Carvin CT6T

This is a custom 22 fret arch-top PRS style guitar made by Carvin of California. Has one volume, one tone, a 3-way selector and a coil tap. It has 2 humbucking pick-ups and I ordered this one with Carvin's S22t model pickups which are their "vintage" sounding pickups and have gold metal covers. Body is mahogany with a beautiful curly maple top. The finish is flawless but it does differ slightly from the one I ordered (a little bit darker in my opinion) but it is GORGEOUS to say the least. Has a wilkinson trem and sperzel locking tuners. Jumbo nickel frets and the neck has a vintage feel but is not too thick. If you are looking for an Ibanez-style wizard neck, THIS IS NOT IT. BUT it is exactly what I want. I only give it a 9 because the finish does not look 100% as it did on the web-site. For those of you who dont know, Carvin is strictly mail-order but they do offer a return option of not satisfied.

My style of music would be best described as New Alternative towards the Metallica-esque heavy side. Possibly Creed style deep vocals with driving guitar riffs mixed with clean finger picking in between. Prior to this guitar I have owned many MANY "quality" instruments (ESP Horizon with JB's, ESP Kirk Hammett Model, Ibanez JS Custom) and like pickups with a fired up vintage tone and this one delivers. After oogling over the gorgeous finish, I plugged it into the clean channel and began to run through different songs using both pickups and the coil tap. This guitar really delivers on the clean tone in all aspects. Works equally well with dark chorus driven intros as well as ultra clean stuff like little wing. Playing with the dirty channel this guitar outshined everything I have EVER owned (and I have been playing for 22 years). Worked well with slight overdrive as well as balls to the walls distortion. The tone is warm and bright at the same time. It really jumps out at you and I think it has to do with choice of pickups. I really couldnt be happier especially since I just laid out $1800 for it.

Guitar was set up out of the box. It actually arrived in tune. Bookmatched quilted maple was flawless. I ordered it with 10-46's and it feels perfect to me. Again, I like a litttle fatter neck and thicker strings because my hands are very big. This intrument begs you to play it.

I have yet to play it live because it arrived 6 hours ago and I havent put it down yet BUT everything seems very sturdy on it. Carvin offers a 5 year warranty on all their instruments and I have called them during the 8 week build process and the were very helpful and obliging. The strap buttons are solid and finish seems very thick and durable.

See previous

I have been playing for 22 years and have owned many other instruments and decided I wanted a custom instrument because after so long, I know what I like and what works for me. I own various Line 6 products (UX2, PodXT, Spider Combo), Crate half stack and this guitar is the best ive ever played. The only other guitar ive played that comes close is the EVH Wolfgang, but this one looks classy. I shudder the thought if it were stolen, in fact when I gather up the money im getting Carvins new single cutaway Les Paul Style Guitar. The only option I wish I could have gotten was a piezo bridge transducer and a stereo out for it...but hey now im dreaming.

I believe this is a 2007/2008 build made in the USA

PRS style body

24 Frets

Honduras Mahogany Body with a Quilted maple top with a deep blue finish

Honduras Mahogany neck with Quilted front of head stock and Ebony fingerboard with abolone dot inlays

1x Volume 1x Tone 3 way selector switch and coil taps

2 passive Humbucker pickups

Wilkinson tremelo bridge

Locking Sperzel Tuners

With Case

The guitar is really nice im using it as my main giging guitar I have been playing for about 7 years and I own alot of guitars I am also learning to become a guitar maker.

I like lots of different types of music and I play all styles in my band Jazz, Post rock, Post Metal, Avant Garde, Post Hardcore, Classical, Folk and Prog Etc the guitar offers a really wide spectrum of sounds to cover my needs

Im using a custom MATAMP 80w head which is just clean and its bloody loud and I use loads of different effects I get a nice tone from this setup

I agree with some other reviews that say the Carvin pickups are a bit lacking in soul they are good and clean and I like that but they are a bit sterile at times and not as warm as other guitars I own but I do kinda like that sound

The setup was good it seems to play really nicely the action is low

Im thinking it may need a slight truss rod adjustment but that just my personal preference

There were a few areas that were a bit untidy

1) The area where the neck joins the body had laquer on it (which as an oiled neck it should not have) basically the guy and the spray booth have not masked it off carefully not a big deal but still its the little thing that count

2) some of the blue finish has slighly bled onto the natural binding no big deal but still come on guys have some pride in your work sam for the face of the head stock

3)some minor marks on the top near the neck no bid deal

4) for some reason it seems on one of the thin sides of the headstock not as much wood stain / oil was used as on the other sides so there is a miss match of colour no bid deal but just an odd thing to miss in the QA

I think there were a few other minor things but I cant remember none of this stuff really matters but it bugs me as I like perfection

The carvin 3 step process on quilted tops make them less impressive than other guitars with similar quilted tops just takes the edge away fro mthe beauty of the wood a shame really nice a great looking thing though

I havent had it long but it appears very well built Im not expecting any trouble the hardware is good

Im a big fan of sperzel tuners they are excellent and the Wilkinson bridge is stable and nice and simple pickups seem like they will last a long time electronics and switching is good not a problem

Finsh seems good a reasonable thickness should last a long time

I would use it at a gig without backup I think its a dependable workhorse

Not dealt with carvin myself as bought this through the UK importers

The UK guys were good told them I liked the guitar but noticed there were some cosmetic issues they sent me free stuff cant complain the guitar was good value they were nice to deal with

They said they would honour the return period that Carvin offer and they were helpful when I expressed concern over Carvins customer support based on what I have read

Been playing 7 years

Own a few guitar heads about 12 guitars a few custom guitars

If it was stolen I would probably just build myself a replacement I dont really want to buy anymore guitars

its very good compared to my other guitars I like it

Custom made to order with "strat" style mahogany body, but with set neck, ebony 25" scale (others available), 22 fret board, carved maple top, Sperzel locking tuners, a variety of coil tapped Carvin humbuckers. USA made direct factory order. Every order is custom manufactured to your specifications. Pick your model of interest. Solid mahogany body, with a wonderfully thick maple top, not a thin cap, set mahogany neck with ebony fretboard (other fretboard options (2) maple, rosewood, available). No fancy binding options. Fill out a form, or talk to a service rep. Pay the cost, (..they don't build it until you pay for it..) and you get a work order number to track the manufacturing progress on their website updated as each of the manufacturing steps are completed. In eight weeks+ depending on your options, you get a note saying you guitar is shipped and then your custom guitar shows up on your doorstep.

I ordered mine with Mother of Pearl block fretboard inlays on the standard ebony board, stainless steel medium jumbo frets, Wilkinson tremblo, standard Carvin coil tapped humbuckers (C22/J22?), and a quilted maple top with clear gloss finish...more about that later.

On electric guitars, I play jazz and blues primarily using a Fender Deluxe, Peavey Delta Blues 210, or VOX. I own (4) Les Pauls, (5) Parkers, PRS Custom 24, USA Fender Strat and Tele, Custom Jackson, Ibanez, Yamaha, Guild, Martin, etc. etc. etc. All models have their own sound. I chose the standard Carvin coil tapped humbuckers (C22/J22?) based on my playing style and their reported dynamic range.

There are a number of Carvin pick-up models that are options for little or no money. Including harsher and muted pick-ups for metal, jazz,... etc, etc. The web site has charts showing the dynamic range of each pick-up option. Talk to a factory rep to make sure you get the pick-ups that suits your style of play. Mine sounds like nothing else I own. Don't take that comment to be either good nor bad.. it's just a unique sound. The Carvin pick-ups are completely different than anything else I own. They're clean and provide a lot of versstility with the coil tap. Not as Throaty and Dynamic as Gibson or Seymour Duncan. Smooth with a good range, similar voice to a PRS... but not the same sound as anything else.

The website has demos for you to listen to their versatility. Spend the time on the web-site and talking to their reps to ensure you order the right pick-ups for your style of playing.

All orders are custom made based on a list of options. The wood, construction, and set-up are first class as you would expect on a custom made guitar. Electronics are good, quiet when they're suppose to be quiet (switching etc) and set-up is low and wonderful straight from the shipping box.

I ordered Pearl block inlays in the ebony fretboard with stainless steel medium jumbo frets, Wilkinson tremblo, and a quilted maple top with clear finish. It's a beautiful instrument, custom to my order, well made, sounds wonderful ... BUT THEY STAINED THE WOOD FINISH IN THE WRONG COLOR.

I wanted a clear, quilted maple top to match my PRS custom 24, Les Paul, and USA strat all done in natural finishes (my favorite). I was excited to learn that I could get a custom order guitar that rivals a Les Paul limited edition / custom, or PRS Custom with "10 Top" for quite literally, thousands of dollars less than either model.

While the order form says "quilted maple" "CLEAR deep gloss" finish, and the factory work order says "CLEAR deep gloss" finish... I was instead sent my custom guitar with what I would characterize as their color option "vintage yellow" (think Les Paul trans amber, not clear, not natural, not even close to clear gloss on quilted maple... its stained yellow... color option "vintage yellow"... not on my order form). My clear gloss finish is not even close to their color chart for clear gloss, or other "guitar gallery" photos on their website for "clear deep gloss". They stained my quilted maple top yellow, covered it with at least three coats of urathane, and amazingly sent it to me, possibly hoping that I wouldn't notice the mistake.

Yes, that's my biggest disappointment with my "custom order". Its not ugly, it's just not the finish I ordered. I'm out $1600 for a guitar I wouldn't have bought had I seen it before payment was due.

Other minor issue is oxidation on the Wilkinson tremblo intonation adjustments, that doesn't appear on any other of my (4) Wilkinson tremblos... but the oxidation is a minor issue (two years after manufacture) and I dont' hold that against Carvin.

I can't explain the their substitution of their "vintage yellow" color option being delivered as "clear gloss". They should have recognized this in the manufacturing process before shipping. Mine is not their first attempt at this "clear deep gloss finsh" based on photos on their website. Can't explain their thinking that I wouldn't notice the difference or wouldn't care about their mistake.

I would give them a higher rating if they would not have stained my "custom made to your specification" guitar yellow before clear coat.

Guitar is well built. Construction quality is above the price category. Have never had a problem with the electronics, (locking Sperzel) tuning, or maintaining set up even with the tremblo in use after two years. Not as heavy as a Les Paul (thank goodness). Similar in weight and size to my USA PRS custom 24. The gloss finish is very thick (appears to be more than three coats based on my wood working experience with maple). You can play Rock God with it without worry. I treat all my guitars as fine instuments. It's in the same category as any of the professional models in durability.

I've had no problems with the construction, electronics, or other hardware since owning for about two years. I did call at delivery to discuss the color not being similar to their color charts, and not being similar to their other guitars finished with "clear deep gloss", ....and did respond to their purchase follow-up quality survey... and have heard absolutely nothing from them.... none of the "...return the product and we'll make it right..." ...nada... nothing.... Put yourself in their position. They only do custom orders, and they don't want it back. Their busines plan is to make guitars only when they have an order. They aren't stocking distribution centers with guitars. They can't correct it being stained to the wrong color. There is no repair. It isn't as easy to fix as a broken mechanical part on the guitar. I choose not to pitch a fit... not my style. It's still a wonderful guitar, good electronics, well made, durable... just not the color I "custom ordered".

I've played off and on for more than 30 years, I have about 30 guitars, ....everything worth owning (Gibson Les Pauls, Parkers, PRS custom 24, USA Strat, Tele, Jackson custom, Guild, Martin acoustics, classicals etc. Fender Deluxe amp, Peavey Delta Blues 210, VOX amps...), and a few not worth owning.... Carvin has several models that are interesting to me including a custom bass.

Carvin's market is to provde a custom made professional quality guitar for less than a custom price. Wonderful body wood with beautiful maple top, great set-up straight out of the box, good electronics and unique voice closer to a USA PRS than a Gibson humbucker with coil tapping.

Even being the wrong color, I would buy another.... In the hope of getting the color (natural) that I had actually ordered.... the only thing holding me back is the poor experience I had with my previous "custom order" ....and what do I do with the "$1600 custom guitar delivered in the wrong color" that I already have?

Made in 2007. Honduran mahogany back & neck, Honduran rosewood fretboard w/ 22 jumbo frets, North American flamed maple top & headstock overlay, 2 Carvin standard humbucking pickups, Tiger Eye finish, black chrome hardware, Sperzel locking tuners, Wilkenson trem w/3 factory installed springs, 25" scale. Upgraded to tweed case. Came w/several Carvin picks, truss rod adjustment tool, instructions (?) & Allen wrenches for adjusting pickups & trem. Single volume & tone knob, w/ push-pull coil tap on tone control. Passive electronics. Straight up old school ... basically a PRS-type body w/ better electronics & a better setup, and not nearly as heavy. Overall, an awe inspiring guitar.

This is my 3rd Carvin guitar, having bought a CT140M back in the 80's, a Bolt-T in the 90's, and now this. I remember calling Carvin back in '94, asking them if they ever planned to release an arch top solidbody guitar, and then, they said 'no'. Well, things change, dont' they?

I'm primarily a blues/jazz/fusion player, and this guitar is perfect for me. After some tweaking to their factory setup (changing the strings to pure nickel .011's, adding two more springs to the trem, adjusting the truss rod to accomodate the heavier strings & adjusting the pickups accordingly), I've found the perfect guitar. It has its' own distinct sound ... not quite a Strat, but with more balls ... not quite a Les Paul, but with more clarity on the top end, not quite a PRS, but with more mojo ... it's hard to describe, but it's there, with more of it. Since I've made these changes, the guitar plays like buttah, and it sounds incredible. Just simply ... perfect. No noise, no hum, even in single coil mode. With the tone controls set flat on my Boogie DC3, it sounds rich, full, round and just right. Through my Pod XTL, it sounds ... like a guitar should, in my opinion. Very little tweaking in the EQ section of any preset, and I have THE TONE. Like I said, it can sound like a Strat, but better, or a Les Paul, but better. Those two guitars, hands down, are the standard by which most others are judged. I've played every type of Strat, and owned quite a few, including the copies ... like my Carvin Bolt-T. There was always something missing, though, which is why most Strat guys rely on either gobs of EQ, distortion, or outboard gear to get THE TONE, but now, I don't need it. In the past, with my various Frankenstrat incarnations, I always had to add something to the basic foundation. That is now history ...

With Les Pauls, even though I'm not a Les Paul guy ... love him, love his records, love his tone, HATE the guitar ... way too damn heavy & nowadays ... generic looking. Much props to the wood combination, though. Well, I wanted that "woody" tone, but didn't want to make regular visits to my chiropractor. Problem solved with this guitar. I can get the thickest, meatiest, gravy slathered tone as any '59 Standard out there ... and still save my back. Don't believe me? Buy one ...

There is one thing which this guitar could benefit from ... the PRS "513" pickup configuration, which is really too much work to begin with. C'mon, man ... do you REALLY need 13 different sounds on one guitar? I don't ... but it would be nice to have a single coil in the middle position. But the great part is ... Carvin will do that for you if you want them to do it ... just ask, and you will get it. Try getting Gibson, Fender, or any other "mainstream" manufacturer to do that! On top of that, I'm left handed, and Gibson & PRS have recently announced that they will NOT make lefty instruments! Well, too bad for them ...

Well, here's where things get a little bit dicey ... nitpicks, really. The guitar came from the factory with Elixer .009's ... wimpy anemic strings to say the least, and they felt kinda funny to me with that coating. I immediately ripped those things off, and strung it up with DR Pure Blues .011 nickel strings, and went to work. Then, the guitar came to life with my style. I play VERY aggressively ... Stevie Ray & Albert King are two of my influences, and weak strings won't cut it. Now, the guitar is perfect. I had to make minor adjustments to the neck & pickups to accomodate the strings, but that was necessary. Carvin really should allow for more string options, but like I said, that's nick picking ...

The top is STUNNING! When I first opened the case, I felt that heavenly choir & beam of light, AND I WAS IN AWE! It literally took my breath away! It's that good! An absolutely incredible specimen of workmanship. Frets were perfect, finish was mirror gloss, no dings, scratches or nicks, and in perfect tune after shipping to PA from CA! Damn ...

And yes, the top was PERFECTLY bookmatched! I watched the video of the making of this guitar before I bought it, and it convinced me! Did you know that the tolerances for this guitar were within 1/100th of a width of a human hair from the hand made prototype? I didn't ... can Gibson or Fender say that?

I've played Fender Strats & copies for years, and my share of Gibson SG's ... and Kramers, G&L's, Fernandes, & every off shoot model, like Hohners, Epiphones, and Hondo's. Since I've found Carvin in the 80's, I haven't played another guitar ... except for a Gibson ES-335 and a G&L Legacy Strat ... who could resist? But, I have no reason to buy another guitar from any other manufacturer, period. And I won't. Period. My original CT140 is now in the hands of some lucky lefty in Boston, my Bolt-T is undergoing a major overhaul ... I'm getting a Warmouth chambered hollowbody w/an ash body & a spruce top ... that'll be interesting! But, I've always found that I've had to heavily modify the electronics in just about every guitar I've owned. Adding active preamps, changing the pickups, capacitors, tone controls ... everything down to the type of wire & solder used. I don't have to do that with this guitar. Nuff said.

The finish is really thin, which is a good thing. My first Carvin had 8 coats of polyurethane finish on it! Now, it's down to a breath of a thin, nitrocellulose lacquer with this guitar. With proper care, the finish will last for years ... far beyond my years on this earth. Straplocks are rock solid, and factory installed. I will keep this guitar till my last days.

If anyone gigs without a backup, then they deserve what they get in the event of a string breaking, or anything else that would happen. I've honed my technique over the past 30 or so years to the point where I don't break strings. If they do break, then the string is at fault. That's why I use .011's.

I've NEVER had to have my guitars repaired by Carvin. But, there was one instance with my Bolt-T ... my trem had worn out. The knife edges were dull, and it wouldn't stay in tune. It was out of warranty. I was screwed. I called Carvin, gave them my invoice #, and they sent me a brand new trem ... for NOTHING! WITH FREE SHIPPING! FREE AND CLEAR! That's why I will never buy another guitar from anyone else. They stand behind their products, no matter what! HOLY SHIT!

Like I've said, I've been playing for longer than most people reading this have been alive. I've toured the world with James Brown, Aretha Franklin, David Sanborn, George Benson, Tower of Power, Michael Brecker & the Brecker Brothers, B.B. King, and scores of others. I'm a Berklee College of Music graduate with degrees in Jazz Composition, Jazz Guitar Performance, Music Production & Engineering, Professional Music and an Associate in Music from CCAC Boyce Campus in Monroeville, PA. I've played all kinds and all types of guitars in every situation. I've found my dream guitar in this model. Period. There is no substitute. I love this guitar, and I want to thank Carvin for helping me to fine THE TONE!. I've had this tone in my head for years, and I can finally realize it with this guitar. It plays like a dream, and makes me want to play more. I regulary stay up till the wee hours of the morning strumming this work of art, and get up for work the next morning with a smile on my face, because I've unlocked some secret that I've been working on for years ... that's how inspiring a truly great guitar is. I love it. Pick out the options, and buy one. You will NOT be disappointed. I promise you that. And, if in the uneventual case you don't like it ... send it back! And then, TRY to find another guitar that is better ... you won't find it, I'll tell you that right now. It doesn't exist ... at any price. Buy one, and become a believer.

I don't get how some of these reviews for the CT6T features section isn't always a ten especially since at Carvin you pick what you want on your guitar! So...mine gets a ten since it is exactly the way that I ordered it! Purple quilted maple top and matching headstock. Chrome hardware, split coil for both pickups, ebony fretboard with abalone dots, mahogany body and neck, sperzel tuners, Gold plated Carvin Logo etc... You can see it at www.carvinmuseum.com/playersgallery/carvedtop.html under Brad Hafner's CT6T.

This is a great guitar from the really meaty type sounds to the very smooth type sounds. It is heavier, plays better, sounds better and looks better than any PRS that I have played. It is very quiet and sounds great through my Vetta II Head. I was looking for a guitar that had a voice of its own. I won't compare its sound to a LP or a PRS because it sounds like its own thing.

Perfect!!! Just the way I expected it to be. I dreamed it up and Carvin came through...end of story!

The only problem I encountered with this guitar was having to replace the jack. There was a counter screw that was missing on the inside of the jack that Carvin installed and the wires twisted inside making the guitar short out in the bridge humbucker position. That was a very inexpensive fix and it is now top notch again. I think it would be unfair to give a ten in this catagory because of that. So that is why it got a nine.

Yes repaired but not by Carvin. It would have taken too long. 1 year warranty. I have dealt with the company several times and they are quite enjoyable.

I have been playing since 1988. I also play a Brian Moore I9P, and a Line 6 Variax. I would soak my pillow with tears if it was ever stolen. I would order another but I would hope that the Snagg chip inside would help the recovery of this instrument.

Just picked up my left handed custom ordered ct6 from the Carvin hollywood store a couple of days ago and did'nt play it until today! Thats just because I was so wowed by the beauty of the quilted top that I got on it , I was affraid to touch it. So I just left it on my couch with the case open and stared at it for a day thinking that I might damage it somehow if I took it out of its case. I dont want to bore anybody with the detailed features of this guitar because if your reading the reviews on this guitar then you've probobly have been to Carvins website reading up on the features already. If you have'nt however you should do so.......Because I'm left handed I orded it lefty(NO EXTRA CHARGE!!) quilted top,mahogany back,wilkinson trem,stainless steel frets and ebony fret board painted in deep sunset burst.

I was looking for a PRS type of guitar(prs does'nt offer lefty models) and thats exactly what I got. I play alot different styles of music and always thought that PRS bridged the Gibson/ Fender hybrid thing pretty well and I like the idea of not having to alternate between my lp and strat for every other song when I'm gigging. Obviously no other guitar is going to outstrat a strat! And no les paul hybrid type guitar will have the balls of a real les paul but I just want ballpark type accuracy. And this guitar does that just fine. Thru my Marshall 30th anniv half stack it gave a pretty good lp imitation. Good strong mid response, great sustain on the crunch settings from stock c22 neck pickup but not so hot on the bridge pu. Could use a little more bite with the bridge pu however. Switching to the coil tap feature on clean settings it did a fairly decsent job of pulling off strat type sounds in the neck and middle positions especially.

GREAT EVERYTHING right out of the case! Not a flaw on it. Perfectly in tune the first time that I strummed it. Action is set lower than I'm used to-frets are flawless however and the quilt top is PRS private stock nice.

You know this is my first Carvin, thou I've known of them for years and personally know other guys who have played them on stage for over double digit years and swear by their consistancy and durability. As far as gigging without a backup? I never drive my car without a spare tire.

Great support and they actually listen to you!!! Amazing concept.......Talked to my sales rep in hollywood and asked if it would be possible to have a lighter burst applied to the guitar so I could see the quilt better....NO PROBLEM!! Try calling Gibson and see what they tell you!

I've been playing and collecting left handed guitars and equipment for over 20 years. And sometimes I'm made to feel uncomfortable and penalized for it with a steep upcharge because I did'nt learn to play right handed. But every once in awhile a company like Carvin goes against the norm and doesnt charge an arm and a leg for strings,wood and pickups.........Lost or stolen I'd order one again......From a price standpoint for the type of guitar that you get its a no brainer.

2004 Carvin Cal. Carved Top--Tiger;s Eye Northwestern quilted maple over Honduran Mahogany--all these guitars are made to order,so you get to pick your colors,frets,neck type etc.Has stock locking Sperzel Tuners,Wilkonson Tremola,25 inch scale.

It can pull off about any type of music well,I play it through a Rivera Knucklehead and a Carvin "vai" Legacy--no humming--i would say its not quite as crunchy as a Les Paul--and not a Strat sound either,but its not a Gibby or a Fender!!

Best set up guitar ive played in 30 yrs!!A true work of art,i have spent alot of cash on my PRS's and they don't come close to the build quality--zero flaws!!

It will withstand me,and i can be very rough with an axe,not only does it take it--it stays in tune!!

Hit and miss--At times the most helpfull company iv'e ever dealt with,at times the person could'nt add to three!

If lost or stolen,i could'nt live without it--been playin thirty yrs. and owned 15 LPs and numerous Fenders etc.--this is the one i want if stranded on an island!!

This is a California flamed maple carved top with a floyd rose tremolo system. Along with a deep tigers eye triple step stain, mahogany back and tungoiled neck. The stuck with the ebony fretboard but added abolone inlays. I also requested gold hardware which matches really good with the stain. As far as the fret wire and thickness of the neck I just kept them standard. It is a very pretty guitar but I was extremely lucky, because my abalone inlays were all beutiful along with the finish and wood used for the carved top. Most of these features all come from organic materials so when making the decision to add these to your guitar realize it is always a risk. Although my flamed carved top looks precious it still has minor flaws such that some areas appear darker than others. This is just a matter of the wood selected for my guitar. The fact is you're not going to have a perfect looking guitar with Carvin, but it will still look pretty damn good. As far as the electronic features go I was a little dissapointed in the lack of tone controls. I realized this before I even purchased the guitar but I can't say I'm unhappy with any of the tones yet. The floyd rose tremolo is surprisingly charming and it isn't difficult at all to maintain your tuning every hour or so. Carvin did a great job of setting it up for me. Once again luck.

The sounds I can produce with this guitar are so much more broad than that of any fender I've played. By broad I mean that the guitar allows you to really create your own sound. I don't have any nifty amps just a small kustom with celestion speakers but I plugged this guitar into a cousins randall and was really enjoying the ambigious tones. I pretty much only play on distortion so my knowledge of clean playing with this guitar is limited. I myself play alot of rythym and lead at the same time, mostly because I only play by myself, but also because I developed this way. Anyways I was looking for a guitar that could play the big bassy rythym along with high schreeches coming from the thinner strings. Almost like an orchestra so that both parts could be heard clearly in conjuction. Another great feature I forgot to mention was that you can unscrew the pole pieces on the neck and bridge pickups to enhance the presence of a string. The only problem I have with the pickups is that some times they are little to soft for me, I would rather have something with a little bit more oomph.

The action was just as Carvin said it would be,rapid play, but without any fret buzz or weird stuff. Sustain is wonderful and every fret wire was smooth as silk. There were some problems with the finsh near where the neck meets the body. I know others complained about it to it looks like they forgot to do some sanding to take away the extra glare that shouldn't be there. No other problems

It is a behemoth of sound and durability, I don't expect to see any major wearing until years to come.

Actually I was surprised with the help I got, the employee I talked with at Carvin was very helpful and they even sent my guitar three weeks early!

I have only been playing for two years but what a two years. I have become so obsessive that I pretty much dropped out of high school because I played to much guitar. I have played many Strats,LPC, SG's, Teles, Jackson, Washburn, Ibanez and PRS's to tell you the truth I prefer this carvin over any of them. Everything on this guitar is pretty close to perfect. And they treat you like royalty allowing you to make any vast array of choices for customizing and saving you about 3-4k. Many People have said that the low price is what gave this guitar the edge but even if this guitar were worth 3k more it would still be better than any Gibson or Fender period. Many of the flaws I saw in my guitar were those of a relatively small company. If the have a bad piece of wood the can't just toss it like Gibson and Fender. This is what keeps them so affordable. If you are a serious guitarist not a punk or pop/emo buttfuck then you'll really appreciate this guitar.

new carvin ct6t, flame maple top, 1-piece mahogany neck and 2-piece mahogany body. ebony fretboard with abalone block inlays. wilkinson tremelo. this is a high quality axe that makes a fender custom shop strat look like a $59 korean copy.

to my surprize this carvin sounds great, reminds me of a snappy lp junior but with the added tone complexity of maple top and ebony fretboard. very open tone that allows for better clean sounds than my lp custom. the regular c pups are ok but not outstanding. sounds very good through my gibson super goldtone head as well as my hiwatt, honestly most anything sounds good through my amps. the quality of the carvin is top notch for me, i cannot stand twangy strats and teles and this is a good guitar to go with my lp custom. acoustically this axe resonates and has very complex sound and i'm very pleased with it. i though these bodies were advertised as 1 piece, mine is 2 piece mahogany body with maple cap and i cannot believe how alive it is, usually 2 piece backs sound more dead. the only sound issue is the pickups as they are average.

the action is high. the neck is straight with tightly installed frets. the neck joint is clean. the clear back looks like the body has dust under the finish on the sides. make no mistake this is not a $4000 guitar, the top is nice with flames running from edge to edge but this is not theeee best top i've seen. the top is nice but prs high grade tops are deeper and stained better. this top is not better than a gibson historic, but it is better than a current day premium plus gibson lp top. for the price i paid i consider the action, fit & finish top notch. if i paid $4000 i would send it back, it's all relative to $$$ spent. the inlay work is as good as humanly possible and blows away gibson historic lp's. for the $$$ you will not find a better axe.

this is a solid guitar and will be used regularly with my lp custom, i only own these 2 axes. carvin guitars are built very well. i've owned a dc400c with mahogany neck and body as well as dc135c stripped down model and both were built with high attention to detail that puts regular gibsons to shame. neck though models sound dead to me and 24 frets are not in my plan so i sold the dc carvins and enjoyed my lp custom while trying strats and everything else with no luck. this carved top will not be going anywhere and has met my high expectations of a super strat style axe. this is a very reliable and durable guitar. this is not a laquer finish, my favorite, so it will age different and probably not improve with age. nothing like an old les paul,oooooooooh they get better with age as the wood stabilizes and dries more. time will tell with the carvin mystery paint.

problems do happen but they have always came through for me. i'd hate to deal with cheap ass musicians 24/7 changing their orders and complaining about the basic stuff that any musician should know. treat others like you would like to be treated and carvin will hold your hand and walk you through the jungle while giving you kleenex for your punk ass snot nose. i returned a dc400c i was not happy with and recieved a full refund within a week.

i'm considering ordering another if some more color option become availiable. the only issue is the pickups and i hate grinding new duncans down so they will fit in the carvin cavity, for the price i'll live with it though. carvin finally decided to make a pro guitar with 22 frets. does eddie or john sikes need 24 frets ? no. gary moore or jimmy page ? no. there you go please no more 24 fret toy guitars with paper thin necks and paper thin tone. i would have liked a 1 piece body back, the sign of high end guitars like my lp custom. this is a nice second guitar.

2005 CT6M- quilted blueburst maple top, abalone inlays, tung oiled neck, standard c22 pick-ups, coil-splitter, sperzel tuners, rosewood neck, 22 fret.

Blues,funk, jazz. I play through a fender twin or Mesa Boogie, Line 6 Distortion, Dunlop Wah, Boss Chorus.

The stock pickups are okay and provide a wide variety of tones. Overall without the coil split on the Humbuckers can be a little too bright. The guitar has great sustain and has some very nice clean sounds. However, this guitar at least with these pickups is not a great blues guitar. People often go for Carvins or PRS guitars to try and get the best of strat vs les paul. This is a misconception it won't sound like either and has its own sound. The clean sounds have a nice aqcoustic quality although a little brittle sometimes. The distorted ones have nice sustain and some crunch but doesn't really compare to Les Paul Humbucker's. I think the coil-split offers some strat like tones but it will not sound like a strat. I will probably look to replace these pickups for a more organic and warmer sound.

The guitar came from the factory well set-up. It plays well acoustically and the action was very nice- the lower strings had a tele feel and punchy response which I like. The quilted top was beautiful. There were some blemishes though on the nut (excess glue) and some white markings along tghe top side of the neck. The jack was also loose.

Guitar feels very solid and rugged. It is a very dependable guitar.

Great during the sale. Not as great afterwards if you want to change an option or need to follow up.

I've been playing for twenty years. I own strats, gibsons, schecters and now Carvin. I do wish I had known this is not a great blues guitar but I would likely buy this guitar again. It is still a lot of guitar for the money. I think my ratings would go up if I can find better pickups that bring out the quality of the guitar.