Carvin electric
 

Could anyone here who has any experience with the Carvin line of guitars, specifically a Carvin SH550 please offer up their feelings?

I'm considering a purchase of a used one, am really new to electrics as well as a beginner student (at 70 yrs old!) but don't have any experience with the brand.

I'm honestly a beginner who shouldn't be asking the collective experience of the group b/c if a guy with my knowledge pays anything north of a grand on a guitar of this caliber it should be more than I'd ever need but I'm much appreciative of any sharing.

You can keep it brief if you wish b/c I'm so new. I'm thinking of learning boogie-woogie and the bluesy stuff w/a pick not finger-style.

I'm not down to eating cereal yet so the $$ don't bother me too much. Also I'd be up for looking into a decent amp...so if you have any suggestions I'll thank you.

Thanks very much for any help/suggestions.

Jeremy.

I have not played the SH550, but I have a 1984 Carvin bass, and 1981 and 1986 Carvin guitars. Carvin guitars are well made, good playing instruments. I have no reason or intention to stop playing the ones I have.

Carvin was the old brand name, which is now known as Kiesel Guitars. Well respected, well made USA guitars. Direct to consumer keeps the price down but difficult for people to try them out because they aren't in any stores.

I've always wanted one.

Is this the guitar (color aside)?
https://img.audiofanzine.com/images/...h550-30430.jpg

It's rarely a mistake to buy a used Carvin. I've had ones from the 80s (because I grew up drooling at the catalog and had to get a few :D) and more recently a CT which was VERY nice. Up there with anybody's top end guitar. Never played one of their semi-hollows.

I've never held on to them for too long, but they were NEVER dogs. Something I wanted more just came along. And I've never lost more than shipping when I sold them, but again I've only bought used. And I assume I'm going to lose shipping when I sell every time I sell a guitar. I consider it a rental fee.


Buying a new one and not bonding with it will cost you when you try to sell it. But you're looking at a used one.

That being said, I've been very impressed with the PRS SE Semi-hollows I've played. At a used price of under $600, they are hard to beat. Something to consider if you are just starting out on electrics.

I've played some Carvin stuff - DC127 solidbody guitar, LB70 fretless bass, an X-100 Mesa Boogie-clone 1x12" oak-cab combo that belonged to a former bandbud, and my own MB12 bass amp - and it's well-made gear by any standard; IMO you can't go wrong with their guitars - for whatever reason they don't hold their value on the used market, so you should be able to get that SH550 for a good price...

I've been using one of these as my go-to gigging/practice amp for the last ten years - about $400 when you catch a sale at one of the big-box dealers; a bit on the heavy side but, as one old guy who was around back in the day to another, there's no substitute for a tube amp for your preferred styles:

https://media.sweetwater.com/api/i/q...ombo-large.jpg

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...tube-combo-amp

Thanks for all the helpful replies thus far gents. It's very positive...

Dru, yep, that's the guitar that I found but in a diff. color arrangement. I know zero abut these having had a couple of acoustics before. Man, I tell you, I'm a fresh rookie...

Steve, thanks so much for your amp suggestion and if this deal is still available when I get ready to buy the guitar I'll do my best to locate one of those amps. It looks super!!

Thank you all!

Like others have said, Carvin are good well made guitars, but they don't hold their value very well on the used market.

I wanted a Carvin guitar because of the all the guitar ads they had in Guitar Player and Guitar World back in the 80's.


After 46 yrs., I finally scored my 1st Carvin at a pawnshop last year for an AMAZING price.

My '88 Carvin DC127

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...a871dff3_z.jpg
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...5718fab9_b.jpg
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...3a88d7c3_b.jpg

Click the link I provided above - and even if the deal is over, IME Sweetwater is very good when it comes to pricing...

I play a Carvin AE185. Carvin's answer to the Thinline, but with a better neck and about 70% of the weight. For some reason it's the best electric guitar for me...I can switch from my acoustics to the 185 with less adjustment than any other electric.

Stereo output no less, should you need to run it through your Rivera and your Deluxe Reverb simultaneously.

I've seen the guitar you mention, but I haven't played it (though it looks very nice).

I DO own two Carvin electrics (H2 and HH2) and two basses (fretted and fretless).

They are quality instruments for reasonable money. I think your dollar goes a long way with Carvin (now Kiesel).

I had a DC135, strat hss, ebony board, ss frets, locking tuners 1.75 nut. Found it used with a small nick on the headstock. Great git, I did change out the cap to piw cap and it changed the sound from modern to more old school. Loved it but played others more and eventually sold it for more than paid.

What a great deal! I think you have a knack for finding great deals. Part of that knack is buying it when you see it rather than come back the next day. I too would have bought that Carvin for that price.

Thanks Dru.

I ALWAYS have a good wad of cash on me and a credit card in the wallet.

You CAN'T walk away from a deal like this to think about it, and go back later the same day.

It will be gone.

You have to jump on the deals right there and then when they present themselves.

I play a Carvin bass and the quality is top notch. Some have said they do not hold their value on resale - good if you’re buying used. However, I buy for me, not for the next guy, or for the headstock cork sniffers.

I also play a Carvin Bass. I had 2 of them for a time.
No interest in ever getting rid of it.
Since Carvin no longer makes guitars under the name (Kiesel now)
The resale price is irrelevant. They are all used- so their price is their price.
They are known for having excellent pickups.
The guitar I have is 30 years old and has held up great.
Can’t beat the value for the money imo.