Silenced Fred Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 Carvin, IMO, is how a business should be run. They're Custom Shop is truly a custom shop. You choose the style of guitar, and choose all of the options. I don't get why other businesses choose this, full custom guitars all made in the USA. Now let me say this: I have not played one yet, but I would like to. To me, for the money Gibson charges, especially on "Custom Shop" models, you should be able to choose the options on it (ie, pickups, hardware, finish, top, etc). I like their business model, and hope to do business with them. Cool stuff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thundergod Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 I agree with everything you've said, except for the "haven't played one yet" part, I have, and have tried their amps and PA systems. They were all good for the price. And I mean GOOD, not just some medicore stuff with QC issues that you stick to because of a logo and all the hype. Gibson's so called custom shop is a joke, I remember some years ago you could go online, and design the les paul you wanted, with your specs (limited as they were they were better than having just PRODUCTION RIs as option). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Plains Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 Fred, I agree with you but there are so many Gibson guitars for sale (especially, LPs) that you shouldn't have a hard time finding the top/finish you want. Pickups are interchangeable and Gibson would only be limited to the pickups they make; whereas, you could go to a custom winder and get PAF clones for around $250 and up. PRS is the same with their Private Stock line but man, are they ever expensive. You can get a Carwin CS for around $3,000, I believe. PRS PS starts at around $7,000. That's for a "basic" PS; once you start customizing it, the price skyrockets!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 I've never owned a Carvin guitar. I played a bolt last week that is a far better guitar than an American Standard Strat, I owned one. I played a few of their basses and was impressed. Joe Walsh plays several Carvins, and has for years. Timothy Schmidt from the Eagles has used Carvin basses for literally decades. I have, however owned, gigged and been around a helluva lot of their p.a. gear, monitors, bass rigs and guitar amps and they are SECOND TO NONE. Remember gang, tone is subjective, some people here like their Chinese Peaveys, Chinese Vox amps, and solid state rigs. But I've been beating Carvin gear up for decades and love it. I've been getting (back) into acoustic a lot lately and am looking at several Carvin models, from the CL450 nylon, to the Craig Chaquico CC275. Very nice stuff. It's fashionable to bash Carvin gear here while praising Fender, for some reason, but if you spend a little time at the Carvin Community you'll meet some fine folks with a different opinion..... You'll also see some breathtaking guitars..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thundergod Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 I think that's the point Tim, for what a gibson costs you shouldn't have to change pickups, hardware and other stuff. Specially when talking custom shop, or as they should call it, the historically incorrect divission. The custom shop should be where you can ask them to build a guitar for you with your specs IMO, as it used to be. And while we are talking about it, I noticed some custom shop gibbies in guitar center's web last week, they are standards with different finishes (i.e. blue, purple, green) and the title says they are custom shop (the price says it too ) you have any info on them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silenced Fred Posted April 25, 2010 Author Share Posted April 25, 2010 I know what you guys are saying and I understand. Gibson (as well as many others) make a ton of different guitars, but I want to find the one for me, through having these options available to me. They are a Custom Shop. I have seen some Carvin stuff, beat to hell, but still works. I don't know how their amps are, but their PA stuff seems good enough for me My main sticking point is that if I am going to pay for a Custom Shop guitar from Gibson, and I want different pickups, I shouldn't have to take extra time and money to put them in myself. It's a Custom Shop for chrissakes! I am not saying I hate Gibson, I just wish that more people would follow their business model. BTW Murph, I have been looking at their acoustics, good price for made in USA. Have you played one? If so, how does it sound? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thundergod Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 My main sticking point is that if I am going to pay for a Custom Shop guitar from Gibson' date=' and I want different pickups, I shouldn't have to take extra time and money to put them in myself. It's a Custom Shop for chrissakes! Exactly! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 BTW Murph' date=' I have been looking at their acoustics, good price for made in USA. Have you played one? If so, how does it sound?[/quote'] The full sized acoustics (Cobalt) are imported, then set up by Carvin. I played Owen Malones C980T12 (twelve string) a few months ago in Beaver Dam Ky., at a re-union party and was floored. It was among the finest 12 strings I've ever played. I'm in the process of rebuilding my arsonal and I'm sure that guitar will be among the acoustics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silenced Fred Posted April 25, 2010 Author Share Posted April 25, 2010 The full sized acoustics (Cobalt) are imported' date=' then set up by Carvin. I played Owen Malones C980T12 (twelve string) a few months ago in Beaver Dam Ky., at a re-union party and was floored. It was among the finest 12 strings I've ever played. I'm in the process of rebuilding my arsonal and I'm sure that guitar will be among the acoustics.[/quote'] Imported still isn't bad. If its set up nice, and sounds decent, I'll have to get one then Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andre S Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 I've said it before and I'll say it again, I really want to get a Carvin Bel Air amp.. I believe the cost is a little over a thousand? One of the local stores had it used at half the price, and when I went to try it out with full intention of buying ( this was before I had my Fender amps) it was already sold. I nearly cried. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riffster Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 I think Carvin is actually in the minority here. Gibson, PRS and Fender Custom Shops do not function the same way. Making a custom guitar for a specific customer is complicated and expensive Fred, you may think people that want a custom PRS or Gibson are looking for different pickups or colors, you would be surprised to see there is a world out there of people that take it to the top and spend thousands of dollars to customize a guitar in the aftermarket. Like Tim said there are so many models to choose from that why not fun customizing your own guitar, that is what I do, I am my own Custom Shop. The CS Gibson may commmand crazy prices but you can alwas buy used, I did and I am impressed. There are also guitar shops that specialize in customizing your guitar (aftermarket) and can get you whatever you want. Gibson used to make custom guitars, we had a couple of members here that had one-of-a-kind guitars, they cost in the range of $10,000, if Gibson abandoned the practice is because even then it was not lucrative even at those prices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 I've said it before and I'll say it again' date=' I really want to get a Carvin Bel Air amp..[/quote'] Owen played a Bel Air for many years on the opposite side of the stage with me, I was using a Marshall 4100 (JCM900 1/2 stack) or a Peavey Classic 50 combo (the one with EL84's and 12AX7's) in those days. The Bel Air sounded great and was bulletproof and he still owns it over a decade later. They sell for $649.99 brand new, $749 with a pair of Celestion Vintage 30's....... (latest catalog I have) GET IT....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silenced Fred Posted April 25, 2010 Author Share Posted April 25, 2010 They got some crazy stuff Murph, I want to try one in person (a Bel Air) but it seems like a great deal for the money Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zigzag Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 I got GAS for an SH550. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dub-T-123 Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 I don't like Carvin guitars or basses but some of their amps are great. My bandmate has an x100b (the fuzzy kind) and it's a really great amp. I don't know I just hate their guitars and basses. Just not my thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hall Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 I like their products and their room for my preferences. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MojoRedFoot Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 Jackson still does it for a reasonable price. One of a kind guitar will caost $4k-$6k. ESP is the same although I'm pretty sure those guitars are made in Japan. Carvin just does what Dell used to do which is cut out the middle man. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Artie Owl Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 I just checked the website for solid bodies, and neck through solids, and I gotta say, those are some ugly guitars. Dunno how they play and my comment rests soley on how they look, not play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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