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How come we all don't play Carvin instruments & amps/cabs?

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#183
WoodyG3 said:
LOL. I'm hoping this discussion is all in good fun. There are plenty of basses I think look goofy that other people likely consider their prize possession. There are also "great signature bass tones" that sound very "non-musical" to my ear. It's all good. :D
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True. I think it is-just like that time honored Mac-PC rivalry.....oh snap!:D
 
#184
I thought the finish on mine looked good, but sold it because the neck needed to be adjusted every few weeks. I think they have since added carbon fiber rods for more stability.
 
#185
A lot of people say that Carvin pickups/electronics sound bland, or are missing something. I have two, and I will agree that when played alone at home they are kind of boring sounding. But when played in a band setting (and I've played mine in everything from country to punk to classic rock to blues bands) they sit in the mix very well. I always get good comments from other band members on their sound.

In my new classic rock/alternative band for the first 4 practices I brought a different bass each time to see what suited this band. The 4th practice I brought my Carvin Icon 6, and after the first song the guitar player said "that is the bass you should play, it sounds great". He was right. I'm still playing it in that band.

Just my .02
 
#194
WoodyG3 said:
It's cool if you don't like the looks. But calling it cheap is just plain funny.
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OP was claiming they are a cheap alternative to other makes/builds. My point was that your more typical Carvin example (the spalted maple) would be about $1900 with the body & neck wood and abalone dots as shown. Lots of companies are offering "custom shop" services". So it's no longer a real economical instrument plus the baggage it has from it's relatively short and humble existence. And yes, we all like what we like...it's all just some anonymous online yakking and attacking. No basses have been killed. :D.

Base(pun intended) instruments that are heavily upgraded on the features become hard to compare sonically and price-wise. I think that might be one area where original Carvin purchasers really lose out. Buyer thinks base price minus used factor.
 
#195
Best (non-Fender) bass I ever owned was the toilet seat bass (EBMM Bongo 4HH) and I have owned Alembic (Epic 5), Rickenbacker (2 x 4003 including a 4003S5 which I stupidly traded away in college), Warwick (thumb), Spector (NS-2A), many Fenders, Peavey Cirrus.

My all time favorite bass was the pawn-shop special Fender Jazz I bought in 1998 for $200.00 and still play to this day. It takes all kinds but the looks of the Carvin do not put me off at all. For me it is all about feel and tone, I want a bass that will punch a hole in you on the low end and continue to punch all the way up the register, I want depth and warmth and I can get that out of my Carvin.
 
#199
jeff7bass said:
I have a green + gold Euro but that looks American. About 3.5K?
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Yes, it's American. Price is a bit higher - check out some of the USA Spectors at Bass Central for a better idea of pricing. And yes, that's my blue NS-4 listed near the bottom of the USA page - still shown as available nearly a year after I bought it...

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#200
I just noticed this rapidly growing day old thread, and before I go back and read through it, I will say this: I really, REALLY wanted an all out top of the line, best in breed bass for a while and went about trying as many as I could, and buying what I couldn't try. I didn't particularly care about the price, at least not every day, as long as it stayed close to or under 4 grand.
I bought a limited neck through Smith 6 string (which went over my 4 grand limit), beautiful bass, A/B'd it with my Carvin BB75, and sent it back. It was very nice though and I would try another Smith if the opportunity arose :)
Bought a nice Modulus 6, gave it the A/B treatment, sold it and kept the Carvin.
Tried a beautiful carbon necked Zon, and back into the pool she went as well.
There were lots of others too, those were just the most recent. An Ibby SR5006e got a week of A/B as well in the last year. A W&T Chronos 5 is in the arsenal but behind the Carvin in the pecking order. I didn't buy the Ritter because I had a day or two to play it first and decided against it.

I've played lots of other basses in stores, really fell hard for a Roscoe Century 6 which I'll grab at some point I think, and I've owned a lot of basses over the last 30 years too, but at the end of the day I haven't found anything that really speaks to ME and fits ME the way my stock Carvin Bunny Brunel 5 string does. Got it here from Sparkdog too, keeping it all in the family :)

As I said in another thread today, diversity is what makes life so much fun. Mexican food with French wine and an Irish girl :) ....that works for me and I wouldn't force it on you. And more Carvin owners would only drive up the used prices LOL but I sure love them myself.

EDIT: For clarity's sake my BB75 has soapbars and is an '09 model
 
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