The Webmaster's Collection I'm the webmaster for the Museum, and I like to think I have a pretty eclectic collection of Carvin instruments.  I've actually owned Carvin basses & guitars non-stop since 1983, and except for an occasional passing curiosity, I've played Carvins exclusively. Here's the whole lot (as of June 2006). Left to right: AC40 (hanging on the amp), DN640K, BB70EP, Cobalt C450T acoustic, CT6T, XB75, DN440T, IC4, LB70, LB70K & BB76P.  There are actually more that have been added - you can see them below. The rig is an RL1018 amp with an XP4 effects processor, U7500 UHF wireless, an AC120 power conditioner and a Sabine RT-7000 tuner.

Below, in order from newest purchase date backwards, are the details for each one, as well as pictures of instruments that I've since sold.  Enjoy!

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Early in 2007, Carvin made a move that was welcomed by many of their customers - the re-introduction of the V220 and Ultra V, two models that were hugely popular in the 1980s.  My V220C Elite was one of the first made, and is a twin to my BB70P Elite (below). Like the BB70EP, it has a bookmatched quilted front and back, maple body, pointed inline headstock and chrome hardware.  Other features include stainless steel jumbo frets, abalone diamond inlays, and a 5 piece maple/walnut neck.

I recently travelled to Carvin HQ in San Diego, where I picked up not one, but two Icon basses (although only one was for me).  My new Icon is a 2007 IC5P (middle), with a satin finish on flamed maple, with a 5-piece maple/walnut neck, rosewood fingerboard with abalone dot inlays.  It's shown here with my deep triple step purple flamed IC4 - more on that below. On the right is a 2007 IC4W, and it has a story attached.  It was actually an engagement present for my wonderful fiancée, who is quite a bassist in her own right.  It has an alder body, 5-piece maple/walnut neck, California Claro walnut top, ebony fingerboard with no inlays, and gold hardware.

These basses are a great part of my collection, and are nice examples of vintage Carvin.  On the left is a 1973 SB40 bass.  It's a short-scale instrument, with a maple neck, ash body (most likely) and dual ABP4 humbucking pickups with 2 volume and 2 tone controls.  This one was in pretty good shape for it's age, but it does show a little wear. On the right is a 1977 LB70, in pristine condition.  The LB70 was offered in two versions - a basic model, and an upgraded model with stereo wiring, phase switches and coil splitters (which is what this one is).  It has dual APH-4S humbucking pickups with chrome covers (the only year this was offered), a maple body and neck, rosewood fingerboard and Schaller tuners.

This is a rare piece of Carvin history.  It's a 1946 Kiesel lap steel guitar.  Kiesel was the precursor to Carvin, founded by Lowell Kiesel in 1946, which makes this one of the earliest Carvin instruments ever made.  Production on this model was pretty limited, and there are probably less than a dozen examples still around.  This one is in excellent condition, and it all original, including the case.  Like other early Kiesel instruments, it's made from Bakelite (a synthetic plastic patented in 1907), with a Lucite fingerboard.  The scale length is 22.5".  I added this to the Museum collection in January 2008.

Right on the heels of the Kiesel lap steel above, I found this  very cool 1966 #1-MB mandolin.  In those days, the bodies were made in Japan, then assembled by Carvin in the US.  This one is in pretty good condition for it's age, with a few dings and wear here and there.  Overall, though, very nice.  And it has the original hardshell case, which is especially rare on a model of this vintage.

Along with the Kiesel lap steel above, this ranks up there with my rarest pieces.  This is a 1976 AS120 12-string guitar, which was only offered for that one year.  However, it has the chrome-covered APH-6S pickups that were found on the 1977 models, meaning this was a late '76 model - and maybe the only one made, since 12-string guitars weren't that popular to begin with.  Like other Carvins of that era, it's made from Höfner components - specifically, the Höfner 4572.  As noted in other places on the site, the double-diamond headstock inlay, headstock shape, zero-fret - these are all Höfner standards, as is the body.  It's got a nice flamed maple back and sides, with a spruce top and mother-of-pearl block inlays.  Other features include front and back body binding, dual volume and tone contols and phase switching.

This is my Carved Top CT6T, bought from the Guitars-in-Stock section of Carvin.com in June of 2006.  It's finished in deep triple-step Tiger Eye stain on flamed maple with matching headstock, and the back is stained in crimson red.  The neck and body are mahogany, and the fingerboard is ebony with abalone block inlays.  Other features include gold Sperzel locking tuners and Wilkinson tremolo.  Pickups are C22s.

 

Here is the first official Icon bass ordered.  It's an IC4, and was ordered on December 30th, 2005, and received on March 22nd, 2006.  It's got a maple body and maple neck, with a flamed maple top finished in deep triple-step purple.  Other features include a Birdseye maple fingerboard with black dots, black chrome hardware, soapbar pickups and the new A-style bridge.

This one is special in just about every way possible.  It officially is a BB70EP, but it's totally unique in every way.  The Elite Series was introduced late in 2005, and this is one of the first ones made, and it is the first BB Elite model.  What makes the Elite different from the standard models is that it has a quilted front and back, as well as the front and back of the headstock.  The body and headstock also have a thin phenolic layer between the body and the quilt - very classy.  They also come standard with a walnut body, matching truss rod cover and 5-piece maple/walnut neck. Now this one has a maple body, 5-piece all maple neck with "pointy" headstock, ebony fingerboard with abalone block inlays, Hipshot detuner, Straploks and chrome hardware.  I had the older, large Carvin logo used on the headstock, and the Bunny Brunel logo applied to the back.  Electronics consist of a single HB2 pickup with a pan pot that pans between each coil (like my XB75 below).  It also has a piezo bridge, with a blend control to blend it with the HB2. This bass sounds fantastic, and plays wonderfully.  It's a real work of art. You can click each of these photos to see a larger version.

This LB70 (below) was ordered in September 2004, and received in November, and is probably the most exotic of my collection, however, it's reasonably stock, without any of the custom electronics or other features of some of my others.  Still, it was my design, and Carvin made it perfectly.  Most obviously, it has a flamed koa top with matching headstock, that just can't be adequately portrayed in a photograph - it looks much better "live".  The body and neck are also koa.  It has a Birdseye maple fingerboard, with no position markers, which make for a clean look.   I was going for a very traditional look, so it has a 2X2 headstock, and non-rounded body sides.  Electronics consist of a pair of H50 stacked humbuckers with active pre-amp.  Other amenities include gold hardware, straplocks, and 24K gold Carvin logo on the headstock.  Another stunning example of what comes out of the Custom Shop.

This is a recent addition to the collection, ordered in late 2003.  I have to say, as good of a job as Carvin did with my other (unusual) requests, they really went above and beyond with this one.  A real testament to their "can-do" attitude, not to mention the skills of their craftsmen.  So, here's the deal - this is an XB75, mahogany body and neck with quilted top and headstock, finished in Vintage Yellow.  And that's where the similarity to every other XB75 ends.  Most obvious is the pickup and controls.  Yes, only one HB5 pickup - to the best of my knowledge, the only factory-built Carvin with a single HB5 humbucker (but I hear that after seeing mine, someone has ordered one - maybe this will become a standard option?).  The lower knobs are the same as other Carvin basses - bass boost, treble & midrange, and the forward top knob is a standard volume.  However, the pan control actually pans between the coils of the HB, allowing a single-coil tone in two positions, or a blend of both.  Also, notice the headstock - it's a hand-made flying V style, a feature that's not offered on 5-string basses.  A beautiful Birdseye maple fingerboard with abalone dots and gold hardware round out the package.

This recent acquisition is the epitome of a late 80's Carvin bass.  A wild color (in this case, Pearl Purple), a Kahler bass tremolo, and obviously, it's a DN440 double-neck.   A great bass, and a really rare find.  Additionally, this one has some history - it was originally ordered in November of 1987 by Steve McDonald of Redd Kross. Since it was ordering late '87, and this model wasn't officially introduced until 1988, this may be the first actual production model made.  Regardless, it's a rare and cool instrument! It was also used in Redd Kross' "Annie's Gone" video, which was a staple of MTV's "120 Minutes" and other early alternative video shows.  You can see the video right here (Quicktime, 4MB).

I sold my blueburst AC40 to buy this 2002 model AC40.  I happened to see this one in a local music store, and just had to have it.  The blueburst one was very nice, but this had a much more traditional look to it, which I thought was better suited to an acoustic.  It has a mahogany neck and body, flamed maple top with a clear gloss finish, and koa headstock overlay.  I made the matching koa truss rod cover.  Other features include tortoiseshell body binding and gold hardware. Subsequent to buying it, I found out it was formerly owned by Lynn Wamp, wife of, and bassist with local bluegrass mainstay Lou Wamp.  I've actually become good friends with the Wamp's, who I met through my work with The Lovell Sisters Band.

Harlequin Prismatique is one of the most unusual finishes ever offered, by Carvin or any other manufacturer.  This 2002 model was the first new Carvin bass I had ordered in 20 years, and it's my main instrument.  Photographing it is tough - you could burn a whole roll of film and still not capture all the "looks" it has.  The HP finish actually changes color, depending on the lighting, and that makes it a great stage bass that always grabs attention.  In addition to the finish, other features include rounded body sides, a 5-piece maple/walnut neck, reverse inline headstock with drop-shadow logo, abalone dot inlays, black chrome hardware and HB2/H50N pickups.  The Macassar ebony truss rod cover I made myself. Unfortunately, Harlequin Prismatique was discontinued shortly after I ordered this one, so if you have the chance to get one, jump at it!

This DN640K is the one that started my love affair with Carvin basses.  I ordered this directly from the factory way back in 1983.  Cost was about $1150, which was pretty pricey for back then.  It's made of solid Koa, with Koa set-necks.  Hardware is gold, and the electronics consist of the venerable M22 pickups, with coil splitters and phase switches all around.  It originally had black bezels, but I ordered cream ones about a year after I received it.  It also has inlaid logos on the headstocks.

I've been refitting this one for the past couple of months.  I was luckily able to find original gold plated Schaller tuners for both necks - and they weren't cheap!  The guitar tuners were $80 for a set, the bass tuners were $150.  I haven't been able to find original bridges for either - a got a very close Schaller bass bridge, which looks very much like the original, and a new Carvin bridge for the guitar.  The tailpiece on the guitar is the tough one, but I found a NOS one on eBay that had never been used - got it for less than 10 bucks, which was a real bargain.

This DN640 was also featured in the March 2005 issue of Vintage Guitar magazine - click on the cover to see the article.

This is a 2006 model C450T Cobalt acoustic bass.  It has a mahogany back, sides and satin-finished neck, with a spruce top, rosewood fingerboard, and abalone soundhole purfling.  Electronics consist of a Fishman Matrix pickup and Fishman Prefix Plus-T module with built-in tuner.

What follows below are instruments that were once in my collection, but have since been sold (mainly to buy other instruments!)

I love this one!  By sheer dumb luck, I found it on Classifieds2000, an old site that has since been absorbed by the big giant heads at Yahoo.  It's a V440T, with the Kahler bass trem, that was made after official production ended, or at least right near the end of the run.  These were made in '86 and '87, but it has the '88 block logo on the headstock, and the seller told me that he had custom paint mixed for it - it's a very deep metallic blue.  It plays wonderfully, but is a little body-heavy.  And if you're wondering, the Kahler bass tremolo stays in perfect tune.  I had wanted one of these when they were first introduced, but never got around to ordering one - then *poof*, they were gone.  They're can be found on eBay now, but not always in as good condition as this one.  When I stumbled across it in 1999, I was just amazed.

This 2003 BB76P was a custom order. Black stain on quilt, minimal black burst, solid black back, no coil-splitters, dual HB6 pups, 5-piece neck, abalone dots, no BB logo. And it's perfect - they nailed the construction. It's *exactly* what I ordered, and just gorgeous.  And the black stain indeed looks black - there has been some discussion about black stain looking brown, but that is just in photography. It looks great. Plays great, too - super fast, and very low action.

I bought this 2003 LB76A from the In-Stock section of Carvin.com while I was waiting for my BB76P to be completed.  Ironically, they arrived on the same day.  This one is a real beauty, with the 3-piece body that's standard on the Anniversary Series - in this case, alder body, flamed maple top, with a thin walnut center.  The neck is maple and koa, and it has a matching flamed koa headstock.  Other features include black chrome hardware, and HB2/J99 pickups.

I just recently sold this 1987 LB60 to my good friend Matt.  It's a great bass, but I needed to make room for some new ones. At the time it was produced, the LB60 was Carvin's top-of-the-line bass, and this one has all the features that made it so.  It's heavy, with a maple body and maple set neck, and like all Carvin basses of the era, it has an ebony fingerboard.  Most unusual about this bass is the Platinum Pearl Pink finish, which was only used in 1987 (although Hot Pearl Pink was used in 1986, and just Pearl Pink was used in 1988).  There are very few of these floating around in this color, which is why the pinks weren't used but for a couple of years.  Other features include stereo wiring on the H11B pickups and chrome hardware.

 

Yeah, it's not a bass, but it's cool.  I scored this '88 DN612 on eBay in 2002 for about $750 - a little pricey, but you just don't see too many of these, especially with the ultra-odd 12-inline headstock.  The picture doesn't really show how cool the pearlescent white finish is, but in person, it's pretty sweet.  It's a real pain to tune - the 12 tuners are so close together, that it's tough to tune one without accidentally hitting the adjacent ones.  Still, it's a great guitar, and a good example of the long-gone doublenecks. I sold this one to fund the LB70K.

Next up is my '91 DN440.  This was my primary instrument for quite awhile after I scored it on GBase in 2000.  Unfortunately, I had to trade my white DN640  to get it - the seller was asking something like $1300, but I just had to have this one. The DN640 I traded was just a backup for my DN640K, and I had no particular attachment to it.  Since I didn't have $1300 laying around at the time, this was the only way I could swing the deal, and I'm so glad I did.  This one features a fretless (with fretlines) neck (top) and a standard fretted neck.  The necks themselves are maple, with Koa body wings.  It plays and sounds great, and although it weighs in at 14 pounds, it has been my main bass most of the time - being able to switch from fretless to fretted mid-tune is a great advantage.  Plus, it's just an impressive instrument! I sold this one to buy the Pearl Purple DN440T above.

I am a huge fan of vintage Carvin doublenecks.  There are so few manufacturers that make a doubleneck, much less a bass/guitar doubleneck.  This one is an eBay score - a '92 DN640 (left).  Yes, I already had one DN640, but this is totally different.  Most obviously, the bass is on top, not on the bottom as on older, set-neck DN640s.  But that's just the beginning.  Like my DN440, this is a neck-through model, whereas my '83 has set necks.  The real coup on this one, however, is the dual tremolos.  On the bass neck, a Kahler bass trem, and on the guitar neck, a Carvin-licensed Floyd Rose.  Another great E-Bay find.  I think I paid around $400 for this '92 X220.  I was actually looking for a V220 to match the V440 and stumbled across this one.  And it's in great condition, and is all original except for the red Duncan Screamin' Demon (but the seller sent me the original M22, as well).  The gold hardware looks great with the black finish, and my guitar player buddies rave about how well it plays. This one too has gone on to a better home.  Guitars are meant to be played, and I just didn't play this one enough to justify keeping it.

Shortly after having the Custom Shop build my LB70, I decided to order the AC40 from the Guitar-in-Stock section.  OK, it's not what I'd've ordered if I was going to have it custom-made - in fact, I was real unsure if I'd even like the blueburst on quilt finish.  But let me tell you - it's gorgeous!  My first choice would've been vintage yellow on quilt, but this is going to be a seldom-used, but necessary, instrument, so I decided to save a few bucks, and give a good home to a bass that was sitting in the warehouse.  And I'm glad I did!  I actually really like the blueburst finish, and the quilting is great.  It's a very nice bass, as is the new AC40, and I thought this photo did great justice to it.  It's now part of Dirty Dave's collection.