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Thinking of getting a Carvin.
- Thread starter pica
- Start date
I've bought 3, and each one was quite well made. My XB75P is a beauty, and a tone monster! Haven't gotten a bolt on, but am hearing good things about them as well.
I played one at a local GTG last weekend; it was very nice. B-string was killer! Pretty, too. I'm personally not a big fan, but they are well made basses. Electronics and pickups are often cited as the weak points, but are easily replaced.
Much like Peavey stuff, horrible value retention makes them a great value used.
Much like Peavey stuff, horrible value retention makes them a great value used.
I think Carvin has come a long way with electronics in the past few years. The humbuckers and preamp on my XB75P are equivalent to my EBMM Bongo. 
And I am equally happy with the stacked humbuckers on my LB75P.
And I am equally happy with the stacked humbuckers on my LB75P.
I have a Carvin Fretless that's a very well made/playing bass. It's a MM/J/P with the 6 knob setup and switch for the pre-amp. My problem is I DON'T need the J or P, I'd like JUST a MM pickup. I find the J pickup all but useless and the P is more of a novelty than anything else. If Carvin would do a single MM, I would order a nice one today...........But........that's not possible 
Carvin
Carvin
Here's a pic of my XB75P I received last month. I love it! Plays like buttah and I can coax any sound I need out of it!
Marley that bass is sooo sweet. love the red and the birdseye wow.
FL Knifemaker - they have an FAQ on the Carvin forum about hidden options (option 50 they call them) and it mentions ordering a bass with a single HB pickup. It's not on the on line configurator thing but if you call you can supposedly get it - worth a try anyway.
FL Knifemaker - they have an FAQ on the Carvin forum about hidden options (option 50 they call them) and it mentions ordering a bass with a single HB pickup. It's not on the on line configurator thing but if you call you can supposedly get it - worth a try anyway.
I haven't any experience with one yet but I am going to be ordering a neck-thru 6 string very soon.
I've only heard good things about carvin!
What finish and wood do you have planned? Just curious.
I've only heard good things about carvin!
What finish and wood do you have planned? Just curious.
I love Carvin, but only on principle. I have never played one of their instruments. But, they have practically unlimited options, and they make every model left-handed, which is what makes them so great. If I was looking for a bass in that range, I can pretty much guarantee I'd go Carvin.
Here's a pic of my XB75P I received last month. I love it! Plays like buttah and I can coax any sound I need out of it!
Nice!! I love the diamond abalone inlays.
I'll call them tomorrow. I really don't want a single HB pickup, I want a single MM pickup. If that's an option, I'll order one.
I started a thread awhile back asking if anybody had tried their new Bolt series but I didn't get any replies. There's a lot of love for the SB5000 though, and at least one thread dedicated to it, so you might want to check that out.
There's a bunch of videos on the carvin channel right now, here's one for the B40 and B50. Invalid Link Removed
There's a bunch of videos on the carvin channel right now, here's one for the B40 and B50. Invalid Link Removed
Nothing but good feelings toward Carvin.
I used to stop by the Santa Ana store on the way home from work, and the guys there were GREAT... helpful, intelligent and enthusiastic. I bought a lot of stuff there, never regretted a single purchase.
I used to stop by the Santa Ana store on the way home from work, and the guys there were GREAT... helpful, intelligent and enthusiastic. I bought a lot of stuff there, never regretted a single purchase.
for a few years i happened to only gig carvin basses.
theyre rediculously reliable. very well built. 34" scale B strings are tight and great. the electronics aren't as bad as theyre made out to be, they're on par with stock fender MIA stuff IMO. just cheaper.
if you can, of course, buy used. i paid something like $1500 for my walnut XB76P, and was lucky to get i think $750 for it, + i paid the shipping (to cananda..) my LB76 though, i bought used for 600, gigged for a year or so, then sold for 600.
theyre rediculously reliable. very well built. 34" scale B strings are tight and great. the electronics aren't as bad as theyre made out to be, they're on par with stock fender MIA stuff IMO. just cheaper.
if you can, of course, buy used. i paid something like $1500 for my walnut XB76P, and was lucky to get i think $750 for it, + i paid the shipping (to cananda..) my LB76 though, i bought used for 600, gigged for a year or so, then sold for 600.
Haven't got a Carvin bass, but do have one of their guitars:
Build quality is excellent. Playability is excellent. Tone is good but is lacking a certain hard-to-define magic needed to lift that to "excellent" status as well.
Build quality is excellent. Playability is excellent. Tone is good but is lacking a certain hard-to-define magic needed to lift that to "excellent" status as well.
I haven't any experience with one yet but I am going to be ordering a neck-thru 6 string very soon.
I've only heard good things about carvin!
What finish and wood do you have planned? Just curious.
I'm thinking of just an Alderwood body with a Maple neck with either a classic sunburst or a tobacco burst with matching headstock.
I have 3 Carvin basses from 2006/2007 ( two LB76 and one BB70)
They sound nice and feel good, play easily, 95% is avalaible lefty.
But I must say that I have a hard time getting a good sound in a band context (to me), a good slap tone and to me they don't feel as bullet proof as a Fender or the like.
They sound nice and feel good, play easily, 95% is avalaible lefty.
But I must say that I have a hard time getting a good sound in a band context (to me), a good slap tone and to me they don't feel as bullet proof as a Fender or the like.
