Carvin/Keisel

[mystixboi]

What is the general consensus about these guitars?

Let me start off by saying that I was a huge Carvin fan boy about 10 years ago. I went through a phase of ordering one Carvin guitar every two or three months for about a year and a half. In hindsight, I never took much time in figuring out the options that I wanted on the guitars. I ultimately sold them off because I found them to be kind of stiff and only OK sounding.

I have noticed that they have been getting talked about more and more as of late. As a result, I ordered a dc600 last week to see what the fuss is all about. It's going to be a straightahead rock-and-roll machine with no fancy top. It will have, however, stainless steel frets, Thinner next option, Keisel pickups and no fretboard markers. I wanted it to look like a natural Ibanez RGA121.

While I see a lot of threads raving about these guitars, I also see a lot of for sale threads for the same guitars.

Are Carvin/Keisel all hype or is it just a matter of preference or something else?

What is your experience been as of late with these guitars?

 

[MD&P]

I had a custom built CT6, premium woods, neck blank special ordered East Indian Rosewood cut by Carvin for the guitar (not their neck wood) Pickups were hand wound special order from England. Guitar still lacked something, preferred my PRS's even though it was very close build quality. There is something in the way the design of their guitars are that make them very good, especially for the price, but not great. They always lack something. At least in my experience.

 

[Gitfiddler]

I think it depends on what you order. i got one in july and like it a lot

 

[bananaladonpcp]

Carvin sucks, they feel lifeless and never really sound all that good.

Have you played a tongue oiled one with no paint on it?

 

[bananaladonpcp]

Carvin sucks, they feel lifeless and never really sound all that good.

Have you played a tongue oiled one with no paint on it?

I have, wish they worked for me but they don't.
After seeing and playing them for nearly 20 years now. I've yet to play one and go...I must buy this.
It never happens.

I have a very similar relationship with Ibanez guitars. I really don't understand the hype at all... They feel like cheap toy guitars to me.

 

[cecilbag]

Carvin sucks, they feel lifeless and never really sound all that good.

Have you played a tongue oiled one with no paint on it?

I have, wish they worked for me but they don't.
After seeing and playing them for nearly 20 years now. I've yet to play one and go...I must buy this.
It never happens.

I have a very similar relationship with Ibanez guitars. I really don't understand the hype at all... They feel like cheap toy guitars to me.

I also can never gel with Ibanez. As far as Carvin, I think they are well built but I always end up moving them for whatever reason. I know I don't like their pickups but even after swapping those out I still never really bonded with one. In all fairness, my experience is with 80's and some 2000's, I've never played a Kiesel

 

[jcmtone1]

Carvin are great guitars. I have a DC127. It plays, feels, And sounds great. The build quality is excellent as well.

 

[dooredge]

I have a very similar relationship with Ibanez guitars. I really don't understand the hype at all... They feel like cheap toy guitars to me.

+1 - on the money. Only way I'd ever play one is if someone paid me. And well, I suck, so I don't have to ever worry about that happening!

 

[dfrattaroli]

I had 4-5 Carvins about 8-10 years ago and only sold them because I discovered Suhr. Now I have 2 Suhr Moderns (since 2008) and have just gotten a Kiesel Vader V7. I think they're great guitars. The Lithium pickups are excellent too. I wouldn't consider myself a fan boi though. I mean it's not like I want to go and order one of each now. I would like a V6 because the V7 is so good but that's about it.

Jeff Kiesel is really doing a lot there to bring new life to the designs. It was a well timed change IMO. I'm not a huge fan of all the changes but for me, the new pickups and Vader line are awesome.

Dave

 

[Jeff Hilligan]

They definitely are eye candy! I've always heard they are just meh when it comes to sound.

 

[Gitfiddler]

The luke iii is a better guitar than what i ordered but also more $$. I think carvins are a great value (especially on used market)

 

[severinsteel]

I've owned three Carvins in the past, and none of them have ended up sticking around. And aesthetically, they are just bland to me.

 

[lll]

10 years ago I ordered up a custom DC150 (neck-thru). Once I swapped the stock pups for a pair of SD Seth Lovers and
changed the toggle switch, I was good to go. It plays fantastic, sounds fantastic and sustains for days.

 

[Stealthtastic]

I dig them. Can't get a better deal dollar for dollar anywhere else really.

 

[JimmyBlind]

Jeff Kiesel seems like a top geezer as well. I really dig the Becker numbers guitar. Its probably one of the best superstrat shapes I've seen since the pointy headed Horizons.

 

[Steinmetzify]

I did one a few months back, due to the hype and the fact that I'd never tried one. Pretty much felt like a Schecter to me. Plastic, no life, etc...I know guys that really dig them, but they're not for me. Offed it immediately and chalked it up to bad advice. Fuck it, I'll stick to what I know works for me.

For the cash I'd rather do a partscaster win some top shelf shit.

 

[Gadzz]

Carvins I've played sounded fantastic and played like butter! Highly recommend

 

[cardinal]

I wish they actually had some attractive designs. Built quality and wood selection has been very nice.

 

[Atropos_Project]

I've owned 2 of their basses... sent the first back, and very happily kept the second. I think for the money, the build quality is off the charts. My next 6 string will likely be a build from there.

 

[gman1951]

I've been playing/gigging for almost 50 years and have had almost EVERY guitar worth having (mostly humbucker, but some SS), but had never had a Carvin. Last year I, however, I decided to take the chance and order a build for a CT624M and it's, hands down, the finest playing instrument I've ever wrapped my hands around. The neck is unbelievable (I ordered the thin option) and the workmanship is unmatched at any price-point. Immediately, it became my numero uno putting my PRS CU24 as my backup.

After about six months, I ordered another CT624M with almost identical specs (exceptions being a 5-position blade pickup selector and the Kiesel P/U which are sound great, and the color). The newer one has since become my number one (because I prefer the 5-position switch) and it plays and sounds better than any guitar I've ever had! My guitar GAS is totally now abated with only a possible Carvin SS somewhere in my future.

FWIW, I HIGHLY recommend any of their guitars (I've had numerous pro-audio items, but didn't care for their amps)! You get to customize your specs at half the cost of other "boutique" builders, and get a product that has comparable quality is every bit as playable (or more so). And, no, I am not a fanboy, I simply know what I like and what I want (I should after playing for so many years).

This was my first build (don't have pics of the second, yet)