#CARVIN GUITARS CUSTOM SHOP FULL#
It's an LP shape with a full mahogany body and neck which isn't just set, it's sort of sculpted into the body. I played an HSS pointy headstock, floyded Black with red binding metal monster that had the sweetest blues neck pickup that I think I've ever played. I've played a bunch of used Carvins in music shops and have found some outstandingly good playing guitars. You almost have to choose a specific model LP and a specific guitar from Carvin to make a fair comparison. HB in the bridge.(my teacher bought it from someone who had done that like the guy in Boston apparently,lol.) It had a minihumbucker in the neck and a reg. Just some thoughts from a long time owner of 1.Thanks!ġ other thing to consider is maybe a '70's Les Paul Deluxe goldtop or something? I got to play one of those once, and it sounded great. I am not sure if souless is the word I would use(I love my Carvin,lol.), but I can see why some folks may not prefer em.The resale value if times get tough isn't great on em, apparently.And sometimes if you get a hankering to trade, fewer people have heard of em?īut they do have things called option 50's where if you really want a feature and it's possible for them to do it, they will just charge you $50 for that vs Gibson where it usually ends up becoming from their CS and marked up.Like they seem more willing to me to work with you as a player and your needs if you don't have oodles of money and want your LP style or whatever to fit a certain budget/at all price points? Manufacturer Info: Carvin Music carvin.Hope your doing well. All in all, the Carvin Bolt-T is a world-class instrument at a pawn shop cost, offering world-class playability, looks, and tones. Used Carvins also represent an incredible value, so hopefully you can find one below that will satisfy your gear longings. While we still love our Fender Strats, it’s hard to justify the cost of a new Fender when you can get a new or used Carvin for much less. We had numerous quality upgrades and options, and the guitar still cost us less than $1,000 including shipping and the hardshell case. Perhaps the most compelling feature of the Carvin Bolt-T is the price. The humbucker and single coil combination allow you to cover just about any sonic territory you wish. The pickups allowed for an amazing amount of tonal versatility. Of course, we also opted for the locking Sperzel tuners, so those coupled with the Graphtech nut went a long way towards keeping the Carvin Bolt-T in perfect tune. Try as we could, we just couldn’t get the Wilkinson bridge to go out of tune, and that was with some serious whammy-bar action. Like all Carvin guitars we’ve ever played, the Bolt-T was smooth, fast, and silky. The guitar’s 25.5″ scale and 15″ radius felt extremely comfortable, and the necks tung oil finish was very smooth and added to the playability. We also have a mini-toggle that taps the bridge humbucker.Ĭarvin necks are some of the best in the business, and the Bolt-T is no exception. The guitar also came with a mini-toggle that lets you add the bridge pickup in positions four and five. The Bolt-T has a master volume and tone pot with a standard five-way switch.
We also opted for the Wilkinson tremolo system, an ebony fingerboard, and 22 medium-jumbo stainless steel necks. We stuck with single coils in the middle and neck position just so we could cop some convincing Strat tones. A black pickguard was custom ordered as was a humbucker in the bridge. Our review model had an alder body with a flamed maple top, and a crimson red finish. Like all of Carvin’s guitars, the Bolt comes with a variety of options regarding color, wood, hardware, and electronics. Read on and see why the Bolt is one of the best kept secrets in the guitar industry. The Carvin Bolt is their low cost Strat-style guitar, but don’t confuse the Bolt’s low price with low quality. In recent years, Carvin has branched out from the “shredder” market they were known for in the 1980’s, offering a wide variety of instruments at a reasonable cost. Because of their direct only sales, you either had to know someone who owned a Carvin or be lucky enough to find a used one locally, which was rare. The Carvin Bolt-T is a world-class instrument at a pawn shop cost, offering world-class playability, looks, and tones.įor some time, Carvin guitars were sort of an “inside” secret amongst guitar players.