Lawrence Singer's Collection

This is a very nice collection, covering a variety of instruments and options, and they're all left-handed.

Below is Larry's 2006 CT6T.  It's finished in deep triple step greenburst on quilted maple with a matching headstock.  The neck and body are mahogany.  It has a Wilkinson tremolo, black chrome hardware, Straploks, and abalone blocks on an ebony fingerboard fitted with stainless steel frets.  Pickups are C22s.  Larry says:

"A short time after I received my beautiful "Green Machine", the March/April Carvin catalogue came out. I had to do a double take for the featured guitar was a CT6T just like mine except it was a righty with dot inlays. There were dozens of comments on the discussion board remarking about the beauty of the green quilted guitar in the then new catalogue. I was so impressed with mine that I followed up by ordering not one but TWO more Carvins (DC400t & C66T)."

This is Larry's 2006 DC400T, which has a beautiful Claro walnut top on a walnut body with 5-piece maple and walnut neck.  It has gold hardware, and like Larry's CT, it has Straploks, a Wilkinson trem and abalone block inlays on ebony with SS frets.  Electronics consist of C22 pickups with phase switching and coil splitters. 

"This is my second Carvin guitar ordered shortly after I received and was thrilled with my first (CT6T). I opted to get the 400 rather then the 400W in order to get the sqared off edges as I play mostly sitting down and find it more stable this way (the W model has rounded edges standard. This guitar represented qite a few firsts for me. It is my first neck-thru, active, 24 fret guitar. I am enjoying all of the tonal variations of this truly beautiful guitar."

Last up is this interesting and unusual C66T (below), which Larry received in June of 2006.  It's one of the more unusual C66's that Carvin has built, and certainly stands out.  For starters, it's finished in Toner White, which at this time is one of those unofficial colors Carvin offers (like Dragonburst).  Only the top and headstock are finished in this color; the mahogany neck and guitar body are finished in clear gloss.  It has abalone blocks on an ebony fingerboard, gold hardware, Wilkinson tremolo and Straploks.  Electronics consist of C22 humbuckers and an AP11 center pickup, a standard 5 way switch with push/pull coil splitter, phase switch, and on/off switch for bridge pickup.  Larry says:

"This is my third Carvin since the first of the year and it is only June. This guitar represents the most non-standard deviations (options) on my Carvins thus far and I think the Carvin people did an excellent job. I wanted the 5 way switch to be just that and not to coil split as it does in the standard offering. Instead, I opted for a push/pull coil splitter as is standard on the Carved Top models. I also wanted an on/off switch for the bridge pup which, along with the 5 way, gives me an unlimited pup selection including all 3 on at once. I found out about the Toner White color from the discussion board as it is not yet listed as an option on the Carvin website. Instead of painting the entire body with the color, I went with an all mahogany body and neck in clear coat. I asked that the natural binding which would have been an off white color be eliminated to preserve the contrast between the Toner White and mahogany. They even reversed the polarity of the pots at n o extra charge to get the correct directional rotation for a lefty guitar. I think the Carvin people really outdid themselves on this one.  Great execution of a very difficult to handle color.  The guitar plays beautifully as I have come to expect from Carvin, and the richness and power of the tone is nothing short of amazing. Thanks Carvin for yet another masterpiece."

On the heels of the C66 above, Larry picked up this flamed koa CL450L in June of 2006, which was listed on the In-Stock section of Carvin.com.  In addition to the flamed koa top, it has a mahogany neck and body with binding and no inlays on the ebony fingerbaoed.  Larry says:

"Well, I did it again....Carvin number 4 since the first of the year. Ever since mikeymac took delivery of his beautiful black CL450, I have been thinking about getting one with Koa wood. I noticed the exact guitar I was thinking about believe it or not in the lefty in stock section. I called Moshe at the Hollywood store to ask him about nylon string guitars. He suggested since I had never played one that he could get it into the store so I could try it out.

I made up my mind after about three minutes. The acoustic sound was so unbelievable for such a thin bodied guitar. Plugged in the guitar sounded even more surprising. Full, rich smooth and mellow as you might expect from a classical type of guitar, yet if you attack it, the sound can have a surprising amount of punch. I am pleasantly surprised at how much I like this guitar. It sounds great, it feels great, is very easy to play but of course will take a little getting used to as it is a different animal.

On my way home from the store, I stopped off at my luthier's shop to have him look the new acquisition over. He and his assistant, both extremely knowledgeable technicians, said this amazing thin bodied classical sounded better acoustically and plugged in than many full bodied well known guitars out there. They both were amazed that Carvin could sell this quality guitar for the money they ask. They pointed out how every detail was top drawer even down to the very high end tuners."

This is Larry's latest addition - a Craig Chaquico signature CC275.  There aren't many of these floating around, and even fewer in a left-handed configuration.  It has a mahogany neck and body, finished in clear gloss with a flamed maple top.  It has gold hardware, and the CC275-specific abalone eagle inlays.  Larry says:

"So there I am at the Carvin 60th celebration having a great time, minding my own business when suddenly out of the corner of my eye I spy a beautiful new CC275 (lefty no less), hanging on the wall in the Carvin showroom. I had been thinking about this model for some time and there it was right in front of me. Yes it was a lefty, but it was strung for a righty. Moshe from the Hollywood store was working in San Diego that day and told me they would reverse the stringing for me at no charge if I wanted the guitar. After hearing Craig Chaquico playing this same model (his signature model), I was hooked.

This guitar is truly a unique animal. Kind of a halfway house between acoustics and electrics. It has a hollowed out body similar to an acoustic, but a neck-thru construction. It has a string-thru body instead of anchor pins, yet uses acoustic strings. It has active electronics, and an acoustic type transducer setup. It has, unlike any acoustic I know about, 24 frets with excellent access all the way up the neck. It has a neck more like an electric than an acoustic.

This guitar is so easy to play. Almost as easy as an electric. Plugged in the sound is nothing short of astounding. It is extremely big and full with superb articulation. What a truly unique experience it is to play this wonderful instrument and what a wonderful addition to my collection. This guitar plays and sounds like no other I've ever heard. Craig and Carvin hit the mark with this one!!!!"