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New Carvin - worth it?

#63
TimBosby said:
There IS a crimson red flame, but there's also a crimson red translucent if you don't select flame top.

By "fairly different" what do you mean? Darker? Lighter? Purple?
Click to expand...

I couldn't tell you for sure, but it will certainly be darker. I like translucent red on mahogany, but I don't know what it looks like on alder. I'd ask Carvin when you call what they think. They might even have a picture they could send you.

I don't think it will look bad, just different than a translucent finish over the more whitish maple. In general I'm a fan of translucent finishes.
 
#64
Tim, I don't think you'll be disappointed with the Carvin. I have two now, after being so impressed with the first. I would say skip the rush for $100, go on this discussion board or Carvin's and talk it up and wait patiently. I’m not sure if you are aware that the neck is a P width, but a little more shallow than a Fender, but the tung oil finish makes it so smooth and fast.

I have the Carved top headstock, good choice; the other has the pointy hockey stick look on my fretless, not as cool. You might call the guys at Carvin to make sure a translucent color on the headstock will match the body exactly, because they're different woods. It may look slightly lighter or darker on the alder vs. the maple on the headstock. In my experience, call them no matter what! IMO chrome or black hardware is the way to go especially with the abalone blocks on ebony fretboard. But hey, it's your bass to customize!

Last thing, the pickups are ok, not great when compared to SD, Bartolini, Lindy Fralin, etc. But also, I found that my active bass with 1 HB2 and 1 stacked humbucker has a weak preamp. The mids are especially disappointing. At least that's what I've experienced, but I could be spoiled since my East preamp on a custom Jazz is just incredible. So maybe think about saving some bucks for changing that out down the line. Anyway you go, I think you will really like this bass. For the money, like Woody said, especially compared to Fender, which I also own, you have your own customized bass.
 
#65
Just do it already!!! you won't be disappointed!!!

Here's my XB75... LOVE IT! There's nothing like having an instrument made FOR YOU!

IMG_1729.jpg
 
#67
OK I've changed my mind again. My wife actually had some fun getting on the Carvin website looking at the different colors with me and she strongly recommended sapphire blue flame. My old Carvin that I regret selling to this day was that color and it was stunning. I already have a blue flame Peavey Millennium which I will sell because I don't want two blue flame basses (my wife also strongly supports me selling the Peavey :)) My only regret is the Peavey has an incredible birdseye maple neck and fingerboard. I would love to have a birdseye maple neck on the Carvin but I don't think you can do that with an ebony fingerboard. And I insist on abalone BLOCKS not dots and Carvin won't do any kind of blocks with a maple or birdseye maple fingerboard. My ideal would be to have birdseye maple on the back of the neck only but I don't think you can do that. And yes I'm still doing the gold hardware, I don't care if it's cheesy :)

Anyway..here are the specs I just came up with.

B4
Right Handed 1 $669.00

-MA - Maple Neck/Alder Body (Standard) $0.00
-CG - Clear Gloss Finish (Standard) $0.00
FTB - Sapphire Blue Flame $160.00
-TN - Tung Oil Finish Back Of Neck (Standard) $0.00
CTH - Carved Top Headstock $20.00
FPH - Flamed Maple Headstock $25.00
-EB - Ebony Fingerboard (Standard) $0.00
AB - Abalone Block Inlays $80.00
-FR - Med-Jumbo Frets .048" H .103" W (Standard) $0.00
-R12 - 12in Fretboard Radius (Standard) $0.00
-H50S - H50S Stacked Humbuckers (Standard) $0.00
AC - Active/Passive Electronics w/ Coil Splitters, Phase Switch $50.00
G - Gold Hardware $50.00
-4011 - Nickel Roundwound .040 .060 .080 .100 $0.00
ABL - Abalone Logo $30.00
SL - Dunlop Straplocks $10.00
HC17 - ABS Hardshell Bass Case $0.00
Guitar Total: $1,094.00
 
#69
TimBosby said:
OK I've changed my mind again. My wife actually had some fun getting on the Carvin website looking at the different colors with me and she strongly recommended sapphire blue flame... And yes I'm still doing the gold hardware, I don't care if it's cheesy :)
Click to expand...

My wife actually tried to talk me in to buying a bass today. She's a musician, too, and was buying herself a new djembe. I think she would have felt better about spending the money if I had bought something, too. ;)

Anyway, wives are usually right about colors, so it's good you are going with the blue flame. I think you're going to have a great bass. Post pics when you get it so we can judge for ourselves if the gold hardware is "cheesy." :D
 
#70
Navybass said:
Problem with that is that he might not want a MIM Fender Jazz. That's great that you would be satisfied with that, but the OP might not be satisfied.
Click to expand...

He said MIA. Not that the OP wants a Fender, but your comparison is lowballing Carvin.

Barkless Dog said:
And sell for about $400-$600 if you can find a buyer. The problem with Warmoth is it's a lot like one of these Asian Noodle places where you build it yourself. You end up putting everything in your bowl and it ends up tasting like sh@&t!~ vs something you could have ordered off the menu.
Click to expand...

If you can use a screwdriver and a soldering iron without help and don't go for unconventional woods, it should play and sound like any or many store-bought basses of the same fit, finish and quality. Have you had a bad experience with a partially DIY instrument?
 
#74
mike1762 said:
This might give you an idea.

4696_LB76P_1.jpg


This is a Dragonburst, but I think the blue would be the color you are thinking about. When you say "Sapphire Blue Flame" I assume you mean you want a Flamed Maple top?
Click to expand...

My compliments to you (and to Carvin) on the Dragonburst... it looks just like my Modulus! :)

Quantum5.jpg


But I digress. I'm really starting to itch to get a Carvin. I've been looking at them for years... One part of my problem though is all the options. Jeez, I've spent SO much time with their Bass Builder and photoshopping different parts together...

I think this is what I've finally settled on... for now. lol Walnut no-show, birdseye maple board, mahogany body, mahogany maple neck. Now I just have to decide between 5-string wide neck and 6-string.

CarvinIcon6_WalnutBirdseyeN.jpg


5sg.
 
#75
My only issue with the LB76 is the bridge position: it needs to be moved toward the neck about 0.5 cm. I have the saddles run all the way out on 3 of the strings and the intonation is still a bit flat on 2 strings (I tend to bend the strings as I work down the neck; therefore, I compensate for the problem). The neck seems very stable, but dual truss rods would have been nice. Otherwise, the build quality is excellent. I almost went with the maple fingerboard myself.
 
#76
Here's the trigger.

And here's me pulling it: (!!!)

Timothy,

Thank you for ordering from Carvin.com. Your order is in process.
Please review your order details below and make sure they are correct.

Custom Order Guitar
$ 669.00 - B4 - 4-String Passive Bolt-On Bass -Right Hand
$ 50.00 - AC - Active/Passive Electronics w/ Coil Splitters, Phase Switch
$ 160.00 - FTB - Sapphire Blue Flame
$ 0.00 - -CG - Clear Gloss Finish (Standard)
$ 0.00 - -MA - Maple Neck/Alder Body (Standard)
$ 0.00 - -TN - Tung Oil Finish Back Of Neck (Standard)
$ 25.00 - FPH - Flamed Maple Headstock
$ 20.00 - CTH - Carved Top Headstock
$ 0.00 - -EB - Ebony Fingerboard (Standard)
$ 80.00 - AB - Abalone Block Inlays
$ 40.00 - STJF - Stainless Jumbo Frets .055" H .110" W
$ 0.00 - -R12 - 12in Fretboard Radius (Standard)
$ 0.00 - -CH - Chrome Hardware (Standard)
$ 0.00 - -H50S - H50S Stacked Humbuckers (Standard)
$ 30.00 - ABL - Abalone Logo
$ 0.00 - -4011 - Nickel Roundwound .040 .060 .080 .100
$ 10.00 - SL - Dunlop Straplocks
$ 40.00 - HS - Hipshot Bass Detuner
$ 0.00 - HC17 - ABS Hardshell Bass Case

--------------------------------------------------------------
$ 29.00 - Shipping & Handling
$ 0.00 - Tax
$ 1,153.00 - Your Order Total


Yikes. Thank goodness for 6 months no interest financing. And also...notice I decided on standard chrome hardware instead of gold. Didn't want to be cheesy :)
 

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