hey i posted threads before about looking for a new bass, but i believe Ive came down to 2 options of what bass I want to get next. I, looking at either getting a Spector, or a Carvin(the ones that are around $750). What brand do u prefer?
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Spector, or Carvin?
- Thread starter brokensilence11
- Start date
go for the carvin. you might be able to find something in the "guitars in stock" section to meet your budget, but if you are at all flexible, you can get a GREAT instrument that would be custom made to your image of a sweet bass. I have played a carvin xb75p as my only professional bass since 2003 and it has been a tremendous work horse. it sounds great, plays great, and is the most comfortable bass i have tried out to date. spectors are fine sounding basses as well, but to me, the fact that i got exactly the bass i was looking for without having to settle on even one minor detail is extremely satisfying. With the carvin 10 day trial period, how could you go wrong? good luck in your search.
I feel you have to go with a USA Spector to get a really good Spector, so I'd go with a Carvin on your budget. I actually can't think of any other place to get a brand new USA made instrument for $750.
i totally agree the BB75 with the asymmetrical neck is the standard for 5 strings..
Carvin and Spector IMO rival each other in terms of build quality.
The plus side to Carvin is you'll get a very well built and great playing bass for a reasonable price.
The 10 day return policy though nice, is too me, still an overall inconvenience. You still have to pay return shipping and wait a short while for the refund to get processed. You're going to be out the initial shipping costs of the bass plus the return shipping costs. So you're looking at about $60 in wasted money should you not like the bass.
The biggest drawback to Carvin is, unless you live near them or have access to one is, you can't try it before you buy it. IMO, if you want a Carvin you'd be better off trying to find one you can play first, then purchasing it if you like it.
The plus side to Carvin is you'll get a very well built and great playing bass for a reasonable price.
The 10 day return policy though nice, is too me, still an overall inconvenience. You still have to pay return shipping and wait a short while for the refund to get processed. You're going to be out the initial shipping costs of the bass plus the return shipping costs. So you're looking at about $60 in wasted money should you not like the bass.
The biggest drawback to Carvin is, unless you live near them or have access to one is, you can't try it before you buy it. IMO, if you want a Carvin you'd be better off trying to find one you can play first, then purchasing it if you like it.
I disagree completely. Speaking to the neck thru models, the Euro's are on par with the US models. I'd even go as far to say the fit and finish on the Euros are better than the older US models.
As far as the OP, you really need to get your hands on each of these to make a decision.
Rickett Customs
Commercial User
I have played a few carvins and I could not really fault the craftsmanship or playability at all.....I would choose the Spector Euro, but that's just me.
Carvin ... I love my B50 and truly believe that you'd be hard pressed to find the quality of a Carvin in any other brand without spending quite a bit more $$$.
- Aug 5, 2005
- 7,243
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- Endorsing Artist: J.C. Basses
Tonewise, the Spector completely blows away a Carvin.
Pricewise, you'll likely get a nicer Carvin for your price range.
I'd say get a used Spector Legend and upgrade to active EMGs and an Aguilar OBP-3. It can be done for $750.
Pricewise, you'll likely get a nicer Carvin for your price range.
I'd say get a used Spector Legend and upgrade to active EMGs and an Aguilar OBP-3. It can be done for $750.
hi, i have toured and recorded albums with both brands and played them for years. and not the big dollar ones, spector legends(bolt on czech). unfortunatly you will have to try both to really know which you prefer but i have to say you couldent go wrong with a spector legend bolt on. i do not have experience with the carvin bolt ons, ive used lb75's and xb75's. fantastic instrument for the money. dig them ebony fretboards, just like a violin.. i will assume the bolt ons are just as good in quality if they are made in the usa factory.. on the other hand, spectors are around so you can test them out in person. thats one thing i didnt like about carvin, you have to order them on faith and hope. when i was cooking for a living, i wasnt plunking my $ on faith and hope, sorry. i will bet if you find a store that carries them and test them against 1000-1200$ basses like i did, you will buy one. i have ones from czeck, korea, and i think japan. i dont like the japan ones at all, and the czeck ones are a bit ahead of the korean ones in sound and playability and finish . johnny a.
Sorry, not trying to be rude, but the Legends are Korean-Made. Always have been. The ReBop Models are our Czech-Made bolt-ons.
I've only played a Carvin (LB70) once. Seemed like a nice bass... It just wasn't as comfortable and definately didn't have the deep growly tonal-range that my Euro4LX has. But that's a soapbar vs P/J issue.
I can't really speak too much about the virtues of Carvin, when I was searching for "the bass" that was best for me (long before I actually worked for Spector, BTW), I tried out dozens of basses and owned a Fender, Steinberger, Ibanez, MusicMan... Eventually my quest for the perfect bass for me led me to Spector. It's different for every player. So you may get either of these fine instruments you mention here and find that neither is that perfect bass for you. Or you may find that one or the other is.
I'd strongly advise you to try and find the two models that you are interested in (Carvin vs. Spector) and play them both. And not just for 2 or 3 minutes. Ask if you can stap them on and play them. Feel their weight, get used to their necks, run them through a number of different tone settings.
Then buy the one that best fits you.
Spectors usually run a little more than $750 for a nice used Euro Model. But you pay for what you get and what you are getting is a precision crafted instrument with the finest components available on the market. And all of our Neck-Thru Euro models have the same 3-piece Rock Maple necks, truss rods and extruded graphite support rods (when we say "Basses Built for a Lifetime", we mean it) as our USA models. We actually ship them to our Czech factory from the NY workshop.
The heart of every Neck-Thru Euro Spector IS the same as every USA Spector.
And another word about Spectors that run less than $1000 that are not Czech or USA made. I agree with NS2A that the Euro Models are almost on par with the USA models. And the fact they have the same necks is a large part. But the fit and finish of the USA models is a little more perfect. If that makes sense. And they ARE made here in the USA by hand by Stuart Spector and a small handful of dedicated craftsmen that Stuart has hand-picked and trained.
The Korean models are nothing to turn your nose up at... They are really, really well made and many professional artists including Johnny A. of Staind have played them. The same group of people have made them for us in Korea since 1986. And every year they just get better and better. My first Spector was a Korean model. It blew my Ibanez and (sad to say) MusicMan away. So much so that I started looking for an affordable used Euro model.
I have a 22 year-old Spector NS-2A from Korea that honestly sounds as nice and plays as well as my new Euro4LX... The neck is still true after 22 years. The finish is still beautiful.
Please try both out and make your decision based on that. You can have 10,000 opinions from people here leaning one direction or the other, but at the end of the day the only opinion that matters is yours.
I wish you the best of luck. Please post what your decision is. I'll be curious to see what you decide.
Best,
JP
Having owned a Carvin LB70, Spector Rebop 4 and Legend 5 it would be a tough choice. Both have their strong points. I really like the Spector body shape. It is the most comfortable bass I have played. The build quality on both Spector basses was quite good. The weak point for me was the tone. I could never get a tone that I personally liked out of them. Probably due to the EMG pickups and the not so great preamp they used.
Carvin makes a nice bass for the price. You have many wood, hardware, pickup, etc. options ordering one new. Assuming you can find what you want, you could go used and get an even better deal. Between the two I would say go with Carvin.
Carvin makes a nice bass for the price. You have many wood, hardware, pickup, etc. options ordering one new. Assuming you can find what you want, you could go used and get an even better deal. Between the two I would say go with Carvin.
Rickett Customs
Commercial User
Having played both (Euro 5 strings & LB75's and Icon-5's), I prefer the Carvins, and of the LB75 and the Icon, I find the Icon more comfortable to play (just the way the body is designed).
I've also noticed that the Euro Spectors that I have own all sound very similar (maybe some slight, really slight differences - pretty aggressive and sits great in a rock/metal mix), whereas my Carvins can sould quite a bit different (my ash body + maple fingerboard icons sounds much differenct than my alder body + ebony fingerboard icon: the ash body/maple fb sounds more growly and the alder body/ebony FB is more rounded and smoother).
I gotta give myself a little plug here - I am selling both an LB75 and an Icon-5
Regardless of which brand you buy, you will get a quality instrument.
I've also noticed that the Euro Spectors that I have own all sound very similar (maybe some slight, really slight differences - pretty aggressive and sits great in a rock/metal mix), whereas my Carvins can sould quite a bit different (my ash body + maple fingerboard icons sounds much differenct than my alder body + ebony fingerboard icon: the ash body/maple fb sounds more growly and the alder body/ebony FB is more rounded and smoother).
I gotta give myself a little plug here - I am selling both an LB75 and an Icon-5
Regardless of which brand you buy, you will get a quality instrument.
hmmm i will have to check the back of the headstocks. sorry if i got it wrong. i swore i had spectors made in 3 countries... so it must be the korean one is the best. johnny a.
