Old Carvin Guitars Are Massively Underrated

[@andrefludd]

This is the first time no one guessed the band/song correctly! This is the answer... The Jack by AC/DC

[@enterprisesoftwarearchitect]

“My last guitar of 2023” (3 videos ago) :-)

[@andrefludd]

WHAT? that doesn't sound like me at all lol

[@Bobyoudontneeemyname]

Dont attack the man like that lol

[@GregMerritt-ws8tq]

From what I've gathered old Carvin EVERYTHING is massively underrated.

[@burmy1552]

I was just about to say this. It's sad that this company didn't make it (or at least restructured in a way that makes it seem like they disappeared) and that people would choose to buy cheap Chinese junk instead. I'm reminded of so many really talented acts that I saw over the past 35 years that didn't make it and all the no talent hacks that did in their place.

[@Fektthis]

@@burmy1552 these cost 1200 in 1990. that's almost 3000 today. no entry level models

[@kiezersosay49]

Dude it's crazy. I got a dc400 in a trade for harley benton...

[@colten2524]

I have two of their amps, the X100b and Belair 2x12. Super easy to get a good sound out of and great for the price, so it saddens me that they're no longer made.

[@flyonwall360]

Back in the 80s, I bought a 1985 Carvin DC150. I like the older Carvin guitars better than Kiesel.

[@samuelwhite8400]

This video brought me back to the 90s when as a teenager I'd get their catalog in the mail and do fantasy builds (that I never bought) Even never having played one they looked stunning and appeared to be extremely well made. Good review of a nearly forgotten brand ✌️😑

[@sgsgilly8013]

I’ve had a Carvin since 1995, it’s hard to find that kind of quality!

[@MetalWolfz]

My father played a carvin and absolutly loved it, he passed away before he could teach me how to play. I've started learning on a different guitar and finally got the courage to fix up the old thing and wow it sound and plays so amazing, its a beautiful single cut guitar with so much versatility. I hope one day I can be as good as him and give that guitar the respect its deserves

[@GraphiteandCigars]

Through the 80's and early 90's I played BC Rich Mockingbirds and Ibanez RG series. I ordered a Carvin catalog in 1995, I called them and talked about options for hardware, bridges and wood choices. I decided on a DC 127, neck through. Koa neck and body with tung oil finish, gold hardware and a Wilkinson trem and Carvin M22 in the neck and a C22 in the bridge. To this day my Carvin has the best neck I have ever played. I paid less than $1800 when I had it made in 1995. I have heard the stories of Keisel and I have been on the builder several times to see what is available. In all honesty, I cannot bring myself to pull the trigger on a Keisel build. I am lucky to have dealt with Carvin when Mark was in charge and Jeff was just a kid. My DC 127 put anything Fender made to shame. You would need a Fender custom shop to compete with and old school Carvin.

[@CarvinFan13]

I bought a Carvin DC727 back in 2002. It is still my favorite.

[@CarvinFan13]

Also, I have the same jack, and never had to tighten it in all these years.

[@thisguy2973]

Across the gamut of guitar players and gear reviewers, I’ve really enjoyed your coverage and critical analyses. You’re the only reviewer that’s mentioned the same struggles I’ve had with hitting the sharp locking nut on Strandbergs. It’s definitely a breath of fresh air and your approach is quite unique. Keep doing what’s brought you to this point to help your channel grow!!

[@andrefludd]

Thanks for the support!

[@Benz2112]

I have played Carvin and now Kiesel guitars for over 20 years, glad you are enjoying your H2's and HF2. I've owned a guitar with the Holdsworth pickups, and it was really interesting how balanced they are. It makes sense how full bodied the bridge pickup is, since Allan had several of these guitars with just the bridge pickup. The third switch is a phase reverse switch, I have that option on two of my Carvin/Kiesel guitars, and it is a great tone for funky rhythm. Allan espoused many of the views you have about the ergonomics and functionality of the guitar, so it makes sense that these guitars work for you.

[@Mr.Goldbar]

The mystery switch on the amber one is indeed a phase switch :)

[@Zundfolge]

Many years ago I built a guitar using one of Carvin's neck-through-body necks ... was always one of the best guitars I ever built.

[@glennmichaelthompson4112]

Great video. The Carvin Holdsworth had 2 models. The 1st was the thinner one and the 2nd thicker model was not only chambered, it was a hollowbody with 2 support beams going from the tail end to the neck end without touching the top or back. It's great how you've discovered how much these guitars suit you. May you get many years of enjoyment from them. Too bad Kiesel stopped making them. I ordered mine about 12 years ago w/ all the specs I prefer including stainless steel frets. Again... excellent video! Thanks so much!!

[@irmasil3]

I have Carvins from 1986 up to Kiesels from 2024....I was pointed towards them from my luthier back in the day. All instruments are absolutely perfect in every way possible. Immaculate construction and superb tones. Maybe the most value-for-money guitars I even bought.

[@frankblackburn]

Great video! I have a Carvin DC127 from around 2007 and they are definitely underrated.

[@makeajazznoiseYTstoleit]

One thing Kiesel has messed up imo about the Holdsworth signature since Allans passing is the chambering. They now even offer the HH as a solid body which is a sacrilidge to what Allan wanted. But they've also messed with the chambering so that if you get an HH today with the chamered "option" its significantly different construction and far less chamering than the original HH. Im sure this is for cost savings.

[@paulauksztulewicz4803]

You are absolutely correct. Held one of the new ones and it’s also heavy because of the lack of chambering, which makes it feel strange since it’s a small body.

[@mysteryshrimp]

It's also not the same pickups. They use their standard humbuckers, which are decent but not holdsworthy. I have about ten carvin pickups in various builds and I can say that I love every single one. My main guitar is a Holdworth set (bridge in the middle) and their 57 clone in the bridge.

[@davewojcik1854]

I ordered a v200 in 1986. I loved that guitar. I sold and switched to a 1962 Tele deluxe original.. I wished I had the carvin now. It had the Kahler pro trrem with the locking nut that had little levers worked perfectly. Played through a Rivera era fender champ. Awesome combo.for me the Kohler is better than floyd rose.

[@PeterMilenkovski]

Carvins are so underrated. I picked up a 2010 CS3 and I absolutely love it.

[@Rogers1977]

My dad has an old Carvin Brian Bromberg bass that he's had a for a decade and it's his favorite bass. Excellent weight balance, amazing price for a custom shop guitar, and the active pickups are tone monsters. I've played it and it's like driving a refined European sports car.

[@dlmyrs]

Great review of Carvins!

[@tj10777]

Hey Andre, they were doing one of those unadvertised blowouts at Guitar Center here in Nashville and I was able to get the MIJ Gunthrie Govan Charvel for $2200 yesterday. I heard you mention in a video that you really liked the guitar. Just letting you know since they might be doing the same offer nation wide.

[@andrefludd]

Thanks a crazy deal, thanks for putting it on my radar :)

[@gringogreen4719]

Carvin back in the early 2000s was really set up in a different way. You COULD buy a very "basic" version of a Carvin bit the individual changes were pretty affordable so that lots of people would just spend an extra $100-$250 to get the specs they really want. G&L does it that way now, you can have choices on an ASAT you want to buy and small changes are little to no cost differences. So Carvin guitars really sat in that in-between area where a basic version of a guitar might be as much as a American Standard Fender but a super specced out version of that same guitar was well under what you would pay the Custom Shop. Also Carvin has been around about the same time as Fender (maybe a few years difference) so it has a longer history than most people realize. 😎👍✨

[@norseman61]

Output jack. The guitar outputs to the amp (or whatever you’re playing through). Nothing is putting anything INTO the guitar, other than your fingers, pick, and soul. Another great video. Your channel is its own thing, and I always look forward to seeing your videos.

[@davidmusic5801]

Nice review!! I´d been following this guitar for years, and I noticed that it kinda passed unseen by the internet and I never understood why if it is clearly one of a kind!

[@tonydelucaisthejam27]

@ 7:21 Hey all, anyone with a standard tune-omatic bridge or even a flat-top hipshot type bridge - I must tell you the Babicz Full-Contact hardware (specifically the saddles!) upgrades are seriously AMAZING! if you're interested in getting the most resonance and zing out of your instrument, I highly recommend them! - Love Allan Holdsworth and your content Andre 🙏

[@Robstafarian]

Your journey of discovery regarding the necks is a good example of why one of my beginner (guitar gear) lessons will be about neck geometry.

[@BobSperber]

You read my mind. Last month I bought a 90s Carvin SC90 hardtail at a local guitar show - very similar to these - and have searched “Andre Fludd AND Carvin” a dozen times since. you always bring unique insights. Thanks for delivering the goods as always.

[@andrefludd]

Glad to help Bob :)

[@coralwinslow8831]

Most unfortunately don't know but the reason there's 24 pole pieces is because each one is fully adjustable with a hex/allen wrench that way you can dial them in. Carvin sends them out fully neutral and flat which is why Carvin pups don't get the respect they deserve. Dial the over all heights in, then fine tune each of the 24 and you'll understand why Holdsworth and Becker loved them. Love your channel, one of the few I subscribe to.

[@andrefludd]

Thanks for the info! That truly is remarkable. I’ve never needed to adjust pole pieces on any pickup, I generally just adjust the global height. That might be something for me to explore. Really cool idea. Thanks for supporting the channel!

[@coralwinslow8831]

@@andrefluddawesome yeah I set the global to where it sounds as good as that cruder adjustment will go, then I run through ringing a triad picking them 1,2,3 and see how they resonate with each other and run arpeggios and legatos only on those three, then move down a string and do another triad and repeat. So E,B,G first dial it in, move to B,G,D do the same, then G,D,A, finally D,A,E. What you’ll find is that you can make almost any pickup sound even and individual string definition rings through chords even with high gain since it’s all balanced. I know you will enjoy the process and the reward is worth the time. I think of it more like a 6 band eq that you can tweak each pole piece, that’s why many pups have flathead or hex pole pieces and if you have wax potted pickups (most are) expect a little wax to come out.

[@slythespacecat]

Hello Andre, if you do end up buying a Babicz bridge i recommend the full contact! I have one on my Epiphone Les Paul and the whole guitar just vibrates. Feels great! have you ever considered doing react videos too? Don't mean to bad mouth your content whatsoever, I love your content, always instructional! I was thinking with your knowledge you could so some analysis of guitar playing, for example on ergonomics or technique. Was thinking it might be a way to have more content out there with relatively less 'work' or planning, compared to these videos. Of course this would be something to ask your viewers if that's something they'd like, just an idea for the bucket eheh Much love dude! Love your videos 🤍

[@drew004jc]

I can remember in high school, going thorough the carvin catalog just to see the wood working. they made some good looking stuff

[@skourthsgiaoyrths9610]

about the pole pieces, i m a huge fan of blade pickups, fav pickup being the dimebucker which has qutie a bad rep, it makes a tone of diference clarity wise, you simply dont lose a note even on the dimebucker which is scooped af, these carvin pickups should do the trick eve better

[@UnitedEffect]

Brilliant and concise review! The hollow Holdsworth was often referred to as the "Fatboy". I love my Carvin Holdsworth HF2S which has a 16" radius to match the Graphtech bridge w/ piezo saddles. It has 3 outputs, 1 for the magnetic pickups, 1 for the piezo output w/ active parametric EQ, and finally a 13 pin midi out. It has 3 strap pins in their original positions.... one on the back (not the upper bout) and 2 on the tail end... which was said to make it easy to lean against something. I personally like changing which end pin I use to change the height of my guitar occasionally. I don't use the midi out at this point, but the the humbuckers into one amp with the piezo out to a 2nd amp or small P.A. is a blast. It's so wonderful to see you discovering these great guitars. Too bad Kiesel no longer offers these models.... you could have ordered one to your personal specs! Truly enjoy all your videos. Best regards ~Glenn

[@ToneDeth.]

I must be in the minority but i like that your channel is mostly talking and not much playing. I skip the playing on most gear channels. Even amazing players like John Cordy etc

[@MakeWeirdMusic]

Great video, Andre. (Another great video, actually)

[@heneverreturnasahorse9773]

Brilliant, Dr. Fludd. Thank you for your "deep dive" into the differences between the Holdsworths. I really wanted one at their inception, but going through a divorce did not leave me with the disposable income to add to my collection at the time. I would enjoy exploring the differences between the models, but the one I always truly lusted after was the original "fat boy," a very unique design from Allan's quirky, innovative genius. I relly appreciate your meticulous study of the neck (and strap button location) differences that causes the unique "feel" of each model and how they inspire your play in different genres. Finally, I agree that Carvin was really special before they became Kiesel, and I believe the original "fat boy" was probably near their pinnacle in craftsmanchip.

[@andrewsreef-z2t]

Man, I stumbled upon this video and found you. Great job with the detailed explanations of the guitars and I really enjoy your playing. I am a Tele/Les Paul guy and play some jazz but mostly blues and classic rock. About 6 months ago, I stumbled into a 2004 Carvin CT6 with the "california" carved top and the same pickups you seem to have on your blue Carvin. Mine is a very dark color, with great dark wood grain that shows through (maple cap?). Like what you are describing with your blue Carvin, the guitar is incredibly versatile and reasonably light weight. Is it for metal, classic rock, jazz? The pickups are high output but clean up so well. Mine has a string through body so tele like. However, it has elements (feel and sound) of a Les Paul and a Strat too. Very, very cool guitar. I have never played anything quite like it. The build quality is excellent too. I like the bridge on mine as it is counter sunk into the body some and allows for the bridge to be very flat and low to the body. The bridge seems very stable and screws to the bridge pins. Very good sustain. Mine is a keeper for sure. It wsa not an expense guitar to purchase either so really good value. Great job on your video!

[@ahoneyman]

Carvin used to sell the pickups and loaded pickguards separately. Prices were pretty reasonable too. It was a nice upgrade for whatever pawn shop/flea market Strat copy project you had. The bridge humbucker/neck single coil combo was very tasty.

[@Arnoldcardon]

Love this and thanks! I feel much better now knowing I’m not the only guy out there who gets into vintage Carvins in detail, I’m a huge fan and play them on stage in all genres, and you’ve probably found out by now but the extra switch is a phase switch, I found that it makes my Carvin sound close to a Tele, so these Carvin setups cover Les Paul, Strat(coil split) and Tele in one Guitar! Not exact tone copies but a very good “ ball park” in their own tone range and versatility, and adjustable, thanks for the specs on the Holdsworth Guitars! I never knew that info and it will help in deciding which one to get to add to my collection!

[@bobbyboyderecords]

Yes it's a reverse phase switch

[@konradhof7318]

You’ve convinced me to buy back the Carvin TLB60 I sold to my buddy a few years ago. 😎

[@alxmrls1]

I personally enjoy your video deep dives on gear. But i will add I would very much enjoy hearing you play! (Like the John cordy videos) either way I’ll continue watching your videos!

[@RobTackettCovers]

You are correct on the phase switch...when using both pickups, it puts them out of phase with each other. I owned both a DC160 back in the 80's and a DC400 in the 90's, so that's what they do. The DC160 I had was also wired in stereo, and had 2 quarter inch output jacks. It was wired so that if you used one of the output jacks (it was jack specific...it didn't work this way with both jacks; just one, but not sure which...it's been a while, haha!), it would work just like any guitar, but if you wanted to use both, one of the pickups could be sent to one channel of an amp, and then when switched to the other pickup, the signal from that pickup would be sent to another channel (or a completely different amplifier, if you wanted to do that). So it really had "signal sending" versatility. The DC 400 I think only had one jack out, but that guitar had an active circuit in it, powered by a battery. It was neck thru construction, had a Wilkinson trem, as the one in your video, and the tuners were locking Sperzels. Now I never had one, but I consider Carvin's DC145 T one of the most versatile of all their models, because it was an HSH pickup configuration, neck thru construction, and because usually if someone got a DC145T, they got it with all the coil tapping features that your guitar has, and if it had the active circuitry, it was a bass and treble boost and cut...so with the middle single coil, and with a 5 way switch, you could get those for 4 and 2 switch position stratocaster tones, if you were playing a song that calls for it...crazy innovative for it's time...and, as you know, the necks don't really feel like any other guitar...they feel like a Carvin. Was surprised to see you covering these guitars...so I just looked on Reverb, and there are only two DC145's on there...a blue one with a Floyd, and a natural wood tone one with a Wilkinson...neither has the active circuitry option in them, but for me, it really wouldn't matter...if I was going to pick one, I'd pick the wood tone one, because it has the Wilkinson with the Sperzel locking tuners (not my guitar...hahaha! Not trying to use your channel to sell a guitar). Hey, thanks for the video, and hope you and yours are doing great!

[@SuperOhdannyboy]

Thanks. I have a DC 150 but have rarely tried it stereo. So the phase switch did not impress me.

[@alexjackson8841]

6:40 It's so easy to tighten a regular output jack anyway that it just seems as though this would lead to more accidental problems than it would solve. Like you said, accidentally stepping on a cable or something. That's what the trick of wrapping your cable around the strap is for!

[@Zekroft]

Great review! I just bought a 2014 AH. Absolutely love it. Sadly I need to offload a git to avoid taking out of savings to pay for it, and I'm thinking my LP may be the one to go. The tones out of the AH are why I bought the LP, which never materialized. Not to mention the LP is very back heavy, and I spend more time controlling the physical elements than I care to, when playing it.

[@KarlKarsnark]

"Output" because that's where the signal comes "out" of the guitar. While an "input" brings the signal into a device, like an amp or pedal. Carvin made lots of cool amps too, but I think they only make/license the Steve Vai "Synergy" pre-amps these days. The current incarnation of Kiesel seems legit and there are lots of fun factory tours and stuff online. Cheers!

[@matthewjohnloren1995]

The third switch is a phase switch. The sudden drop of output is the evidence of phase switching, making both pickups out of phase. You can use that feature for an ear piercing Freddie king sound or a funkier sound

[@francinebacone1455]

ah man, i think i really need one of these now lol

[@Returnality]

I recently traded in a couple guitars for a Carvin California Carved Top and it holds up to my Kiesel is every way except maybe the tuners. These guys have always made exceptional quality guitars!

[@GuitarsRgood7]

I used to have a Carvin about 13 years ago that I bought for $500 with the Carvin case. I remember it was really nice and looked amazing. Unfortunately, I gave up on guitar for around 8 years and sold all my gear. That was the one guitar that I'll always miss. I don't even remember the model and can only find one grainy photo where I used it in a performance. I even got to visit the Carvin store in Southern CA a few times before they closed down.

[@samuelnerick]

I think the misterious switch is for out phase pup

[@the_hippykiller22]

I got a Carvin DC727 last year and it's a great guitar, being mainly a 6 string player this is the first seven I ever enjoyed and the quality is really great. They used to be dirt cheap used and they can still be had for very good prices compared to what you get

[@zanzabar4ky7]

You are intended to cut the saddles on a tune-o-matic to get the radius or individual string height you want. It seems like a PITA unless you have nylon saddles.

[@seanmetal4138]

Great review of truly underrated instruments! However, I was unable to bond with either Carvin I have purchased and traded/gave both away as a result. I could never bond with the neck of either guitar, they were thicker than I prefer and my hands just never felt as comfortable playing them vs other brands. Which is where I can't praise Schecter C1 guitars enough. I absolutely love the necks on them, whether it be the 24.75 or 25.5 scale length, and love the necks thru versions even more than the set neck ones. The 14" radius is perfect and the C profile is comfortable for chords and scales.

[@nicholastotoro7721]

Those have always been such cool guitars. Even his Ibanez signature was cool! IIRC, the Carvin pickups in the '80's all had that same pole piece arrangement.

[@ericnicolleau4331]

Your review are the best on KZbin right now, thank a lot for your work. You don't need to change anything in my opinion. I would love to hear your opinions on Vola's guitars and the new Kiesel

[@ytwatcher8288]

I'm here for the gear/guitars and a few licks Thanks!

[@palix5925]

I got to play one of those at the old carvin store in Hollywood. Super rad guitar. Really want to try one of his headless models.

[@pistolpete7280]

Agreed that Carvins are amazing. I picked up a CS3 earlier this year and it is amazing!

[@Arwndr]

That 3rd switch sound like a Out of Phase switch. Parallel switch make sound more thin and clean without any distortions.

[@markhalff842]

the switch is for phase

[@1099Kramo]

I still have my Carvin DN640 in koa wood and gold hardware. Got it in 1983.

[@Rokken2Dokken]

I remember going to the carvin store / showroom in California and I wish I’d bought one. I have two of their 2x12 cabs. Great stuff

[@halohat2286]

I am so with you on the nut width. I prefer the wider width, by far. 44mm would be perfect for me. 42mm just feels wrong for me but seems to be the popular width 😢

[@Robstafarian]

I am the opposite: 42mm is the widest I can use without an Ibanez Wizard neck (and I do not plan to buy those due to spastic cerebral palsy reducing my options over time).

[@paulauksztulewicz4803]

Kiesel did start making the “Fatboy”Holdsworth again. The HH1 / 2 (headless) is also manufactured but no longer chambered to Allan’s specifications. The headless is actually Bill DeLap’s design who is a personal friend of mine. Carvin “borrowed” the design when Allan decided to have them make a rendition of the famous DeLap headless guitars. Bill has the blueprint and patterns up in Monterey, California. Hope this helps clear rumors and misconceptions. All the best to you.

[@TheLexluthier]

I bought a Carvin Holdsworth Fatboy not long before they split off and became Kiesel. It's a great guitar, only complaint was the pots and switch were kind of cheesy/cheap, but they were easily replaced. Kiesel recently did a limited run of the Fatboys, I priced one out identical to what I have, and the price was double what I paid for my Carvin.

[@Epochstudios]

You should definitely shoot it out with the newer Kiesel models, that would be cool man! I personally joined the kiesel family last year and ordered a 7 string Aries and man it is so awesome! I also have a mayones duvell (I believe you weren't much of a fan of) but I lucked out on both guitars in terms of woods, build, electronics and setup. I'm a much different player than you though. I'm a Tech Death/ blackend death guy and not too much of a lead player. I can play somethings when it comes to leads but I consider myself a Rhy player at heart Anyway... I'd love to see you shootout these older Carvins against the newer Kiesel Holdsworth models(which are headless, yes?)

[@andrefludd]

That was my idea too. Maybe Kiesel will be interested in 2024

[@kmatax9237]

I think you would like the feiten guitars. Similar to this. Big tele body. Big fat neck with wide string spacing. 14” radius and 6100 jumbo frets. Humbucking single coil in neck and reverse mounted humbucker in the bridge with a non battery powered boost switch. Top loading hardtail bridge with individual brass saddles. I have 2 of them, one has sugar pine top and other flame maple. Both are alder body.

[@PatrickGeneLeBlancHardy]

Thanks for sharing 🎸🎶

[@peteraskerow]

What a beautiful tone.

[@russellzauner]

If you need one, you need two. That's the engineer in me...three is better. I like sets of things - if I can get dupes of guitars, I will. Someday I'll have played enough to settle on a few things that are near perfect instead of many that are sort of, but it's always a work in progress, right?

[@ChrisHollandGuitar]

My 2008 Carvin DC127 is the best guitar I've owned. Arrived without flaws, nut was cut perfectly (big deal for me). I've purchased two Kiesels over the last few years, both had issues. First Kiesel had a low E nut slot that was cut way too low, which resulted in horrendous open string buzz. It also had loose 5-way pickup selector switch. OH, it was supposed to have an Aurora Blue stain finish, but it turned out green as grass. The green looked good though, wasn't too bummed about it. If I didn't know how to fix the nut/switch issues, I'd be pretty upset. The other Kiesel turned out much better, but still needed work on the nut. G and B string slots were cut noticeably too high. Yes, I am extremely picky. Kiesel's fretwork is outstanding though, and their pickups sound great - especially the Holdsworth pups.

[@kindnick58]

I've had a Carvin for 32 years and it's still great

[@LifeHawkeye]

Andre I hope you get sponsored this year you deserve it my man!

[@andrefludd]

I’ve had many sponsors in 2023! It’s been a great year. I’m learning what may be possible with a bit more patience and effort. Thank you for supporting

[@LifeHawkeye]

@@andrefluddWow good to hear! I’m stoked to hear you’ve had sponsorships that is fantastic! You’re a hard working dude and I love your playing.

[@nyeh1495]

I'd like to see you do a review of a V-shaped guitar (any Jackson King V/Rhoads, Schecter, Dean, ESP, Epiphone, Gibson, etc.), I find them pretty suitable for classical position and ergonomic playing but that's just my opinion.

[@andrefludd]

I’ve been trying to. A few companies even agreed to send me a V, and also an X. But these companies move slow lol. Can easily take 6months to a year from first talks to getting the damn thing.

[@MrReStories]

Yep, phase reverse switch for sure :-) And it's "output jack", as the signal is coming out of the guitar and going to the input jack of the amp... so, out (put) of the guitar in (put) to the amp. Simple :-)

[@OmarBhoo]

I have 3 Carvins, they are the best. 25 inch scale is killer.

[@muimasmacho]

Double pole pieces help to insure that the string is always within the magnetic field when bending notes.

[@guitarnerdjoey1192]

I had a Carvin DC135 about 18 years ago. A beast of a guitar, and one of the few regrets in selling. I have not played a single Kiesel that has had the quality, playability or tone that I would consider to keep up with that Carvin. Every Kiesel I have played feels off to me, and none capture the magic of the late 90s, early 2000s Carvins. Carvin used to feel like the best kept secret in the guitar world, customizable guitars made in the US at an affordable price with quality that rivaled the bigger players.

[@thesmellycatjazz]

I think it's important to look up the specs of your favorite guitars to see if there are any commonalities. It really saves you the headache of trying to get lucky with "the one".

[@konradhof7318]

Holdsworth loved his headless signature model Carvin (now Kiesel), noting that it balanced perfectly. And I want a headless guitar! 🤓

[@crosswalklarry]

Engraving the truss rod cover was an option when you ordered the guitar. I think was a $10 cost when I ordered a guitar in the early 2000's.

[@TheMrturn1]

I still have my 1985-6 DV150K Stereo made out of 100% solid old growth koa... Guitar's impossible to put down, a hand made masterpiece made for me to spec by Mark Kiesel, and it's never left my clutches since the start. The axes shape is kinda like the double cut LP Special or the symmetrical melody maker.

[@JerryLoffelbein]

Yeah, Carvin did have a versatile set of instrument "patterns", and they varied over the years more than what Keisel has to offer currently. I think at that time, they had more people at the company since they offered more things (amps, PA equipment and the like) . It's interesting but makes sense. Right at, or maybe a bit before the split, Keisel's grandson took over a lot of duties that his father had done before. It's probably why most of their new offerings are all geared toward modern hard rock & metal players, and why those musicians are brought on as signature artists. They also seem to be focusing on being as efficient as possible to not have their prices skyrocket along with inflation. It's obviously not all they do, but a lot more of the jazz or classical designs are legacy instruments that have been available since before the split from Carvin like the SH550, Solo, Alan Holdsworth, Craig Chaquico and Frank Gambale models.

[@anthonychin8610]

Would love to see you review one of the original (high end) Yamaha Pacificas! I have a 912 and a 921 and they've ruined all of my other guitars for me despite being slightly outdated and nothing too special on a spec sheet. The neck profile and body contours are so incredibly comfortable and effortless to play.

[@danieldesy2969]

Phase switch. No question.

[@tylerk1013]

Love your video!

[@zarg05]

The headless Allan Holdsworth models balance very well.

[@Nickshreds890]

Holy cow it's lovely to hear you playing Andre! I wonder if this Carvin would compete with the Strandberg jazz model. I'm not a jazz player but I recently picked up an Ichi 10 ibanez quest for playing tapping, chord melody and learning how to play more prog, ryuichi sakamoto, ichika nito and plenty of japanese metal . I must admit I have never played a guitar with single coils tnet sounds so beautiful ! I will be picking up your course for the ergonomic parts of the course !! I too find it most inspiring to play a wonderful guitar first before a wonderful amp. I did eventually get a Boss katana and i love it so so so much.

[@andrefludd]

Thank you :). I also own a Boss Katana. Hard to beat for the combo of price, features, and sound

[@Nickshreds890]

@andrefludd Yes definitely! I'm yet to plug it into my pc but there's the boss tone studio too which is meant to have over 60 effects in it ! :)

[@Nickshreds890]

@andrefludd Out of curiosity what do you usually play through? I'm always impressed by the guitar tones you achieve! Thanks again Andre :)!

[@pobinr]

What is ISH ? I have a Fatboy I bought second hand 10 years ago. Like new. I love it. It's my go to guitar Getting a good AH overdriven tone using my kemper with it. Might treat myself to a Kiesel AH headless custom build sometime. Allan preferred them as less left side heavy in having no headstock. I also have Ibanez AH10 which is a little faster on attack. I like it very much also

[@bluglass7819]

Darn you I’ve been wanting one of these. Now the prices are going to go up.

[@francinebacone1455]

Holdsworth used that strap pin on the back of the guitar too

[@shreadbringer]

That 'mystery switch' is for sure a phase switch.

[@konradhof7318]

I want to hear the story of the numbered fretboard on the Parker Nitefly. I’m the anti-shredder, but I’ve been a fan of the Jason Becker “numbers” signature model guitars (now made by Kiesel). I think it’s mainly because of the number inlays on the fretboard and the plain ash body. The combination kinda reminds me of the old wood toys in the lobby of pediatricians’ offices. (Not that going to the doctor was ever a great memory.) But your fretboard definitely looks inspired by the Becker Numbers guitars.

[@MarkBreton]

Someone might have mentioned it, my AH has that and it is a phase switch. I love the guitar, it is just amazing. I bend much better on the flatter radius

[@howabouthetruth2157]

Carvin always used the factory-direct to customer business model. No middleman/salesman/music store, which kept their prices down, but with good quality. Allen Holdsworth used to say that the Carvin guitars were actually better quality, even though their prices were well below any of the big name guitars. Back when Joe Walsh was working with Carvin, he stated that ( during that era anyway ) Carvin was the only company he found where their guitars came set-up perfectly straight from the factory, with no build flaws, and that Carvin would design & build you a custom guitar EXACTLY the way you wanted it. He also stated that the big name companies would always come up with excuses for why they couldn't build you a custom guitar "exactly the way ya wanted it". Steve Vai also used Carvin gear for a while.

[@NMbass906]

Old Carvins are indeed underrated! So are new Kiesels! Lol. I do still hope you try a recent one! There's two things I think modern Kiesel does much better than their older Carvin selves: the carbon reinforcement in the modern models make a lot of difference. Second is that they sort of fell into the weight = tone mentality and I'm glad they moved away from that. They are still pretty thicc though lol.

[@bobbyboyderecords]

My carvins have those double pole pickups. Not Holsworthy ones

[@colten2524]

DON'T TELL ANYONE I WANT TO BUY ONE WHILE THEY'RE CHEAP

[@jbognap]

I love the weight and neck of the H2T. I'm using it to play funk and disco. AH would be rolling over in his grave.

[@kmatax9237]

Have you tried… Gold foil pickups (mojo, mojotone,lollar) Dynasonic pickups (mojo or tv jones) Danelectro lipstick pickups Charlie christian pickups (lollar) …check them out