Q: Does the headstock have a clear coat or is it just oiled like the back of the neck?
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
New Carvin P bass, about time?
- Thread starter aproud1
- Start date
- Status
Q: Does the headstock have a clear coat or is it just oiled like the back of the neck?
Thanks, the picture looked like a clear coat.
Interesting story: Over the Summer I ordered a replacement neck for my B40, and after 4 weeks of waiting, it arrived with a clear coat headstock face.
Neither my SB4000 nor the original neck on the B40 had this clear coat face.
I called Carvin and talked to a salesman about this and he denied that they were now clear coating headstock faces. To support this, there is not even an option for this on any online Bass Builder.
I sent two e-mails to "Albert" at Carvin about this and both went unanswered.
I simply accepted that this is how they were doing necks in 2013 to perhaps compete with Fender who also clear gloss coat their headstock faces on American Standards.
I myself much prefer the "old" tung-oil headstock face, but this proves once again that only through TalkBass can I expect to find answers.
Definitely clear coat on front. Edges and back are tung oil. I bought a fretless replacement neck for my SB4000 and the headstock was oiled front and back.
Thanks, the picture looked like a clear coat.
Interesting story: Over the Summer I ordered a replacement neck for my B40, and after 4 weeks of waiting, it arrived with a clear coat headstock face.
Neither my SB4000 nor the original neck on the B40 had this clear coat face.
I called Carvin and talked to a salesman about this and he denied that they were now clear coating headstock faces. To support this, there is not even an option for this on any online Bass Builder.
I sent two e-mails to "Albert" at Carvin about this and both went unanswered.
I simply accepted that this is how they were doing necks in 2013 to perhaps compete with Fender who also clear gloss coat their headstock faces on American Standards.
I myself much prefer the "old" tung-oil headstock face, but this proves once again that only through TalkBass can I expect to find answers.
Carvin will answer any question they can on the phone.
Under no circumstances do you ever, ever send an email, even if they say to. That would be their way of getting out of answering the question.
... and that's exactly what they did!
With the arrival of my new bass today, I can unofficially confirm that Carvin is now gloss-coating the headstock faces of plain old maple headstocks (where as they did not before.)
Other slight observations:
The truss rod cover has changed to a more narrow width instead of the larger nacho chip size
The set screws on control knobs are now Hex instead of flat blade
The plain headstock logo has increased in size
Well, it's with sadness that I have to report that my fretless PB5 will be getting less action. My band has gone from a Wood Brothers influenced band to more of a hopping electric blues / funk / soul band, and the rest of the band, along with our advisors have all stated that they prefer the up-front percussive attack of a fretted bass. Sad for me, as I've always much preferred playing fretless, when I'm not playing upright. But oh well. I do still love playing fretted bass. But I'll miss my "wife", this beautiful fretless PB5 with the Yarah Customs walnut pickguard. Oh, I'm keeping her ... just not going to be a lot of gig pics coming up soon, sadly.
A couple of pics for old times sake:
CarvinPB5_EdenWT300_112AGs_at_Stillwater by wwgtsc, on Flickr
Yarah Customs walnut pickguard on a Carvin PB5 fretless by
wwgtsc, on Flickr
When it first arrived, before the custom pickguard:
Carvin PB5 Fretless by wwgtsc, on Flickr
So it's back to my Ibanez SR505, until I can afford to pay someone to assemble all the parts I have laying around for a lightweight P bass (Fender 50's reissue neck, Fender Original 62 pickup, CTS pots, lightweight vintage cream body, tortoise guard, assorted hardware). If the body was drilled for the bridge mounting I'd have a go at assembling it myself, but it's not, and I don't trust myself to measure and locate it correctly.
Maybe someday I can afford a matching fretted PB5. I'd love that.
But in my soul, I just long for and so much prefer playing a fretless. Always have. Got my first fretless when I had been playing bass for about 4 months, and started doing session with it 2 months later. I went 7 years one time not even owning a fretted bass. Fretless is just so much more musical, expressive, creative and emotional to me ... this is going to be sad for me. I've just got to adjust, and learn to see the beauty in fretted bass playing. I know I can. Just gotta do it.
Sorry to get teary ... lol ... I'll just miss this bass being slung over my shoulder 4 nights a week.
Liam
A couple of pics for old times sake:
CarvinPB5_EdenWT300_112AGs_at_Stillwater by wwgtsc, on Flickr
Yarah Customs walnut pickguard on a Carvin PB5 fretless by
wwgtsc, on Flickr
When it first arrived, before the custom pickguard:
Carvin PB5 Fretless by wwgtsc, on Flickr
So it's back to my Ibanez SR505, until I can afford to pay someone to assemble all the parts I have laying around for a lightweight P bass (Fender 50's reissue neck, Fender Original 62 pickup, CTS pots, lightweight vintage cream body, tortoise guard, assorted hardware). If the body was drilled for the bridge mounting I'd have a go at assembling it myself, but it's not, and I don't trust myself to measure and locate it correctly.
Maybe someday I can afford a matching fretted PB5. I'd love that.
But in my soul, I just long for and so much prefer playing a fretless. Always have. Got my first fretless when I had been playing bass for about 4 months, and started doing session with it 2 months later. I went 7 years one time not even owning a fretted bass. Fretless is just so much more musical, expressive, creative and emotional to me ... this is going to be sad for me. I've just got to adjust, and learn to see the beauty in fretted bass playing. I know I can. Just gotta do it.
Sorry to get teary ... lol ... I'll just miss this bass being slung over my shoulder 4 nights a week.
Liam
That's really sad. Sometimes I wonder why people feel they can dictate what others play (especially bass it seems), but that's how a hired gun gig goes.
As a side note, if/when I sell my fretless jazz (shameless plug to check the classifieds), I'll be picking up your bass's white cousin on the Carvin in-stock page.
As a side note, if/when I sell my fretless jazz (shameless plug to check the classifieds), I'll be picking up your bass's white cousin on the Carvin in-stock page.
Thanks, man. And I'm not even really a hired gun. This is a band of brothers. I share a house with the frontman. Everyone has just decided they like fretted better. I personally thought the fretless gave us a unique sound. And I don't get all wanky and slidy on it. A few slides in certain songs. But they just like that percussive, up front attack you get with frets. Oh well, I'll live. And I do love my well roadworn old Ibanez, although it's not your stereotypical blues bass lol.
That white fretless PB5 is awesome. I don't peronally like white pickguards, but it's beautiful. If it sounds and comes set up like mine, you'll be extremely happy. Mine is a tone beast, and came set up with a silky smooth low action that I love.
Cheers,
Liam
As an owner of both, I can tell you that each have their strengths and weaknesses, but with neither clearly better than the other.
If pushed hard to choose one bass for the rest of my life, it would be the SB4000, as it is the more versatile for my needs, but it is the loser for me in the aesthetics department. Incidentally, the SB4000 is better for me with it's 20 frets rather than my B40's 22 frets, even though the pups and electronics are the same.
The PB4 not only looks the more traditional, but it's P-Pickup is an absolute monster. The problem is, however, that even with the JVA single-coil in the bridge, you cannot get that classic, scooped Jazz sound (which for me is a must-have.) Alternatively, the SB's neck position J99A can in no way compete with the PB's split-coil powerhouse pup.
This topic is no different than Jazz vs. Precision, except we're talking Carvin, and IMHO they are killing it these days!
Cheers!
- Status
