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Which do I keep?

Keep the Carvin SB5000 or Sire V7 1st Gen?

  • SB5000

    Votes: 180 69.5%

  • Sire V7 1st Gen

    Votes: 39 15.1%

  • Keep Both

    Votes: 40 15.4%
  • Total voters
    259
#62
Gizmot said:
I have never played, touched or heard a Carvin. However, based on the experiences of three of my friends who bought Carvins and got rid of them pretty quickly, I'm not excited or impressed by them. I have written this before and have received hate responses from people who like Carvin - - but I've made it for a long time without one and I will make it without them for as long as I'm around.

So - - I voted for keeping the Sire.
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In terms of build quality, my SB5000 is equal other high end production basses like Music Man. Outside of the preamp, everything on the Carvin out classes the Sire by a pretty wide margin. That said, some budget basses, like my Sire, sound great and are great to play.
 
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#64
Dr. Cheese said:
I am inclined to keep both although reducing my collection makes a lot of sense to me.
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I hear ya man I got rid of a bass at my wife's request to pay for a badly need amp upgrade. I kick myself daily for letting it go it was a pre-lawsuit 1970 Hondo Longhorne bass MIJ
upload_2019-10-29_13-7-53.png
 
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#67
After just listening to all vids through my right earbud at work (only mentioned so you can understand the quality sound I am working with), my ears liked the Sire better. But, reading the comments, the neck is what I'd go with. I like the looks of the Carvin a bit better too. I voted with my ears before reading the comments though...

p.s.- love the vids Dr. Cheese! Keep 'em coming.
 
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#69
I would keep the Sire. It's a tried and true classic or at least based on one and incredibly well executed. Their value in the second hand markets is increasing as Sire is raising their prices, all a reflection of the demand and desire for these among a wide group of bass players. And because it is a super J bass, you will ALWAYS have a need for this or be able to put it to great use.

Carvins are cool basses and represent great value, but opinions are divided and they tend to appeal to more of a niche group of players who are really into them. If you are looking to off one of these two basses, the Carvin is the one I would go with because it is just not as sure a bet in the long run as the Sire.

Of course if you don't need to sell either and you love them both, keep them both. That would be my default move.

Just my $.02
 
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#75
I hadn't noticed used Sires increasing in value. I have seen new price increases. The first gen basses turn up cheap here on a very regular basis. They change hands like Pokemon. Same with Bass Mods. The Carvin SB basses never really caught on, they fell short, as all these bases do, to actual Fenders, which also happen to have much more solid resale value.

I wouldn't keep either of these basses but the question isn't about me.
;)
 
#76
Damn !!!
How do I follow that?
Ok, Cheese it seems most of your work is in the church and if you're playing Hezekiah covers then I'll go out on a ledge and presume you're playing Sapp, the Maestro, and many other contemporary gospel artists that are favorites today. That music usually/occasionally requires some thumping and popping. I vote the Carvin based on that.
 
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#77
Clark Dark said:
Damn !!!
How do I follow that?
Ok, Cheese it seems most of your work is in the church and if you're playing Hezekiah covers then I'll go out on a ledge and presume you're playing Sapp, the Maestro, and many other contemporary gospel artists that are favorites today. That music usually/occasionally requires some thumping and popping. I vote the Carvin based on that.
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you just know when one of the deacons is about to hit the high note in the solo the doc is about to pop that thang lookin out the corner of his eye to see if anyone notices! lol
 
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#79
Dr. Cheese said:
The MetroExpress line is less than a year old. I don’t think there are many used ones around.
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Roger that. The only ones I've played or even seen have all been NYC models. Jazz Basses are not really my thing at all, but if I weren't already hooked up with a luthier and wanted/needed one I would probably just get a used Lull, which seems like great bang for the buck. Maybe less common on your side of the country though?
 
#80
Passinwind said:
Roger that. The only ones I've played or even seen have all been NYC models. Jazz Basses are not really my thing at all, but if I weren't already hooked up with a luthier and wanted/needed one I would probably just get a used Lull, which seems like great bang for the buck. Maybe less common on your side of the country though?
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Sadowsky is not truly common either. The last Lull I played, an MV5, was incredible!
 

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