1994 GUITARS

With the departure of the DC125 and DC145, the DC127 was paired up with the DC135 in the catalog, and while the DC125 and DC145 were no longer shown, they were almost certainly still available to order. These models were unchanged from 1993. Price on the DC127 dropped to $529 (or $599 with Wilkinson tremolo), and the DC135 dropped to $559 ($629 with Wilkinson tremolo). The catalog photo showed the DC127 in Tobacco Sunburst over koa with matching headstock, black hardware and Wilkinson tremolo, and the DC135 with tung-oiled koa body and neck, matching headstock, gold hardware and Wilkinson tremolo.

Brand new for 1994 (although officially, it was offered in the last catalog of 1993) was the TL60. The TL60 was modeled after the legendary Telecaster, but was seriously upgraded with Carvin's many Custom Shop options. The FT6 bridge and Sperzel locking tuners were standard, as were Carvin's other features, such as poplar body, maple neck-thru construction, graphite nut and ebony fingerboard. Standard electronics consisted of a pair of S60 single coil pickups, with volume and tone controls, series/parallel mini switch & 3 way lever-style pickup selector. The M22 pickup was optional in the bridge position. The base price on the new TL60 was $529, or $599 with Wilkinson tremolo. The catalog photo showed a TL60 in Jet Black with chrome hardware, M22 bridge pickup and Wilkinson tremolo, and in Tobacco Sunburst on quilted maple with gold hardware.

The DC200 and DC120 12-string were unchanged for 1994. The DC200 (with FT6 fixed bridge) dropped in price to $659, and the DC120 rose to $769. The catalog photo is from the Winter 1994 catalog, and showed the DC200 in gloss koa with gold hardware, and the DC120 in sapphire blue on quilt with gold hardware. In subsequent 1994 catalogs, the DC200 and DC400 would share the same page, and the DC120 would not be pictured.

The DC400 was also unchanged for 1994. The base price, with FT6 fixed bridge, dropped to $929. Base price on the DC400T, with Carvin-licensed Wilkinson tremolo, was $999. The catalog photo shown is from the Winter 1994 edition, and showed a DC400T in vintage yellow on flamed maple with chrome hardware, and a a DC400T in deep purple on quilt with gold hardware and reverse inline headstock.

New for 1994 were a pair of acoustic/electric guitars, one which would be a hit, one which would be a miss. The AC175 was Carvin's first effort at an acoustic/electric model, and it would be very popular with players, and would lead to several variations over the coming years. The body and neck were made of mahogany, and a clear flamed maple top was standard. Active electronics featured volume control, bass boost/cut and trebel boost cut. Spruce top with binding was optional, as was the 6-inline headstock. Price on the AC175 was $799. The AE150 was really a hybrid, rather than a totally new instrument. Although sold as an acoustic/electric, what it really was was a DC200-style guitar with an A60 piezo bridge, and modified controls to blend the A60 with the M22T and M22V pickups. Otherwise, specifications, construction and available options (except tremolo) were the same as the DC200. Price on the AE150 was $749. The AE150 wouldn't last as a model, but the piezo bridge option would be incorporated on many models in the future. The catalog photo showed the AC175 in clear flamed maple with gold hardware, and the AE150 in Tobacco Sunburst on koa with gold hardware.

Introduced at the end of 1994 was the AE185, which was an acoustic/electric semi-hollow guitar in the tradition of the SH225. This neck-thru guitar was made from mahogany with Engleman spruce top, mahogany neck and ebony fingerboard. Electronics consisted of an M22N and M22T pickup, and an F60 acoustic transducer pickup, with active electronics to control the lot. It also had dual out puts, so it could be plugged in with all 3 pickups, or just with the acoustic pickup. The base price of the AE185 was $799, plus $88 for the HC12 vintage tweed hardshell case. The catalog showed an AE185 with natural spruce top, body binding and gold hardware, and an AE185 in blueburst on flamed maple with inline headstock and chrome hardware.


1994 BASSES

The LB20 and LB70 remained the same as the '92 and '93 models. The catalog showed (probably) the same LB20, and a gorgeous tung-oiled Koa LB70. '93 base prices dropped $10 to $579 and $629. The HC17 ABS case for either model (or any other 1994 bass) was $70, and the HC18 vintage tweed hardshell case for either model was $98.

The BB75 and LB75 also remained unchanged in '94. The catalog featured an option-laden BB75F, showing what a truly decked-out model would look like, versus the bare-bones model shown in '93. The LB75 photo was the same finish, but a different instrument than the '93 catalog featured. Prices also dropped $10 on these models, to $799 for the BB75 and $699 for the LB75.

Like the rest of the line, the LB76 saw no significant changes. The base price on this model also dropped to $799, and the available cases were the same as the other models.