Carvin Review: C750s Satin Finsh Acoustic Guitar

History:

Purchase: My choice of the Carvin was essentially a leap of faith. As a relatively inexperienced player (and buyer), I would never ordinarily purchase an instrument I had not actually played! After having tried literally scores of instruments of various makes and models, and getting somewhat of an idea of my requirements, I took a chance on Carvin...and was not disappointed! I've had my C750s for about a year (bought it in August of '03), and I absolutely love it. It was purchased factory direct from San Diego and shipped to my waiting hands. I paid approximately $560 for a guitar that is easily worth far more, based on price, reviews and a recommendation from a friend who is a semi-prfessional musician. It was his nod that pushed me over the top.

What I Like About This Carvin C750s Satin Finsh Acoustic Guitar: I fell in love the moment I took my prize out of the case. The Carvin is solid and well-built. The woods selected are top-notch, and the construction was expertly done. I chose the satin finish version of this model because of the ease of maintaining its immaculate appearance, and because of the sonic properties of a less varnished surface. Almost no tuning was required, despite the fact that the guitar had been shipped across the desert during high summer. The tone is sharp and crisp (a must for me), but also with a well-rounded bottom and mid-range. The sound is very well balanced, and a guitarist playing this instrument will be right at home in a variety of musical genres. The electronics are everything I wanted and more. There is almost no sound I can't generate with the Fishman Prefix, and that's even without using a proper amp (I plugged the sucker right into my stereo!). The biggest selling point for me was the Rapid Action neck. Having learned guitar on a nylon string classical, I found many steel string acoustics to be stiff and unforgiving. Not so, the C750s! The action is light, yet firm, and I was able to negotiate all my favorite licks with hardly a squeak or a buzz. I'm happy to say that for all the guitars I've played during my quest, none has pleased me as much as the one I bought sight unseen, the Carvin Cobalt Series C750s.

What I Do NOT Like About The Carvin C750s Satin Finsh Acoustic Guitar: I've played some guitars that had perhaps a slightly deeper bass response (certain Gibson jumbos come to mind), but it must be said that these guitars cost as much as four times as much as the Carvin! In its price range, nothing I've played comes close. If you're looking for bang for the buck, this is the one to get.

Carvin C750s Satin Finsh Acoustic Guitar Quality Rating: The quality is first rate. You'd never guess this guitar is built overseas. The C750s matches a spruce top with mahogany sides and back, a rosewood fingerboard and headstock. The tuners are chrome Grovers, and the electronics comes courtesy of Fishman. The construction was totally free of any flaws or blemishes. I took as good a look at the bracing as the soundhole would allow and saw precise, tight workmanship. This guitar was built by people who knew what they were doing.

Review Summary: In absense of an unlimited budget and faced with the reality of making choices and compromises, I was delighted to find that I gave up virtually nothing to own this guitar. Had I been able to pick it up and audition it before buying, it would have been my choice over every other guitar I've tried. And there have been some very good ones to choose from. It has a solid, balanced sound, a great feel, and a delightful action. When weighing cost vs. performance, I give the C750s an A+. I'd feel right at home taking this guitar into the studio.

Rating of this Carvin product: 5

This Carvin C750s Satin Finsh Acoustic Guitar Acoustic Guitars Review Submitted By: B. J. Gannegan

Review Date: 2004-09-30