Carvins

[danastas]

Well, the thing I don't get about the thread is that Carvin guarantees their custom shop guitars. The guy had the chance to simply send everything back for a full refund. IMO that's a much better deal than what anyone else gives you. Besdies, a Custom job elsewhere is going to cost you $1000 more, not $500.

[shreddermon]

So, I have three questions if anyone can answer them:

1. What do you think of the quality of Carvin neckthru guitars?

2. What do you think of Swamp Ash wood?

3. Ever play a guitar made of Walnut wood?

1. High quality stuff. Not, say, Jackson USA quality. But close, esp. considering the price differences.

2. Love it. Tone for days, IMHO. It's all personal preference, though.

3. Nope. Can't help on this one.

[pro-fusion]

Well, the thing I don't get about the thread is that Carvin guarantees their custom shop guitars. The guy had the chance to simply send everything back for a full refund. IMO that's a much better deal than what anyone else gives you. Besdies, a Custom job elsewhere is going to cost you $1000 more, not $500.

He sent back the first one he got in order to get a replacement. When the second one showed up even worse, he sent that one back and got his money back. I've read enough horror stories lately that it's become apparent that Carvin's QC and customer service aren't what they used to be. I think they've been cutting corners in many areas.

I've owned recent Carvins and also ones from the late '80s-early '90s. The old ones were pretty much bulletproof and very high quality, and the pickups didn't suck. Nowadays, I don't find any of that to be the case. I bought my DC747 used, and it didn't seem like it had been played very much. I quickly discovered that that was likely because of some serious fret-level problems. I like the guitar well enough (after a pickup change) that I'm springing for some remedial fretwork, which I would expect to do on an ESP LTD, but not on a guitar that probably cost its original owner $1,200 or more.

[slayer]

I like the Carvins for what they are, but those twin graphite bars in the neck make it sound kinda metalic sounding, don`t like that. Hell, Carvin has trouble keeping sales people and some aren`t very knowledgeable. I have been tempted many times, but after the horrible sound of my now sold DC150, I am kinda nervous and I want a CT. Jack.

[DenimBrigade]

I have noticed that my carvin is bright, but that is because it has a huge maple top. I love the tone of it, too.

[pro-fusion]

I have noticed that my carvin is bright, but that is because it has a huge maple top. I love the tone of it, too.

They're pretty much all bright sounding, even without a maple cap. That's just the Carvin sound, take it or leave it. As I generally prefer brighter-sounding guitars, that's not a problem for me. They fit in a mix very well. I suppose an all-mahogany Carvin wouldn't be so bright, but it would probably end up really mid-rangy without much low end, sorta like a Gibson SG. The bodies are much thinner than a comparable Jackson.

[~K~]

3. Ever play a guitar made of Walnut wood?

Drop RalphE a pm he owned a Solid Walnut Charvel Strat ..he could comment on the tone

[SEEGERMANY]

My buddy has a walnut Schecter Tele with a single coil and a humbucker in the neck position. The guitar has thick tone like a Les Paul and it weighs a freaking ton.

[lerxstcat]

He sent back the first one he got in order to get a replacement. When the second one showed up even worse, he sent that one back and got his money back. I've read enough horror stories lately that it's become apparent that Carvin's QC and customer service aren't what they used to be. I think they've been cutting corners in many areas.

I've owned recent Carvins and also ones from the late '80s-early '90s. The old ones were pretty much bulletproof and very high quality, and the pickups didn't suck. Nowadays, I don't find any of that to be the case. I bought my DC747 used, and it didn't seem like it had been played very much. I quickly discovered that that was likely because of some serious fret-level problems. I like the guitar well enough (after a pickup change) that I'm springing for some remedial fretwork, which I would expect to do on an ESP LTD, but not on a guitar that probably cost its original owner $1,200 or more.

Well, if the original owner had figured the fret issues out in time he could've sent it back. Did he tell you about the issue, or did he even realize it existed?

Every brand has QC problems and we've read horror stories about Jackson Customer Service right here, but no one is denying that Jackson makes high-quality guitars. I will admit I don't like the post-1992 model guitars as much, but that's primarily due to the body and headstock shapes, and of course the C22 pickups. I bought a pair on Ebay for a project guitar and was rather underwhelmed after enjoying the M22s on my Carvin guitars.

Their heydey of guitar building was probably 1980-1991. The guitars from that era are just wonderful. I would always buy used anyway for that reason, the reissued DC150 had 22 frets instead of 24 which sucks to me, same with the CT. I'm glad they didn't make them 24 frets because then I'd want one. The next Carvin I'd want (if and when I can afford one) would be a 1989 DC145 or a mid-80s DC160. Those are the Holy Grail of Carvin Guitars, for me anyway.

[pro-fusion]

Well, if the original owner had figured the fret issues out in time he could've sent it back. Did he tell you about the issue, or did he even realize it existed?

No, he didn't tell me about it, and yes, I kinda think he knew even though that's just a hunch. I could have raised a fuss and asked for my money back from him, but this was pretty much the exact specs I was interested in on a 747 (jumbo frets, blocks, maple cap, fixed bridge), so I figured it was easier to spend a little extra $$$ on fretwork rather than wait for another similarly configured one to pop up on eBay, or spend twice what I paid on a new one.

Every brand has QC problems and we've read horror stories about Jackson Customer Service right here, but no one is denying that Jackson makes high-quality guitars. I will admit I don't like the post-1992 model guitars as much, but that's primarily due to the body and headstock shapes, and of course the C22 pickups. I bought a pair on Ebay for a project guitar and was rather underwhelmed after enjoying the M22s on my Carvin guitars.

That's a good point. I'm really only speaking from my personal experience with both new and old Carvins. The difference in quality, not just designs, is noticeable. The old ones had a degree of fit and finish, and "solidity," that I just don't see on the newer ones I run across. I can't speak about customer service, since the only new Carvin product I ever bought was an X100B half-stack back in 1985, for which I had no problems with them.

Their heydey of guitar building was probably 1980-1991. The guitars from that era are just wonderful. ... [t]he next Carvin I'd want (if and when I can afford one) would be a 1989 DC145 or a mid-80s DC160. Those are the Holy Grail of Carvin Guitars, for me anyway.

I TOTALLY agree with you here. In addition to making quality products back then, Carvins were very much on the cutting edge. They had 24 frets, ebony boards, 'set-thru' (and eventually neckthru) construction, and hot standard pickups in an era when you couldn't get those things on any other guitar costing less than $1000 (in 1980s dollars). Since the 1993 redesign of the DC guitars, though, Carvin has been steadily growing more conservative in their design and approach. Heck, their newest model is nothing more than a PRS ripoff. The old Carvins were very bold and unique designs.

BTW, I had an '89 DC145 a couple of years ago. Wish I still had it, actually. I wouldn't rate it higher than the USA Jacksons I've owned, but it was a very nice piece of gear. Jump on the next one you see.

[danastas]

Thanks for all the advice everyone.

And thanks Kevin for the lead. I solved that one by going with Swamp Ash. Maybe I'll kick around the walnut tire at some point in the future.

Just as an FYI to everyone, the DC models come stock with 24 frets. It's the newer California models that come with 22 frets.

You can still order the DCs with 24 frets with no upcharge.

I liked the idea of getting the wood I wanted with the ebony fret board and the look I wanted for a relatively cheap price (sub 1k) so I went ahead with it. Now I'm crossing my fingers. I should know in 6 weeks. When I do, I'll have a player's guitar, which I currently need since I just sold a few. I'm also waiting on custom jobs from Jackson but I don't imagine those will be leaving the house often.

The one thing I couldn't get Carvin to do was to stick a C22T in the bridge. I wanted a darker sound there, since I've been playing some muted leads lately. I've been turning the treble all the way down, ratcheting the bass all the way up, and playing through the neck pickups on my guitars. I read that Swamp Ash was particularly good for this. I'll have to switch out the pickups pretty quickly.

[toejam]

Just as an FYI to everyone, the DC models come stock with 24 frets. It's the newer California models which come with 22 frets.

The newer DC150 is only 22 frets (the DC150 from the '80s had 24). The Bolt, Bolt Plus and Contour 66 only have 22 frets, as well as the Californian.

[danastas]

Thanks Toejam. I didn't realize that. I only noticed the difference in frets when I priced out a CT6 and compared it to my DC127 which does have 24.

[pro-fusion]

The newer DC150 is only 22 frets (the DC150 from the '80s had 24). The Bolt, Bolt Plus and Contour 66 only have 22 frets, as well as the Californian.

The DC150 "reissue" is kind of a mystery to me. The old one had that cool "Hot-Rodded Melody Maker" vibe, but the new one is quite unappealing, in comparison. I don't know why they couldn't have just reissued the old body shape with the newer 25" scale. The California models are much preferable to that, I think.

[toejam]

The DC150 "reissue" is kind of a mystery to me. The old one had that cool "Hot-Rodded Melody Maker" vibe, but the new one is quite unappealing, in comparison. I don't know why they couldn't have just reissued the old body shape with the newer 25" scale. The California models are much preferable to that, I think.

I always thought the DC150 "reissue" was strange, too. Jack (Slayer) had one of them... I remember him saying it sounded like crap, though. LOL