schnarz25 Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 has anyone here ever used a carvin guitar? they look really nice but they seam fairly inexpensive for how nice they look Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
damian Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 Carvins are superb guitars.....A couple members here own some.....Their quality is incredible. And like PRS, their maple tops are spectacular. They are American made, and made well. Their semi-hollows are solid and carved, not laminated. They mostly sell direct, so they are still able to keep them at very reasonable prices....I've played some, but never owned one....I will though...Great guitars.........IMO at least.......... ( Don't let Blues 335 know I'm posting, thanks ) :unsure: ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Searcy Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 I have always liked them. Fantastic guitars and basses and a good value as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schnarz25 Posted January 23, 2011 Author Share Posted January 23, 2011 alright damian, Thank You for the fast reply . I might have to look into them. they're beautiful guitars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilpanda Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 I love my Carvin. I have a CT-6 and she plays like a dream. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dub-T-123 Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 I hate their guitars. My friend has a Carvin x100b halfstack (the old carpet kind) and it's a sweet amp. He got it for $250. It rocks. Their guitars are just too flashy for my. I don't like crazy quilt tops and all that. I'm not a fan of superstrats or their take on the LP either. I've probably played about 20 all in all (including acoustics) and none of them did anything for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zigzag Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 Carvin's guitars are extremely well built. You can specify body type, carved not laminated, wood type, AAAA quilt or flame maple, hardware, neck, fretboard, fret wire, Carvin pups, neck radius, push/pull tone knob with humbuckers/single coils, etc. Their biggest shortcomings, IMHO, are their pick-ups; I like them fine, but they aren't Gibsons. Overall, half the price of a Gibson, better quality. That's an SH550 in my avatar. I love it. I have a Studio LP and an ES-335. The 335 is my favorite guitar because of the neck and the tone, but I like the SH550 much better than my LP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldefrothingslosh Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 I have had a Carvin SC90 for about five years. Bought it used at a small local shop. Good guitar - excellent build quality, looks great, plays great. I agree with Zigzag about the pickups. My SC sounds really great clean with minimal effects, not so crazy about the tone with overdrive or other effects. I think they are worth a look (particularly used, where they do not seem to maintain value as much as Gibsons). I paid about $400 for the SC (new I think it would have run about $1k). For $400 I was thrilled. At full price, would have been hard to pick it vs. a higher end Epi or an entry-level Gibson (like an SG, Jr., Studio, etc.). Just my two cents based on somewhat limited experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaxson50 Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 I like Carvin guitars, they have so many variations of body style, neck profile and pickups they are bound to have something you will like...check out their web site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilpanda Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 I hate their guitars. My friend has a Carvin x100b halfstack (the old carpet kind) and it's a sweet amp. He got it for $250. It rocks. Their guitars are just too flashy for my. I don't like crazy quilt tops and all that. I'm not a fan of superstrats or their take on the LP either. I've probably played about 20 all in all (including acoustics) and none of them did anything for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shnate McDuanus Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 I love Carvin. Their guitars and amps. I don't have either. I'm GASsing like a mother****er for a CT-6 and an X100b, though--especially the amp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilpanda Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 I love Carvin. Their guitars and amps. I don't have either. I'm GASsing like a mother****er for a CT-6 and an X100b, though--especially the amp. go for the CT-6, GAS solved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dub-T-123 Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 Xdemon- if you get an x100b go for the old version covered in carpet. It's better than the tolex ones. I don't know what the craigslist situation is like for you, but here in my neck of the woods you can find a nice x100b for $250-$350 easy. They're a ridiculous amount of amp for the money. Made right here in Southern California. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schnarz25 Posted January 24, 2011 Author Share Posted January 24, 2011 alright thanks for the replys guys. I might look into them next but I really want to get either an LP or a firebird first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cabba2203 Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 Carvin guitars are great! I have owned in the past. Every bit the quality of a Gibson. Another vote fore thw X100B amp as well, an awesome amplifier. When the Marshall JCM800 was King, the X100B is the amp that ate it for lunch. Here's my old one: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis G Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 Carvins are superb guitars.....A couple members here own some.....Their quality is incredible. And like PRS, their maple tops are spectacular. They are American made, and made well. Their semi-hollows are solid and carved, +1 My CT6 is 2 years old and I like it a lot. Their Santa Ana store isn't that far from me so I got a chance to touch, feel, play, etc. Their guys there could not have been more helpful on suggestions, etc. and were certainly "no push". All in all I don't think you can go wrong. Their customer satisfaction and service get great marks as well. YMMV. BTW, this picture does NOT do this guitar justice! It looks as good as their catalog shots. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff-7 Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 I'd really like one similar to Zigs, that thing is gorgeous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeoConMan Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 Killer guitars - especially for the price points they compete in. Buy used and save a fortune - they have sh!t for resale value. Worse than Heritage as far as being under-appreciated for what they are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVOL! Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 They build very nice guitars. In high school I worked an entire summer as a stock boy, saved up, and bought a DC127 with inverse headstock, ebony fretboard, and Floyd Rose. I wanted to be Kirk Hammett so badly at the time. The guitar played like a metalhead's dream, but as the years went buy and my style changed I grew in a different direction. Essentially the guitar did not fit my style and was more of a pain to have. I don't like floating whammy bars on my guitars and I do not like the super strat shape. Pickups were crappy for cleans. When I sold the thing ten years later I got a couple hundred bucks for her. So, yeah, resale value is horrid. What does my story mean? They build really nice guitars (woods, craftsmanship, etc.), but they are not for everyone and their pickups suck. If you want to buy one go used and save a ton of cash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Witmer Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 My experience has been with their basses - I've played two different ones, both of them many times (despite not owning one) and they were by far the nicest bass guitars I've played. (Yes, I have played Fender and a few other "standards") Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schnarz25 Posted January 25, 2011 Author Share Posted January 25, 2011 alright thanks again for the replys everyone. Ill deffiniteley look but I think I would like to know a little bit more about guitars and what I like because with all the different choices they have I really don't know just what to get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brundaddy Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 Killer guitars - especially for the price points they compete in. Buy used and save a fortune - they have sh!t for resale value. Worse than Heritage as far as being under-appreciated for what they are. ++ (Especially "buy used") Bulletproof, built better than a Gibson (but less fancy). I played a bunch of em in their showroom here in LA -- every one of em was like buttah. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnastynebr Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 Over the last few months, I have had access to my brother in law's Carvin semi-hollow body double cut away. Thing was less than a grand (new from factory) and has some nicer specs than my Les Paul Standard. The neck is super fat, and has a sweet ebony fretboard. Quality of workmanship is superb, and all cavities are shielded. Carvin is top notch in my book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dub-T-123 Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 I'm surprised to see so many people loving Carvin's guitars. I'd agree that they're higher quality than a Gibson of the same price, but I'd take my SG Standard over a "top knotch" Carvin with all kinds of exotic woods (or any Carvin I've ever seen or played) any day. I guess that's more just my personal taste. The ones I played felt good but not "oh my god good" at all. I didn't find the electrics to feel very resonant either. Plugged in, they sound somewhere between meh and bleh. Super lame pickups. This is all just my opinion of course and your milage may vary. I will say that I've probably played more of them than most who commented here though. I've got nothin over the owners. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilpanda Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 I'm surprised to see so many people loving Carvin's guitars. I'd agree that they're higher quality than a Gibson of the same price, but I'd take my SG Standard over a "top knotch" Carvin with all kinds of exotic woods (or any Carvin I've ever seen or played) any day. I guess that's more just my personal taste. The ones I played felt good but not "oh my god good" at all. I didn't find the electrics to feel very resonant either. Plugged in, they sound somewhere between meh and bleh. Super lame pickups. This is all just my opinion of course and your milage may vary. I will say that I've probably played more of them than most who commented here though. I've got nothin over the owners. to each his own. Im kinda like joe walsh when it comes to carvin. and my carvin hasnt missed a show since last january Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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