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          Instrument Review

               Carvin Cobalt C850 Acoustic Electric Guitar

Carvin C850 Features:

  The market for this type of guitar is extremely competitive to say the least. Just do a search on acoustic electric guitar on the internet and you will find that you get back over 2 million places to go and visit that reference acoustic electric guitars! Fortunately, if one is in the market for a mid priced, high quality instrument, the choices begin to narrow significantly. Carvin has placed this particular model directly in competition with models in the street price range of $500-800.00 from most major manufacturers. Mid priced acoustic electric guitars are quite popular, because they generally sound good, and are convenient for use both live plugged into a PA, and for recording directly into a console.

  This model follows a trend that companies have been getting into, where they build the guitars in a reputable foreign factory (in this case Korea), and then do the final setup and quality control in their American location. The list price stated on Carvin's website for the C850 is $1340.00 with the guitar being actually priced at $669.00 plus $98.00 for a hard-shell case with Carvin's name embossed in it (required purchase). So for a total of $767.00 you can have this guitar plus shipping. Sometimes there are special offers such as a discounted case, free shipping, or $70.00 off the guitar's price. What can you have in this range from other manufacturers? Well basically a guitar with the same types of materials and similar electronics...But the way a guitar plays and feels, and the way a guitar sounds both plugged in and unplugged, and the quality of construction all have a bearing on our opinion when we review here at H.O.W.I.

Construction

Let me say that this guitar came straight out of the case and I could tell right away it was put together with care. It had a weighty solid feel. When I looked at the glue points inside of the body, everything was nearly perfect. No drips, no runs, no errors. The trim around the neck and body was smooth. The inlays were perfectly done, and the gloss finish was applied very evenly and looked great. The Grover tuners were adjusted well and operated quite smoothly. Somebody took some time to take care here. The frets were also cut evenly, and I did not feel any burrs or problem areas on either side of the neck. This guitar was so clean that it took me by surprise. I figured I would find some glaring flaw somewhere in the construction, but could not find anything worth mentioning. I've looked at quite few guitars in the last few years, and must say that the construction here is right up there with guitars listing out at over $2000.00. The Rosewood on the back and the inlays running up the middle of the back are particularly nice, and the AA solid spruce top is gorgeous.

Playability

Carvin makes statements on their promotional materials and website that give the impression that these guitars, and in fact the entire Cobalt series are given special attention and care to their playability. If you look at reviews, and talk to people who've played a Cobalt, usually they rave about the guitar's feel and the way it plays. The guitar we tested was pretty impressive. The action right out of the case was perfect for most styles of playing except for really hard playing. The action was quite low right from the factory. It was much lower than the Martin D16RGTE we tested recently, which was in Martin's specs, but way to high for most players comfort. Maybe there really is something to Carvin's Rapid Play™ low action neck. Action this low could cause buzzing for some players, but the C850 guitar could be adjusted and setup to your liking by a competent luthier or guitar tech. For me though, the C850 was a joy to play, and several hours later, my left hand was not hurting at all. So the action was perfect for my style of playing, which is mostly chording all over the neck under the 12th fret, with some finger-picking and some lead. This guitar was similar in feel to some Taylors and Martins I've played with the smaller width at the nut. If you want a wide neck at the nut, then you might want to look at a guitar from Martin, or another manufacturer with more options in that area than Carvin currently offers with the Cobalt series.

Sound Unplugged

The tone of this guitar is strong even before it has aged. The bass was deep like a dreadnought should be, but not overpowering, and not quite as powerful as the Martin D16RGTE we recently reviewed (at over twice the price for admission). The mids were not overly pronounced but just about right, and the treble tones were balanced without being glaring and shrill sounding. The Elixir strings probably help in the mid and treble area, but I believe they are really a matter of taste. Some people swear by them, and some people think they are too bright sounding and swear at them! In my experience, it is a good idea to try a guitar with various brands and sizes of strings before falling in love with one brand or type. In this price range, this guitar is stiff competition for the other manufacturers in the area of unplugged sound no matter what strings are used. It definitely can compete and even blow away some guitars costing the same amount, and even compete with guitars costing much more.

Sound Plugged In

The C850 comes standard with the Fishman Matrix pickup, and Prefix Plus system. A nice setup to say the least. You have full control with a volume control, notch filter, bass, contour, treble, and brilliance slider that really changes the bite of the sound. There is also a frequency adjustment. I used this guitar in several Praise and Worship settings and got positive comments on the sound from other players that were in the band or in the crowd every time I played it through a PA system. The notch filter is a great feature to have when playing live with microphones near the guitar. If feedback starts, you can quickly find the offending frequency and get rid of it. There is also a phase switch, and a low battery light. The battery is housed inside the Fishman system, and the whole face flips up to reveal the battery which can be changed very easily. Much better than the old systems where you had to loosen the strings, or de-string the guitar just to get at the battery inside the body! The sound is about as good as your gonna get without moving to a mic/pickup combo system or maybe Taylor's Expression system which some like and some don't. Mic/pickup combo systems are also controversial, because they can cause feedback problems if you are playing live with a mic or monitor close to the guitar. Some people prefer them, because you can get a mic'd guitar sound which is impossible without one unless you stick a mic in front of the guitar. When playing live, many people prefer the type of system that is in the C850, for ease of use, and the fact that they are less feedback prone.

Conclusion

 The Carvin C850 is quite a nice guitar. There isn't much to gripe about in any area. Die hard acoustic fans who are fans of all solid wood guitars, will probably wish the guitar had all solid wood construction on the sides. Remember though, we are talking about a price point that pretty much would make that impossible without cutting quality in some other area. I think this is a nice package. As it ages, it is only gonna sound better with the AA Grade solid spruce top. If you want a boomier guitar, then you'll need to check out a Jumbo model, or maybe a more expensive Martin dreadnought; but this guitar was very well balanced, clean, and a pleasure to play. Carvin has a money back guarantee, so you can try one out without any worries; and all Carvin Cobalt series guitars have a 5 year warranty against manufacturing defects. I would suggest trying one, and comparing it to other brands in the same price range. In my book, the C850 ranks right at the top of desirable guitars in the under $1000.00 price range. Definitely worth a look.

                                                                                                                            by William Charles

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Last modified: 02/06/08