Mid-90s Carvin DC-127 doubts

[Perry go round]

Hi, I have some doubts about a guitar I just got las sunday. It is a Carvin DC 127 that I get by exchanging a Fender MIM Strat for it. According the serial number it was made around 1994-1995. The previous owner got it in another guitar exchange and did not know much about the guitar.
I was trying to get as much information about it as I could on the CarvinMuseum website, but I still have some doubts.
I know it is a neck through construction with an ebony fingerboard. Neck and body wings woods are unknown to me but, according the Carvin Museum website, the standard woods used in that era were Maple necks and Poplar bodies.
The Bridge is a Licensed Floyd Rose. I saw on CarvinMuseum that on that era (94-95), Licensed Floyds were not the standard on this model. I would like to know if it is the original bridge on this guitar. Does anyone know if Licensed Floyds were an optional choice on Carvin during those years? Is there any way I can check if this bridge is Carvin-made or a retrofit?
Another thing that surprised me was that, even though the bridge is a LFR, the nut is not a locking nut. But I have already checked that this combination was common on 90s Carvins. I trying to decide if installing a locking nut will be a good idea. The Floyd has been locked by a previous owner. The guitar goes completely out of tune when moving the bridge...
Another thing I am curious about are the pickups. According to Carvin Museum, DC 127s in the mid 90s, came with M22T and M22V or M22N pickups. However, those pickup models are supposed to came with 11 pole-pieces per coil, while the ones on my guitar hace only 6 pole pieces per coil. Also, and although the bridge is a Floyd, the Bridge pickup is standard spaced (50 mm from the centre of the first pole piece to the centre of the last pole piece). I would like to know if this combination of features (pickups with 6 pole pieces per coil, and a standard spaced bridge pickup combined with a Floyd Rose Tremolo) could be the stock condition of the guitar, or if it means that something (either the Floyd or the Pickups) is a modification made by any of its previous owners. I am wondering if, maybe, at that time, offering F-spaced humbuckers was not the norm even on Floyd-equipped guitars.
Also, I have 2 Seymour Duncan pickups at home (SH-18n and SH-16b), that I bought for another project in which I am not working. I am thinking if it could worth try to give a try to those pickups in this guitar. The Bridge one is a standard sized one, though... But as the one on this guitar has the same spacing, maybe it will fit just as good.


Any information and/or advice will be wellcomed

 

[Rand-O-Monium]

Re: Mid-90s Carvin DC-127 doubts

Someone somewhere just prolly did some swapping of p/ups & the bridge,no biggie...

Nice!

 

[KeeperOS]

Re: Mid-90s Carvin DC-127 doubts

First of all, trying to lock down a Carvin guitar based on specs is like using a slingshot to try and catch fish. Just don't.
They've been a custom shop of sorts pretty much ever since the beginning and while there's a base model, there are no locked-down specs.

Furthermore, there's always been the option 50 which basically meant that whoever wanted could make a call or go down there and request an one-off normally unavailable option.
That included but wasn't limited to non-standard pickups (I remember reading that the customer could supply their own pickups but don't quote me on that).

Now, I don't think that included the bridge but that is obviously a Floyd Rose route so I can't imagine it ever came with anything other than a Floyd nor can imagine why someone would replace another Floyd bridge for a Licenced-by one unless of course the original was damaged beyond repair.

Also, yeah, Carvin/Kiesel to this day builds Floyded guitars with a normal nut and locking tuners, in fact the base specs for DCxxxC guitars (C denoting a Floyd bridge) do NOT include a locking nut which is an extra option.


On the other hand, I do believe that Carvin keeps records of their guitars including what options were included although I don't know how far back they go so maybe you could give them a call and tell them your SN?

 

[kramersteen]

Re: Mid-90s Carvin DC-127 doubts

I had one of those. Was nice but just not for me.

 

[Perry go round]

Re: Mid-90s Carvin DC-127 doubts

Thanks to all of you for your replies and information.
According to what all of you are saying, I am assuming this guitar is probably stock, with the exception of the pickups -that could be custom-requested of changed at some point-. I guess that the Licensed Floyd was probably resquested by the original owner when the guitar was made. This weekend I will try to take a look on the back of the pickups and see if I can find out what they are.

 

[greekdude]

Re: Mid-90s Carvin DC-127 doubts

I have the DC135 same era. Indeed your pups are not stock. Mine was in a total rusty mess. Very treble sounding axe. Its higher harmonics kill. Not a sweet axe. Not a refined feeling. Rough. But still unique. Also has very thin (one piece?) maple neck, so this tends to twist, beware. Is it ebony I see on your fretboard? This looks fine!

 

[Perry go round]

Re: Mid-90s Carvin DC-127 doubts

Yes, I have tried the guitar both at home and for a while in my band´s rehearsing space and found it quite treble sounding. I needed to roll the tone pote down quite a bit. But I think too much treble is easier to control than too much bass, so no complaining here. As long as those pickups look like non-stock, ones and I have a couple of duncans laying around, I may try to change them. Maybe the SH-18n and SH16b that I have can give me a bit more of low end than the current ones and improve a bit the overall tone.
I need to adapt myself to it, but surfing high in the fretboard is really confortable. I´m really happy with this guitar. It is growing on me. And I agree, the ebony on this one looks great!

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: Mid-90s Carvin DC-127 doubts

I agree with KeeperOS
At the bottom of the website or top possibly
There is a "Contact us"

Send an email with the serial number and your story
They keep records
They can tell you how it left the factory

Nice guitar
It's a neck thru so I wouldn't try cutting a locking nut shelf
If you mess up you can't just swap necks

 

[greekdude]

Re: Mid-90s Carvin DC-127 doubts

It's a neck thru so I wouldn't try cutting a locking nut shelf
If you mess up you can't just swap necks

I have done this, although mine had a deeper route for schaller, which I replaced with Gotoh. Not trivial but doable,

 

[jtougas]

Re: Mid-90s Carvin DC-127 doubts

And worth having done by a professional.

 

[BloodRose]

Re: Mid-90s Carvin DC-127 doubts

Nice Guitar!! Carvins get alot of flack sometimes, but they make nice axes. They just have their own thing and if it works for you, then great! I loved the ones I had. They can lean towards brightness, but helps them cut thru and can in most cases be tamed. Yes, pups arent stock, and I was going to suggest pulling them and taking a look, but you already plan that. I cant say whether or not the floyd is stock, but Carvin has never been automatic on if it gets floyd, it gets locking nut, like many cos are.

keep us posted!!

 

[kherman]

Re: Mid-90s Carvin DC-127 doubts

No, the trem is not stock. Around '93-'94, Carvin was using the Carvin/Kahler Steeler trem. Around late '94 early '95 Carvin switched back to the Original Floyd Rose. Kahler quit making trems for a while and went into golf clubs. That unit looks like a low budget knock off of the Schaller Floyd. If it were a Schaller Floyd it would have the "made in Germany" stamp right by the arm socket.
Also, the necks were a slightly thicker D shape compared to the late 80's to early 90's Thin D shape. It should also have the graphite reinforcement rods in the neck as well to prevent and warping or twisting.

The purple one is my '94 DC400. It has the Carvin/Kahler Steeler and the D neck with graphite rods. Maple neck, flame maple top /poplar sides.
My '89 ST's (yellow DC127 and blue DC200 with ST body option) have the thinner D necks. The Yellow had the Schaller Floyd. But, was replaced with the Carvin/Kahler under warranty. The Blue has the OFR. They are all maple.
My ST300's are mahogany neck and body with figured tops. OFR trems. Current Carvin C shape neck. Which are slightly thicker than the DC400. Not Gibby '50s C thick though. Probably closer to a '60s C.

 

[BloodRose]

Re: Mid-90s Carvin DC-127 doubts

KHERMAN....... STOP POSTING YOUR CARVINS!!!! Everytime you do, I start GASSING for one!!! haha They are gorgeous! Espec the pointies! I do miss mine and really want one of the new Becker ones..

 

[kherman]

Re: Mid-90s Carvin DC-127 doubts

KHERMAN....... STOP POSTING YOUR CARVINS!!!! Everytime you do, I start GASSING for one!!! haha They are gorgeous! Espec the pointies! I do miss mine and really want one of the new Becker ones..

Well, you might want to start saving. Kiesel is supposed to transition over to it's own factory soon. Fully separating itself from Carvin Audio. Rumor mill is that not all models will make the transition over. Certain models will be cut from the line up. The ST and Becker are probably safe. But, my guess with all the newer designs coming out and a specific demographic being targeted, older models may not make it.

 

[Perry go round]

Re: Mid-90s Carvin DC-127 doubts

Kherman, thanks for the input about the trem. You are totally right about the neck profile, it is a D shape and a bit thick. I guess I will never know about the graphite rods, but I will take your word, as you seem to know a lot about these guitars. I hope you are right and so this neck will not twist or bend.
And, also, I need to say, I am really impressed with the collection of Carvins that you have. All of them are really sexy!!

Regarding my particular guitar. It is growing on me. I am really happy with it, and I am sure that it is a keeper. But the big problem is that when using the trem it goes completely out of tune. I may need to replace the Floyd with a better one and installing locking tuners or the locking nut (in case I decide to go this way, I will take it to a pro, and ask for advice first).

 

[Brandenburg]

Re: Mid-90s Carvin DC-127 doubts

new floyd with a locking nut is the way i would go..

curious...no locking tuners?....

sounds like the person that sold it took off the original floyd/tuners and swapped them for a cheaper variety

 

[greekdude]

Re: Mid-90s Carvin DC-127 doubts

Also, the necks were a slightly thicker D shape compared to the late 80's to early 90's Thin D shape. It should also have the graphite reinforcement rods in the neck as well to prevent and warping or twisting.

Hello kherman,
my DC135 my1988 has the thin neck profile, actually it is tiny slim. Is there any way it has the rods inside the neck? In the advertisement/specs shown in carvinmuseum nothing is mentioned about any rods, IIRC. Plus, it has some tendency to twist, not the stiffer neck I have owned.

 

[Kamanda~SD]

Re: Mid-90s Carvin DC-127 doubts

Carvin is the only southern Ca. company that you won't see on So Cal stages. It's like wearing Walmart clothes onstage out here.

I'm not trying to sound like a gear snob but it's true.
We take more pride in our companies like Bogner, 65 Amps, Suhr, Matchless, Divided by 13, Mesa, Anderson, Soldano, Fender, Seymour Duncan, Fulltone, Egnater, Grosh, Santa Cruz, G&L, Charvel, Jackson, GHP, Bad Cat, Taylor, and maybe Schecter.

C raftsmanship
A nd
R esale
V alue
I s
N onexistent

That's very interesting to hear. I've played a bunch of mid- high end Carvins and they have all been great.

 

[kherman]

Re: Mid-90s Carvin DC-127 doubts

Hello kherman,
my DC135 my1988 has the thin neck profile, actually it is tiny slim. Is there any way it has the rods inside the neck? In the advertisement/specs shown in carvinmuseum nothing is mentioned about any rods, IIRC. Plus, it has some tendency to twist, not the stiffer neck I have owned.

Nope. Rods weren't used till sometime in '94.

 

[BloodRose]

Re: Mid-90s Carvin DC-127 doubts

Well, you might want to start saving. Kiesel is supposed to transition over to it's own factory soon. Fully separating itself from Carvin Audio. Rumor mill is that not all models will make the transition over. Certain models will be cut from the line up. The ST and Becker are probably safe. But, my guess with all the newer designs coming out and a specific demographic being targeted, older models may not make it.

The models Id want most are the Becker, The ST300 or Contour C66. (Though I dont need anymore bolt ons) Growing up I always want a DC145 and v220