Does anybody use Carvin Pickups?
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L.W. Badger
New member
Re: Does anybody use Carvin Pickups?
I've heard they're "ok", most times, I read about people not liking the pickups.......the guitar yes, the PU's, no.
Depends on what you're looking for.........but if you're on a Seymour Duncan Forum, why not try some of those selections!?
I've heard they're "ok", most times, I read about people not liking the pickups.......the guitar yes, the PU's, no.
Depends on what you're looking for.........but if you're on a Seymour Duncan Forum, why not try some of those selections!?
LesPaulRules
New member
Re: Does anybody use Carvin Pickups?
I've had several different pickups in my late 80's Carvin Ultra V.
Finally came to the conclusion that the original Carvin pickups, M22SD and M22N sounded the best.
Many people don't like Carvin pickups, but I like them in certain guitars.
I've had several different pickups in my late 80's Carvin Ultra V.
Finally came to the conclusion that the original Carvin pickups, M22SD and M22N sounded the best.
Many people don't like Carvin pickups, but I like them in certain guitars.
metalmachine
New member
Re: Does anybody use Carvin Pickups?
i think the c22b pickup is a great pup for blues classic rock and hard rock
i think the c22b pickup is a great pup for blues classic rock and hard rock
Butch Snyder
ObsoleteChickenPickingologist
Re: Does anybody use Carvin Pickups?
Allan Holdsworth uses them in his sig models (when he plays them)....
Allan Holdsworth uses them in his sig models (when he plays them)....
blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Re: Does anybody use Carvin Pickups?
I have Carvin HB's in several guitars and think they're very good. They don't offer a wide selection like Duncan or DMz, so there's not dozens more to choose from; maybe that's one reason people complain. Look at how many players here don't like a certain Duncan or two, or a few DMz's or Gibsons. There's very few Duncan PU's that haven't been bashed by someone here. Happens with every PU manufacturer.
I have Carvin HB's in several guitars and think they're very good. They don't offer a wide selection like Duncan or DMz, so there's not dozens more to choose from; maybe that's one reason people complain. Look at how many players here don't like a certain Duncan or two, or a few DMz's or Gibsons. There's very few Duncan PU's that haven't been bashed by someone here. Happens with every PU manufacturer.
sosomething
Seymour Duncan Customer Support
Re: Does anybody use Carvin Pickups?
Carvin guitars (in my limited experience) benefit greatly from having ALL the electronics yanked out and replaced with good aftermarket stuff.
The problem is that they often use those mini pots for everything and their control cavity routs combined with the positioning of their controls make it impossible to put in normal-sized pots without permanent modification.
Carvin guitars (in my limited experience) benefit greatly from having ALL the electronics yanked out and replaced with good aftermarket stuff.
The problem is that they often use those mini pots for everything and their control cavity routs combined with the positioning of their controls make it impossible to put in normal-sized pots without permanent modification.
blueman335
Mojo's Minions
The Dali
MeltedClockologist
Re: Does anybody use Carvin Pickups?
100% true. For some reason they place their pots at the extreme edges of their cavities which makes full-size pots an impossibility.
All their electronics are sub-par... from the "box switches" to the dime-size pots to the crappy caps.
As for their pickups... they are decent pickups. They seem well made and some people really like them. I'm of the school that since I'm in there already replacing all the crappy electronics, why not upgrade the pups too?
100% true. For some reason they place their pots at the extreme edges of their cavities which makes full-size pots an impossibility.
All their electronics are sub-par... from the "box switches" to the dime-size pots to the crappy caps.
As for their pickups... they are decent pickups. They seem well made and some people really like them. I'm of the school that since I'm in there already replacing all the crappy electronics, why not upgrade the pups too?
Kosh Naranek
New member
Re: Does anybody use Carvin Pickups?
I have owned four Carvins and I like the sound of their M22 and C22 humbuckers and the S60 single coils.
I wonder if the reason the pickups get bad press is people are hearing them in maple neck through body guitars with ebony fretboards, and the guitar's construction can make it sound a little rigid. Kramer and Jackson neck thru guitars that I've played have sounded that way too. With that kind of body construction I think the guitars would benefit from pickups that added some bottom and had a warm high end.
I have put Carvin pickups in bolt on neck guitars and they sound just fine.
I have owned four Carvins and I like the sound of their M22 and C22 humbuckers and the S60 single coils.
I wonder if the reason the pickups get bad press is people are hearing them in maple neck through body guitars with ebony fretboards, and the guitar's construction can make it sound a little rigid. Kramer and Jackson neck thru guitars that I've played have sounded that way too. With that kind of body construction I think the guitars would benefit from pickups that added some bottom and had a warm high end.
I have put Carvin pickups in bolt on neck guitars and they sound just fine.
blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Re: Does anybody use Carvin Pickups?
+1. I have Carvins in a couple import 335's and a Washburn ES175 hollowbody copy, all of which are relatively warm designs, and they sound very good. It goes back to them not having a selection for every guitar & every style of music. There are many Duncan & DMZ PU's that I would not use in any of my guitars. It's a matter of matching guitar, wood, PU, and magnet to your tone goals, which vary widely here.
+1. I have Carvins in a couple import 335's and a Washburn ES175 hollowbody copy, all of which are relatively warm designs, and they sound very good. It goes back to them not having a selection for every guitar & every style of music. There are many Duncan & DMZ PU's that I would not use in any of my guitars. It's a matter of matching guitar, wood, PU, and magnet to your tone goals, which vary widely here.
Kosh Naranek
New member
Re: Does anybody use Carvin Pickups?
I wonder what Carvin pickups sound like in Carvin's set neck arch top and hollow body models, which haven't been around as long as their neck through models.
I wonder what Carvin pickups sound like in Carvin's set neck arch top and hollow body models, which haven't been around as long as their neck through models.
eastcoasteddie
New member
Re: Does anybody use Carvin Pickups?
Bringing this topic to the Bass side, I got a couple of their HB5 Music-Man style pickups, and I was blown away at how well they are made and they sound great.
On the outside, they look like any other pickup, but the cover has this cool, rubberized textured coating on it. Not your plain ol black plastic.
I was thrown at how the pole pieces were grounded...not your usual copper foil tape job:
Looks like stainless steel wire.
Compared to the copper foil job of another, less expensive pickup (not a Duncan though)
I hear that their new single Coil J99A pickups sound fantastic, the H50A stacked humbuckers...not so much
Bringing this topic to the Bass side, I got a couple of their HB5 Music-Man style pickups, and I was blown away at how well they are made and they sound great.
On the outside, they look like any other pickup, but the cover has this cool, rubberized textured coating on it. Not your plain ol black plastic.
I was thrown at how the pole pieces were grounded...not your usual copper foil tape job:
Looks like stainless steel wire.
Compared to the copper foil job of another, less expensive pickup (not a Duncan though)
I hear that their new single Coil J99A pickups sound fantastic, the H50A stacked humbuckers...not so much
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Moonsorrow
New member
Re: Does anybody use Carvin Pickups?
First, Carvin makes some of the best guitars around period! Second,there are better pups out there but i`ve think their C22`s are excellent.
First, Carvin makes some of the best guitars around period! Second,there are better pups out there but i`ve think their C22`s are excellent.
Re: Does anybody use Carvin Pickups?
the new C22b is an excellent pickup. The M22sd is a great distortion pickup!! And the AP11 singles are pretty good too. Not my fav, but are very good.
I wanted to add.. there is a local builder here that builds reasonably priced guitars and he uses carvin pups.
the new C22b is an excellent pickup. The M22sd is a great distortion pickup!! And the AP11 singles are pretty good too. Not my fav, but are very good.
I wanted to add.. there is a local builder here that builds reasonably priced guitars and he uses carvin pups.
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Re: Does anybody use Carvin Pickups?
I have an M22SD (circa:1984!)
The tone is fantastic, but it's a bit microphonic & sensitive to noise.
DC: 13.9k, Alnico 5. -- Don't know resonant peak.
Anybody have a suggestion for a Seymour Duncan that would have a similar tone, but better performance?
(Also what would be a good choice for a middle p/u between 2 M22s in an HSH Strat?)
I have an M22SD (circa:1984!)
The tone is fantastic, but it's a bit microphonic & sensitive to noise.
DC: 13.9k, Alnico 5. -- Don't know resonant peak.
Anybody have a suggestion for a Seymour Duncan that would have a similar tone, but better performance?
(Also what would be a good choice for a middle p/u between 2 M22s in an HSH Strat?)
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arellanon
New member
Re: Does anybody use Carvin Pickups?
I highly recommend the M22SD/M22V combo; IMHO Carvin's best pup combo. The SD is just a screamer at the bridge and the V reminds me of DiMarzio's PAF Pro due to it's transparency.
Split, the V sounds very beautiful! I usually practice clean so I love splitting the two pups to really hear the dynamics in my playing. The SD splits well too; it has more of a Strat "sting" than a Tele "ping".
I also own a C22T/C22N combo; pretty good too for more vintage voicing. In reality, I have the tone knob all the way to no treble; the C22T is just too shrill for my ears. But they both sound good with the highs rolled down; I had no problem keeping up with my friend's Jackson EMG 81/85 equipped Soloist at practice. : private:
If you play metal I would try the M22s; if anything else try the C22B/C22J combo. They are the pup combo of choice for Carvin guitars and from what I hear from the managers at the stores this combo works for everything.
I highly recommend the M22SD/M22V combo; IMHO Carvin's best pup combo. The SD is just a screamer at the bridge and the V reminds me of DiMarzio's PAF Pro due to it's transparency.
Split, the V sounds very beautiful! I usually practice clean so I love splitting the two pups to really hear the dynamics in my playing. The SD splits well too; it has more of a Strat "sting" than a Tele "ping".
I also own a C22T/C22N combo; pretty good too for more vintage voicing. In reality, I have the tone knob all the way to no treble; the C22T is just too shrill for my ears. But they both sound good with the highs rolled down; I had no problem keeping up with my friend's Jackson EMG 81/85 equipped Soloist at practice. : private:
If you play metal I would try the M22s; if anything else try the C22B/C22J combo. They are the pup combo of choice for Carvin guitars and from what I hear from the managers at the stores this combo works for everything.
