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

[Kmonk]

I do have a couple Carvin guitars/basses and I like them very much. Very high quality instruments with necks to die for.


You couldn't give me another Carvin amp or speaker cab though.

I might die for my child but there is absolutely nothing else on the planet that is "to die for".

 

[AtomicPunk]

I woulda used em back in the day if I could get one, just because Frank Zappa and Steve Vai endorsed their gear, even if they were guitarists.

 

[petrus61]

I don't play carvin basses because I never played one I liked the feel of...something incredibly "off" about their necks I can't get past. I owned a fret less for a while and it could not be setup to play comfortably. I also don't like their body and headstock shapes, particularly on the newer models. As far as their amps go, I think their PA gear is great but their heads never moved me. Always found them to be sterile in the gain sections, from the Redlines on up to their current offerings. I know lots of folks that get good results with Carvin, but not me. While they tout US construction, if you read up on their products, some are actually partly made overseas. Nothing wrong with that, but they seem to go out of their way not to mention it where they can.

 

[JazznFunk]

I have played a few Carvins... and Fenders... and Warwicks... and MusicMans... and... well... you get the picture.

Outside of sound, for me it's about FEEL and ergonomics. Laklands wrapped everything up in one really comfortable package. Warwicks didn't balance well for me, and neither did Carvins. Gotta find clothes that fit, not just ones that work, ya know?

 

[Floyd Eye]

This is another thing they have improved in the last few years. I had a Carvin bass amp in the 90s that wasn't very good, especially the speakers, but I have a BX-600 head and 2x10 cabinet that are really nice, clean and powerful with a lot of tone shaping ability.

Lately I have been playing GK though.

They now source their speakers from China. Not that it would matter if they were good speakers, but I had to replace a few from older Carvin cabs I had and one of the new drivers blew on the very first gig. Could just be coincidence, but you know, I have an Ampeg 8x10 now and I ain't giving it up. lol

 

[Demonjrx]

It's the player, not the equipment.

 

[BawanaRik]

I found that the feel wasn't right. Also some of their gear isn't built as good as say a Fender. Look inside their amps and then check out a black face Fender.

 

[Thir13teen]

just ordered a SB5000
ash body
maple board with black block inlays
chrome hardware

can't wait for this thing to come..at that price, can't go wrong. its supposed to be a really good fender jazz bass replica (single coils), with high quality materials.
from the reviews, sound clips, live shows. i think it sounds great. i am sure it'll be a keeper.
but I can see why a warwick,ken smith, P bass type of guy wouldn't go for this type of sound 9fender jazz).
cheers.
bass will look like the one on the right, except with block inlays and black pickguard...sorry if this is not the right spot to place this.. just saw Carvin, and jumped on it

Congrats! Did you order this bass because of this thread?

 

[Ric5]

I have played some used Carvins in Music atores ... they were nice but they didn't grab me as something I needed to buy ... Their fretless 5 string active basses are nice.

 

[hsech]

^^ I like this guy's response. My "mentor" friend who is in his 60's, who got me into bass owns about 20 Fenders...and about 5 or so Carvins, and he loves the Carvins more than his 20 Fenders for all the same reasons.

Huh?

 

[hsech]

I found that the feel wasn't right. Also some of their gear isn't built as good as say a Fender. Look inside their amps and then check out a black face Fender.

That's comparing apples to oranges. Black Face Fender amps are no longer made, other than reissue amps (which only have Black Face cosmetics). The original Black Face Fenders were all point to point.

 

[hsech]

I found that the feel wasn't right. Also some of their gear isn't built as good as say a Fender. Look inside their amps and then check out a black face Fender.

That's comparing apples to oranges. Fender Black Face amps are no longer made. The original Black Face amps were all point to point. Current Carvin and Fender amps, including the Black Face reissues are all printed circuit crap.

 

[DJ Bebop]

Yup, this!

.

Again, headstock shapes, logo and general association with unknown artists. When they do finally get a "big-name" endorser like Joe Walsh or Hugh McDonald, it's pretty rare to see them play their Carvins in public.

What about these unknown artists, Frank Gambale, Craig Chaquico, Neil Zaza, Bunny Brunel, Sekou Bunch, Steve Oliver

 

[SirMjac28]

And what about Bjorn Englen ? unknown artists you say sir?

 

[DJ Bebop]

And what about Bjorn Englen ? unknown artists you say sir?

Who?










Invalid Link Removed

 

[SirMjac28]

You know the bass player for Soul Sign

 

[edpal]

And Jaco ended up with a Fender....

+1000

I've looked at every picture Google picture would pull up of Jaco - not a single one of him playing that instrument. And we have one murky picture of him sitting in a bar and no strap for the instrument making it possible it isn't even his. For my money, it looks a lot like some Ibby's of that era. Especially some of the lawsuit basses they made. Might have been Ibanez's take on a Gibson headstock for all we can see. I even tried in Photoshop to get more contrast - not helping.
And this picture of Jaco playing what is DEFINATELY an Ibanez.
P.S.Sekou actually WAS a Warwick player for a while.
P.S.S. Jaco ended up with a Fender. Playing something once in a bar is not an endorsement.

 

[mcm]

They dont look cool. And yes, that still counts in this pc world of ours

 

[DJ Bebop]

Like Google is the last word in knowledge for the planet

 

[ggvicviper]

+1000

I've looked at every picture Google picture would pull up of Jaco - not a single one of him playing that instrument. And we have one murky picture of him sitting in a bar and no strap for the instrument making it possible it isn't even his. For my money, it looks a lot like some Ibby's of that era. Especially some of the lawsuit basses they made. Might have been Ibanez's take on a Gibson headstock for all we can see. I even tried in Photoshop to get more contrast - not helping.
And this picture of Jaco playing what is DEFINATELY an Ibanez.
P.S.Sekou actually WAS a Warwick player for a while.
P.S.S. Jaco ended up with a Fender. Playing something once in a bar is not an endorsement.

That's a real nice Ibanez. Had no idea he played one.