I'm predicting the end for Carvin.

[Charlzm]

No. But they're adding fanned fret guitars. If they sell well, who knows. Don't expect the length differences that we see on Dingwalls if it does happen.

Yeah, I've been itching to try one of their Aries ff guitars (I play a little guitar form time to time).

 

[SirMjac28]

Carvin was founded in 1946 , I'm predicting they'll be around long after most of us are dead .

+1 I will say it's a welcome change from predicting the deaths of Guitar Center, Gibson and Fender.

 

[DigitalMan]

I'm sorry but I just don't think you are well informed. Carvin has been around for 70 years and weathered the storms of music fashion for longer than I've been alive (63 yrs) and persevered through many fads and changes in styles of music and industry changes. I see you are new here so I welcome you and your opinions even if I can't agree with them. Carvin had a problem with the BX 500 when it first came out that has been resolved years ago. Overall the reliability of their gear is very good. They put out quality gear at a very competitive price point and get few complaints on quality. I think if you dig a little deeper you'll find your premise lacking in substance. I do own a BX500 and you can find me ragging on them for a failed amp. The one I have now has been solid for several years now without so much as a hiccup. It compares well to other top line amps. I also own Genz Benz, Glockenklang, Fender, Sunn, and several others. As for their basses I've played a few all were good to great basses and the new ones are very high quality. One of the best players in town has several and loves them dearly. The level of attention to detail and quality control on their bass is very good. So carry on in that great TB tradition of making much ado out of nothing. I'm not a fanboy but I am a working professional with 50 years of gigs to back up what I believe. Rock on.

88% of the Fortune 500 companies from 1955 no longer exist.

 

[Sandman64]

I had one of their R600 bass heads once and it was ok, but lacked really good tone IMHO. The features and the build quality were very good though or at least seemed to be. Mine also never caused me any troubles. I did however only have it for about a year or so. I do currently have an LB70 in my collection and it's on par or better than any of the U.S. made Fenders or G&L's I currently have. They are light years ahead of any Gibson bass I've ever played. Carvin's biggest problem is that they are not Fender, G&L or Gibson. Whether that's fair or not is anyone's guess. However it's the simple truth of it.

 

[Bass Viking]

Keisel are competitively priced for what you get and they know a thing or two about the mail order business to boot.

Agreed. Unless you live in Canada! Not only our current lousy exchange rate, but also a few years ago we Canadians started having to pay sales tax on Carvin purchases. Then you add the extra shipping costs. Recently, I was looking at the MB combo amp series but I wound up getting a Traynor from Long and McQuade instead. Less money, got it the same day, and I didn't have to deal with shipping hassles. I also really like Carvin strings but they aren't the bargain they used to be for the reasons I mentioned.

Their stuff is still worth looking at though but I miss the old days.

 

[placedesjardins]

Carvin (as L. C. Kiesel Co., ironically) and Fender were both founded in 1946, so I don't think Carvin "popped up in the wake of Fender."

Wow. How can the OP backtrack on that?

 

[placedesjardins]

I was hoping to get an SB4000 before they axed that model. It looked good, and from youtube videos, sounded good.

 

[Laurent]

+1 I will say it's a welcome change from predicting the deaths of Guitar Center, Gibson and Fender.

Indeed, you took the words out of my mouth! We could also add Ampeg/Loud Technologies, to the list which demise is regularly predicted.

Running sales and marketing for a small size company, I tend to think that companies are a lot harder to kill than people think. They are pretty resilient beasts and that's a good thing for the people who work for them. I like to look at the Namm industry report to get a feel for how the industry is doing. The saturation of the market, low cost instruments from China and the fact that EBay is the largest competitor to music instrument retailers and manufacturers seem to be the key factors currently shaping the industry.

 

[Hounddog409]

Yeah, I get that. Still, those are pretty hard to resell, as is any Carvin product, when you are trying to get good value versus what you paid. The only way I am buying one is that A. I've tried it and think its the bees knees. And 2. I really need that look. Especially for that money where there is really no going back once you have made your decision.

What does resale have to do with Carvin or any manufacturer?

I know this is hard to believe, but the majority of people do not make purchases based on resale value.

 

[lifeoffroadbass]

Do you have one shred of evidence to any of this other than, you think? Not a newspaper story, magazine story, I didn't info from a friend? No? Oh okay, well that makes sense then.

 

[PortlandBass77]

1. The Kiesel breakoff seems to have hurt Carvin as far as BASS guitars go. IMO
2. Unusual bass styles no one has really taken to. IMO.
3. Instruments so good these days from everywhere that Carvin is not price competitive anymore.
4. But still pay US wages.
5. Poor reputation for amp failures.
6. So many quality boutique builders at competitive prices.
7. Incredible deals on all kinds of used instruments, way below Carvin prices.
8. I saw a poor instrument reveal video by the Kiesel son, which seemed unprofessional and desperate to me.
9. Carvin name is just not as powerful anymore.

It seems that until technology had caught up - that Carvin filled a real need. A quality American instrument, at below Fender prices with some customization. BACK IN THE DAY. Now, you can get what you want almost anywhere, and below Carvin prices for comparable quality or better.

I'm not too in tune with their guitar business, but I imagine that it's their pro audio gear and regular guitars that will keep them in business.

Amp failures? I have heard of no such thing. I don't use Carvin amps but I have heard they are as high quality as the best of them.

 

[Antisyzygy]

What does resale have to do with Carvin or any manufacturer?

I know this is hard to believe, but the majority of people do not make purchases based on resale value.

Car dealerships have proved that point beyond any reasonable doubt!

 

[stringthrough]

I hope you are wrong about their prospects because they provide a useful service/ quality product at a competitive price and they have an American labor force.

 

[TheOxRocks]

Oh, do they offer fanned fret basses now? I could stop GASsing for a Dingwall and order a Carvin if they did. Maybe.

There is supposed to be a Kiesel fanned-fret bass in the works, possibly based on the Aries guitar design. If they made a fanned-fret headless bass, I'd buy it in a heartbeat.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

There is supposed to be a Kiesel fanned-fret bass in the works, possibly based on the Aries guitar design. If they made a fanned-fret headless bass, I'd buy it in a heartbeat.

At least it won't have the SB / JB headstock.

 

[jacolyte]

the changing of the guard at carvin is for the worse, IMO. jeff keisel is inheriting the brand and seems to be shifting the product line to appeal more to a metal-oriented customer, with 7- and 8-string guitars with outlandish looks (and names - "vader?" seriously?). i really get the feeling that he wants to be known as the djent guitar guy and doesn't give a crap about bunny brunel or frank gambale or allan holdsworth or brian bromberg.

there have also been adjustments to existing models like the holdsworth guitars - if you always wanted one? guess what, they changed them; you can't get them like allan's any more. and there's dubious stuff going on with pricing, too: it used to be that pickup A was always less than pickup B but now if you buy guitar A which comes with pickup A stock, pickup B is an upcharge, but if you buy guitar B which comes with pickup B, pickup A is an upcharge; neither pickup is objectively "better" or more expensive any more. stuff like that seems sketchy to me.

luckily, i already have a holdsworth fatboy and an HH1, made before jeff stepped into his new role. wait and see, i guess, but i don't have high hopes.

 

[bassbenj]

at the end of last year, when i needed a small head, i bought a BX250 based soley on price - it was hard to argue with $169 brand spanking new. do i love it? no, but i like it and it's got me covered for now. i expect during this year i'll pick up something i like better, and the BX250 will make a nice backup head.

when i look at carvin gear online, it still seems to offer better prices with more features than competitors. does that matter as much as a brand that everyone knows but not many REALLY know, and will it matter as much as carvin breaking into two businesses? only carvin knows for sure.

Pcake's got it. A year or so ago I wanted light heads and bought two BX500s. Do I love them? No. What I REALLY wanted based on ear tests were two G-K MB500s. Somehow they just sounded great to me. But given the grand and a half cost, compared to two Carvins on sale, well money talks. And no somehow the Carvin tone isn't quite there, but oddly they have desirable features (IMO) that the G-K does not have like graphic equalizer (My Fender combo has one and I love that feature) and an optical compressor. So like Pcake says, I'm covered for now. And if I win the lottery I can get something else and use it for back up.

Amp-wise I don't see a problem with Carvin.

 

[two fingers]

Carvin has pretty much always been in the same position for as long as I can remember. They aren't going anywhere.

I agree. However, while they stayed in exactly the same position, the market has transformed. Will will staying in the place place equal survival?

 

[Susqmike]

Carvin XB76

• Susqmike
• Mar 15, 2016

Love Carvin basses!

Carvin XB76

• Susqmike
• Mar 15, 2016

Love Carvin basses!

I've got a couple of recent Carvins. Absolutely stunning basses. Each better than the next. LB76's are Fantastic. Vanquished...i like them even more! Hoping for a new 6-string Vader. Keisel seems to have taken over the guitar/bass while Carvin is maintaining their pro audio and amplification. Lowel Kiesel was the founder of Carvin. The problem of resale value is simple; why would i spend top dollar on a used bass built to someone else's preference when for the same price or a little more i can get my own custom build? As far as their amps....I've a BX1500. You can get that brand new for 467! Where else can you get that? It is a Very powerful and great-sounding amp. Ive had no problems at all at any gig.
I don't think they're going anywhere. Some restructuring-yes...

 

[p0werslav3]

My only beef with Carvin is spending 1k+ on a bass and still having to pay around $29 shipping. LOL