tell me all about your Carvin custom shop guitar!

[craftm1]

I've got a DC127, Swamp Ash body, Birds Eye Maple finger board, Holdsworth pups, Floyd, coil taps on both, and phase switch.

 

[sdrootsman]

love my ct6, build quality, tone, and playability is top notch
plus, the top is just fantastic (AAAA quilt )

 

[robertkoa]

Have had two both excellent top notch playability and tones.

Fretwork on par with the top builders.

Have read about the " brightness" comments that they are bright- (not necessarily bad) BUT both of mine have been Fat, warm resonant with lots of sustain.

One was a neck thru Koa Superstrat 25.5" scale neck thru - no longer made ( like a versatile Superstrat with extreme sustain and warmth).

Current one is a Maple/Ebony neck Koa Body Superstrat H-S-S Bolt - 25.5" scale Superstrat similar to boutique Strats- very resonant fat loud unplugged - which translates to a thicker Strat sound(s) plugged in. LOts of sustain for a Bolt On .

Since these are same scale and pickup placement as an actual Fender - you CAN get them to sound like a vintage Strat ( the thinner more transparent tones) IF you change to low output vintage Strat type pickups.

To " overlap" into Humbucker tones with H-S-S or H-S-H the Mahogany or Koa bodies are great and are still twangy in single coil modes.

Even with a pickup change to vintage type and electronics- benefits are from the more resonant bodies-super tite neck joints and extremely precision frets etc.

Excellent guitars and great for the money- great period if you get the right model and woods and radius for your style.

Keep in mind Carvin has TONS of models Neck Thrus, Semi Hollows, Carved Tops, Chambered Holdsworth and Semi Hollow Holdsworth, Bolts,25.5" Scale neck thru 7 Strings so there IS no one Carvin " Sound".

Gotta think about what you want a bit. Beautiful woods and finishes also.

 

[mchn13]

what are the fretboard radius' like? the 12" and the 14" are they compareable to another manufacturer? i.e: charvel, ibby?

 

[Mudder]

Carvin has, I think, 3 or 4 different radii, I have the 14" on mine and it's comfy.

 

[Death by Uberschall]

I'm thinking all mahogany with a maple fingerboard. Any opinions on that? Is koa worth the extra dough?

How about Flame maple on mahogany body, flame maple board and neck? Oh, and how about Warmoth. They will build to your specs, which is what this is.

 

[blackba]

I can't tell you about my custom shop carvin guitar, but I can tell you that my buddy's is for sale. He likes his 80's Carvin better. If you are interested or just want details let me know.

 

[jjblacksheep]

Death....................that is just sick!

 

[Death by Uberschall]

Death....................that is just sick!

You should see my Tele.

 

[Camer38]

I'm thinking all mahogany with a maple fingerboard. Any opinions on that? Is koa worth the extra dough?

How about Flame maple on mahogany body, flame maple board and neck? Oh, and how about Warmoth. They will build to your specs, which is what this is.

that is a gorgeous guitar!

yeah i meant all mahogany with a quilted maple top and maple fingerboard

 

[Death by Uberschall]

that is a gorgeous guitar!

yeah i meant all mahogany with a quilted maple top and maple fingerboard

Thanks.

It will be hard to find somebody that will put a maple board on a mahogany neck. I think there is too much of an expansion difference between those woods and the glue will not hold.

 

[BlinkTwice]

I'm thinking all mahogany with a maple fingerboard. Any opinions on that? Is koa worth the extra dough?

How about Flame maple on mahogany body, flame maple board and neck? Oh, and how about Warmoth. They will build to your specs, which is what this is.

That is pure sex

 

[Justmc]

I have 5 of their guitars. For me they are the best guitars out there for the money . Played a few PRS's and I prefer the Carvins .

Excellent product support. I had a DC127 with a glossed curly maple top that started getting a bit " milky" looking in the finish. Even though it was 3 years old they had me ship it and they put a new finish on it. Came back mint, that was around 4 years ago.

I'm on the east coast. If I could get to their showroom easier I would probably have a few more

 

[Camer38]

that is a gorgeous guitar!

yeah i meant all mahogany with a quilted maple top and maple fingerboard

Thanks.

It will be hard to find somebody that will put a maple board on a mahogany neck. I think there is too much of an expansion difference between those woods and the glue will not hold.

for reals? ugh that bothers me.. i was looking forward to a maple neck for once but i dont want an overly bright guitar by having maple on maple.

 

[Death by Uberschall]

that is a gorgeous guitar!

yeah i meant all mahogany with a quilted maple top and maple fingerboard

Thanks.

It will be hard to find somebody that will put a maple board on a mahogany neck. I think there is too much of an expansion difference between those woods and the glue will not hold.

for reals? ugh that bothers me.. i was looking forward to a maple neck for once but i dont want an overly bright guitar by having maple on maple.

It won't be overly bright. The mahogany body tames it down really well. That guitar above is really warm sounding.

Here are the specs, all of which were picked by me:

Warmoth Body:
Carved Top Soloist
Amber dye/dark brown burst over/transparent dark brown back
No binding, clean burst over

1-piece mahogany body
Unique Choice flame maple top
Contoured heel
Recessed Floyd routing

_____________________________________________________________
Warmoth Neck:
Warmoth Pro
Amber dye/dark brown burst
No binding, clean line burst

3A flame maple neck
3A flame maple board
Warmoth headstock shape
1-11/16 nut width
R4 locking nut 1-11/16 string width
'59 Round Back profile
24 fret extension
SS6100 frets
Black side dots
Clear back and fretboard finish

_____________________________________________________________
Hardware:
All black

EMG 81/85 combo
Original Floyd Rose w/Brass Big Block
R4 nut
Schaller mini locking tuners
Electrosocket
CRL 3-way blade switch w/black knob

More pics here: http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=8584.0

 

[polaris20]

that is a gorgeous guitar!

yeah i meant all mahogany with a quilted maple top and maple fingerboard

Thanks.

It will be hard to find somebody that will put a maple board on a mahogany neck. I think there is too much of an expansion difference between those woods and the glue will not hold.

for reals? ugh that bothers me.. i was looking forward to a maple neck for once but i dont want an overly bright guitar by having maple on maple.

Carvin neck throughs are overly bright as it is, IMO.

 

[Camer38]

yeah i would be getting a neck through so the mahogany body wouldnt do too much

 

[Camer38]

actually.. on the carvin builder website a neck option is "mahogany neck with 2 maple strips". if they don't glue well together as you say then why would they even have this option?

 

[Death by Uberschall]

Those maple stripes are on the back of the neck, not the finger board.

 

[robertkoa]

Carvin fretboard Radii :



Yes the 12" radius feels just like other manufacturers 12" and likewise with the 14".

For example -even playing a Suhr Guitar with the 12-14" Compound Radius feels VERY similar to my Koa Bolt 14 " Radius.

If you compare a Carvin 12" radius to a Gibson -very similar EXCEPT the Carvin medium jumbo frets are a bit taller and beefier than most Gibson wire ( a good thing) ( they're the same brand and type that premium boutique builders use -JESCAR FRETS - regardless of the size nickel or Stainless).

Slightly taller beefier frets can make the Carvin 12"radius FEEL a BIT flatter than some Gibson 12" Radius with smaller frets but it's the same.

I find the 14" Radius to be very easy for bending OR extensive chord work/ stretches etc. Carvins now have a medium size neck on most models- NOT a tiny shreddy one - but you CAN shred to death or fusion to death on a Carvin neck.

Remember IF you want warmer tones on Carvins- Mahogany or Koa bodies.

IF you want warmer tones on Carvin NECK THROUGHS- Mahogany or Koa NECKS .