Basses

Carvin offered only one bass in 1961, the new #71-BG.  Unlike the model #7-BG of 1959 and 1960, this new bass was more Fender-esque, versus the single-cut style of the previous model.  In addition to the new body shape, the #71-BG also sported dual AP-4 pickups, and was even offered with Carvin's Guitar-Vibro, which was a basic vibrato (note it on the #71-BG below).

The only bass offered in 1961 from Carvin was the model #71-BG (or #81-BG without adjustable pole pickups). It was a very short-scale instrument (25 1/8") which was intended to make it more "friendly" to guitar players. It also featured a rather interesting tuning: G D A E, a fifth interval tuning, rather than the fourths found on a guitar. The catalog mentions this as being "standard bass tuning", which presumably means the same as a violin bass (and is also the same tuning found on a violin and mandolin). A set of Carvin flat-wound strings would set you back $13.90, which was pretty pricey for 1961. The price for the #71-BG was $135.00.  The model #81-BG sold for $115.00.  The left-handed model, #71-LH, sold for $145.00.  The Guitar-Vibro was an additional $19.50.

Carvin had two double-neck instruments available in 1961; a guitar/bass combination, called the model #4-BS (right) and a guitar/mandolin, called the #1-MS (see 1961 Guitars). The guitar/bass combination utilized the same short-scale neck of the model #71-BG shown at left. Each neck had a volume and tone control assigned to it, and the single three-way pickup switch would select the bass pickup, the two guitar pickups, or the guitar bridge pickup.  The model #4-BS sold for $229.90, and the #5-BS, with non-adjustable pickups, sold for $199.90.