DC727s and your opinion?

[Lobotomized]

I'm in the process of trying to acquire a 7 string and have had my eyes on a DC727.

From the looks of it a lot of people here seem to really dig them, but From others I've heard the construction is shoddy and that they aren't worth the money?

Would like to hear some feedback from some current owners. Pros and Cons?

Thanks!

 

[Zerox8610]

I'm in the process of trying to acquire a 7 string and have had my eyes on a DC727.

From the looks of it a lot of people here seem to really dig them, but From others I've heard the construction is shoddy and that they aren't worth the money?

Would like to hear some feedback from some current owners. Pros and Cons?

Thanks!

I have yet to hear anything bad about Carvin. Just "Do it, you won't regret it"

 

[jaretthale78]

the only con i can think of are the pickups. there not for everybody, there really great for jazz and sound very smooth but not a whole lot of output.

 

[Zonk Knuckle]

From others I've heard the construction is shoddy and that they aren't worth the money?

I think they were talking about Agile.

The worst thing I've heard about the Carvin 7 strings is that the licensed floyd rose they use easily runs out of intonation room, so you pretty much have to use no bigger than a .054" and keep it in standard tuning.

Also the pickup routes aren't made to allow you to easily install different pickups if you choose to do so.

The only thing keeping me from buying one is the tremolo issue, since I have to have a tremolo, and I would want to put a .070" on there and drop it to A.

Carvin makes some of the best playing guitars you can get.

 

[Edika]

I have a DC747 and I am very happy with it. I bought mine used so there was not any problem with different specs that I heard some people were getting (nothing to serious though and always cosmetic). This seems to occur when ordering by phone and when asking for options 50.

What I will recommend if you decide to buy a Carvin with a trem is to take the locking nut option. Sperzels and graphite nut can hold tuning for vibrato and slight bends but if you do more abusive tricks then you are in for retuning. The Carvin stock pups can do most genres quite well. It took me two years to decide to swap them. Truth is that if you want to play super tight high gain stuff you will get mud in the B string and would require a really tight amp.
Concerning durability I have had this guitars for 2 and half years and the previous owner had it for at least 4 years. It has no major problems (had to glue the nut when I received it, change the pots because they were loose but still working and change one Sperzel but it was a used guitar), the tremolo is still working, the action is low and the neck is very comfortable.

 

[spaghettipomodoro]

Wonderful guitar

http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/se...dc-727-claro-walnut-content-pic-heavyish.html

 

[Clydefrog]

I adore mine, but am in the process of selling it because I just think the DC700 would be more fitting for me.

 

[illimmigrant]

I've had my DC 727 since September and I love it. I come from playing Ibanez guitars, which made the neck feel thick at first, but I got used to it pretty quickly. I thought Carvin's service over the phone was great. I had my guitar already spec'd out when I called them, and all I did was read off the order I had priced out on their site. I did not do any option 50's because a lot of people have had issues with those. I would love to change the pickups just to see how big a difference it would make, but the guitar sounds great stock. The pickups are not THAT bad. When I first plugged it in, I could immediately tell how much bigger it sounded. I thought it looked stunning and I'd definitely get another one if I could. My guitar arrived the day they said it would ship. It was well set up, with absolutely no visual flaws other than a tad bit of glue resin on the side of the fretboard around the 15th fret or so. It took me about a week to even notice it.
Yes, the electronics are different, and the body not routed for aftermarket pickups, so the stock ones are not as easy to replace, but plenty of people have done it without issues, so that should not hold you back from getting a Carvin.
Thumbs up.

 

[MikeAlustrium]

I also have a DC727. Like any guitar your going to get some good ones and some bad ones. Me, (and the people I know) have WONDERFUL instruments. Never have I played before a guitar that felt more like an extension of my body then my carvin but that is just my input. aftermarket pups need to have the base plate shaved down but any local tech can do that.

 

[Lobotomized]

Thanks for all the responses guys! You basically have me sold, I'll be going down the Carvin Shop in the next week or so (Luckily I don't live too far away) to check them out and if so I'll make my purchase right there.

What does "Option 50" mean exactly? Sorry for the stupid question.

 

[Zonk Knuckle]

Option 50 is what they call anything that isn't normally offered, but they'll do anyway. If you get an option 50, and you end up not liking it, you're not allowed to return it though. For example, having the back of the guitar natural finish, and the top stained is an option 50.

 

[progmetalhead]

Eh, I have mixed feelings about my Carvin, which I am now in the process of selling. In terms of aesthetics, they really can't be beat outside of getting a full custom. Their quilts are insane. However, I never fell in love with the tone; if I had it to do all over again, I'd explore other wood options aside from the alder body / maple neck stock combo. Maybe that would help, since a pickup swap (to Dimarzios) didn't. Also, the f'in Floyd. This tremolo has been a nightmare from day one to year five. It refuses to stay in tune, and is just terrible. I don't think I'll ever bother with a tremolo again after this experience.

 

[Lobotomized]

I feel you man. I plan on getting a Mahogany Wings/Neck Combo, with a Spalted Maple top, and depending on if I want to risk it would I be able to get an Option 50 to have a Hipshot bridge installed instead of theirs?

I plan on getting rid of their pickups anyway, I'm looking more at the Dc700 now since the routing will work for aftermarkets?

 

[Alpenglow]

I haven't played one but a friend of mine has owned several and has nothing but good things to say. I ordered a DC700 about a month ago. I haven't seen anything negative outside of small pickup routes and Floyd Rose issues while downtuning.

 

[WiseSplinter]

They really do make finely crafted instruments, could not be happier with mine. That said, i would love to try one with a 20" radius, but have not yet had the opportunity.

 

[bvdrummer]

I feel you man. I plan on getting a Mahogany Wings/Neck Combo, with a Spalted Maple top, and depending on if I want to risk it would I be able to get an Option 50 to have a Hipshot bridge installed instead of theirs?

I plan on getting rid of their pickups anyway, I'm looking more at the Dc700 now since the routing will work for aftermarkets?

I have a 2 year old DC727 and I love it - it's a great guitar. Make sure you get stainless steel frets - they're awesome!

You can ask, but I'm pretty sure they would not give you a non-stock bridge. Most Option 50s that I've seen are things that they can do pretty easily - like make a guitar with just a bridge pickup and a single volume control, or putting a quilted maple on the back of the guitar as well as the front. Things like installing nonstandard hardware or pickups though - they usually won't do that.

Their standard fixed bridge on the DC727 is nice though. And you can get that on the DC700 too. All the pics of the 700 show the TOM bridge, but they recently added it as an option to get the other fixed bridge on the 700.

As for the pickups - I really like their stock C26 passive pickups, but I know there are a lot of mixed reviews on those. I haven't heard anyone who doesn't like their new active soapbars though. I think either way you should give the stock pickups a chance before swapping them out right away.

One thing you should know about the actives on the 700 - the preamp for the pickups is board mounted with the volume and tone knob so if you want to switch to EMGs or whatever, you will also have to replace the volume and tone pots and rewire the controls. At least it won't be a permanent mod though.

 

[fps]

Mine's been my main guitar for like 8 years now and I continue to love it. I think they're great instruments.

 

[the.godfather]

The words 'Carvin', 'shoddy' & 'construction' are words I've never heard together. You must be thinking of Agile or someone else. The only slight negative point I've heard about Carvin ever is the pickups. And switching out the pickups isn't exactly a massive deal now. Apart from that one minor thing they are fantastic fantastic instruments.

My DC727 should be ready 5th March...can't wait!

 

[Jason_Clement]

I want one with a mahogany body and ebony fretboard. Probably undoable?

 

[trippled]

Personally I didn't like the carvin 7 I've tried that much.

The trem felt bad\cheap to me, the neck wasn't as slick and comfortable as the 6 string version, the guitar did sound good actually, but the trem\neck killed it for me.

It didn't feel like a well put up instrument, lacked in the ergonomics department IMHO.

FWIW, the sixers were amazing, it seems like they didn't put enough thought into bringing the same playability into the 7 string.