 Guitars
2000 was a somewhat
quiet year. The prices remained constant across the board, and the
same photos were used (although laid on a new background). There
were a whopping 20 models available, and with Carvin's wide assortment
of finishes, woods, and hardware, thousands of combinations were
possible.
There were new things to be excited
about, however. One of these was the new availability of
"Guitars in Stock" that were made available on Carvin's
website. This allowed customers to see a guitar that was already
built, and ready to ship. These guitars were often less expensive
than an identical guitar ordered through the Custom Shop, and it was a
real innovation in Carvin's on-line marketing.
New for 2000 was the
CL450, Carvin's first-ever classical guitar. Carvin also debuted
the Collector's
Series, a collection of guitars released in very limited editions and
heavily customized with exotic wood inlays and other extravagant
material.
The prices and pictures are from the
Winter 2000 catalog.
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The Bolt was unchanged, and used
the same photos from 1999, laid onto the new background. The price
remained the same, as well, at $489 for the hardtail model, and $549
for the Bolt-T, with Wilkinson tremolo.
The catalog photo showed a Bolt in
Classic Sunburst, and chrome
hardware, and a Bolt-T in clear gloss finish, Sperzel tuners, red
tortoise pickguard, Wilkinson tremolo and chrome
hardware. The inset photo showed a Bolt-T in Sapphire Blue with
maple fingerboard, white pearloid pickguard, C22T humbucker and
black chrome hardware. |
The DC127 (near right) and DC135
(far right), were unchanged, and used the same photos on the
new background. The prices remained the same on the DC127, starting at $559 while the DC135 remained
at $569.
The catalog showed the DC127 in
tung-oiled koa with matching headstock and rounded body sides,
Wilkinson tremolo and gold hardware. The DC135 was
shown in Blueburst with matching headstock and standard (non-rounded) body sides,
and gold hardware. |
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The TL60 was unchanged, and used
the same catalog photo as 1999 on the new background. The prices
remained the same, with the hardtail model being $559, and $619 for
the TL60T with Wilkinson tremolo. The Crowe Option Package,
which included Harlequin Prismatique finish, body binding, reverse
matching headstock and dual humbuckers remained an additional $250.
The catalog photo showed a TL60 in
Classic White with matching headstock, maple fingerboard C22T pickup
and black hardware,
and in with the new Crowe Option Package with black hardware. |
The SC90 was unchanged, and the
same catalog photo was used as in '99, although it was cut into the
new page layout.
Prices remained the same, at $579, while the SC90T with Wilkinson tremolo
remained $629, and the
SC90C, with Floyd Rose tremolo, remained $669.
The catalog showed an SC90 with the
Custom Flame Package (Ruby Red Stain), with gold hardware and cream
pickups, and an SC90 in classic
sunburst with alder neck and body, rounded body sides, cream/black
pickups and chrome
hardware.
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The DC200 and DC400 were
again unchanged, and the same catalog photo was used, showing the
same DC120 12-string and DC400, but not the DC200. The price on the DC200
hardtail remained $689, or $749
with the Wilkinson, $789 with the Floyd Rose. The DC120
12-string remained $749. The DC400 hardtail held at $909
for the base model, or $969 and $1009 with the Wilkinson or Floyd Rose
tremolo, respectively.
The inset photo showed the DC400
Anniversary model, which was a highly upgraded DC400, with 5-piece
maple/koa neck, flamed maple top and matching headstock, and 3 piece
alder/koa/flamed maple body. It was available as a $200 upgrade
to the DC400, DC400T or DC400C.
The catalog photo showed the DC120 in
Jet Black with rounded body sides, and the DC400 in Ruby Red Stain on
quilted maple with matching headstock, Floyd Rose tremolo and gold hardware.
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The DC727 (near
right) and DC747 (far right) 7-string guitars had gained
in popularity, and were unchanged for 2000. The same catalog
photo was used on the new background, and the prices remained the
same, at $629 for the DC727 and $669 for the DC747.
The catalog photo showed the DC727 in
Emerald Green with rounded body sides, matching headstock and chrome
hardware, and the DC747 in Pearl Silver with matching headstock,
rounded body sides and black hardware. |
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The Holdsworth H1, H2 and HF1
& HF2 were unchanged for 2000, and the prices remained the same. Base price on the H1
was $749, or $799 with Wilkinson tremolo, and the H2 was $799, or $849
with Wilkinson tremolo. The HF1 Fatboy remained $849, and
the HF2 Fatboy remained $899.
The catalog showed the HF1 in Antique
Brown Stain on flamed maple
with matching headstock and chrome hardware, and the H2
in Emerald Green on flamed maple with matching headstock and chrome hardware. |
Like everything else, the AE185 and AE185-12
were unchanged for 2000. The base price of the
AE185 remained $799, and the base price of the AE185-12 was $849.
They also used the same catalog photo on the new background.
The catalog showed a AE185 in
flamed koa with matching headstock, body binding, coil
splitters and phase switches and black hardware, and an AE185 in
Tobacco Sunburst on quilted maple with matching headstock and coil splitters and phase switches and
black hardware.
The inset photo showed an AE185-12 in clear gloss on flamed maple with
matching headstock, body binding and gold hardware.
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The AC175 and AC275 remained the
same. Base price on the AC175 remained $649, and base price on the AC275
remained $699. The AC275-12 held at $749.
The catalog showed an
AC175 with
natural spruce top, gold hardware, and inline headstock. The
AC275 was shown in Classic Sunburst on flamed maple with body binding
and chrome hardware. The inset photo showed the AC275-12 in
clear gloss on flamed maple with matching headstock, body binding and
black hardware.
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The AC375 was also unchanged in
it's sophomore year, and it too used the same catalog photo on a new
background. Base
price on the AC375 was $829, plus $110 for the HC16 hardshell case.
New for 2000 and
introduced late in the year was the CL450 (far
right), which was a nylon-string acoustic/electric classical
guitar. Standard features on this model was AAA red cedar top,
mahogany set neck, body sides and back, body binding, Fishman Prefix
Pro active electronics, ebony fingerboard and gold hardware.
Base price on the CL450 was $869.
The catalog showed the AC375 in clear
matte sating finish with koa headstock overlay and gold hardware, and
the CL450 in cedar.
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In 2000 and 2001, Carvin released 4 very special
instruments. These were the Collector's Series; 3 AE185's and an
AC375 created by Vermont marquetry artist T.
Breeze Verdant. These guitars were hand-inlaid ("marquetry")
with various exotic woods, such as Black Limba, Koto, Bubinga,
Chinaberry, Claro Walnut, koa, Macassar ebony, Honduras mahogany,
tulipwood and satinwood, as well as gold mother-of-pearl and paua
abalone. These were extremely limited editions, with only 6
Orchid models made, and 10 of the other models. These models
ranged in price from $3800 to $6000. There are more details on
these models on the 2001 page.

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