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Very cool video about how Carvins are made

#3
A lot, if not all, of those interviews are also on this new website, Carvin Channel (launched yesterday). Lots of cool stuff here... I'm watching the Bunny Brunel interview right now.

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I play with my basses "vertical" (as he puts it), also, and it's really hard to find basses that work for me. I'm considering one of his signature models at some point. I've never really listened to his music, but I sure like the design of that instrument.
 
#5
That was cool. I love watching CNC machines, but I usually watch metal work. I am impressed with how much they can take out at once in wood.

I was also impressed with how fast they installed the frets and did the fretwork. I didn't think the frets would be that long initially, seems like a lot of waste.

OT, but here is another cool example of a CNC lathe:



EDIT: Somebody should notify Major Metal ;)
 
#6
I don't understand why Carvins aren't more popular. I really don't get it. Their workmanship is outstanding; their customer service is great, and they have so many options that you'd be hard-pressed to find anything out there closer to what you want without going fully custom (and spending at least twice as much).

I know a lot of people don't like Carvin-brand pickups & preamps, but those are easy enough to swap, especially when you take Carvins base prices into account. In my opinion, they're grossly underpriced for the quality when compared to other makers, both new & used, and they're made in the USA.

Is it just because they're factory direct and don't have a network of dealers, so people don't have enough exposure to them? I can kind of understand low prices on the used market, since they're semi-custom, and custom & semi-custom instruments always take a beating on the used market, but I've never played a Carvin that wasn't an truly beautifully-made instrument.

Do you think people think of them as budget instruments, because they're factory direct? I can understand that having an effect on value, even if it's not true, e.g. high-end, custom shop Washburns take a beating on the used market, just because people are accustomed to thinking of the name Washburn as low-end.
 
#9
Dave Muscato said:
I don't understand why Carvins aren't more popular. I really don't get it ... I know a lot of people don't like Carvin-brand pickups & preamps, but those are easy enough to swap, especially when you take Carvins base prices into account.
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Dave -

I think Carvins are absolutely beautiful instruments and every six months or so, I consider having one built.

My problem is that I've had one and while the workmanship was excellent, the electronics were lackluster. Personally, I have a real problem with buying a custom-made instrument with the plan to rip out the electronics. You spend $1500-1800 on a brand new bass and then another $250-$400 on new electronics? Now we're in (used) boutique territory. Let's not even talk about resale value. :spit:

And, oh by the way, Mike, Roger, Pete, Carey, or Dan will stand behind you and support you way more than Carvin will.

Don't get me wrong -- if I could find a used Carvin in a flavor that that I liked (LB or XB75 in Claro Walnut with the wide neck option), I might buy it and change the electronics to suit my tastes. I'm just not ready to order a brand new one with that plan.

FWIW, SOME people also have issues with Carvin's necks going bad but I can't speak to that directly.
 
#11
I think it's partially because, like anything custom-made, it's a matter of finding the perfect buyer. It's easy to find someone who's willing to pay 2/3 of the price of a new one for a four-string sunburst MIA Fender Jazz; it's another entirely to find someone willing to pay 2/3 of the price of a new one for a 6-string, walnut top option, rounded body edges option, piezo-pickup option, mother-of-pearl block inlays option, etc, even if those two numbers are about the same. The more customized you go, the narrower the niche for the used market and the lower the resale value. Why buy used but not exactly what you want for 2/3 of the new price when you can get EXACTLY what you want, among dozens of options, for only a couple hundred more?

Also, because they are custom-built and have a 10-day return policy, I bet people who don't send them back right away tend to keep them for a very long time, rather than reselling. If you had a custom-made instrument that was perfect for you, why would you sell it, especially if you got a good deal on it? This, I'm sure, is compounded by the vicious circle fact that they have low resale value, so you're not giving up much by choosing to keep it rather than sell.

I suppose that's a good thing for Carvin, since it means they sell more new instruments. Still, it's too bad that people who don't have experience with them tend to think of them as somehow inferior. They are some of the nicest instruments I've played, electronics aside (which, as I said, are easy enough to swap).

IotaNet, I know exactly what you mean about buying a brand-new, custom instrument and then swapping the electronics. However, because they are factory-direct and so much cheaper, I personally wouldn't mind, since the money works out the same either way. They are really a semi-custom shop, not unlike Fender, etc.
 
#13
Though I am not a complete Carvin fanboy I have owned a few four bangers in the past. I went to five a few years back and have yet bought a Carvin 5v'er..... that is until just last night. I pulled the trigger on an XB75 with all mahogany neck and body with a stunning spalted maple top with matching headstock. Paid around $1600.00

I plan on eventually replacing the pups and pre depending on how much I like the existing setup so yes it could be that I put another 2-400 dollars.

Now can I get a used "boutique" bass at the $2k mark..... well yes there are some decent choices out there.... here's the but... I may be hard pressed to find the one I would really want with the specs I just mentioned and as well be in mint brand spankin' new condition.... for the $2k mark I will get the exact wood combo, fret board, hardware color, scale that I want and then the dream pickups and pre I want provided I don't like the Carvin pups and pre and it's all very high quality. And I have a 10 day trial period and IF I absolutely don't like it I can send it back for a full refund.

Before placing this Carvin order I had been gleaning TB classifieds and eBay for a boutique 5'ver for around $2k. I looked and considered several, Sadowsky, Pedulla, Lull, Nordstrand just to name a few. For the most part I could not find one at that price range that would have been possibly acceptable for my tastes. Now If I was looking to spend $3k or better then the choices opened up but unless you have picked up and played a particular brand and model and know that you would love the sound and feel then it's a roll of the dice that you will feel the mojo and keep it. I have witnessed several boutique class basses float from one TB'er to another and many for sale that another TB'er would speak up and say that that particular bass used to be theirs.

Bottom line... I have played a few boutique basses with a few that really did not impress me. ( I know it is very subjective ) I have to tell you though... the newer Carvins today come very close to even keel with the beauty, quality, feel and playability of any other high end USA bass out there. Some of the older vintages maybe not so much. Really, even the pups and electronics have come a long way. People who have not been impressed with Carvins in the past and those who listen to the negative comments about Carvin should try to check out the newest ones before making judgment.

And before anybody questions my ability to make comparison. I own a Dingwall ABII 5, a MIA Fender Jazz 5, a Peavey Cirrus 5, Bolin NS Design 5 just to name a few. Not to mention the ones I have sold.

Carvin is by far the best bang for the buck out there, but for the reasons that they are, are the very reasons that has worked against them.

Yes the resale value is not that great but that is because unless a used one perfectly suits your build tastes and is in mint condition why spend 80-90% of what a new one would cost when you can order the exact one to your specs and only have to wait 4-6 weeks to get a factory new one in? To entice buyers used ones have to sell for 75-50% of a new one. It's a blessing and a curse. That means you can pick up an excellent used one for a great price. That's how I tried one and found out about the most excellent build quality and then later ordered a new 4 string and was absolutely happy with it. Only sold it because of going to 5 string and then reluctantly.

You see what I mean about how the good things about Carvin can also work against them as well. If I were to order up an MTD or a Zon or a Sadowsky or other high end botique basses the same way that I just placed the order I did with Carvin for my new 5 string, it would have easily cost me anywhere from $4-6k. Carvin is offering to us who can't afford that an excellent instrument with an most excellent build quality that comes very close to the really high end instruments. And no I don't work for Carvin. I live in Florida.

Any way that my 2 cents. Everybody has an opinion and you know what they say about opinions.
 
#16
That video is fun to watch. Once upon a time I worked in a furniture factory and we did almost everything with hand power tools. We would have killed to have a CNC or two!

As far as the perception of Carvins goes, I always scratch my head when people say they don't like Carvin electronics. J99s are my favorite single coil pickup on the planet. The preamps on my Carvins have always worked just fine.

There is a pretty good video on the same CarvinChannel site with Joe Walsh. That guy always cracks me up. It's worth checking out, too.
 
#17
I don't know why they are stubborn to offer third party electronics. Maybe it's some kind of pride issue? The fit and finish of Carvin instruments is great. But I haven't played one that I liked the sound. The electronics and pickups have a "clanky" sound to my ears. After hearing the effects of the Audere Zmode, I wonder if the problem with their electronics is that they have the input impedance set too high? Then they go with nonstandard pickup sizes to make things difficult in swapping out pickups.
 
#20
About Carvin's electronics;

I just got a Brand new 5 str fretless , after I got stolen and the new electronic ( with the full parametric mid ) is very good.

People that are bitchin about Carvin's electronics probably haven't tried that version.

If Carvin doesn't offer other brand's electronics is probably to keep the price down , it's done inhouse.
 

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