Carvin CT6C

CARVIN = CONFUSION, ARROGANCE, REMEDIAL, VACANT INTELLIGENCE NANCY
Born in San Diego, known for first rate bands and second rate musical instrument companies.
Ordered: 10-19-05. Originally told it would be completed 11-30-05. On 11-04-05 when I called to check on its' progress, my salesman informed me that when I placed the order for the model with the FLOYD ROSE, I hadn't included the option for the locking nut (most manufacturers include the Bridge, Locking Nut and String Retainer when you order the FLOYD ROSE option... NOT CARVIN!) This oversight cost me an additional $25.00 for the Lock Nut & $50.00 to have an adjustment made to the original order which my salesman (if he had cared or known what he was doing) should have pointed out when the order was placed. When I checked back again on 11-30-05 the salesman told me that the guitar didn't pass Carvin's quality control, so they would have to start all over, rebuild it, and the guitar wouldn't be completed until 01-06-06. On 12-02-05 I received an email from Carvin stating the same thing and that this "rarely happens" (see previous review below). On 12-12-05 I received a post card from CARVIN stating that the guitar would be completed on 12-30-05. Four days later on 12-16-05 I received a phone call from my salesman telling me that my guitar was now completed (Who's confused here?). Having spent my budget on X-MASS presents because I had these confirmations that the guitar wouldn't be ready until 01-06-06 I told him he'd have to wait until after the first of the year for me to pay the balance owed on the guitar. On 01-04-06 I called CARVIN and paid the balance on the guitar and was told by the salesman that it would probably ship the next week because it wasn't due for completion until 01-06-06 and I would receive an email confirmation with a ups tracking number when it shipped. On 01-11-06 I called Carvin again to find out when the guitar was going to ship. I was told that the guitar had shipped on 01-06-06 and they didn't know why I hadn't received a confirmation email. It was scheduled for delivery the one day of the week I was out of town, 01-11-06. Received: 1-12-06.
I no longer have any trust in anything this company says!
This guitar is a Strat/PRS style with a descent (so far) finish.
The features of the CT6C include:
22 frets on a rosewood fretboard (which I had to pay an extra $20.00 for) with dot inlays on a one piece quartersawn Honduras Mahogany neck. A small volute where the neck meets the back of the headstock is a good design idea whenever you use mahogany for the neck. Sperzel locking tuners which dwarf the headstock are used. A small laminate is used on the front of the headstock to match the flame maple used for the body top.
I asked my salesman for a one piece Honduras mahogany body which is glued to a two piece flame maple top...He told me it was up to the guys in the shop if I would get one...I got a two piece mahogany body glued right down the center to a two piece flame maple top... I guess I don't rate because I'm not Steve Vai, Joe Walsh or that Craig (what's his name?) guy. Funny, I thought my money is as good as theirs...
Carvin pickups are THE worst ones in existence...in my opinion. This guitar came with the standard C22N neck pickup and the (supposedly) hot M22SD bridge pickup. 2 CARVIN passive alnico 5 humbuckers controlled by single volume and tone pots with the tone pot being a push/pull pot to put the pickups in single coil mode. The 3-way pickup selector switch still comes from the factory with too much play in it (see previous reviews). The C22N pickup came from the factory with hairline fractures in the bobbin. This happened in the first guitar I bought from CARVIN in '83 which lead to the copper coil breaking and replacement of the CARVIN pickups with dependable Duncans. Both pickup mounting bezels also came from the factory with the same problem, hairline cracks in the plastic from someone screwing them down to tight to the body. Both pickups sound pretty lifeless and sterile compared to Duncans and DiMarzio's that I have in my other guitars. Raising the screws on the C22N and the pole pieces on the M22SD added no significant character to the sound. According to CARVIN the C22N is supposed to have a DC resistance of 7.4K in humbucking mode. Mine is 6.8K tops. Also, the M22SD is supposed to be 13.9K. Mine is 12.9K tops (no quality control here!). This along with the hairline cracks in the pickup bobbins could be why these pickups sound like SHIT!
This 8.25 pound guitar by itself acoustically puts out a lot of midrange. The dominate frequency range is the mids with punch, similar to the sound of a LES PAUL (maple cap over mahogany body and a mahogany neck with rosewood fretboard). The Strat belly cut and bevel shape makes this guitar a good alternative for those of us that LES PAUL's are unconfortable to play.
Carvin states that the maple cap on this model is 20mm (just over three-quarters of an inch). My measurement is just over half an inch.
They say 1.60"nut . My measurement is 1.70"(just over 1 11/16").
The neck thickness at the first fret: .838" twelfth fret: .980".
Came with case and two hex wrenches for the FLOYD.
Because of the problems with the pickups and tone and because I can't give a negative rating, I give this a rating of 2.

When it gets some descent pickups in it, hard rock (not metal) and jazz should sound pretty good with this guitar. The midrange stands out.
I have used it straight to a Mackie Studio board and also with a MESA BOOGIE, Marshall 1962 and 1987XL amps.
It doesn't sound nearly as rich, full or bright (good tone) with effects (ZOOM 8080 Super Player) as my guitars with ceramic magnet pickups... It's not noisy just STERILE & LIFELESS!
The sound this guitar should be making is "Someone PLEASE change out my pickups with good ones...This is a birth defect I am not worthy of!"
Good Fretboard...Bad Pickups!
Because I can't give this section a negative rating, I'll give it a 2.

Contrary to what CARVIN and that Craig guy (what's his last name?)wants you to believe, this guitar did not come out of the case in tune. They failed to install the string retainer so, I have to find one and do it. Otherwise the strings buzz when the locking nut is loosened. The setup at the factory was just low enough so the strings wouldn't buzz when the nut is locked.
Don't get me started on those *%$#@^#!!! pickups!!!
I asked my salesman that I wanted a flame maple top just like the one shown in the CARVIN catalog. He even wrote this on the order sheet. What I got was more faded with noticeable horizontal lines going through the flame. Thanks again shop guys!
I don't think it's too much to ask when someone advertises that they have a custom shop and you're paying good money to get what you want!
Because I can't give a negative rating for this section, it gets a 2.

The way this guitar is now there is no way I would play out with it. I know from experience that it's a matter of time before the pickups give out and leave me high and dry. At this point in time I wouldn't even use it as a backup guitar.
The wood and finish looks like it should for a $1600.00 guitar.
Now that I think about it, I think I'll send it back and see if I can get my money back. Thanks Harmony Central for asking the question "Can you depend on it?" What's the sense in keeping something that comes broken right out of the case? Right?
I could send it back and have them fix the broken pickups and wait another four or five months to get it back OR just go buy another PRS Custom 22 now...
You know by now what I'm going to give this section...

In 1983 when I ordered my first (and only) CARVIN guitar, their salesmen were a joy to talk to and a good source of information about guitars. I felt comfortable and confident in dealing with them...NOT NOW !!!
Now I feel like I'm taking up their precious time and that they're doing me a favor by just talking to me (down to me). I feel in all truth from my recent experiences that CARVIN's salesmen don't know anymore about their products than I do.
CARVIN needs to have their Luithers do sales and put the salesmen in the shop to learn how to do it correctly.
Carvin salesmen never asked any useful questions or made any useful suggestions. I had to ask the questions and then go from what they told me sight unseen.
The warranty on this guitar is five years, but hey who cares, it's going back for a refund.
When I put out this much money for an instrument I want to feel like I've got someone on the inside working for me...I don't feel this way with CARVIN.
Guess what? Yep, with 5 being average they get another one.

Been playing for 40+ years and I wish I had seen a review like this before I committed the resources. If this guitar was lost or stolen, I would not buy another one...
While I do like the physical size, in order to make it liveable the pickups need changing.
I can buy two ESP MH-400LTD's for the price I paid for the CT6C...AND they will retain their resale value much better.
My suggestions are if you want a good amp buy a MARSHALL...
If you want a good electric guitar buy a PAUL REED SMITH, GIBSON, FENDER, IBANEZ or ESP...OR especially WARMOTH where you really can get what you want...
CARVIN will continue to be a second rate manufacturer as long as they continue to ignore feedback from the little guy or work to make him or her happy with their purchase.
Yeah, Yeah, Yeah!