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NBD Claro walnut fretless with birdseye board
- Thread starter gumbynotpokey
- Start date
Beautiful body/ neck combo. The only thing I would change would be to La Bella black tapewounds-which happen to be available at the best price through Carvin.I know the board can handle the rounds, but I loved flats on my fretless until trying tapewounds.
Wow. I would NEVER have thought of that. I'll have to let that stew until the GAS gets overwhelming, and give it a try!
I just found out this beauty made it into the new Carvin catalog. It's on page 50 and is the large shot of the LB series basses.
Pulled this scanned pic of the new catalog from a member of the Carvin Forums that he put up this am.
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I'm looking at the catalog page right now - nice that they listed the option code for the finish, (HFC).
As has been stated repeatedly and far more eloquently than I can sum up....beautiful, just beautiful.
As has been stated repeatedly and far more eloquently than I can sum up....beautiful, just beautiful.
What's interesting to me is this...I sit on the Carvin Forums quite a bit and over the last couple of years have gotten some really good ideas from watching, reading, etc. There's some deeper information when you hang out. One of those tidbits is the Hard As Nails coat on a fretless board. More interesting yet is their ability to do a 3 piece body or a 5 piece body (one with a quality top and a back that looks like a top as well). Here's the interesting thing. Those codes exist (they are not "Option 50's" - the code for those things with no codes) and they have standard charges for those codes. And yet they are not in the builder or in the price lists in the catalog. The lack of space in the catalog always comes up, but on the website they don't list 3 piece bodies, etc. In short, it's odd that a killer instrument like this is the fruit of learning from those deeper into Carvin. From a business standpoint they're smart to show off this thing, I suppose, but better would be to simply list all the standard options and the prices. Not to say too much, but they also have a mom and pop shop feel to their business, and sometimes, when the factory is busy, they don't agree to do some of these more advanced elements. I ordered when I knew they would be slower. If I was forced to pick, I would want them to stay as they are. Love 'em for sure as-is.
Tonight we play out in the middle of downtown for 2 hrs. Live, in that format, means whomever walks by and hangs to listen gets to hear us. I've decided to play this fretless for that set. Practice with it this morning went well, and the EQ section, active/passive ability and so forth gave me the flexibility I needed. We play a wide range of stuff, and fretless is the LAST thing many would expect. But this thing delivers.
A professional photog tends to come to these. If he does and I get a good shot, I will try to post one here. In the meanwhile, a guy on the Carvin Forums did this as a reaction to the fretless going downtown, outdoors, live for the first time. Quite funny.
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A professional photog tends to come to these. If he does and I get a good shot, I will try to post one here. In the meanwhile, a guy on the Carvin Forums did this as a reaction to the fretless going downtown, outdoors, live for the first time. Quite funny.
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Roy, I've since learned that one of the pro players who is on the Carvin Forums at times (I'm on there WAY too much) who was in PM land with me during the decision making process - and who nudged me into no lines/no dots - turns out to be one of your students.
I am SO GLAD I listened to him and went with the build as I did.
Would they do a P pickup in that bass? A polyester coated P/J fretless sounds AMAZING. Not that I'd buy one since I already have one.
Well, they won't put the new split PU in this model, but I would assume they WOULD do an epoxy board on their new model of bass that has the split PU in it. Point being, they won't move their split into another model, but I DO know they will epoxy other basses than JUST the LB70 model per se.
Well, they won't put the new split PU in this model, but I would assume they WOULD do an epoxy board on their new model of bass that has the split PU in it. Point being, they won't move their split into another model, but I DO know they will epoxy other basses than JUST the LB70 model per se.
LOL, that's Carvin for ya.
There's no need for such caution...
If you find that you truly prefer the tone/timbre/texture of flatwound strings, then well and good. But there's no need to transition to them from roundwounds, simply as a precaution against fingerboard damage.
Heck, even guys playing fretless basses with uncoated fingerboards can often play them for many years before a resurfacing is required - even with roundwound strings. Guys playing a fretless bass that has an epoxy coating can often play it for a couple decades - or more - before a resurfacing is required. And that also is with roundwound strings. Some superficial scratching is perfectly normal, and in practical terms means nothing.
Use whatever strings you like best. Truly, fingerboard damage is a complete non-issue...
MM
Well, just a brief update. Time has passed and I've been playing this bass quite regularly all the while. There were some very minor superficial scratches on the epoxy board created upon very early use, and nothing has changed since. MM was right and he knew it, and now my personal experience has caught up with that. Newer fretless players: FYI.
You mentioned that the 3 piece body is not an option 50 and they have prices for those. Can I ask how much the charged for the maple layer in the body? It really adds a great accent.
