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Guitars
As the 70's got underway, Carvin
offered a 32-page black-and-white catalog, laden with a wide
assortment of steel guitars, basses, guitars, amps, PA gear and accessories.
Although there was no resemblance to the Carvin of 30 years later, the
marketing and sales techniques were essentially the same, offering
customers a decent selection of gear, at a reduced factory-direct
cost.
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The AS-50 and AS-50B
(shown) was a semi-acoustic electric, similar to the Gibson
ES-335. Like other Carvin's of the era, it was made with a
22-fret Hofner neck, which had a rosewood fingerboard, dot inlays,
adjustable steel truss rod and Kluson tuners. The body was also
imported from Germany, although the catalog didn't explicitly state
that it was made by Hofner also. Regardless, it was high
quality, constructed from a spruce top with maple back and sides, and
gloss sunburst finish. Electronics consisted of two Carvin AP-6
pickups with volume and tone controls for each, and a 3-way pickup
selector switch.
Also available was the AS12-50,
which was a 12-string version of the AS-50. It sold for $169.95.
The AS-50 sold for $159.95, and the
AS-50B (with Bigsby tailpiece) sold for $189.95. A left-handed
version of either could be special ordered for an additional
$10. The AC11 softshell case was $15.95. |
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The SS-70B
(shown, right) and SS-70
solidbody guitars were made with West German Höfner necks, and
German-made bodies made from "selected woods from the Black
Forest" which were assembled in the US. Both were finished
in glass sunburst. Electronics consisted of 3 Carvin AP-6
pickups with master volume and tone control, and on/off switches for
each pickup.
The SS-70 sold for $169.95, and the
SS-70B (with Bigsby tailpiece) sold for $199.95. The SC15
hardshell case was an additional $29.95.
The SS-65B
(shown, left) and SS-65
was constructed with the same materials as the SS-70, in a 2-pickup
design. The electronics consisted of 2 Carvin AP-6 pickups with
volume and tone controls for each and a 3-way pickup selector
switch.
The SS-65 sold for $139.95, and the
SS-65B (with Bigsby) sold for $169.95. |
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The ABS95 (left) was marketed as a
"Thin Acoustic Doubleneck Bass and Spanish Guitar". Both
necks were made by Höfner (as on other Carvins of the era), and the bass
was 30" scale, while the guitar was 25¼". The body was
maple, and finished in sunburst. The guitar neck featured the same
AP-6 pickups as the SS-70B guitar, while the bass neck used the APB-4
pickups, all of which had adjustable pole-pieces. Each pickup had
it's own on/off switch, allowing any combination of pickups to be on
simultaneously. A single volume and tone control rounded out the
electronics.
Direct price on the ABS95 was $249.95,
and the Bigsby vibrato/tailpiece was an additional $29.95. The
SC-61 hardshell case sold for $34.95.
Although Carvin didn't offer any
standard mandolins in 1971, they did offer the AMS90 doubleneck
6-string guitar and mandolin (right). The guitar neck was made by
Hofner; the manufacturer of the mandolin neck was not specified.
This acoustic/electric was constructed with maple top, back and sides
with sunburst finish. Electronics consisted of two AP-6 pickups
on the guitar neck and one AP-4 pickup on the mandolin with a master
volume and tone control and on/off switches for each
pickup.
The AMS90 sold for $229.95, and the
optional Bigsby vibrato was an additional $29.95. The SC60
hardshell case was $34.95. |
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The model #41B 8-string
with 4 pedals, the model #61B 8-string with 6 pedals (above) and model #10B
10-string (below) represented Carvin's line of single-neck pedal steel
guitars. These cable-drive pedal steels had a black-crackle finish
aluminum frame, chrome hardware, wood body and raised 23" scale
fingerboard. The #41B sold for $319.90, the #61B sold for $359.90,
and the #10B sold for $399.90.
Carvin also offered doubleneck pedal steel
guitars in 1971, which had the same features as their single-neck
counterparts. The #81B double-eight (below) sold for $499.90, and
the #1010B double-ten sold for $599.90.
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In addition to offering pedal steel
guitars, Carvin offered a variety of pedal steel accessories,
including cable changers, which were the bridge/tailpiece assembly
used on their pedal steel guitars. These roller systems
connected to the pedals via a cable, which allowed a variety of sharp
or flat pitch changing.
The #8AB changer (shown) sold for
$80.00, and was used on 8-string pedal steel guitars, and the #10AB,
for 10-string pedal steel guitars, sold for $100.00. |
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Carvin continued offering Hawaiian steel
guitars, as they had for many years. Sometimes referred to as
lap-steel guitars, these instruments were made from Eastern maple with
chrome hardware and ivory tuning pegs. The single-neck model was
only available in an 8-string configuration, the PRO-S8 (left).
It sold for $79.95. The SC14 hardshell case was $27.95, and the
L33 chrome-plated adjustable legs were $18.95.
Carvin offered two doubleneck Hawaiian
steel guitars in 1971, the PRO-D8 (far right) and the PRO-D6
(near right). Their double-six and double-eight guitars had the
same construction and features of the single-neck PRO-S8, with an
elevated outside neck for easier playability. The PRO-D6 sold
for $109.95, and the PRO-D8 sold for $129.95. The SC16 case was
an additional $28.95. A set of 4 chrome-plated adjustable legs
was available for $24.95.
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All Carvin guitars, basses and steel
guitars used the same line of pickups - the AP series. These
were the AP-4 (bass) AP-6 (guitars and steel guitars) and the AP-8 and
AP-10 (steel guitars). These could also be purchased separately,
and it was common for players to replace stock pickups on steel
guitars with Carvin pickups. |
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