DC400T Review

Every aspect of the DC400T, from the AAA flamed maple top, to the quality abalone inlays and fine detailed fretwork is an expression of pride at Carvin. The elegance of the DC400 helps inspire passionate musicians to a higher level. Case purchase required for shipment of this guitar.

Features:	10
Sound:	10
Action:	10
Reliability:	10
Impression:	10
Overall rating:	10
Users rating:	8.3
Comments:	19

Featured review by: unregistered, on july 18, 2008

Price paid: € 1700

Features: This is a 2006 DC400T and I think it was made in USA. I don't know if Carvin has a factory outside the US. It has 24 frets on an ebony fretboard with abalone block inlays with medium jumbo frets. The guitar is neck thru construction with a maple neck wih alder wings. It has a flamed maple top with a gloss anticque brown finish. It features a wilkiinson tremolo with the active C22B and C22N humbucker pickups from Carvin. It has a three way selector with two coil splitters for the pickups and a phase Switch. The tuners are sperzel and it came with a molded hardcase. Also this model features the Snagg chip to track down the guitar in case it is stolen // 10

Sound: I have been playing guitar for almost 10 years. The band I play in is a thrash/death metal band, but I also like playing blues and jazz some times or just wanking on the guitar. I know that almost everybody says this about their guitar, but this one trully can play everything. I use thi guitar with a Line 6 Live xt POD floorboard on a combo 50 watt marshal amp and whatever is availlable at practice studios. Nothing special as a setup but I was particullary amazed when I tried the guitar with just the amp. I just played a chord and waited to see when it will die out. Well let me tell you it took a loooong time. Lots of sustain. And the sound is very full and balanced. Sometimes I just put the guitar straight in the amp with a bit of reverb and I don't need anything else. The active mode is a bit noisy especially in higher volumes and the passive mode is very quite with almost as good a sound. I cannot compare with EMG's beacause I haven't tried them, but the sound in active mode is very rich and organic. The harmonics are awesome, very intense and easy to produce without being compressed. Plus you have two equalizers for high's and low's that act as preamps also. As I stated I think you can play anything with this guitar. From warm bluesy sounds to full on death metal. And with the features you have you can shape any sound you want. From Fender style sound to dark modern sounds. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: The factory setup was quite good and I came with Elixir 010 strings. It was somewhat different from my previous guitar, but I got used to it rather quickly. The ebony fretboard is very smooth and you can feel the difference from other guitars. The neck is very easy and it is a good choice for shredders (which unfortunatelly am not). I was quite happy with the sound so I didn't check the pickup adjustment but it seems very easy to adjust. I have one thing to say about the finish Carvin guitars are absolutly stunning. When I first saw it I fell in love with it and the only reason I didn't buy it on the spot is because I knew nothing about Carvin then. After a quick research I went back and bought it and I don't think I will ever regret it. // 10

Reliability & Durability: This guitar is sure build to last. I have been palying it for a year and I have no complaints. It doesn't go out of tune when use the tremolo (well maybe a llitle, but not enough to be noticeable in rehearsal or live). You can definetely depend on this guitar in a Live show, but it is so darn beautiful that you will think twice about abusing it a lot. I would use a backup on stage just in case. Even though chord chabging is easy, it is not as easy as a string through or a fixed bridge. // 10

Impression: As I said I usually play thrash-death metal. Especailly with the active circuit on you have tons of distortion and sustain, so I would say it is a great much. But most of all you can paly almost any style of music with this guitar and have a very very good sound. I have been playing for ten years and my only other guitar is Squier that was guite customised (from the factory not by me). Before discovering Carvin I was thinking of buying a Jackson soloist or a PRS Custom 24. In Greece the soloist and the PRS costs around 3000E, and for almost half the price I got a guitar that kicks the ass of both of them. If I have the chance and cash I would bye these two but If I had to choose between them and a Carvin I would definetely choose Carvin. There is nothing I don't like in this guitar. Maybe I could have goten it with a Floyd to do some tricks, but at least agoin do some dive bombs with the Wilkinson (and far more sustain). If it were lost or stolen I would certainly try to locate it with the Snagg chip. If I would not be able to retrieve it I would certinly buy a new Carvin, or two. // 10

overall: 10

Reviewed by: timmay21, on may 10, 2006

Purchased from: Factory Custom Shop

Features: This guitar was custom built in their factory in San Diego, CA. It is a neck through body guitar. Strat syle body, but with the rounded body edges I got it looks a lot like a Joe Satriani Ibanez. The color I chose was sapphire blue on quilted maple Top with matching headstock. The body is made out of alder with a 10mm thick AAA quilted maple top & a maple neck. The controls are 3-way pick up selector, volume (which also doubles as the active/passive electronics switch), coil splitters, phase switch, tone, treble, & bass knobs as well. All of the hardware is black chrome which includes Sperzel locking tuners & Wilkinson tremelo. Equipped with Carvin's pickups: M22SD's in the bridge position & H22N for the neck pickup. The neck has a tung oil finish which makes playing very smooth. // 10

Sound: This guitar is incredible, you can play just about any style you want with it. I plugged straight into my amp just to see what it sounded like without any pedals or processors to make it sound better. To my amazement it was quiet, until you play it of course. Then you get a full sound that has flawless tone. You can make any sound you want with this guitar single coil sounds, humbucker, bluey, metal, you name it. It is incredible // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: This guitar was incredible right out of the case. I opened the case that it came in, pulled it out, and strummed it. To my surprise it was in tune. Even after shipping half way across the country. There wasn't a single flaw in or on this guitar. This thing feels, looks, & sounds great. // 10

Reliability & Durability: I have only had this about a two weeks, but this guitar feels solid & dependable enough to do just about anything. I wouldn't even think about using another guitar in it's place. // 10

Impression: I like to play a wide variety of music so this guitar is a good match for me because you can get so many sounds out of it. If somebody stole this from me they would be in for a serious amount of pain. My favorite has got to be the action. I can play better on this guitar than on any other guitar I have played in my 12 years of playing. I only have one regret & that is that I messed up on the order. I ordered abalone dot inlays rather than abalone block inlays, but that is not Carvin's fault as I ordered it that way. No, it doesn't change how the guitar would sound, but I do like the look of blocks better than the dots. Also my other guitars have dots so I wish I would've ordered blocks to have something different. I am not sure what to compare this guitar to. To me it stands head & shoulders over anything I have played or even looked at for that matter. All I can say is Carvin deserves a lot more exposure than they get, for the price you pay for there product you get an incredible instrument, & they have been around for 60 years so they know what they are doing. Trust me. // 10

Comments

[timmay21]

For some reason the web site didn't post the price I entered so here you go.

I paid $1,360.49 in US Dollars for this guitar.

[*LedZeppelin*]

Looks nice

[CoolNamesTaken]

Dude the guitar is beautiful I want one

[Metallicaloveu]

Sounds great and looks like the Angelina Jolie of guitars. I would consider getting one.

[stompbox]

I have order many things from carvin for over 25 years ,from my understanding carvin is a USA made only ,that is one of the things like about them the most.that guitar you guitar you got is killer you need to post a recording of it i like to hear it i bet it sounds killer .have fun with your new guitar.

[Billy Picken]

Beautiful Axe! Enjoy her amigo.

[tedstigers]

I own a DC127 by Carvin and it is sweet. I quit playing my Jackson and my Tele after I got the Carvin last year. I can't say enough about Carvin.

[Disturbdkornkid]

Normally when people give perfect 10's in reviews I'm skeptical about it, but this thing looks and sounds like a beauty. As for being the Angelina Jolie of guitars, I completely agree.

[led,rainsong]

timmay21, you gave an almost pointless review
maybe it is really really good but if you really want people to believe you you have to admit a fault about the guitar

another note, i like how they have active/passive switch and coil splitting
that's pretty sweet
maybe i should get a guitar like that..

[CustomCustom]

these are worth the money for what you get

[cj10schmelzer]

its looks kind of like an ibanez copy

[cj10schmelzer]

Strat syle body, but with the rounded body edges I got it looks a lot like a Joe Satriani Ibanez.

thats what i mean

[CowboyUp]

gorgeous

[kaizerkhan13]

Metallicaloveu wrote:

Sounds great and looks like the Angelina Jolie of guitars. I would consider getting one.

it needs a sandwhich?
has a pancake ass?

lol. does look nice tho.

[koalabacon]

holy jesus

i want a carvin.

[stratdud39]

BEAUTIFUL

[brianmay1966]

I have the DC145 (?) I bought back in 1992 - it's all black w/ tung oil finish, dual hums, single coil in the middle w/ a reverse headstock and phase switch. It's still my main guitar!!! It has a few battle scars, but still plays like a dream!!!! I also have the VL100 head from Carvin. Great equipment!

[timmay21]

led,rainsong wrote:

timmay21, you gave an almost pointless review
maybe it is really really good but if you really want people to believe you you have to admit a fault about the guitar

another note, i like how they have active/passive switch and coil splitting
that's pretty sweet
maybe i should get a guitar like that..

1st of all, the site edited my review quite a bit. Secondly, there is not a bad thing about this guitar at all. If you don't believe me, look them up they have a website, with sound clips on it. They also have pictures and you can build your own guitar with all the specs you want, so if you end up with a guitar you don't like, it's going to by YOUR FAULT. So how would I not end up with a guitar that is not a perfect 10?

[Edika]

To add few more comments in the conversation, I wrote the second review as an unregistered user back then. After 2 1/2 years of playing the guitar I still stand by my review. The negative parts that I have noticed is that when you use the active circuit with distortion you have more noise than with just the passive mode. Also some screws on the Wilkinson bridge were easily discolored by playing and some of the metalic parts have started to have oxidation marks (becaming greenish at some points). So I would put 9 at reliabillity/durability. Other than that it still one of the best guitars I have palyed and it kicked the ass of Jackson soloist (one of my dream guitars) I compared it with.