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[Steve Litcher]

Per their post on Facebook a while ago (@carvinaudio)

"To all our amazing Carvin Audio fans and friends,
It is with a heavy heart that we announce that the Carvin Audio factory will be closing its doors after over 70 years.
We are thankful for the many years we've had in this business and the support you all have given us.
We'd like to thank all of you for your devotion to our gear and championing us live, in the studio, and on social media. We hope to see our gear live on in your musical lives for many years to come!
Shortly, we will be making an announcement about our liquidation sale.
Thank you all!
The Carvin Audio Team"

[Jamin Lynch]

That's too bad. Some of their stuff was decent.

I guess it's survival of the fittest .

[Chris Hindle]

That's too bad. Some of their stuff was decent.

I guess it's survival of the fittest .

More like "survival of the cheapest" I fear.
I came across their gear from time to time, but never owned any myself.
In these parts, Peavey was what everyone started with.
Well, before the "Great Slide To The Bottom" started.

Sad to see them go.
Chris.

[Russ Davis]

Shortly, we will be making an announcement about our liquidation sale.

The sale is already in progress. 25% off everything for now. (carvinaudio.com)

[Tom Burgess]

Per their post on Facebook a while ago (@carvinaudio)

"To all our amazing Carvin Audio fans and friends,
It is with a heavy heart that we announce that the Carvin Audio factory will be closing its doors after over 70 years.
We are thankful for the many years we've had in this business and the support you all have given us.
We'd like to thank all of you for your devotion to our gear and championing us live, in the studio, and on social media. We hope to see our gear live on in your musical lives for many years to come!
Shortly, we will be making an announcement about our liquidation sale.
Thank you all!
The Carvin Audio Team"

Wow.  Never was crazy about their gear but I hate to see 'em go away.

[John Roberts {JR}]

I guess it's survival of the fittest .

Will the last man standing please turn out the lights. 

I am surprised there are as many brands left as there are. Many are just different badges on the same technology. As inefficiency gets squeezed out of manufacturing and distribution, the weakest brands will wither and disappear.

Companies actually creating new technology will always find a niche (or more).

JR

[David Buckley]

Will the last man standing please turn out the lights.

And you know who that last man that will remain standing is...

[John Roberts {JR}]

And you know who that last man that will remain standing is...

I know a few it won't be.  I am not smart enough to say who it will be, probably not who you are thinking, but he is sitting on top of the mountain right now. 

This is still a long game so I won't be around to declare you right or wrong.

JR

[Bob Leonard]

I know a few it won't be.  I am not smart enough to say who it will be, probably not who you are thinking, but he is sitting on top of the mountain right now. 

This is still a long game so I won't be around to declare you right or wrong.

JR

And the higher you sit the further you fall.

[Stephen Kirby]

They made a 2-10 bass cabinet that was really popular around here before neo speakers caught on.  Myron Dove (Santana and others) got a couple for local casuals where he had to lug things himself.  And they caught on really fast.  Sounded pretty darn deep and far better than their price would suggest.
Their guitars never had much cachet but were always perfectly fine instruments.  I know a few good players who used their basses.
Although they made some tube amplifiers for Steve Vai that were good at that thing.  Their solid state electronics couldn't keep up with the reliability of the slightly more expensive Peavey, or match the price points of the bottom dwellers.
Sad news that someone who was trying to do things well and build locally while competing on cost by selling direct couldn't make that business model work out.

[Jamin Lynch]

And the higher you sit the further you fall.

It seems the top dogs always land on their feet. 

[Craig Leerman]

There are many reason as to why Carvin is going out of business but I don't think it was the quality of their gear.

Growing up in Baltimore on the East coast I never really saw any of their stuff but I sure did drool over the Carvin catalog every year. Major artists like Allan Holdsworth and Steve Vai used their gear and had signature guitars. Frank Zappa had a few of their sound boards mounted in a mobile truck for recording.

I did a Road Test a few years ago on their TRX 3903 column system as was so impressed with it I bought the demo rig. The top cabinets were loaded with Faital Pro drivers.

About 4 years ago I got to do a factory tour. At that time both the guitars and audio were build in the same factory with one brother in charge of guitars and one in charge of the amps and PA side. The factory was clean, and well set up. Almost every part was made in house. Many of their workforce had been with them for years. I hope their employees land on their feet.

While the marketplace may have caused their downfall I suspect it was mostly the following:

*The brothers do not like each other and eventually split Carvin apart. One brother renamed the guitar side Kissel guitars after their family name. The other brother rebranded the audio as Carvin Audio. Instead of sharing the large warehouse and factory, about 3 years ago they split up with each brother taking his company to different facilities adding financial burden with moving and new building expenses.

*Carvin was not available everywhere. In the old days they had a catalog and a few California factory stores. Musicians like to get their hands on instruments and amps before buying them. Folks in the east were not going to buy a $900 guitar, tube amp or a set of PA speakers from a catalog (or later over the internet) without hearing them. They were always seen as a west coast company.

*While they switched to a dealer network about 4-5 years ago, they did not support their dealers well. I know, I was one. They didn't even reach out to dealers and give them first crack at liquidation. I learned about them going out of business the same as everybody else.

*They tried to go high end with an MI brand selling a line array as Carvin. While they did have an upscale brand called TCS, they let it slide into obscurity and did not update the website or gear offerings for the last 10-15 years on the TCS side. Pity as some of the TCS cabinets were pretty nice.

*Carvin did not advertise correctly. I don't think they even had a marketing person much less a department. At trade shows they would have separate booths for the guitars and PA stuff even when they were under the same banner. They were non existent in pro audio magazines.

I wish the best for their employees

[ProSoundWeb Community]