RudyH Posted April 3, 2009 Share Posted April 3, 2009 I got a Carvin catalog in the mail yesterday and was really impressed by their guitars. The prices seem very reasonable for what you get. I don't know how they sound, which of course is the single most important factor, but if they're good sounding, they should be selling more than they are. Very attractive. They have some very nice under $1000 Strat-style guitars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeoConMan Posted April 3, 2009 Share Posted April 3, 2009 Too cheap. No perceived value. If they cost twice as much, people would be comparing them to PRS. I know they're a good guitar but it seems to be a secret still after all these years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homz Posted April 3, 2009 Share Posted April 3, 2009 I got a Carvin catalog in the mail yesterday and was really impressed by their guitars. The prices seem very reasonable for what you get. I don't know how they sound' date=' which of course is the single most important factor, but if they're good sounding, they should be selling more than they are. Very attractive. They have some very nice under $1000 Strat-style guitars.[/quote'] Post the link so c I can get tht catalog. thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted April 3, 2009 Share Posted April 3, 2009 I was thinking the same thing. Has anyone here played one. I would like that Tiger-eye triple finish..eeeoww. What for $1200 I'll try one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RudyH Posted April 3, 2009 Author Share Posted April 3, 2009 Homz: I got the catalog out of the blue. I don't have any further information on them. The catalog does refer to a website where you can pick options and order a guitar. I've read reviews in the mags and they have always been favorable. NeoConMan: Ha! You may be right! I think that's why Fender dramatically increased their prices very recently. There's so much competition in the $1000 to $2000 range, their very fine $999 American Standard Stratocaster simply had to go up in price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riffster Posted April 3, 2009 Share Posted April 3, 2009 I see a lot more Carvin basses out there than I see guitars. Coincidentally I was just browsing through the same catalog. I don't know, I just really do not like the way Carvins look, too flashy for my taste. They look like PRS to me. Not a lot of famous artists use them, that always seem to get people's attention. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howlin4Hubert Posted April 3, 2009 Share Posted April 3, 2009 I got the same catalog too yesterday. Wish I had some money to spend but it was fun looking. Kinda like looking at the toy catalog when I was a kid :) Post the link so c I can get tht catalog.thanks Homz, here's the link you requested; http://www.carvinguitars.com/freecatalog/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riffster Posted April 3, 2009 Share Posted April 3, 2009 The other thing about Carvin is that they are a direct seller. They may have a store somewhere. To me it would be tough to fork out money for a guitar I have never seen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeRom Posted April 3, 2009 Share Posted April 3, 2009 Their store is in San Diago, if memory serves. If you price out their higher end stuff in a sort of 1 to 1 comparison to Gibson they come out to be as expensive if not more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djroge1 Posted April 3, 2009 Share Posted April 3, 2009 I've thought about buying their California Carved top in Dragon Burst finish, but I've never played one. I knew one guy who had one but he wouldn't let anyone touch it. I have thumped on a bass once since I knew this guy who used to endorse them - he would give him free guitars to use. As for famous players - Joe Walsh, Craig Chaquico, Tony McAlpine, Steve Vai (amps), and Allen Holdsworth. Now if AXE and Thunder God bought one, they would be on the radar for every kid to buy one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrosurfer1959 Posted April 3, 2009 Share Posted April 3, 2009 California Carved top in Koa with the acoustic bridge. Ive been thinking about it for months don't know why I haven't pulled the trigger guess just because like others Ive never seen one in person Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Californiaman Posted April 3, 2009 Share Posted April 3, 2009 The other thing about Carvin is that they are a direct seller. They may have a store somewhere. To me it would be tough to fork out money for a guitar I have never seen. They do have stores. I've been in the Santa Ana store in CA. I was at one time considering the Carvin semi hollow body guitar, but never got down there to play it. When I was working with a band back in the 80s, we used a Carvin PA system that never gave us any problems. Hey, they have some pretty good people endorsing their guitars. They're probably worth it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KSG_Standard Posted April 3, 2009 Share Posted April 3, 2009 Why don't Carvin guitars rule the earth? Because they lack opposable thumbs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmartem Posted April 3, 2009 Share Posted April 3, 2009 I have a bass player friend who collects guitars and amps.He bought a Carvin 5 or 6 years ago and asked me to set it up.I've set up a number of his guitars for him.This guitar had a Floyd Rose and I havent had the chance to set up too many of them so I was looking forward to this.I had the guitar for 2weeks and my observation was that I had NEVER set up a guitar like this .It played flawlesly.I had the action set at 1/32 at the 12th fret on the high E and 3/64 on the low E 12th fret and there was NO fret buzz.It was a neck through.It played effortlessly.At first I wanted to buy it off him even though I'm not a Floyd guy.But after playing it for a week I realized it had no soul,Does that make sense?I just did'nt enjoy playing it. There was no fight , no feeling.I'd finally played a guitar that was flawless playing wise and I just did'nt like it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carmine457 Posted April 3, 2009 Share Posted April 3, 2009 why? because they are badly imitated PRS guitars. ive played one once it was perfect yes but it just felt too perfect like kmartem said in the previous post. compare them to a prs, the prs feels awesome the carvin... not so much Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dem00n Posted April 3, 2009 Share Posted April 3, 2009 why? because they are badly imitated PRS guitars. ive played one once it was perfect yes but it just felt too perfect like kmartem said in the previous post. compare them to a prs' date=' the prs feels awesome the carvin... not so much[/quote']Are you ilovegibson? Cause i swear you sound just like him! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carmine457 Posted April 3, 2009 Share Posted April 3, 2009 uh no... i just think there is no competition between carvin and prs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruznolfart Posted April 3, 2009 Share Posted April 3, 2009 why? because they are badly imitated PRS guitars. ive played one once it was perfect yes but it just felt too perfect like kmartem said in the previous post. compare them to a prs' date=' the prs feels awesome the carvin... not so much[/quote'] http://www.carvinmuseum.com/decade/54-guitars.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dem00n Posted April 3, 2009 Share Posted April 3, 2009 uh no... i just think there is no competition between carvin and prs Oh ok good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarJunkie Posted April 3, 2009 Share Posted April 3, 2009 As stated in other posts, people are reluctant to drop $1000 and up on a guitar they've never been able to see in person. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SG_Mike Posted April 3, 2009 Share Posted April 3, 2009 Post the link so c I can get tht catalog. thanks http://www.carvinguitars.com/ or try this one http://www.carvinguitars.com/freecatalog/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocky4 Posted April 3, 2009 Share Posted April 3, 2009 Because Craig Chaquico used to endorse them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djroge1 Posted April 3, 2009 Share Posted April 3, 2009 why? because they are badly imitated PRS guitars. ive played one once it was perfect yes but it just felt too perfect like kmartem said in the previous post. compare them to a prs' date=' the prs feels awesome the carvin... not so much[/quote'] To say that Carvin guitars are "badly imitated PRS guitars" shows that you really have no clue about guitar history. Carvin has been making guitars probably as long as Paul Reed has been alive (although I really don't know how old he is). I would almost say that PRS copied Carvin's basic design ideas and put his own twist on them. You should check out the link that Cruznolfart posted with Carvin's history. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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