Carvin DC400TA anyone played/has one?

jazzedout · #1 03-11-2008, 06:18 PM

I love its looks, the pickup options and I am thinking of getting a slightly used Carvin DC400 Anniversary with a Wilkinson trem, stainless steel frets, gold hardware, a nice sunburst maple top, matching headstock and probably some other options I am now forgeting...

Apart from its great looks (to my eyes) and good build quality how is the sound? How are the stock pickups? How does the Wilkinson trem hold tuning? How is the sustain? With what other guitar would you compare it?

Thanks in advance for your replys guys...
I searched the forum a little, Jim777 seems to have had one, and a few other people... i am counting on your input guys...

losgatosrg350dx · #2 03-11-2008, 07:59 PM

on man are they great guitars

id recoment it with a flat radius 14, its better, thier smaller radius necks can feel a little tight when ur shreding i guess

mand the dc400 models in general are awesome guitars, and tone heaven for sureget it all tung oil id say, but thats just me saying id say

**jim777** · #3 03-14-2008, 02:54 PM

To me, what makes or breaks a Carvin is the finish on the back of the neck. Go with the tung oiled finished neck, especially on a mahogany neck, and you'll be set for life. If you go with a finished neck, I've found the Carvin's finish to be sticky to the point of distraction. Stainless frets rule completely, so those are a no brainer. The Active elctronics...eh. I could live without them. I like Carvin 6 string pickups, but pickups are so personal I wouldn't worry about them. the C22J is supposed to be a great neck pickup, but I haven't played one myself.

They are great guitars all in all, really well built and very solid. Personally though, I would avoid an older one with a finished neck. That's the only real deal breaker for me with Carvins. Ask for a shot of the back, if it looks like this:

you're good to go

jim

jazzedout · #4 03-14-2008, 03:18 PM

The guitar is used, so I can't choose any options. It has the stainless steel frets and the back of the neck looks like this:

To me it looks like it is painted and it is not mahogany but maple-bubinga or something. the pickups are C22J & C22B humbuckers and it is a 2007 model. Is the finish on the newer models better than the old ones?

**jim777** · #5 03-14-2008, 04:18 PM

I honestly don't know if they've changed their lacquer, but that's definitely a lacquered neck. Any chance of playing it before you buy, or returning it if you aren't happy with it? Like I said earlier, they are great guitars but I personally prefer the tung oiled neck. It might not be a problem for you though, so I'd hate to see you pass on it simply because of my personal preferences.

losgatosrg350dx · #6 03-14-2008, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jim777

To me, what makes or breaks a Carvin is the finish on the back of the neck. Go with the tung oiled finished neck, especially on a mahogany neck, and you'll be set for life. If you go with a finished neck, I've found the Carvin's finish to be sticky to the point of distraction. Stainless frets rule completely, so those are a no brainer. The Active elctronics...eh. I could live without them. I like Carvin 6 string pickups, but pickups are so personal I wouldn't worry about them. the C22J is supposed to be a great neck pickup, but I haven't played one myself.

They are great guitars all in all, really well built and very solid. Personally though, I would avoid an older one with a finished neck. That's the only real deal breaker for me with Carvins. Ask for a shot of the back, if it looks like this:

you're good to go

jim

i love carvins......the only thing i dont like is the body styles, but if i were into the solist type bodies, or if i evolve and fork out, id most likely get a maple neck with ebony and thier holdsworth 20 inch radius(unfotunately its only available on the holdsworth or id have gotten one already) neck through with alder body with flamed maple on top
id be in love with the string through, but i might get a kahler, and for thier pups id get a mss2d in the bridge, but they dont offer h x x setups

i got a 727 like in 2003, but i sold it already i played it till the frets were gone and i updated it from stock to dimarzios and eventually had a bartolini in it

for the actiuve stuff its great, but you only get punch sound if the battery is brand new, once it bets 1/3 used u can hear the difference in the active circuit

if only carvin got the endorsement for the steve vai guitars, but obviously ibanez has more money to fork over
at least carvin gots the legacy

losgatosrg350dx · #7 03-14-2008, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jazzedout

The guitar is used, so I can't choose any options. It has the stainless steel frets and the back of the neck looks like this:

To me it looks like it is painted and it is not mahogany but maple-bubinga or something. the pickups are C22J & C22B humbuckers and it is a 2007 model. Is the finish on the newer models better than the old ones?

if u feel confident, you can always remove the finish down to the wood, carvin necks are actually a little thick in my opinion and have plenty of wood to go down and then it will still be thicker than a wizzard...but thats my idea

when i got my 727, i sanded the tung oil neck down, and gave it a ebony stain, and then re tung oiled it

just cuz the guitar was stained black already with a poly finish, i wanted it to match

it worked great!!!

jazzedout · #8 03-15-2008, 03:07 AM

I wish I could play the Carvin, but unfortunately I found it online, so it is out of the question. I decided to buy it since the US$ to Euro ratio is so favorable at the moment, that if I decided to sell it localy I wouldn't loose any money and someone would be getting a bargain.

FYI a DC400TA with the option this one has costs new $1400-$1500 max. The Greek distributor has them for 2200 Euro ($3400 at the current rate)

A couple of years ago I was very biased towards unfinished necks. I only used to play my RG550 which I have sanded the neck... Nowdays I also play my S540 which is the same wizard neck but I haven't sanded it at all, a Levinson Blade strat which has a very glossy/sticky finish (but it's a strat, thicker neck, no real shreding on that one, but it is doable)... Also my RG7620 neck is left original.
I do feel confortable sanding the neck on the Carvin but I wouldn't do it because it looks very quality and from the pics I've seen it has a nice flame that really stands out with the finish. Unfinished you wouldn't see that much.

ColinMmmmm · #9 03-15-2008, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by losgatosrg350dx

. . . and for thier pups id get a mss2d in the bridge, but they dont offer h x x setups

There is a model on their website in H-x-x- config. I think it's relatively new, but it's called the "DC125".

losgatosrg350dx · #10 03-15-2008, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jazzedout

I wish I could play the Carvin, but unfortunately I found it online, so it is out of the question. I decided to buy it since the US$ to Euro ratio is so favorable at the moment, that if I decided to sell it localy I wouldn't loose any money and someone would be getting a bargain.

FYI a DC400TA with the option this one has costs new $1400-$1500 max. The Greek distributor has them for 2200 Euro ($3400 at the current rate)

A couple of years ago I was very biased towards unfinished necks. I only used to play my RG550 which I have sanded the neck... Nowdays I also play my S540 which is the same wizard neck but I haven't sanded it at all, a Levinson Blade strat which has a very glossy/sticky finish (but it's a strat, thicker neck, no real shreding on that one, but it is doable)... Also my RG7620 neck is left original.
I do feel confortable sanding the neck on the Carvin but I wouldn't do it because it looks very quality and from the pics I've seen it has a nice flame that really stands out with the finish. Unfinished you wouldn't see that much.

how come u dont just go to carvin to get one....calll em up, and order one, youll only pay a 12 percent inport tax i beleive on top of the tottal charge if its going outside of the us when u shipp it

jazzedout · #11 03-15-2008, 04:42 PM

Carvin won't let you ship were they have a dealer. Ihave previously tried to get one of their bolt on kits as well. Today I went to the Greek dealer and asked them to explain the huge difference in price. The only thing they did was lower the price of a DC400 (not the Anniversary) that they had in stock at 1800 euros (from 2200). It is quite a bit of a discount but still, the difference in price is huge. Anyway I have bought this used 2007 DC400TA which seems to be in pristine condition for a fraction of the price... Hope to have it here by next week...

losgatosrg350dx · #12 03-15-2008, 05:11 PM

ok how about this

il will purchase one for you
i send u the reciept
ui reimberse me
ill ship it to you for a tottal of 80 bux shipping most likely

youll get it for 1400 us....do the math....ill help u out, theres no need to go through scammers and ripp off artists just to be going to a "dealer" who has monopolized the market u are in

guitars are for joy, not money

losgatosrg350dx · #13 03-15-2008, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jazzedout

Carvin won't let you ship were they have a dealer. Ihave previously tried to get one of their bolt on kits as well. Today I went to the Greek dealer and asked them to explain the huge difference in price. The only thing they did was lower the price of a DC400 (not the Anniversary) that they had in stock at 1800 euros (from 2200). It is quite a bit of a discount but still, the difference in price is huge. Anyway I have bought this used 2007 DC400TA which seems to be in pristine condition for a fraction of the price... Hope to have it here by next week...

i forgot u already bought i

nevermind

but anyways...yeah if i was in anyone shoes over seas, id just get a friend to buy it and then shipp it over

screw the buttheads who dont ship over seas and the complex stuff u have to go through to get a decent guitar

jazzedout · #14 03-21-2008, 05:25 AM

The wait is killing me... Come on postman... Hurry up!!!

jazzedout · #15 04-04-2008, 05:55 AM

Hi all.. I received the package today, opened it up and found a nice Carvin tweed case! Tried to open it... locked. Hmmm.... looking for the key in the packaging, nowhere to be found... Is there a way to pick the lock without destroying it? Thanks everyone for your help.
This is the worst torture ever....