Description
What makes this guitar special: This is a very cool vintage Carvin archtop with some serious old-school mojo. The natural resonance alone makes it worth owning and playing, as it is extremely satisfying to feel and hear bellowing back when you put some energy into it. Its overall tone is likely what you would expect from this type of construction: a mellow low end, rich and rounded mid-range that has quite a bit of pop and attack, and a warm high end that is both smooth yet crisp, all of which has the classic mild sustain and woody character commonly attributed to archtops and hollow bodies. The D shape neck has a chunky feel but boasts a slimmer 1 5/8” nut, making it surprisingly comfortable and easy to play. Outside of the few cracks that have been repaired and the one that hasn’t, the body is still in great shape for a vintage piece, and shows only small and light marks throughout.
Condition: This guitar is in good condition overall. It does possess various small nicks, dings, dents, scratches, and other forms of wear, but is largely in good shape cosmetically. There are a few large cracks in the top that have previously been repaired, but there is one that runs from the tailpiece to about 3-4 inches above the bridge that has not. It does move with pressure, but is stable enough to play without issue. The frets show only mild wear, but are even, still play great the length of the neck, and still have a considerable amount of playing time left in them. There is no adjustable truss rod, but the neck still plays clean throughout its length.
Body: Double bound archtop body in Natural finish. Adjustable rosewood bridge. Single-ply raised cream pickguard. Nickel trapeze tailpiece.
Neck: Chunky D shape maple neck and bound rosewood fingerboard with rounded block inlays. 3-in-a-line Kluson Deluxe tuning machines with white buttons. 1 5/8” nut width. 25 ¾” scale.
Weight: 5 lbs 0.2 oz
Playability/Sound: Despite its larger shape/depth, the thinner nut width helps this neck play great, and shouldn’t be too far of a stretch for most players. The body is wonderfully resonant, yet still has the mild sustain and woody response that hollow bodies and archtops are known for. It has a mild low end, punchy mid-range and smooth top end that is nice and warm without losing articulation.
Case: Does not include case but please inquire about cases we have available.
