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How come we all don't play Carvin instruments & amps/cabs?
- Thread starter Thir13teen
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I own a Carvin SB5000 and it is one of the most comfortable, nicest sounding basses I have ever had the pleasure of owning. However I still own a Fender, a Hondo, a Peavey, and a Yamaha, and you can bet your bones that if I had the money, I'd be gunning for a Sadowsky or a Lull as opposed to another Carvin.
So you buy a new SB5000 for $1050 and sell it used for $800. Is that a bath?
Edit:
Oops, here's one that sold for $875:
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f126/fs-carvin-sb5000-943238/
Edit:
Oops, here's one that sold for $875:
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f126/fs-carvin-sb5000-943238/
The SB series, at least, certainly seems to hold its value quite well. I certainly don't think you'd do any better with a the resale of a Fender Am Std, for example.
Not that I'm going to sell my SB5000.
......Um, I live a mere 8 miles from Carvin. I go over there quite often and know most of the guys that work there. Carvin is a good company with good people. There is nothing wrong with Carvin. However, I CHOOSE to play Fender, Rickenbacker and Ampeg. None of those companies either pay me or offer me anything whatsoever to play their gear. I do it because I LIKE their gear.
I don't know, maybe if I were starting out all over again, I might choose a company like Carvin for my needs - And I know (have known) many guys over the years that love their Carvin gear. I have also known quite a few who tried it and didn't like it - so goes the world.
I appreciate the gear that Carvin puts out. Just not for me.
I don't know, maybe if I were starting out all over again, I might choose a company like Carvin for my needs - And I know (have known) many guys over the years that love their Carvin gear. I have also known quite a few who tried it and didn't like it - so goes the world.
I appreciate the gear that Carvin puts out. Just not for me.
I've had a lot of Carvin equipment over the years and was happy with all of it. My first bass was an early 60's Carvin. Quite strange actually. Until sometime in the 70's, Carvin got their necks from Hofner, and their pickups (sort of P90 types) from Mosrite. My bass was very short scale...25". Two pickups...guitar pickups, with the 2nd and 5th polepieces removed. It did the job, but a Telecaster was a classier build. I also bought a bass in the mid 70's...32" scale, neck like a Beatle bass, and two P90 type pickups, but at least these were built with 4 pole pieces. Not a bad bass.
Carvin used to be really cheap, compared with Fender, Gibson, etc. Peavey and later Asian production later became the source of inexpensive, but still good instruments. Carvin had to move toward a different niche.
I love Carvin stuff, but I rarely buy new, and I've seen so few used 5 strings in the areas I live or lived in (East central and north central WI) that they aren't an option.
Carvin used to be really cheap, compared with Fender, Gibson, etc. Peavey and later Asian production later became the source of inexpensive, but still good instruments. Carvin had to move toward a different niche.
I love Carvin stuff, but I rarely buy new, and I've seen so few used 5 strings in the areas I live or lived in (East central and north central WI) that they aren't an option.
Never actually played a Carvin, maybe I will someday if I can find one used. I do hear they play nice, as nice as a Sadowsky, I suppose that's possible. Over the last year I bought these three basses and I think they all play better than a Sadowsky as well.
Maybe I should have just spent my money on 20 used Carvins instead. Naw, I'll keep what I have and keep looking for a Carvin to try out so I can see what I'm missing.
Maybe I should have just spent my money on 20 used Carvins instead. Naw, I'll keep what I have and keep looking for a Carvin to try out so I can see what I'm missing.
I'd seriously consider getting a B50 if it came with a PJ pickup configuration. I think it would be really cool to have a PJ Carvin. I guess you could probably talk to them on the phone and work something out but it would be much more convenient if they offered this as a standard option. Why doesn't Carvin offer this?
Edit:Also, why don't they offer an LB75 passive? Or do they? I guess that's another thing that could be discussed over the phone.
Edit:Also, why don't they offer an LB75 passive? Or do they? I guess that's another thing that could be discussed over the phone.
I think what this guy is asking is by buying direct from the manufacturer avoiding distribution and 3rd party handling plus supporting the music stores, IF the basses are boutique quality why isn't their business model more popular certainly you should get more bang for your buck.
My answer (and this comes from someone who owns a Carvin) is that basses, more than just about any other instrument, are bought because of feel and tone. I looked into buying a Carvin for the first time about 1995, I hesitated because I was scared I would get an instrument I didn't like from a feel perspective. So I bought a Warwick, and an Alembic Epic, a couple of Ricks, and several Fenders all from places where I could touch and feel and hear the instrument. It was only when I ran across a Carvin at a used guitar store and had a chance to actually play one, that I bought. I don't think my story is unusual for bass players.
Personally, I have played the entry level Lakland and Sadowsky basses and I would put my Carvin up against them anytime, after all, how many US made, neck-thru, active basses can you buy on the market for less than 1k? Answer, not many. I have great sustain and punch (the bridge humbucker helps) and while it is not as fast as my EBMM Bongo was it is certainly as playable as the Peavey Cirrus I had before it.
My answer (and this comes from someone who owns a Carvin) is that basses, more than just about any other instrument, are bought because of feel and tone. I looked into buying a Carvin for the first time about 1995, I hesitated because I was scared I would get an instrument I didn't like from a feel perspective. So I bought a Warwick, and an Alembic Epic, a couple of Ricks, and several Fenders all from places where I could touch and feel and hear the instrument. It was only when I ran across a Carvin at a used guitar store and had a chance to actually play one, that I bought. I don't think my story is unusual for bass players.
Personally, I have played the entry level Lakland and Sadowsky basses and I would put my Carvin up against them anytime, after all, how many US made, neck-thru, active basses can you buy on the market for less than 1k? Answer, not many. I have great sustain and punch (the bridge humbucker helps) and while it is not as fast as my EBMM Bongo was it is certainly as playable as the Peavey Cirrus I had before it.
Okay, so all the Carvin stereotypical statements seem to have been made.
I like the older electronics, and my 2004 LB70 has the best tone *for me* of any bass I've ever played. If Carvin offered Nordy, Aguilar, Bart electronics they would be just like several dozen other builders, and that is most certainly NOT what they want to do. Carvin offers (if I counted right) seven different pickups and three different preamps. That's not exactly a limited selection, and any given Carvin can sound quite different from another. The generalized comments about "Carvin tone" are silly, IMO, because there is no one single tone.
Don't like the headstock? Which one, they offer several.
Doesn't hold value? Used prices aren't as good as Fender, but lately the resale has been at least average.
Don't like the looks? Cool, but have you looked at ALL the models, not just one or two? I'll never argue aesthetics, it's an individual thing, but I really do think some people base all their beliefs about Carvins based on the one or two they have seen or played. Carvin offers 8 different models, currently. (Again, if I counted right.
)
I find the same kind of statements made about almost every brand out there, even Fender. It seems people want to stereotype brands.
Anyway, to the OP's question, it's true that Carvin stuff is usually a good value. I have 4 Carvin basses, and like them all a lot. But, as has been mentioned, they don't sell a Precision style bass, so I got a Lakland Duck Dunn. None of their amps appeal to me as much as my Markbass amps do. So, I pay more, but get a better fit. While I think a lot of Carvin as a company, there are a lot of fish in the ocean! Diversity is a good thing!
I like the older electronics, and my 2004 LB70 has the best tone *for me* of any bass I've ever played. If Carvin offered Nordy, Aguilar, Bart electronics they would be just like several dozen other builders, and that is most certainly NOT what they want to do. Carvin offers (if I counted right) seven different pickups and three different preamps. That's not exactly a limited selection, and any given Carvin can sound quite different from another. The generalized comments about "Carvin tone" are silly, IMO, because there is no one single tone.
Don't like the headstock? Which one, they offer several.
Doesn't hold value? Used prices aren't as good as Fender, but lately the resale has been at least average.
Don't like the looks? Cool, but have you looked at ALL the models, not just one or two? I'll never argue aesthetics, it's an individual thing, but I really do think some people base all their beliefs about Carvins based on the one or two they have seen or played. Carvin offers 8 different models, currently. (Again, if I counted right.
)I find the same kind of statements made about almost every brand out there, even Fender. It seems people want to stereotype brands.
Anyway, to the OP's question, it's true that Carvin stuff is usually a good value. I have 4 Carvin basses, and like them all a lot. But, as has been mentioned, they don't sell a Precision style bass, so I got a Lakland Duck Dunn. None of their amps appeal to me as much as my Markbass amps do. So, I pay more, but get a better fit. While I think a lot of Carvin as a company, there are a lot of fish in the ocean! Diversity is a good thing!
^^^This^^^
^^^...and this^^^
I plan on buying a B40 or SB4000 soon for around 1k, I will be getting an instrument that, I feel, is better than the typical off the shelf famous maker instruments.
I've got two Carvins (AC40 and LG75 both fretless) that I like quite a bit. Tremendous bang for the buck, IMO.
And I think that's the problem...the "bang for the buck" factor. Oh, and they're not a small custom shop with just one or two luthiers making an instrument.
The basses just aren't looked at as "special".
Like any other consumer good, I think their reasonable pricing makes them less appealing to many folks. IF their base model started at $3500 and went upwards of $5500, more people would praise them as being uber wonderful basses.
Just my $.02.
And I think that's the problem...the "bang for the buck" factor. Oh, and they're not a small custom shop with just one or two luthiers making an instrument.
The basses just aren't looked at as "special".
Like any other consumer good, I think their reasonable pricing makes them less appealing to many folks. IF their base model started at $3500 and went upwards of $5500, more people would praise them as being uber wonderful basses.
Just my $.02.
I kinda do play Carvin. My Frankenhoppus wears a Carvin neck, and I played an AC-50F for years. After not playing the fiver for a long while, the narrow string spacing kinda bugs me, but a fretless SB-5001....... Well. I just may NEED one of those..........
1. I don't want to buy a bass that I have not tried.
2. As I don't live in the USA I would still have to go to the only dealer in my state 3 hours away & pay nearly double of what their prices state on the Carvin website.
2. As I don't live in the USA I would still have to go to the only dealer in my state 3 hours away & pay nearly double of what their prices state on the Carvin website.
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