If you learned to play in the '90s, you were probably on the Carvin mailing list. And if you ever thumbed through the catalog, you were probably blown away by the breadth of custom options available and the reasonable prices. In those days, Carvin offered high-quality instruments with a range of specs, hardware, and customizations you wouldn't find from the bigger names.
The LB-70 was one of Carvin's active electric bass designs, and it was made with a wide range of different specs and features. This Carvin LB-70 was made in the mid '90s, and it has a 34" scale length with a through-body neck design. This iteration of the LB-70 was modeled after high-end active basses, which in the '90s were often constructed from many different pieces of fine hardwoods. The neck is a 5-piece with two dark strips of hardwood running through the middle. The body wings each have a gorgeous quilted Maple top and plain Maple back with a layer of dark hardwood in between. When you take it all into account, some impressive woodworking went into this bass. Three decades later, it feels solid and well put together.
For pickups, this LB-70 has two J style pickups that are connected to an active EQ. As you blend the two together and dig into the three-band EQ, you unlock a wide range of sounds. From there, this LB-70 has gold tuning machines and gold control knobs—stylish touches to match the fine woods.
This 1990s LB-70 is in nice condition, and it plays well with low action and tape-wound strings. Because of the neck joint, it's feels smooth and easy to stretch out across the 24-fret neck. There are some general signs of play and use, and the bass has a few scuffs along the edges of the peghead (see photos). It is currently set up for Dunlop-style strap locks, and it includes a molded plastic hardshell case case