Carvin Review: DC400C

History:

Purchase: Having used Carvin's equipment for several years, I finally decided to try out their guitars and in July ordered my axe directly from them. I paid little less than $1200 for it.

What I Like About This Carvin DC400C: The sound, looks, and playability are the best I have ever seen. I have played and owned several high-end guitars, none of which have sounded as good (or cost as little) as my Carvin. For my first axe from Carvin, I ordered the DC400C, their top-of-the-line model featuring the Original Floyd Rose double-locking tremolo system, active electronics, and abalone block inlays. This is also a highly customized axe; I ordered a bookmatched quilted maple top sprayed with a translucent sapphire blue finish, along with installed Straploks by Dunlop, 24K gold-plated hardware, and an engraved truss rod cover (bearing my last name). Its looks cannot be beat... in fact, it looks better than many guitars I've played costing $3000 or more. The sound is incredible. My DC400C is equipped with Carvin's M22N and M22SD neck and bridge humbucking pickups, and they alone have an awesome tone. The active electronics add a whole new dimension, thus allowing me to custom-tailor my sound. Other controls which allow me to fine-tune my sound include the 3-way pickup selector switch, the coil splitter switches for each pickup and the phase switch. I have instant access to the twangy sound reminiscent of a Strat as well as the more full-bodied rich tone of a Les Paul.

What I Do NOT Like About The Carvin DC400C:

Carvin DC400C Quality Rating: The construction is flawless and the quality is unbeatable. The neck, constructed of hard rock maple, extends all the way through the body for endless sustain and better action. The neck is extremely fast with its relatively flat radius of 15" and its 25" scale length, sure to please speed demon guitarists of all ages. The action is unbelievable; in fact, Carvin guarantees the action (as measured from the 12th fret) to be 1/16". The alder body sides and quilted maple top attribute to its amazing tone.

Review Summary: Since 1946, Carvin has made superb quality custom instruments for off-the-rack prices (thanks to its factory-direct sales policy). Another cool thing is that all of Carvin's custom-built axes are made in U.S.A. at its factory in San Diego. As Carvin appropriately states in its description of the DC400 both in its catalog and on its website, "The elegance of the DC400 helps inspire passionate musicians to a higher level." Bottom line: both Carvin and this guitar deserve two thumbs up and ten stars!

Rating of this Carvin product: 5

This Carvin DC400C Electric Guitars Review Submitted By: Christopher Lee

Review Date: 2001-11-20