Help me pick out my Carvin custom made axe!!

[marty_the_westie]

I've deciding on ordering a Carvin custom made guitar. Based on everything I've read about them, and the price, it seems like the best deal out there. Here's my dilema, I can't decide between 2. The first is a mahogany body, 22 fret, set neck guitar. The second is a alder body, 24 fret, neck thru guitar. Other than that, just about everything else on them is the same, including the pickups; which according to the Carvin sales rep are very close to a Seth Lover, with a little more output. The scale length (25), neck wood, fret size (mj), and hardware are also all the same. The prices are very close, with the alder guitar being about $100 cheaper. Thing is, I've always stayed away from 24 fret guitars due to the smaller spaces in between frets. I play mostly blues with a little classic rock thrown in. What do you experts think is a better choice, based on the body wood, and the # of frets?

 

[DeadSkinSlayer3]

Re: Help me pick out my Carvin custom made axe!!

Well what guitars do you have currently? I'd say get something that you haven't had before, like a trem, or maybe HSS, just to change things up a bit.

 

[nuntius]

Re: Help me pick out my Carvin custom made axe!!

22 frets has a nicer tone on the neck pup imo.

whats the budget and what sound you want - maybe we could pick one for you?

 

[marty_the_westie]

Re: Help me pick out my Carvin custom made axe!!

The mahogany guitar will run about $850 shipped, and the alder will run about $750 shipped. I'm looking for an all around good guitar for blues. As far as guitars I already have, I've thinned out my collection down to nothing. I've had everything under the sun that I've bought on impulse and only sold months later. I want 1 and only 1 guitar that is excellent quality and sounds like I want it.

 

[mjsever]

Re: Help me pick out my Carvin custom made axe!!

Although I'm not sure which models you are considering, I think that the alder guitar has a maple neck running through the body. If it's a model constructed similar to my own Carvin (SC90), the pickups are mounted directly onto the maple neck that runs through the body, making it a very bright guitar that will probably not be very well suited for blues. I'd recommend going the mahogany route- it's worth the extra $100 for a rounder, more resonant guitar.

If this is going to be your one and only guitar, I'd also recommend getting coil taps to give you a wider palette of sounds. Depending on the model, they may come standard.

 

[marty_the_westie]

Re: Help me pick out my Carvin custom made axe!!

They actually both come standard with coil taps.

 

[Jeff5]

Re: Help me pick out my Carvin custom made axe!!

I would probably go mahogany. And you're gonig to leave the stock pups in there!?? /gasp! Duncans man Duncans!