http://www.carvinguitars.com/guitars-in-stock/109274First of all, if anybody is considering this bass but thinks it's butt-ugly, I apologize. I did it. It looked nice in my mind when I ordered it, but the moment I opened the case, I thought it was a disaster. I'm really not the type of guy that dwells much over the looks of a bass; I care more about feel and sound, but damn, poor thing. Satin finish doesn't like that cool in person as I thought it would be. I wish I'd ordered the normal glossy. The body is huge and it feels at least 15% bigger than a normal P-Bass, lots of curves. Fit and finish were nice, typical Carvin, and the sound was all okay, but nothing to rave about. Functional, if you will. Carvin electronics are always noisy, more than other basses, and this one is no exception. They must have the cleanest electrical systems in San Diego that induce no hum on instruments. I hate the strings Carvin put at the factory, and I know the bass would have sounded a lot better with other brand, but I didn't get to that. I ordered the bass wishing for a sub 8.5 lb or lighter bass. Not such luck. It felt like 9 lbs, which I'm sorry to say, is too much for this old, fat daddy here. So, with my eyes almost shut to prevent further visual shock, I put the bass in the case and send it on an express truck back to San Diego. ¡Adiós, Carvin! No more. I have given Carvin more chances than I care to admit, and did get to play a nice B5 I had for a while, but all the other eight Carvin I've tried, bought and sold, ordered and returned, were just not keeper. (The blue SB5000 I recently had for sale here was nice, though). Good price and functional, but damn, no soul, man. Maybe I want too much from a bass?
In contrast, I just finished assembling a P-Bass from current Fender parts (Jazz neck, Fender body, bridge, Aguilar Hot pickup, etc. . . ) and it sings and roars.
I feel sorry for bashing Carvin. Maybe I'm just too much of a Fender traditionalist to care for P-Basses that depart too much from the norm. . . Or maybe Carvin doesn't age their wood stock enough to make good musical wood. I don't know what it is.
http://www.carvinguitars.com/guitars-in-stock/109274
