The Bolt kit is together, and I couldn't be happier. The wood is beautiful, the finish that the factory recommended is beautiful, the neck plays like a dream, and the pickups sound pretty good, all for around $530...

Here's what I ordered:

- Bolt-T kit
- Wilkinson Tremolo
- Sperzel tuners (US made!)
- Two AP11 single coils, one C22 humbucker at the bridge
- Walnut body, maple neck
- Black perloid pickguard
- Black hardware
- Hardshell case
- Dunlop Straploks

Appearance/assembly:

The hardest part about this guitar was the finishing part... not because tung oil is a difficult finish, but because of all the waiting involved coating and recoating the instrument! The finish came out fairly blemish-free, but I've still got a little bit more fine sanding to do to get rid of one or two tacky spots... WALNUT AND TUNG OIL IS A BEAUTIFUL COMBO. Four coats, and this body was ready to go!

Once the finish was done, the entire thing assembled quickly and efficiently. The neck pocket was perfect for fit and finish. The electronics went in super easy, as well. Carvin makes all of their pickguards for the kits pre-wired, and includes wire nuts to crimp your only two or three leads together (the jack to the electronics, and the ground from the tremelo claw).

Playability:

Smooth, man. Real smooth. I've always loved tung oiled necks, and this one in no exception. Soundgear02 came over and helped me do the setup and assembly work, and he managed to set the action super low. I finished the intonation after he left, and it was off to the races!

The neck feels a wee bit wider and thicker than my SC90, so it may take a little getting used to. But beyond that, the ebony fretboard plays like a dream! Bends never fret out, and the sucker even responds to tapping fairly well!

The trem is possibly the nicest one I've ever used. I once owned a JS-100 with a Floyd Rose trem that I traded to Soundgear02, and I just couldn't live with the whole double locking nut thing. Too much setup work. With this guitar, we just dropped her in, adjusted the saddles, and we were ready to rock! The action on the trem is really smooth, just as smooth as the Floyd was. It's only a one way trem, but that's really all I need. That trem with the Sperzels makes for an excellent playing surface that RARELY goes out of tune, even with new strings and flagrant whammy abuse! If I even get another trem, it's going to be one of these!

Sound:

I've never truly enjoyed single coils in the five years I've been playing. They never really had enough definition for me, so I've always been really in the humbucker camp. This guitar has changed my mind. The two AP11s on this guitar are completely smooth and buttery. They react really well to the tone knob, a lot better than I actually expected with my solid state amp. I was getting excellent, super playable tones in no time!

The humbucker at the bridge... well... I'm going to have to swap it out. I really didn't want to drop the extra $50 for a Holdsworth or M22 humbucker, but I REALLY wish I had right now. Maybe its the walnut that makes it sound so brittle, but I really doubt it. Especially with the AP11s sounding so full! It's just way to thin at the bridge. I play a lot of rock, metal, and jazz, and I've got to have a big bottom on the bridge humbucker... if I was doing country, this would be an awesome pickup, but it just doesn't have any body at all... the only upside to this pickup: they included a coil splitter, and it sounds okay at position two (or is it four?).

In short: AP11s kick ass. C22s.... BAH. I'd get better tone and body with another single coil.

Customer Service:

As a lot of people already know, I had a small problem with the service. When I ordered the kit, the gentleman I talked to (don't remember his name) told me that they would finish the body and neck for no extra charge. This was fine by me, since I live in an apartment, and I can't finish it outside at the moment. The joys of living in Alaska. Anyway, it came unfinished. I don't know who dropped the ball on it still, but I really don't care.

I called back the day after receiving the kit, and played phone tag with about four or five departments until I finally got Albert, the guitar tech. He offered to let me send it back for a finish, but I REALLY wanted the sucker together. I just asked him several finish questions, and he was dead on every time! Heck, he even e-mailed me later after reading my posts on the boards! Now THAT'S a good follow-up!

Overall:

Probably the best $500 I've ever spent on a guitar. Ever. It was just as much fun to assemble as it is to play! If you have $350 laying around, order up a basic one and find out for yourself! If this guitar was stolen, I'd undoubtedly order another... but I'd be tracking down the scuzz with a baseball bat, make no mistake about that. Carvin STILL has the best value in an instrument anywhere!