New Carvin P bass, about time?

[BigBigGuy44]

Been looking at the Icon for almost a year and always thought Carvin was by far the best bang for the buck. Just priced out the new SB for kicks. Wow you get a whole lot of bass for the money. Whoever is complaining about the price of these really has no idea of the value you get.

 

[Jarrett]

I have to say a lot of these posts crack me up. People have been clamoring for Carvin P bass for a long time and they come out with one with a ton of options that are hard to find on other basses and for that they get flack

"Aw you mean I can't a P pickup at a 90 degree angle lodged in the upper horn? Man, what a ripoff"

 

[Jarrett]

Whoever is complaining about the price of these really has no idea of the value you get.

Yeah, trying playing a $3000 Sadowsky Will Lee model side by side with a $900 Carvin SB4000 and then tell me what you think about Carvin's value

 

[G On Bass]

Yeah, trying playing a $3000 Sadowsky Will Lee model side by side with a $900 Carvin SB4000 and then tell me what you think about Carvin's value

Or play an SB4000, a B24 and a PB4 for the same money as a bass built to someone else's specs....

 

[Handyman]

Very, very tempting, though I'll wait until I hear the first batch of reviews from TB users before I do anything upsetting to the wife.

Maybe the body shape will grow on me, but right now I'm really liking the B50 body quite a bit more. Maybe Carvin will eventually allow people to stick the P pickup on a B50 with enough begging.

A B50 with the P pickup and a HB5 in the bridge would really make me smile.

 

[Jarrett]

Maybe Carvin will eventually allow people to stick the P pickup on a B50 with enough begging.

Yeah, I suspect in time you'll be able to get a P in any model, but for now it has to stay in the PB's until they recoup the ramp up costs.

 

[tink9975]

Yeah, I suspect in time you'll be able to get a P in any model, but for now it has to stay in the PB's until they recoup the ramp up costs.

That's what I'm hoping. The delay will give me time to save up.
I hope this bass is a hit for them just like the SB series has been.

 

[Dave Siff]

OK, I know Carvin is known for the quality of their instruments. Played them before, I know the deal. I cannot spend top dollar for an instrument that I can't even try out. I sure as hell can't spend top dollar for a (here we go) copy of a P bass. Why would I go for the brand that is just trying to be like another brand. Why doesn't Carvin have a retail contract? Not sayin that they couldn't get one, but if I'm buying a knockoff, I expect a more favorable price tag. Flame on.....flamers...lol.

I'm not going to flame you, just disagree.
1) You're not spending "top dollar". Top dollar for a high-end P-bass copy (which this isn't) is more like $3,000.
2) You can try it out for 10 days and send it back for a refund if you don't like it.
3) Just because it has a P pickup doesn't make it a "copy". The Carvin has its own body shape and electronics and is heavily customizable. There are several high-end builders making true copies. No need to name names, everyone knows them.
4) Someone else explained it better than I can as to why Carvin doesn't sell retail. And because they don't, you can get an instrument made to your specs for half or less what you'd pay to have something of similar quality custom built for you.
All that said, I have no plans to get a Carvin P-bass. But I've owned three Carvin basses and there's no disputing the build quality and value, not to mention the fun of designing your own bass.

 

[jim777]

I think I am going to wait until I can get the P pickup in the neck position of the SB5000. Or the B25!

 

[Dave Siff]

I think I am going to wait until I can get the P pickup in the neck position of the SB5000.

Yes. That, I would do. Something about the new body shape and pickguard I can't get past.

 

[SlingBass4]

4) Someone else explained it better than I can as to why Carvin doesn't sell retail. And because they don't, you can get an instrument made to your specs for half or less what you'd pay to have something of similar quality custom built for you.

I think it's great Carvin is responding to the market...finally. BUTT, at what cost? NO graphite rods in their necks, anymore. Chinese/Asian parts used for pups, battery boxes, rear cover plates, and undersized truss rods. Then there's the sheeple who would tell you that to spec a bass of Carvin's quality you'd have to spend twice as much? Bunk. I had one built for me - so I'm not bashing the instruments. Yet, an outstanding bass is not just cosmetics. IF one goes to a USA Guitars, Warmoth, a custom builder, etc. - they can have have the same features and then some for only marginally more (not necessarily twice). It will probably have better resale, to boot. One usually gets what they pay for, and a Carvin is good bang for the buck...BUTT, let's not get all glassy eyed and carried away. Other good options exist and are available.

 

[Dave Siff]

I think it's great Carvin is responding to the market...finally. BUTT, at what cost? NO graphite rods in their necks, anymore. Chinese/Asian parts used for pups, battery boxes, rear cover plates, and undersized truss rods. Then there's the sheeple who would tell you that to spec a bass of Carvin's quality you'd have to spend twice as much? Bunk. I had one built for me - so I'm not bashing the instruments. Yet, an outstanding bass is not just cosmetics. IF one goes to a USA Guitars, Warmoth, a custom builder, etc. - they can have have the same features and then some for only marginally more (not necessarily twice). It will probably have better resale, to boot. One usually gets what they pay for, and a Carvin is good bang for the buck...BUTT, let's not get all glassy eyed and carried away. Other good options exist and are available.

Trust me, I'm not starry-eyed. Truth be told, Carvin basses don't really do it for me. But that's a matter of personal taste. I've played them side-by-side with much more expensive instruments and they're every bit as good, especially the SB series.

 

[G On Bass]

Chinese/Asian parts used for pups, battery boxes, rear cover plates, and undersized truss rods.

Agreed. US-made battery boxes and cover plates are a must for me... I can't believe that Carvin is still the only company still using Asian parts in their basses!

Not sure about the truss rods. Mine seem to hold just fine with very high tension strings. I never have to adjust them unless I go to a different gauge/brand of strings.

 

[Testing123]

They have at least 3 retail stores- two in cali and they used to have one in south florida.

Yes, they do have 3 retail stores -- Santa Ana, Hollywood and a retail store connected with their main facility in San Diego -- all of which are located in California.

 

[Jarrett]

Agreed. US-made battery boxes and cover plates are a must for me... I can't believe that Carvin is still the only company still using Asian parts in their basses!

LOL, I had to reread his post a few times. I could not tell if he was being serious or not.

"Yes, Carvin support... where were the screws in my pickguard manufactured?"

At. What. Cost?

TalkBass cracks me up

 

[fcoda]

I don't see any issue with using some off shore hardware to keep the price point down , it is being done by many builders large and small. I don't own a Carvin but I have played some a few years back and they didn't do it for me , I did get a chance to play a SB5000 recently and did like it very much and for the money thought it was a very good sounding bass with a nice feel to it and very good fit and finish.However it wouldn't replace my Sad Metro but I would consider a Carvin PJ5 vs a Sad PJ due to the lower cost. I'm waiting for objective feedback and reviews from the folks here that have placed an order.IMO if the quaility and playabilty is anything like the SB5000 then it is well worth the 1130.00 for the PJ5 I spec'd on the site , I can look beyond the Asian made battery box and backplate.

 

[Fresh Eddie]

LOL, I had to reread his post a few times. I could not tell if he was being serious or not.

"Yes, Carvin support... where were the screws in my pickguard manufactured?"

At. What. Cost?

TalkBass cracks me up

American battery boxes have a lot more of a woody midrange tone. I find they cut through the mix a lot better than Asian ones.

All control cavity covers sound alike to me, though.

 

[WoodyG3]

I think it's great Carvin is responding to the market...finally. BUTT, at what cost? NO graphite rods in their necks, anymore. Chinese/Asian parts used for pups, battery boxes, rear cover plates, and undersized truss rods. Then there's the sheeple who would tell you that to spec a bass of Carvin's quality you'd have to spend twice as much? ...

I'm not trying to start a fight, just responding.

The truss rods are beefy, much more so than the truss rods Carvin was using a few years back. Graphite rods aren't needed, IMO, since the introduction of the newer, stiffer truss rods. My SB4000 neck, for instance, doesn't budge during weather and seasonal changes. I don't have many basses I can say that about, living in Colorado with wide humidity and temperature variations.

Carvin makes their own pickups right in the US. While I'm sure Carvin uses bits and pieces such as screws, wire, capacitors, etc made outside of the US, I think it's pretty obvious that this is the case for all US made consumer products these days.

Finally, tell me ANY company or builder that can match Carvin's prices for a bass you spec. Go ahead, I'm waiting.

 

[G On Bass]

All control cavity covers sound alike to me, though.

Have you tried adding a screwhole to a shielded cover? I'm thinking of adding a couple of screwholes to the cover of one of my Jazz basses and see if that gets me closer to the Jaco tone.

 

[fcoda]

I think control covers with maple boards have a bit more growl ....could just be me though