Carvin

[apossibleworld]

At special request from my earlier introduction thread, here's a new one, about my 1959 Carvin Doubleneck. It uses the same AP-6 pickups that Semie used on the 50s Mosrites. I'll take some more shots when I get a chance, but there's nothing special from the back.

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=1775

[Dnepr]

What's the playability like on this? Most of the vintage Carvins I have played and / or owned were a little less than stellar. But I think they probably all had the Hofner necks. Just wondering what yours is like.

[apossibleworld]

It plays well. The neck is no Mosrite though, more like a '53 tele, a big hunk of wood. It could use some fretwork to get the action lower without buzzing, but it's not uncomfortable or anything.

What were the other older Carvins you owned? Nobody seems to talk much about the pre-70s models at all.

[Dnepr]

I had 2 SGBs, that I bought as a kid because they looked like Neoton Graziosos (find one of those...).
I have recently played a few later '60s SGCs and a doubleneck like the one on Ebay right now. It wasn't until a few years ago that I had any interest in what I once had, mainly the pickups. I seem to recall that they were really noisey and microphonic, but I was a little more into distortion then too... The guitars felt kinda cheap overall as well, which isn't necessarily a bad thing in my book... I was just a kid at the time, and honestly was too stupid to have any concept of the history or value of these instruments. I wish I had held on to one of them, if nothing else for nostalgia. But then again, they'd probably just sit in the corner unused, and there's no point in that.
Check out this site if you haven't seen it already:
http://www.carvinmuseum.com/guitars.html

[brutus]

The body shape reminds me of the Semie's great lost triple neck. what a cool guitar

[Haole Jim]

'Ain't ever seen one like that. Thank you for sharing.

Carvin apparently sends catalgues to GP subscribers and sometimes there are interesting things, but horrors and shame...

...'cam't ever remember playing a Carvin either guitar or amp.

[MOSDAN]

Wow, different looking guitar--maybe a mandoguitar!!! It is written in the history of Mosrite guitars that years ago Semie Moseley once used Carvin pickups on his earliest guitars. Carvin is one of the oldest guitar companies in the United States and still going strong. The early Carvin guitars were not very impressive compared to other guitars of the day, but they did have good electronics and that is what Semie wanted. He later learned more about the electronics end of things when he worked a short time for Rickenbacker. He applied what he learned later in the production of his very hot pickups that we have all learned to love. Fortunately, he taught Dana the art of making these pickups and we are extremely lucky to have his knowledge available to all of us through Dana. As for Carvin, today they make guitars that are second to none for very reasonable prices. I have three that I will never get rid of. They are different than the Moserites but still are absolutely wonderful.