Carvin SB5000 / SB4000 Roll Call...Part 8!

[WoodyG3]

That's definitely hot, but an extra $400 for a spalt maple tap is ouchy!

5sg.

Check out how much other builders will charge and I think you'll see $400 isn't bad at all. This also isn't just a very thin piece of veneer like many builders use, it's a good hunk of wood on the top.

Plong, I look forward to seeing the bass once the headstock gets redone.

 

[plong123]

Are you planning on getting it back with the headstock re-done?

Yes. Long story short: I received it in mid-April with the headstock issue. After playing the heck out of it for two days to make sure there were no other issues, I sent it back and have been waiting. I called yesterday, and it was complete! I should be getting UPS shipping confirmation today.

Totally dig your bass...totally badass.

Thanks! Like I said, it's my dream bass!

Plong, I look forward to seeing the bass once the headstock gets redone.

Me too, brother!

 

[plong123]

The inspiration for my bass came from 3 other instruments. My first inspiration came from the Carvin website. In the bass builder section, you can see all of the color possibilties. Then, if you click each individual color, examples pop up. When I clicked on the color swatch for Sunset Burst Edges, this popped up:

...and it floored me. I had never considered (or really knew anything at all about) spalted maple, but, sweet mother moses, was that a sharp look!

Later, as I was trolling TB classifieds, I came across this SB5001 sold by ArcticT last fall. It inspired me to go with black hardware and pickguard against the warm colored wood. To this day, I consider these three of the finest bass classified pictures I've ever seen.

And then the final confirmation was an Icon that Jarrett pointed out from the Carvin bass-in-stock section. I modified it a little with Photoshop to include an ebony board with no markers and have a 5-piece neck, and that's pretty much the way I ended up ordering it that week.

I liked the yellowish/orange undercoat of that one so much that I changed my color from natural with Sunset Burst Edges (SST) to straight Sunset Burst finish(TU) . I think because it reminded me so much of ArcticT's SB5001.

And it all translated into this:

Link Removed

Anyhoo, expect a full photoshoot when it arrives. I'm glad there are other bass geeks out here that can appreciate things like this. My wife doesn't get it

 

[Vibhas Patil]

Holy GOD, I'm having a G.A.S. attack!!

 

[fivestringgecko]

Check out how much other builders will charge and I think you'll see $400 isn't bad at all. This also isn't just a very thin piece of veneer like many builders use, it's a good hunk of wood on the top.

I think it depends on who you work with. I have a 6-string custom from Chris Stambaugh and I'd have to look at my invoice to be sure (at home in the case), but I believe he only charged me $100-150 for an exotic wood top option (matching headstock), and he even let me pick it out... I ordered it from Oregon Wild Woods for about $45 and had it shipped directly to him.

To think that "$400 isn't bad" makes me wonder how much more other builders are charging!

5sg.

 

[fivestringgecko]

Hmm... Guy over on the Carvin BBS said that his completion date was listed as 6/11 and he got his Icon 6 last Friday... maybe mine WILL get done early?

*crossing fingers*

P.S. I got curious and looked into what my SB5k would've cost with a Spalt maple top, and in reality it only would've added $130 to the price tag since I got a quilt maple on mine. The way they have the pricing listed on the builder threw me off. Quilt = "free," but a finish is $300. Spalt Maple = $400, but a finish is only $30. So, not quite as bad as I was originally thinking for the spalt!

5sg.

 

[plong123]

Hmm... Guy over on the Carvin BBS said that his completion date was listed as 6/11 and he got his Icon 6 last Friday... maybe mine WILL get done early?

*crossing fingers*

P.S. I got curious and looked into what my SB5k would've cost with a Spalt maple top, and in reality it only would've added $130 to the price tag since I got a quilt maple on mine. The way they have the pricing listed on the builder threw me off. Quilt = "free," but a finish is $300. Spalt Maple = $400, but a finish is only $30. So, not quite as bad as I was originally thinking for the spalt!

5sg.

Yes, the Carvin builder has the fee structure wrong. I mean, it's just plain wrong. It says quilt/flame as a free option, but they get you on the finishes, which start at $200 and go up from there. But when you pick walnut top or spalt top, the fee for the wood is upfront, and the finish charges are much more reasonable and correct, like $30 for standard options and going up from there.

Literally makes no sense why they would do it like that.

 

[Ewo]

Hey, Carvin lovers--

Was wondering if anybody might care to trade a chambered 5001 for a mint condition Korean-built Lakie Skyline 55-02..? PM me.

 

[plong123]

Ewo, I hope you had ebay alerts set for Carvin 5001, because this came up overnight and sold almost instantly. What a beauty! And the price was right as rain. If this would have been for sale when I ordered my bass I probably would have bought it outright. Hopefully it was you that snagged it!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Carvin-SB50...D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

 

[Ewo]

Wasn't me...


Actually, I'm already the happy owner of an older SB5K--it's become my go-to bass. Figure it's time to move out some of the basses it's replaced. I was wondering if any other SB fan might want to add a great Lakie to his/her stable, and have a spare SB5001 to trade.

Long shot, yeah. But just on the odd chance..!


Other trade bait: a Brubaker Brute JJX-5 in excellent condition, with a hardshell case, and cash.

 

[cm3ohana]

Just picked up a fretless SB4000 and loving it. Great tone and like the passive/active option. I have been playing passive for the longest time and to have the active option is gravy. I've been playing in active mode since I got it which just makes the growl and mwah that much better. Thanks Carvin.

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[Bassmunnky]

The inspiration for my bass came from 3 other instruments. My first inspiration came from the Carvin website. In the bass builder section, you can see all of the color possibilties. Then, if you click each individual color, examples pop up. When I clicked on the color swatch for Sunset Burst Edges, this popped up:

...and it floored me. I had never considered (or really knew anything at all about) spalted maple, but, sweet mother moses, was that a sharp look!

Later, as I was trolling TB classifieds, I came across this SB5001 sold by ArcticT last fall. It inspired me to go with black hardware and pickguard against the warm colored wood. To this day, I consider these three of the finest bass classified pictures I've ever seen.

And then the final confirmation was an Icon that Jarrett pointed out from the Carvin bass-in-stock section. I modified it a little with Photoshop to include an ebony board with no markers and have a 5-piece neck, and that's pretty much the way I ended up ordering it that week.

I liked the yellowish/orange undercoat of that one so much that I changed my color from natural with Sunset Burst Edges (SST) to straight Sunset Burst finish(TU) . I think because it reminded me so much of ArcticT's SB5001.

And it all translated into this:

Link Removed

Anyhoo, expect a full photoshoot when it arrives. I'm glad there are other bass geeks out here that can appreciate things like this. My wife doesn't get it

Some of the BEST...porn I've seen on TB...thank you...

 

[Daniel Piper]

Link Removed

Brown chicken brown cow!

Oh my.

Now that simply has to be your 'you-can-prize-this-from my-cold-dead-hands' bass!

 

[fivestringgecko]

Not sure if it's a sign that my SB5k is close or not, but I got the "customer appreciation" email I've seen others mention, with the "money saving coupon" codes. It came in last night at about 10pm... and expires TODAY. I had to read it three times to make sure it wasn't a misprint or I was just reading it wrong (since it was 2am when I saw the email). Lol It wasn't. I'd love to use it, but I haven't even gotten my first Carvin yet. It'd be nice if those codes lasted for maybe 6 months or something... At least give it a LITTLE longer than 24 hours...

Is it just me or is that a little comical? Lol

*facepalm*

5sg.

 

[G On Bass]

Not sure if it's a sign that my SB5k is close or not, but I got the "customer appreciation" email I've seen others mention, with the "money saving coupon" codes. It came in last night at about 10pm... and expires TODAY. I had to read it three times to make sure it wasn't a misprint or I was just reading it wrong (since it was 2am when I saw the email). Lol It wasn't. I'd love to use it, but I haven't even gotten my first Carvin yet. It'd be nice if those codes lasted for maybe 6 months or something... At least give it a LITTLE longer than 24 hours...

Is it just me or is that a little comical? Lol

*facepalm*

5sg.

I always laugh when I get those. As you said, they are not for very much money, the amount you have to spend is high and they expire quickly. $20 offf $200 out here in SoCal just covers sales tax...

Make that coupon worth '$20 when I spend $20 or more' and I'd use the heck out of it. Carvin has lots of great parts and accessories!

 

[fivestringgecko]

I always laugh when I get those. As you said, they are not for very much money, the amount you have to spend is high and they expire quickly. $20 offf $200 out here in SoCal just covers sales tax...

Make that coupon worth '$20 when I spend $20 or more' and I'd use the heck out of it. Carvin has lots of great parts and accessories!

I can't think of anything I really need at the moment, so it's not a big deal. I'm just taking it as a positive sign that my bass is getting close to finished!!!

The card said the estimated completion date is 6/10, but there have been a few reports of people getting basses early. One guy over on the carvin bbs Invalid Link Removed. Mine's an unlined fretless, so that should knock off at least a week, right?

5sg.

 

[G On Bass]

Mine's an unlined fretless, so that should knock off at least a week, right?

5sg.

My unlined fretless Icon was ~ a week early.

 

[plong123]

Just picked up a fretless SB4000 and loving it. Great tone and like the passive/active option. I have been playing passive for the longest time and to have the active option is gravy. I've been playing in active mode since I got it which just makes the growl and mwah that much better. Thanks Carvin.

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Classic bass ya got there! I love the way active Carvins dig in on that fretless sound.

 

[fivestringgecko]

My unlined fretless Icon was ~ a week early.

Well, here's to hoping... "A week early" would be Monday, give or take a day. Maybe I'll get lucky. Then again, with my luck, my bass will be three weeks late.

First world problems. lol

5sg.

 

[bASsplayer103]

Excuse the post, but I am looking to join the SB fan club and thought maybe someone here might want to help?

So I've been a typical Fender snob for the last few years (have a sweet P and J), and have loved them both. But I've been favoring the J sound and am needing the extra B string. I've been doing my homework and have been very impressed with the SB's. I'm really wanting to move back to a 5er and really looking at building my dream bass through Carvin.

I am, however willing to forego my "dream bass" build if anyone has an extra sb5000 or 5001 that they wouldn't mind parting with (seems like you can't have just one!), just to test the waters before diving in head first with the build.

I'd be willing to let go my P bass (loaded with Sadowsky pups and preamp...rare for a P nowadays, badass bridge, drop D tuner, chrome pickup cover, etc) if anyone wants a great P. Can send pics if interested.

Thanks!