American Made Carvin Fretless Bass

[Kiwi Phil]

I am looking for a left handed bass, and I came across this guy on ebay in your country who is willing to ship.
I like the look of it but i can't find any info on this bass....can't even find an ID number or model name, so I am sort of lost as to .......is is a good bass........is it the bottom of their range........what are the reviews like on it....what is, or was the new price...etc etc.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Lefty-Left-H...r?hash=item1c0ba2ca0b&_trksid=p3286.m63.l1177

Here is the Carvin site but nothing on it looks like the one for sale on ebay.

http://www.carvinworld.com/customshopelectricbasses.php

I am only a learner, but I like the idea of learning to play a really cool fretless.....yep, bit of a contradiction a learner playing without even the fret lines....but it will keep me out of the kitchen in the evenings....and the wife just loves it when I have a project!!!

Anyone prepared to comment or advise?
I know I could go straight to seller, but often they avoid overseas enquiries if they think they have a local buyer or 2 and they will just ignore me.
Cheers
Phillip

 

[CN Spots]

Re: American Made Carvin Fretless Bass

I am looking for a left handed bass, and I came across this guy on ebay in your country who is willing to ship.
I like the look of it but i can't find any info on this bass....can't even find an ID number or model name, so I am sort of lost as to .......is is a good bass........is it the bottom of their range........what are the reviews like on it....what is, or was the new price...etc etc.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Lefty-Left-H...r?hash=item1c0ba2ca0b&_trksid=p3286.m63.l1177

Here is the Carvin site but nothing on it looks like the one for sale on ebay.

http://www.carvinworld.com/customshopelectricbasses.php

I am only a learner, but I like the idea of learning to play a really cool fretless.....yep, bit of a contradiction a learner playing without even the fret lines....but it will keep me out of the kitchen in the evenings....and the wife just loves it when I have a project!!!

Anyone prepared to comment or advise?
I know I could go straight to seller, but often they avoid overseas enquiries if they think they have a local buyer or 2 and they will just ignore me.
Cheers
Phillip

YOU have run out of projects??!

They do a lot of custom built stuff so it may be a one-off design. Looks like an LB70 with standard pick ups and a fretless neck, both optional. Most of their stuff starts in the $800 range so $200 is a pretty good deal.

Daryl

 

[axeslinger1957]

Re: American Made Carvin Fretless Bass

Carvin makes wonderful instruments. If I was still playing bass on a regular basis, I would buy one in a heartbeat.

 

[Bass Man Bruce]

Re: American Made Carvin Fretless Bass

Agree with the above, every Carvin I have played was a nice guitar.
The neck appears guite narrow on that guitar, just the way I like it.

 

[Kiwi Phil]

Re: American Made Carvin Fretless Bass

Good replies.....thank you.
Spots, would you like to shoot seller an enquiry confirming the model and serial number for me please.
I bet he responds to you.
Got to make sure I am getting the name, and appropriately priced, guitar.
I sent one last night to seller (0400hrs your time), so he has had a lot of daytime hours to respond and hasn't.
This happens often with buying overseas, and I don't blame the sellers..... overseas guys can seem a hassel.
Cheers
Phillip

 

[CN Spots]

Re: American Made Carvin Fretless Bass

Done.

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: American Made Carvin Fretless Bass

Some people seem to like Carvin and say that the quality is good. Some people won't touch them. Like most things, I guess this is just a matter of opinion and personal preference.

That said, I would think that Australia has some fine bass makers. Given the tradition of guitar manufacturers such as Maton, I can't imagine there not being someone closer to home, who makes a good bass.

 

[CN Spots]

Re: American Made Carvin Fretless Bass

No word yet, Phil.

 

[Kiwi Phil]

Re: American Made

Re: American Made

Here we go Spots....surprise surprise....he has responded to me overnight.

Dear 03phillip,

Hello,
the model is LB70 with a serial 36427.

Best regards and good luck,
George.

- overtext

So you were dead right in your ID, and checking the retail the $800 is pretty spot on too....some want more.
The serial # tells me '91-94 manufacture, but one site said some that were often highly customised, so could have a # outside these years......so being a 'left', and a 'fretless', plus the pictures of the rear don't show the plate for the 'active' part of the pass...this one may just be a 'passive'....which may make it part of a small production run.

Anyway I will get back to him and confirm he will still ship to Aussie if I win auction.
Time difference may make it difficult to be at auction when it finishes, so might have to start with my max bid early......I am not much good with e-bay, so normally wait till late so I can whack in a high bid at last minute....is that what you blokes do too?

http://www.carvinmuseum.com/playersgallery/lb70.html




jay_m
I buy from your country a bit.....bought out 10 MacGregor 26's trailer sailers last year in 40' containers.
Things here are often overpriced... won't bother 25% savings, will definitely buy when it goes well above that. Your comment about our guitars got me worried....set too and looked around to be sure I was on the right tract....in this instance I am....but some times I'm not.....good to get a reality check tho.
On top of that, your $ has dropped 25% over past months so your exports volumes are bouncing up, and when our economy straightens out, my purchases will increase to meet my sales.


Cheers
Phillip

 

[CN Spots]

Re: American Made Carvin Fretless Bass

Glad you found out what you needed to know. I got the same email from him and forwarded it to you before I checked here. Disregard it when you get it.

Later,
spots

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: American Made Carvin Fretless Bass

I can see your point about exchange rates, etc. Part of my thought had to do with repair work. I'm sure there are plenty of luthiers and/or guitar techs in NZ to do the work, but its always nice to have local parts suppliers. That said, Carvin has been around for awhile and parts are easy enough to ship.

BTW, I had to smile about you buying stuff from the U.S. I used to race sailboats and one of the ones we enjoyed the most was a Ross 930, which is a Kiwi boat. At the time, there were only about 6 - 8 of them in the U.S. I also learned how to jibe a spinnaker from a guy who crewed aboard the Australia II. Long story, but I met him in Rhode Island, after their boat took the America's Cup.

See, we iboaters are at the forefront of international trade!

 

[Kiwi Phil]

Re: American Made Carvin Fretless Bass

I missed out.
Auction finished at 3.29am our time, so I bid just over 50% of new price, with the intention of getting up to see how it would finish, and making a last bid if need-be....but the alarm went off, i doozed....and missed it.

Tell you what....I have learnt a lot from it tho.
Carven do make stock lines, but for the same cost they will custom make you a guitar to meet your needs....and for a lefty, that's good....and the one I like is $900. On those grounds I decided this one up for auction was worth 50% of current new price.

One bass i really like is the Ibanez GSR200 in the white, but none available here in Left/h, and I think your country, only in red.
It is a lovely little bass. These big outfits don't seem to make odd stuff either.
http://bass-guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Ibanez-GSR200-4String-Bass?sku=519524
So not sure what to do....but it will come to me.

Cheers
Phillip

 

[Bass Man Bruce]

Re: American Made Carvin Fretless Bass

That Ibanez is my current axe. I like it a lot.
Not quite the same as my Rickenbocker 4001 stereo (which I sold a few years back) but worth the price and then some.
Electronics aren't top of the line but sounds great going through my Pandora.