Guitars
After taking a year off in 1998, Carvin
offered quite a few new items for 1999. The most significant was
the DC727 and DC747 7-string guitars. 7-string guitars and
gained in popularity in the late 90's, and Carvin stepped up to the
plate and offered a pair of models with all the options and quality
construction of their other models. Also new for 1999 was the
AC375 true acoustic, equipped with Fishman electronics. Two new
colors were added, Pearl Silver and Harlequin Prismatique. To
take advantage of the new HP finish, the Crowe Option Package was
added to the TL60.
The pictures and prices on this page
are from the Fall '99 catalog, and at the time, the HC11 hardshell
case, rounded body sides and matching headstock were offered for
free. On the Bolt, the HC11 case and pearloid pickguard was
offered for free, and on the TL60, the HC11 case and matching
headstock was offered for free.
Click each picture for a larger
version.
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The Bolt got a new catalog photo,
but the guitar itself remained unchanged. The price rose
slightly, to $489, and
the Bolt-T, with Wilkinson tremolo, had a base price of $549.
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 for 1999, and the DC127 was actually the
same guitar as in earlier catalogs, but on a new background. The prices
rose slightly 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 finally got a new
photo, in part to show off the new Crowe Option Package (far right),
created for Brooks & Dunn guitarist Charlie Crowe, who had been a
TL60 endorser. The option package's most noticeable feature was the
new Harlequin Prismatique finish, which was a blue-grayish paint
imbedded with holographic flakes that made the guitar appear to be
different colors depending on the angle it was viewed at. (To see a
real HP finish, look here).
The Crowe package also had a matching reverse headstock, body binding,
and DC127-style dual humbuckers. This package added $250 to the
base price of the TL60, and other options such as tremolo and hardware
finishes could be added Base
price rose slightly on the hardtail model to $559, and $619 with Wilkinson tremolo.
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 '98, 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. A similar catalog photo was used, showing the
same DC120 and a different DC400, but not the DC200. The price on the DC200
hardtail rose to $689, and rose to $749
with the Wilkinson, and $789 with the Floyd Rose. The DC120
12-string dropped to $749. The DC400 hardtail rose slightly to
$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, Wilkinson tremolo and gold hardware.
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Another year, another innovation.
This time, it was a pair of 7-string guitars, the DC727 (near
right) and DC747 (far right). 7-string guitars had gained
in popularity, and Carvin once again was ahead of the curve, offering
a high quality, option-laden model at a great price. Both of
these models were based on the DC200, with the same construction
material, methods and options, with the addition of a low B string on
a slightly wider, 25½" scale neck. The DC727 was equipped
with C26 humbuckers, single volume and tone controls, and 3-way pickup
selector. DC200-style active/passive electronics were an
available option. The DC747 had the pair of C26 humbuckers and
an AP13 single coil with single volume and tone controls and 5-way
switch. Sperzel tuners were standard on both models, as was the
FT7 bridge.
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 was unchanged for
1999, 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. There were two new cousins to the
Holdsworths - the HF1 Fatboy, and the HF2 Fatboy.
These were basically the same as their counterparts, but with a
thicker body (2 3/8" versus 1 3/4") and a set-in maple neck,
instead of alder. The HF1 sold for $849, and the HF2 sold for
$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. |
The AE185 and AE185-12
were unchanged for 1999. The base price of the
AE185 remained $799, and the base price of the AE185-12 was $849.
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 dropped to $649, and base price on the AC275 dropped to
$699. The AC275-12 dropped to $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 acoustic/electric series expanded in
1999 with the addition of the AC375. This was a true
acoustic that could also be plugged in. Unlike it's siblings,
the AC375 used the Fishman Prefix Pro acoustic transducer, and a
21-fret, 25½" scale fingerboard. It also featured a
mahogany set neck, mahogany back and body sides and braced AAA
Engleman spruce top, and multi-layer tortoise body binding. Base
price on the AC375 was $829, plus $110 for the HC16 hardshell case.
The
catalog showed the AC375 in clear matte satin finish with koa headstock overlay and gold hardware.
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