Carvin Audio & Amplifiers

Bought my JB5 bass on Halloween day, intended to be my birthday gift in December. I mention this because I was past the 15 day return policy threshold when I got to gigging with my guitar and really putting it through normal use. I called the store because I ran into some problems while trying to adjust the action and was asked to bring the guitar in. I was expecting a quick fix with the probability of ongoing issues. Was I wrong! Flock kept my guitar in the shop, worked on it over several days and dedicated a lot of time to getting it right. I picked up my guitar today and I am blown away at the low action, the tone and overall feel of the guitar. Flock went above and beyond and made a customer for life out of me. Carvin/​Kiesel is really lucky to have Flock! In all honesty, I had lost faith in my guitar when I had to bring it in, but the high level customer service and the end product of the service provided is second to none. If you are shopping for a bass, be sure to give Carvin a look, you might regret it if you don’t!

I rarely take the time to Unilocal about anything because I have better things to do with my life but if this post can save someone from going through the horrible experience I just did, it’s worth my time to warn others.
I bought a PA this past June and Carvin said I could return it for any reason because they want me to be a happy customer. Unfortunately, I did return it because it was a bit heavy and I have back issues. Not that I owed Carvin any explanation at all, but they felt it wasn’t a legitimate reason. I didn’t mention my back issues because my medical history is none of their business. Upon returning it in person at their factory in San Diego, I was greeted with a cold shoulder. The original sales person wouldn’t even come down to the showroom to greet me.
I brushed the whole thing off but went back this past November to re-​purchase the same PA. I decided the extra weight was worth it to me because the system appears to be more reliable than what I use now and if something were to go wrong, they’re only 20 minutes from my house.
What happened next was truly shocking…
The PA I wanted to re-​purchase wasn’t in stock so I prepaid and was put on a list. A few weeks later a sales person calls me and says «I have bad news. The owner of the company has flagged your account and doesn’t want to sell you anything.» Apparently, the owner took it very personally that I returned his product and decided to ban me for life. To say I was dumbfounded is an understatement. I’ve never been treated this way in the 20 + years of my professional career. The sales person who explained all this to me even confessed this wasn’t the first time the owner has done this. Apparently the owner has psychological issues and appears to fly off the handle at any little thing.
I kept my composure, took the high road and asked the sales person if he would explain why I want to re-​purchae the system with every intention of keeping it this time. The fact that I had to explain anything was just ridiculous to me because ANY business would be thrilled to have a customer come back. He passed my message to the owner and it was still «no». I even asked to speak directly with the owner to see if I could get him to interact with me like a normal human being and the answer was «no». He refused to speak with me.
As I’m sitting here typing this, I’m still baffled that a business would treat a customer so horribly. All I can say is stay away. Stay far, far away. The owner is a total nut job.

I got it in my head that I needed a lightweight guitar (neck and shoulder issues) and I’m not too stuck on tradition. So when the headless, chambered HH2 popped up on my search, wow! Not that I would know from custom, but… I ordered it and waited… forever…well, two months. It arrived today. Amazing, beautiful, fabulous sound, reeaaalllly lightweight. Good design, all functional, except for the gorgeous quality appearance. Mmmm, I should probably shut up and go back and play, Oh, cost. You are not going to get this kind of guitar at this price anywhere that I know of

Its’ been well over ten years since the last time we stepped into this shop. Back then, it was either me buying a surprise seven string for the hubs (they were new at that point in time), or it was us buying *another* seven string for him to use on his gigs.
I honestly don’t remember much about the shop from all those years ago. I remember guitars on the walls and all that, but I can’t honestly speak to the customer service back then. It must have been good — or at least decent — for us to have gone back for two custom-​built guitars, right?
At any rate, we went into the showroom/​shop recently because the hubs got it into his mind that he needed a new six string guitar. Never mind the two six strings that are sitting in our place, and forget about the two seven strings — all of which work perfectly fine, mind. No, he needed new and fancy and… well, who am I to say no?
So, one fine Saturday morning, we drove on up to Rancho Bernardo to stare at the different models, and to allow him a chance to see how they felt, sounded and looked. We were immediately greeted by Flock, who came over to ask us if we had any questions, then backed off a bit to allow my husband time to pluck guitars off the walls and dink around a bit.
Flock was a great representative of the Carvin brand and a great salesman. He never hovered, and never once pressured my husband into buying that day. He answered all the questions hubby had, and offered his opinion when asked. He would mosey by, check to see that we were still alright, stop to chat a bit, answer questions, and then fade back into the background for a bit.
Really a great experience, and much better than the indifference or «little man complex» that you can get from some of the guys at places like Guitar Center. I’m not a musician by any means, but being married to one for so many years, I’ve been exposed to the differences in shops and personalities, so I feel like I have a bit of experience when I say that Flock was one of the better sales reps.
He let us know that we’d be better off placing an order there — should we decide to — as they could offer more options in customization there than we’d see online. And it turns out he was right. Some of the options my husband was thinking of weren’t listed on the site, but Flock was able to pull everything in to build the guitar that my husband has been obsessing over before providing us a quote.
And in the end, did we end up buying a guitar? We did. The deposit went down that day, and we’re now waiting (not-​so-​patiently) for it to be finished, and for the day that we can go pick it up. My husband was able to work with Flock on every aspect of that guitar, from the body style to the type of wood to the different… uhm…parts and pieces (I won’t try making up names of the hardware), and I’m confident that he’ll be thrilled with the end result.
He damn well better be. =)
Love that there was no pressure. Love that they allowed us a chance to browse at our pace, and that Flock answered all our questions.

Custom everything that has strings and speakers!
Made in USA and in San Diego.
Music instruments made better here.

I’m not sure what the negative reviews are referring to, but I had a great experience there and ended up buying my bass amp from them after a thorough comparison search. All of the staff were friendly and helpful. On my first visit, Flock spent a good deal of time with me explaining the amps and the features, trying as best he could to work within my budget. i still was not ready to purchase, came back a second day and Jorge, the manager, allowed me to just go in the room and play the amp again, left me alone as needed, or answered my questions if asked. On my third visit, I was there to buy. Since Flock initially assisted me and spent a great deal of time, I made the purchase through him. All in all, It was a great shopping experience, from service to courtesy to quality of goods. I would recommend this store to anyone.

Don’t miss the artist talkback sessions. Such a great opportunity to hear form them. Listen in an intimate setting.
Got my Amp there. Love it.

I have to say that I’m real happy with Carvin and used their PA gear for several years and went through a time where I used their power amps in my bass rig for over 5 years and it was on just about every day with no issues and even sound.
Now that the SB5000 series of basses are out I’m completely blown away. The SB5000s are hands down the most comfortable 19 mm 5 strings that I have ever played and I find the electronics are fantastic. I modify all my basses (preamps, pickups, ect) and I can honestly say that the SB is the only bass in my stable that is stock.
Also I have to mention the great customer care experience I received from Flock over at Carvin. This guy really cares about giving the customer absolute the best customer assistance possible. Thanks Carvin for proving a great products and customer assistance.

I cannot express how happy I am with my new CS6M! The staff was friendly and knowledgeable. One guy in particular (I can’t remember his name because I was in sheer ecstasy and awe and quite frankly, was more interested in the guitars than the guys name; sorry dude) anyhow, pretty much accommodated everything I needed to make my decision between Carvin or Gibson LP. The place wasn’t as busy as some of the other centers I’ve been to. Musicians must visit this place before making any decisions. I’ve been playing for a long time.
Price Range? I rated as pricey but, if I custom ordered the same options on another top brand axe I would have paid 2 – 3 times as much. Try your faves then compare to a Carvin. You’ll be pleasantly surprised. Made in the U.S.A. baby!

The guy seemed helpful but funny hair.

Went up to pick up a PA system that was advertised. They didn’t have any available. So, I was going to check out Guitar center, as I needed the PA for a gig that week. Salesmen talked me into taking a lesser PA and said I could return it when the other PA came in. OK. I live 40 minutes away from the store! The salesman said he would throw in a few extra things to make up for the double trip, when I came to pick up the PA I wanted. Said it would be ready in about a week. he guy told me he would check in with me during the week to let me know the status.
Called the salesmen a week later. He didn’t remember me and said another depart would call me when it was ready. I already knew where this was leading.
A week latter I get a call from the salesmen that the PA was ready. I go to pick up the PA, no extra nothing. Not one mention of the inconvenience, the drive, nothing.
I’m sure I will enjoy the PA system but I will never purchase from Carvin again. No, I didn’t mention that he had promised to throw in a few extra items. Not my job and I didn’t need anything that desperately. The point is customs service and broken promises. That fact that he forgot or chose not to honor his word was a deal breaker for me.

Seriously well made guitars & amplifiers. I currently own just 2 Carvin guitars and one Carvin amp. Out of a collection of 30 guitars and 9 amps.
But over the past 40 years I have owned more than 10 carvin guitars & more than 10 of their amplifiers.
Carvin has been in business since 1949. Yet the company and its products seem to fly below the radar. Carvin guitar gear does not have the marketing panache of Fender & Gibson.
But I’d rather own and play a $ 1,000 Carvin guitar than a $ 5,000 Gibson. The Carvin will be better made, have more features, play better because it is made from higher quality materials and it’s setup better. Carvin guitars are durable, bulletproof.
I can make my DC135 sound like any guitar tone you need. I can play thrash punk or smooth jazz on the guitar, & it all sounds authentic and good.
Carvin Amplifiers? One phrase says it all: Carvin X100-​B. without a doubt the best sounding 100 watt tube amp ever made. Yeah, yeah, I’ve owned several Marshall’s, Fender Twin reverbs (Which I love), Mesa Boogie Lonestars, Mark IV’s, Stiletto’s… If I was told that my guitar amp limit was just ONE, it would be a Carvin 1980’s Vintage X-​100 blowing into 2 Electrovoice PS-12’s.
Carvin owns several retail outlets, and they sell blemish stock on EBay. Want top quality gear at reasonable prices — Go CARVIN!

This is the factory store where Carvin gets it done at. This is the headquarters to the makers of some of the best amps and headers in the music industry. I recently went here for an event they had featuring artists that use their equipment. They had food, music and a tour of the factory. It’s pretty cool to see how they put together their amps and other equipment. They also have a store where you can purchase and order gear. I have only played their guitars while at the factory, but have loved the quality of amps they have produced for years.
Whether you are a hobbyist or professional, you can go straight to their San Diego store and save some money by cutting out the middle man and getting your gear straight from the source. Thanks for making these awesome products for over 60 years!