I have the 5 string v59k on order, just got my carvin card in the mail yesterday, so the waiting begins. Looks like it will be about 8 weeks if they hit the date on the card.
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New Carvin Vanquish Basses
- Thread starter Handyman
- Start date
I have the 5 string v59k on order, just got my carvin card in the mail yesterday, so the waiting begins. Looks like it will be about 8 weeks if they hit the date on the card.
I have been looking at a custom order from carvin for a while, but I am the guy who cannot order food unless there is a pic in the menu of what it looks like so I was always hesitant as to what options to pick and what would look good. The general idea was I wanted a dark cherry quilt or flame and maple neck, but could not decide anything else.
Then after NAMM, I saw the vanquish and then they put up pic of the cherry quilt, on walnut body, with natural binding and maple neck. Then instantly I said, yep that is what I am looking for. So, I changed a few small things, but very similar to the options in the pic of cherry v59 on the carvin site.
I will go against the grain and say that I prefer the sound of the humbuckers over the singles....they seem to have more grit, which I like. The singles were definitely louder, but too clean for my tastes.....but that's just me.
As far as the design, I'm in love. I really like the vintage ash 5-string posted in the thread opener. I considered a PB5, but this one changed my mind!!!!
As far as the design, I'm in love. I really like the vintage ash 5-string posted in the thread opener. I considered a PB5, but this one changed my mind!!!!
I would have liked to have seen a true A/B of the humbuckers vs. the single-coils, i.e. both sets of pickups back-to-back in the same bass. Probably wouldn't have been that hard for Carvin to swap out the pickups between takes. As it is, we got a comparison of two basses with not only different pickups, but different fingerboard woods and, I'm guessing, different body woods as well. Not to mention the fatal flaw of all these demo videos -- the sound of a bass by itself is irrelevant unless you're a solo artist. Plenty of basses sound great by themselves and get swallowed up in a full band mix. And, was I the only one amused by the repeated references to how the Vanquish can sound like a P-bass or a Jazz? If Carvin is going to do ground-up designs like the Vanquish, why make them sound like basses most of us already have?
^^probably to lure prospective buyers who have been told over and over again that there's nothing like a P or a J bass....
Wishful thinking on Carvin's part. They do not sound like a P bass. No bass with Jazz pickups sounds like a P bass. You know what would make it sound like a P bass? Oh, I don't know... maybe offering their new Split P pickup in it????
That's why there are no Carvins on my purchase list at the moment. I already have 2 B25's (fretted and fretless), and a B50 w/a P pickup close enough to a PB5). I might be really, really tempted by these Vanquishes for a bling bass (or another B25) if I could get a P/J set up... Not that this topic has been beat to death or anything...
- Jan 23, 2008
- 100
- 26
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Carvin Basses, TC Electronic Amps/ Cabinets, Dunlop Strings, GruvGear Accessories, 1964 Ears In Ear Monitors, LM Products straps
As the person that has played all of the Vanquish basses I wanted to try and clear a couple of things up that are being discussed here. I will start by saying everything is certainly not for everyone...that's a given. That being said, I find it amazing that people can pass so many judgements on an instrument without ever having played or even heard it. At the end of the day, that should be important.
Next, the pickup option thing. Offering every bass in their line with every pickup option doesn't work for a number of reasons. First, not available in all string configurations without designing new sizes etc which puts say a split coil out of the question on a 6atring. Carvin makes p/j style basses so if you want that, buy one of those. That's what makes different models different. It's like saying I want a Ford Focus but I want it with the Ferrari engine.
Btw, it's pretty funny how the negative comments slowed to a crawl after folks actually HEARD it...lol.
The last thing is the tones discussed in the video. If you actually go back and listen, I used words like 'reminiscent' and 'similar' to. I know only a split coil can give the true P bass sound. Addressing the question as to why they have new offerings that sound like the same old thing: there are people like myself that make a living working with artists who used the top 'A' cats on their records that played J basses. I have an SB5000 that does that very well but I am primarily a 6string player. This gives people like me the ability to play an ERB and still get a sound very close to the original.
I hope any of this helps.
Next, the pickup option thing. Offering every bass in their line with every pickup option doesn't work for a number of reasons. First, not available in all string configurations without designing new sizes etc which puts say a split coil out of the question on a 6atring. Carvin makes p/j style basses so if you want that, buy one of those. That's what makes different models different. It's like saying I want a Ford Focus but I want it with the Ferrari engine.
Btw, it's pretty funny how the negative comments slowed to a crawl after folks actually HEARD it...lol.
The last thing is the tones discussed in the video. If you actually go back and listen, I used words like 'reminiscent' and 'similar' to. I know only a split coil can give the true P bass sound. Addressing the question as to why they have new offerings that sound like the same old thing: there are people like myself that make a living working with artists who used the top 'A' cats on their records that played J basses. I have an SB5000 that does that very well but I am primarily a 6string player. This gives people like me the ability to play an ERB and still get a sound very close to the original.
I hope any of this helps.
Ben,
Thanks for chiming in. A couple of points, with all due respect.
Unfortunately, some folks are gonna hate a bass just on looks. Or on a pickup config. Or a headstock decal. Or on a Carvin they owned in 1983. Or on a story they heard about someone who knew someone who owned a Carvin in 1983. Everyone who picks up any of my Carvins is usually blown away, and it's always fun to watch....Very few people complain about the factor electronics in Carvins, so it's no wonder that Vanquish sounds great.
Actually.....Carvin uses the same split coil pickup in the 4 and 5 string basses, and says it is for use on 6 string basses as well. With the exception of the 'MM' style humbucker, they also use the same exact J, RADs and all other pickups for 4,5 and 6 string basses. So no new pickup sizes required there.
Carvin makes 8 different series of basses that are standard or are available with the J/H style pickups (the Xccelrator is available with a neck HB instead of the split coil.). But there are only 2 models that come with or have the Split P available. Seeing as a split P has been a long time coming, and seems very popular, it seems unfair to be dismissed for holding views that lean towards wanting more variety/choices in pickups in Carvin's new basses. I don't think anyone is asking Carvin to go back and re-program CNC machines for LB, XB, SB, BB an other existing series of basses. But since they have to program for a new bass, why not add the P route in there as an option? How does it hurt them to appeal to more people?
At a time when the company seems to be exploding with creativity and new models, it seems a perplexing choice to limit the availability of a long-requested, much sought-after feature like a Split P pickup. Kinda like offering to pay extra for a new, killer factory radio when spec'ing out a high-end car, but being told that they will only install that radio in a specific midsized sedan or a bright orange Hot Rod.
Personally I think the Vanquishes are nice looking basses, and if it came with a split P option, there's very little doubt in my mind that I'd have one on order.
But it sounds like they have a ton in the build queue as is, and that's a good thing.
As always, thanks again for your comments, insights and videos, which are always excellent and helpful!
Thanks for chiming in. A couple of points, with all due respect.
Unfortunately, some folks are gonna hate a bass just on looks. Or on a pickup config. Or a headstock decal. Or on a Carvin they owned in 1983. Or on a story they heard about someone who knew someone who owned a Carvin in 1983. Everyone who picks up any of my Carvins is usually blown away, and it's always fun to watch....Very few people complain about the factor electronics in Carvins, so it's no wonder that Vanquish sounds great.
Actually.....Carvin uses the same split coil pickup in the 4 and 5 string basses, and says it is for use on 6 string basses as well. With the exception of the 'MM' style humbucker, they also use the same exact J, RADs and all other pickups for 4,5 and 6 string basses. So no new pickup sizes required there.
Carvin makes 8 different series of basses that are standard or are available with the J/H style pickups (the Xccelrator is available with a neck HB instead of the split coil.). But there are only 2 models that come with or have the Split P available. Seeing as a split P has been a long time coming, and seems very popular, it seems unfair to be dismissed for holding views that lean towards wanting more variety/choices in pickups in Carvin's new basses. I don't think anyone is asking Carvin to go back and re-program CNC machines for LB, XB, SB, BB an other existing series of basses. But since they have to program for a new bass, why not add the P route in there as an option? How does it hurt them to appeal to more people?
At a time when the company seems to be exploding with creativity and new models, it seems a perplexing choice to limit the availability of a long-requested, much sought-after feature like a Split P pickup. Kinda like offering to pay extra for a new, killer factory radio when spec'ing out a high-end car, but being told that they will only install that radio in a specific midsized sedan or a bright orange Hot Rod.
Personally I think the Vanquishes are nice looking basses, and if it came with a split P option, there's very little doubt in my mind that I'd have one on order.
But it sounds like they have a ton in the build queue as is, and that's a good thing.As always, thanks again for your comments, insights and videos, which are always excellent and helpful!
The Xccelerator series has a p pickup on their 6 string model. So it's not out of the question.
- Jan 23, 2008
- 100
- 26
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Carvin Basses, TC Electronic Amps/ Cabinets, Dunlop Strings, GruvGear Accessories, 1964 Ears In Ear Monitors, LM Products straps
Thanks guys. There are, however, cars out there that contain a high end Bose system and it's not available in all models. It's kinda like a selling point of a particular model. If every bass had every option there would really be nothing to differentiate between models except shape. I would like to take a poll someday of what people think the 'ultimate' bass would be and see how many folks jump on one bandwagon. Carvin listens...that's how all these new models come to be. One thing that seems to be probably the most popular is to offer a split p pickup in EVERYTHING. I really do think they are trying to differentiate between models.
That's kinda how it is now. Every model except one (the PB) is available with pretty much the same config, just not the Split P.
And that's why we continue to bring it up! Hopefully if we make enough respectful, legitimate 'noi$e', they'll listen!
Thanks again, Ben!
So first of all, I love the vanquish. It has a very cool look and sounds fantastic. But I cant help but wonder... 
As far as Carvin making a bolt neck 6 string that goes into J territory tonally - if an SB6000 existed would there be greater demand for it or the Vanquish 6?
As far as Carvin making a bolt neck 6 string that goes into J territory tonally - if an SB6000 existed would there be greater demand for it or the Vanquish 6?
BassHappy
Supporting Member
Anyone know if they are offering the four string version in medium scale?
BassHappy
www.innertainment.net
