ShortScale.org

I've actually had this guitar for a couple of months now, but I'm just now getting around to posting pictures and details. I ordered it from Carvin's custom shop, and it took them just about 6 weeks to build and deliver it to me.

Specs:
Neck through construction.
Maple neck
Alder body
Ebony Fretboard
12" radius
24 Med-jumbo nickle frets
tusq nut
ToM Bridge
String through
Sperzel locking tuners
'Classic white' finish
Pickups: carvin c22-b and c22-j
Switches: 2 coil taps, 1 phase, 1 3-way pickup selector
Master tone, master volume


Impressions:
I'll start by saying that I'm shocked that more people don't play these guitars. I suppose you could probably say the same about a lot of the medium sized custom builders out there, but man, what a deal. This guitar cost me under 800 dollars, built to my specifications, shipped direct from the factory to me. I'd guess that the reason most people don't play them, is that the resale value is probably pretty low compared to an American fender/gibson, so I guess these are really players guitars.

The fit an finish are exquisite. I've never played a better or faster neck than the one on this guitar. As you'll see in the last picture, the neck heel is fucking ridiculous. It makes reaching frets 20+ on a les paul look like trying to play around a brick.

The setup is absolutely perfect. I don't think it would be possible to get the strings any lower without fret buzz. The fret ends are smooth, and the guitar arrived in Chicago, shipped from California, completely in tune.

I would say that the coil splitting is pretty convincing, particularly on the neck. Which is great for me, because I'm partial to a single in the neck with a hambacker in the bridge.

The only con, would be the pickups. These pups are great, but just not absolutely 100% what I was looking for. I'd like a bit more punch in the bridge, but the neck pup is fantastic. I won't really say that this is necessarily a problem with the pups themselves, but rather a problem with buying any guitar sight unseen. You read specs and reviews, and hope that what you're getting will be what you want.

Anyway, enough babbling, here are some pics:

How can it be neck through if it's a maple neck and alder body? Surely it must be either neck through with maple neck and body with alder wings, or be set neck construction with a sculpted heel that looks like it's neck through?

The neck is one long piece that goes all the way through the body, with alder wings on the sides.

Edit:
like this, but without the 5piece neck obviously

Carvin makes great guitars. Some friends of mine have had them through the years. The quality and price combined make them great, if you like the styling.

sweet deal. i checked out some others. they don't cosmetically appeal to me, but seem quite reasonably priced.

I just went through the builder and made a neck-through SC with koa top, tung-oil finish, Wilkenson trem, and stainless jumbo frets for under $1k.

HLYSHT.

I gotta start saving my pennies over here.

What's the neck shape like? Is it thin like an Ibanez, more of a Fender shape, or something in between?

mellowlogic wrote:The neck is one long piece that goes all the way through the body, with alder wings on the sides.

Ah cool. That's what I thought. Sorry, didn't mean to sound negative about your new guitar if I did. It looks a really good instrument.

Congrats! I've been interested in Carvin guitars as they offer them all in left handed which is unusual. Heard lots of good things about them.

oh jack, this is really nice.

love the white with black gear. plenty cool.

now you just need a nice made in usa metal amp to put her through the paces

I'm only keen on some of their aesthetics, but I must say I love Carvin's business model and wish more companies were like them.

Make everything yourself in the U.S.A.
Low overhead from making most items to order
Keeping customer costs low by selling direct


Everybody wins.

Carvin is in my neck of the woods (about 30 minute drive from me) They make some good stuff. Reminds me of Peavey in the fact that all their PA equipment is rock solid and almost impossible to kill. The guitars are generally not to my liking but are great guitars. The acoustic they make are really nice for the price as well. You can get a reall nice one with case and electronics for like 550. Much better price then the comparable Takamines (around 800) or gibson/martins (1300 or more)

I am talking with them right now about buying a whole new PA setup and they are willing to give me a local artist discount (= around 15% off after they do a package deal). I was thinkign of throwing in one of their tele styles with humbuckers and a piezo. Then I would have a back up for both my acoustic and my electric. We will see.

In general, people out here either love them or hate them. I think they are a great company. I also love that if I have one of their products I am 30 minutes away from parts I may need.

Being honest it's not really my thing... However, I like the fact that all there stuff is made in the USA and the prices are very competitive. I was checking out their amps and the prices seem very good. That VT 50 head is only $499

http://www.carvinguitars.com/products/s ... oduct=VT50

and you can get a matching cab for $249 loaded... can't argue with that.

mickie08 wrote: I was thinkign of throwing in one of their tele styles with humbuckers and a piezo.

Are you talking like an AE185? I really wouldn't mind one of them in a plain top, I always liked the fact they have acoustic style bridges, but never could get past the humbuckers....a guitar like that would look best with a couple of lipsticks or something (not to mention be more up my alley)

I've been getting the Carvin catalogue since I started playing guitar, and my brother was getting it before that, they're awesome. Some of their amps are fantastic too, and very well priced. They were the first company I saw making guitars who were also selling such an extensive amount of their own parts (pickups, 25.5" bolt-on necks, neck-thru necks, strat bodies) for DIY purposes too. I used to hide them behind my textbooks in high school and tell my friends it was porn.
I don't know how we got on the damn mailing list though, maybe those then-ponytailed/now-buzzcutted fuckers at GC asking all those questions when you buy a guitar. They're STILL showing up, and ever since I started looking at all my guitar stuff on the internet they're just cluttering the place.

Will wrote:I just went through the builder and made a neck-through SC with koa top, tung-oil finish, Wilkenson trem, and stainless jumbo frets for under $1k.

HLYSHT.

I gotta start saving my pennies over here.

What's the neck shape like? Is it thin like an Ibanez, more of a Fender shape, or something in between?

Yeahhhhh

I'd say it's in between the two, leaning closer to ibanez territory.

hotrodperlmutter wrote:oh jack, this is really nice.

love the white with black gear. plenty cool.

now you just need a nice made in usa metal amp to put her through the paces

We need to make this happen soon, I've been trying to figure out logistics Ship iiiitttt

just let me bring it to you bro bro.

Awesome, although i always thought the pickups looked weird with the extra pole pieces.

mellowlogic wrote:I'd say it's in between the two, leaning closer to ibanez territory.

Ah, bugger. I want a baseball bat!

Will wrote:

mellowlogic wrote:I'd say it's in between the two, leaning closer to ibanez territory.

Ah, bugger. I want a baseball bat!

Do you like 58' gibson necks? i played a 59 in a store and thought it seemed ridiculously thick, i cant even imagine what it's going to be like when i get back home and play my 58 again.

JJLipton wrote:

Will wrote:

mellowlogic wrote:I'd say it's in between the two, leaning closer to ibanez territory.

Ah, bugger. I want a baseball bat!

Do you like 58' gibson necks? i played a 59 in a store and thought it seemed ridiculously thick, i cant even imagine what it's going to be like when i get back home and play my 58 again.

Yep! My 335 is a '59 neck. In my entire guitar-playing experience I've only ever tried 1 neck that was uncomfortably thick, and that was on a 40s Cromwell archtop. I have fairly large hands and a long thumb.