, I guess pickups are a little different. The Bromberg preamp I dig so much I wished they sold them outright.
Single cuts...niche, I agree. MIDI option was a highly requested. As was block inlays on maple. That took forever to become an option.
Single cuts...niche, I agree. MIDI option was a highly requested. As was block inlays on maple. That took forever to become an option.
Sadowsky electronics are respected in their own right, with a nice market presence and reputation separate from their instruments (I have the pre in one of my main basses). Getting Sadowsky electronics in a Sadowsky is certainly a plus. This is not so much the case with Carvin. Plus, Sadowsky did use 3rd party pickups before developing their own.
I have 2 Wilkins basses now, and even though Pat offers his own line of excellent pickups (I have those in the other main bass) he will put whatever you want in there. While he doesn't do the same volume of electronics sales as other companies, people certainly like having the option of having whatever they want in their custom bass. My guess is that if Carvin ever offered that, they would definitely get some takers. But since they draw an arbitrary line about which bass can get which of their own pickups, I don't see that ever happening. They seem more focused on cosmetics.
The Bromberg Pre is great, even though it doesn't work with humbuckers, but maple blocks=good thing!
I believe this has nothing to do with what this discussion is about. I'm not an Sadowsky know it all, but I don't believe seeing Nords written on all their pickup cases...I could be wrong, someone correct me if I am. Although I've seen EMG soaps on some of their older models. Besides, I thought Dimarzio makes their pickups. Getting electronics made by a different company to your specs, for your instruments is a little different than just throwing in off the shelf stuff (IMO).
Very true and I totally agree with this. But now that's Roger developed his own, would he jubilant to install Barts into his basses because I want to order it that way? I don't know...I really don't know.
You're right, I'm sure having Pope preamps and Nords pickups would be a huge draw to Carvin basses for some. But I'm going on record, again: these new breed of Carvin onboard bass preamps (SB series and BriBrom) sounds great to my ears and are still in my basses. I have an Xotic XJ pre installed in my Warmoth parts bass and I prefer the sound of my SB better. But...the preamp in my Sire MM V7 has got me re-thinking things lately.
I always wondered what's the issue with buckers and that pre. Is it the active volume / blend circuit? A while ago, I bragged and called out Carvin many times on this forum about if they ever were to offer blocks on maple, I would order a bass on the spot. I did put my $ where mouth was. I ordered another B24 immediately after they started offering it. I tend to keep my big mouth shut nowadays.
I've had several basses since I sold the SB5001 I had last year including a Sterling 5 , a 55-01, a Sadowsky clone, Am Dlx J 5 and a Stingray 5HH. I think it says something that after all those, I jumped on the opportunity to get back into an SB. Another thing is that you don't see them come up for sale often. Not anymore , anyway.
I was reading a Nordstrand thread and someone mentioned that Nordstrand was making some of the Sadowsky pickups now.
Very well could be. Nords are some awesome pickups. I think they're starting to do MTDs too?
I received my SB5001, today. Just a sick ass bass. I traded my 2012 american Deluxe Jazz V for it and was a little worried. The only bummer for me was that I knew it had an aftermarket preamp. I figured that I'd just order an SB preamp from Carvin if I don't like it. The Aguilar OBP-3 preamp works great with this bass, though. It has so much cut available that I don't think I'll miss the passive tone roll off. We'll see.
I am too lazy to quote, but here are a couple of responses to some issues raised, here.
1. all of the "coffee" table stuff is marketing. You can still order most models, with solid colors or less flashy options. They have also added some very useful options, such as luminlay side dots (now available for maple boards without voiding return) and luminlay fretboard inlays.
And the bevels on the Aries guitars and Vanquish basses aren't simply for flashyness. They reportedly are also very comfortable for your forearms. You get that benefit, no matter how you spec the woods or colors.
2. I believe you can ask for a "slim" neck option, with any model. Its an option which you have to call to get.
3. As long as the 3rd party pickups fit Kiesel's existing routes, you can send them any pickups you want, to be installed. There is an upcharge, for which I am unsure of the price. But I don't think it is unreasonable. For me personally, I have no problem installing pickups, on my own. and have swapped pickups in my Icon bass, a few times.
I believe you can also send them pre-amps. Again, as long as they will work with their existing routing.
4. Their newer pickups are objectively good and subjectively, may be very good, depending upon the person. I personally think that the RAD-JVA radiused single coils, which launched with the Vanquish bass series, are very good. I have a set in my Icon 5. I installed every other radiused pickup they offer, before installing the RAD-JVA. I would put them up against any other high dollar single coil. P2 shape or not.
The pricing is also very competitive, for all of their pickups. $150 for radiused, blade style P2 shaped pickups (single coil or dual coil), is really good.
The Icon pre-amp is absolutely fine. It is quiet, clean, fairly transparent, and has adjustable output. I think my only complaint, personally, is that the frequencies emphasized for the lows adjustment, isn't my favorite, for my gear.
They have newer pre-amps, I would guess their overall performance (quiet and clean), is similar. If you are looking for something nasty or just with more character, yeah, you may want to buy a 3rd party pre-amp.
1. all of the "coffee" table stuff is marketing. You can still order most models, with solid colors or less flashy options. They have also added some very useful options, such as luminlay side dots (now available for maple boards without voiding return) and luminlay fretboard inlays.
And the bevels on the Aries guitars and Vanquish basses aren't simply for flashyness. They reportedly are also very comfortable for your forearms. You get that benefit, no matter how you spec the woods or colors.
2. I believe you can ask for a "slim" neck option, with any model. Its an option which you have to call to get.
3. As long as the 3rd party pickups fit Kiesel's existing routes, you can send them any pickups you want, to be installed. There is an upcharge, for which I am unsure of the price. But I don't think it is unreasonable. For me personally, I have no problem installing pickups, on my own. and have swapped pickups in my Icon bass, a few times.
I believe you can also send them pre-amps. Again, as long as they will work with their existing routing.
4. Their newer pickups are objectively good and subjectively, may be very good, depending upon the person. I personally think that the RAD-JVA radiused single coils, which launched with the Vanquish bass series, are very good. I have a set in my Icon 5. I installed every other radiused pickup they offer, before installing the RAD-JVA. I would put them up against any other high dollar single coil. P2 shape or not.
The pricing is also very competitive, for all of their pickups. $150 for radiused, blade style P2 shaped pickups (single coil or dual coil), is really good.
The Icon pre-amp is absolutely fine. It is quiet, clean, fairly transparent, and has adjustable output. I think my only complaint, personally, is that the frequencies emphasized for the lows adjustment, isn't my favorite, for my gear.
They have newer pre-amps, I would guess their overall performance (quiet and clean), is similar. If you are looking for something nasty or just with more character, yeah, you may want to buy a 3rd party pre-amp.
Yeah, but they aren't SB's. Huge blunder for Carvin by blowing that relationship.
Was it really Carvin's blunder? What happened? I have not been able to dig up any details on the company's separation from Sekou Bunch.
