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1st Carvin Score (Killer Price )


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I did my daily pawnshop rounds yesterday and ran into my 1st Carvin at a pawnshop.

For some reason, I've never seen any in a pawnshop around these parts.

I've seen them in GC over the years, but never for a price I'd ever pay.

They had this guitar tagged for $800, and I happened to run into the regional manager at the store.

He knows I buy quite a few guitars, and asked me if I was interested in the guitar.

I said I've never bought a Carvin before, and told him that the $800 was WAY to high for this guitar.

I said maybe about $500 would be a better starting price.

He said he was trying to move merchandise at the store, and asked what price I'd be willing to pay for it.

I said I really don't want or need it, but if I were to buy it, it would have to be SUPER cheap for $100 out the door.

He said he'd take the $100 out the door for the guitar.

So I'm now the owner of a 1988 Carvin DC127 with a Schaller LP6 fixed roller bridge.

This particular bridge was only used for 1 year in '88, and that was it.

The guitar has a super smooth and fast ebony fretboard, and the neck is very comfortable.

The tones lean toward the heavy shred side, so I guess this guitar will fit a niche in my collection.

I'm not sure I'm really sold on the stock M22SD humbuckers loaded in this guitar,  but I guess for the price I can live with them for now.

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                                                                              That's a nice guitar Skip!  For a set neck USA made guitar that is a deal even w/o the case and the black is a cool color! I have never ever seen a Carvin here at any of the guitar stores I have frequented. I knew a guy that had one of those Carvin 6/12 Double Necks back in the day,he liked the guitar but thought the pickups were too way to bright................all of them,and replaced them with Gibsons.Congrats!

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15 minutes ago, ARM OF HAMER said:

I have never ever seen a Carvin here at any of the guitar stores I have frequented.

I testament to the quality of your area's shops.

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Nice score, Skip. Nothing wrong with that guitar at all. My experience has been that their '80s-and-after guitars and basses were exceptionally well-made, although I'm not sold on the Carvin humbuckers.  Reminds me of the '90s Carvin LB-20 bass I found on the local CL and that needed some rehab. The resale value on Carvins is so spectacularly poor, I got that one with the OHSC for $100...a Skip-worthy deal, if you will.  If anyone is looking for a neck-through USA-made player piece for little coin, Carvins are a viable option.

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$100 out the door!!!?!???!

Did he then call the police and arrest you for theft?

I"m not a huge fan of Carvin, but also not a hater. They have some good guitars, and this was an excellent steal.

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32 minutes ago, Nathan of Brainfertilizer Fame said:

Did he then call the police and arrest you for theft?

No, he called the guy he bought it from and said, "I just made $90 on that Carvin you dumped at my shop!!"

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I had one of these many years ago. Also a pawnshop score, but I paid $150 (about 20 years back) and thought it was a steal.

The DC127 is one of Carvin's nicer guitars. I agree about the tone; different pickups could make it a keeper.

I'm tempted to call dibs on it.

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2 hours ago, Biz Prof said:

Nice score, Skip. Nothing wrong with that guitar at all. My experience has been that their '80s-and-after guitars and basses were exceptionally well-made, although I'm not sold on the Carvin humbuckers.  Reminds me of the '90s Carvin LB-20 bass I found on the local CL and that needed some rehab. The resale value on Carvins is so spectacularly poor, I got that one with the OHSC for $100...a Skip-worthy deal, if you will.  If anyone is looking for a neck-through USA-made player piece for little coin, Carvins are a viable option.

Thanks Jon.

I'd never run into a deal on. Carving until now.

 

I'm not really a fan of the pickups, and some good ones could make it a keeper.

I've always thought Carvin were kinda like Peavey guitars.

 

They make good guitars, but just nothing I'd pay good money for.

I'll have to give this guitar some more playing time to see it's a keeper.

I will say that I have paid more money for some guitars in the past that weren't as good as this , for what I paid.

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Oh dang, that is a steal. I would see if you like the stock M22 humbuckers. Could be an M22SD and M22N set, or maybe M22T and M22V.  They aren't horrible, but they are kinda flat, the same way that the Ibanez Dimarzio USA IBZ pickups are.  The ebony fretboard and neck through neck access should make it really comfortable.

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You got that like-new Carvin so cheap, it might make sense to replace the pickups with USA-made Bartolinis. There's a reason USA-Barts are the overwhelming choice of boo-teek guitars and basses. USA-made Bartolinis sure picked up the sound quality and playability (more sensitive and easier on the fingers) of my Cort and Squier import basses.

 

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20 minutes ago, JohnnyB said:

You got that like-new Carvin so cheap, it might make sense to replace the pickups with USA-made Bartolinis. There's a reason USA-Barts are the overwhelming choice of boo-teek guitars and basses. USA-made Bartolinis sure picked up the sound quality and playability (more sensitive and easier on the fingers) of my Cort and Squier import basses.

 

Thanks for the heads up Johnny.

 

I'm going to check out YouTube for some sound samples.

 

I've played a guitar with Bartolini pickups before.

It would definitely make it a unique sounding guitar in my collection.

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The models in that series had great-feeling neck heels, and IIRC were balanced almost perfectly. Ergonomics counts for a lot in addition to sonics.

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9 minutes ago, Willie G. Moseley said:

The models in that series had great-feeling neck heels, and IIRC were balanced almost perfectly. Ergonomics counts for a lot in addition to sonics.

Yea Willie, the neck and the neck heel feel AMAZING,but it's the pickups that don't quite do the guitar justice.

They're a little too hot an middy for my tastes,but I'm just not sure if I want to invest any money, and then realize I need to sell it.

I'm going to sit on it a bit and play it for a few week/months, and see if I can accept it for what it is, and what it isn't.

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17 minutes ago, m chops said:

Could always try something new, and if you decide to part with it, swap out the old pickups for the new.

 

That's most likely what I'm going to do.

Now I have do some pickup tone  searching on youtube. 

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1 hour ago, killerteddybear said:

Meanwhile some craigslist asshat is asking $600 for a Carvin Bolt:

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Huh?

I might have paid $200 for that guitar and the 'G&G Tweed case.

MAYBE or NOT.

It's really hard throwing down good money on a guitar you'd mostly like Never have bought, if it wasn't for the stupid low price.

I always want an out on a guitar, and if I can buy it low enough, I can at least get my money back and then some.

Paying $600 for that Carvin Bolt-on,  and you're pretty much stuck with it.

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2 hours ago, Texsunburst59 said:

I always want an out on a guitar, and if I can buy it low enough, I can at least get my money back and then some.

Paying $600 for that Carvin Bolt-on,  and you're pretty much stuck with it.

I get what you're saying, but for me, I'm really sure I want to buy something when I do.  If I'm already looking how to sell it before I have it, I probably didn't want it to start with.  

 

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7 hours ago, The Shark said:

Yeah, I have a bunch of guitars. No reason not to have a Carvin or two...

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That was one of the 1st models along with the DC127 and DC400 that I wanted from Carvin back in the day.

I just didn't have the cash back then to get one.

I heard that SG style Carvin was a great guitar, but they were heavy as hell.

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