1998 Carvin LB76 Fretted 6 String Bass

I purchased this bass in the fall of 2007 just after becoming the full time bassist with Angel Vivaldi. Interestingly, this bass has a history with me from even a few years before that.

While I was working at Sam Ash music store (2004-2005), this bass was transferred in from one of the NY stores. It needed repair, and our tech was to do it so it could be sold. Specifically, the preamp was blown out. It sat in the repair shop the entire time I worked there, and for years after I left as well. Whenever I would be back there, I'd pick it up and noodle on it, as I really liked it. I have a penchant for Carvin 6 string basses, I haven't played one I didn't like!

Cut to 2007, Angel decided he wanted me to be the full time bass player for his band. I also needed a 5 or 6 string bass. As much as I love the Steinberger, it wasn't gonna cut it for this gig. Initially I borrowed a bass for rehearsal, but I knew I needed a full time addition to the arsenal. I had also been pining for my own Carvin 6 string bass for well over 10 years, and I figured this was a good a reason as any to try and get one.

I scoped Craigslist, eBay, etc., but to no avail. One day I stopped in Sam Ash, and was chatting with Avi, the tech, and I once again spotted this bass there. I told him I needed something like that. He told me that it was "never getting fixed" and that I should offer the store manager a small sum just to get rid of it, because it was a huge headache.

Ultimately, Carvin is a wholesale company. Since they don't have storefronts or middle men, they sell direct. But EVERYONE gets a "wholesale" price on their products. Avi had no problem doing the work on this bass, even as far back as 2004. But, Sam Ash corporate wouldn't allow him to get the parts unless they were given at a wholesale discount, since they were a music store. Carvin doesn't give any further discounts than what they offer to everyone, being wholesale already. Apparently for the past 3 years, this conflicted argument happened every month when inventory was re-evaluated, and he was quite sick of it.

I offered to eliminate the headache entirely buy buying the instrument in it's current condition. I managed to get the bass for literally 1/3 of what they wanted to sell it for (in working condition of course, but still). This was on a Monday. Literally by Thursday I had received the parts, and assembled the bass, and used it for rehearsal that night! Even still, I invested less than half of what Sam Ash would have had tried to sell it for!

This quickly became my workhorse bass. It looks great in pics, but is pretty dinged up when you look up close. Perfect for playing out with! It has an alder body, with a AAAA maple top and headstock, 5 piece maple/koa neck, and an ebony fingerboard. It has a new Carvin preamp, stock Carvin tuners, and a Hipshot bridge. The tone is very reminiscent of an active Fender Jazz, and it has quite a range as well. You can hear this bass almost exclusively on "The Speed Of Dark" and "Universal Language". (the bass solo in "Sea Of Heartbreak" and the sliding part in "An Erisian Autumn" are the only sections that are the fretless)

The tones from this bass are like the complete opposite of the tones from the fretless, and between the two I can pretty much conquer any bass tone or situation I can get my hands on!


-={E-Mail Jake}=-