# NGD: Carvin HH1 (56k = HOLDS on, it's WORTH the wait, don't lose your head)



## gunshow86de (Apr 17, 2012)

Here's my newest edition, the Carvin HH1. I could bore you to death, writing sentence after sentence about how awesome I think this guitar is (and you won't even read it). Instead, I'll let the pictures do the talking (but feel free to ask questions ).








































































SPECS:

HH1 - Allan Holdsworth Headless Guitar 
Right Handed
XS Tremolo 
Gunmetal Gray Metallic 
Clear Gloss Finish (Standard) 
Maple Neck/Alder Body (Standard) 
5-Piece Maple Neck w/ 2 Walnut Stripes
Tung Oil Finish Back Of Neck (Natural Wood)
Birdseye Maple Fingerboard (Tung-Oiled)
Dot Inlays (Standard) 
Stainless Jumbo Frets .055" H .110" W
20in Fretboard Radius (Standard) 
Black Hardware (Standard) 
H22T Bridge Pickup (Standard) 
Black Coils w/ Black Bezels (Standard)
Drop Shadow Logo White on Black 
Dunlop Straplocks 
Black Tolex Hardshell Guitar Case


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## Lagtastic (Apr 17, 2012)

Sweet, I bet that thing is comfortable. That is a nice fretboard.


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## technomancer (Apr 17, 2012)

That is hot 

Great color / wood combo


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## LtdRay (Apr 17, 2012)

I have a question to all people who owns a guitar like this what draws this to these no headstock guitar? also that looks really nice


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## Empryrean (Apr 17, 2012)

sir gunshow, I hate/envy you now


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## gunshow86de (Apr 17, 2012)

LtdRay said:


> I have a question to all people who owns a guitar like this what draws this to these no headstock guitar?



Besides aesthetic, I suppose it is mostly because it's more "ergonomical" than a standard guitar (though this model would need a different body style to be a true ergo guitar).

This is the first headless guitar I have ever owned or played, but I really like it so far. I'm really enjoying doing vibrato without the weight of the headstock; it feels like I can get somehow more expressive with it (or at least different). 

I'll also concur with what Jack said on here (and what other HH owners are saying on the Carvin BBS), this thing sustains for days.


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## themike (Apr 17, 2012)

Not my style but that maple is fucking GORGEOUS


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## HighGain510 (Apr 17, 2012)

That. Is. Awesome.  Any chance of a vid of this thing pleeeease?


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## sell2792 (Apr 17, 2012)

How's the trem on these things? That guitar is killer.


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## drgordonfreeman (Apr 17, 2012)

Awesome. 

So, how do you string it?


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## yellowv (Apr 17, 2012)

I love it. Man those are tempting.


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## Indigenous (Apr 17, 2012)

Yeah video footage is in order, methinks.


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## gunshow86de (Apr 17, 2012)

HighGain510 said:


> Any chance of a vid of this thing pleeeease?





Indigenous said:


> Yeah video footage is in order, methinks.



I might actually try a video, but I'll have to borrow my Mom's camera (oh god does that sound pathetic). I'm definitely going to record a clip this weekend. I'm trying to dial in a Holdworth sounding patch on the POD HD right now. No, I'm not going to embarrass myself by trying to play one of Mr. Holdsworth's songs (unless the first 5 bars of City Nights counts, I got that on lock ). Maybe another headless artist is appropriate? I used to know a few random bits from Traced in Air, so maybe I'll cover a Cynic solo or something like that.


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## warhead78 (Apr 17, 2012)

Your guitar's been decapitated!! Looks killer bro


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## gunshow86de (Apr 17, 2012)

drgordonfreeman said:


> Awesome.
> 
> So, how do you string it?



It came with single-ball strings. I've got some double balls ready to go on it, but why waste a brand new set of strings?

Tuning is actually quite simple. You just; flip the locking switch, tune the individual strings, un-lock, and then adjust the spring tension (the big wheel) until it is back in tune.


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## Ironbird (Apr 18, 2012)

Ha, you should've written sentences upon sentences about how awesome it is, I would've read it. But then again, I am a writer, so I'm naturally inclined to read everything I see.

Anyway, I digress. That is one killer axe! Stunning.


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## bob123 (Apr 18, 2012)

Action's far too high to be playable, and thats an ugly maple board you got....


...... trollface.jpg  

Thats AWESOME man!!!! The only thing I would have done to it, have the fret board rounded!


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## Imalwayscold (Apr 18, 2012)

Looks nice man! One thing though, does the trem bar not get in the way of the controls somewhat?


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## elrrek (Apr 18, 2012)

Offfttttt. The only thing I don't like about that is that the neck heel is painted, I would have preferred to see the neck completely paint free (the recent Charvel Desolation series have that wrong too).

Other than that, looks amazing and very cool. Maple board FTW!

EDIT: and it's super annoying that these things are so dam cheap in the US and so damn expensive in Euro-land!!!


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## BlindingLight7 (Apr 18, 2012)

Whats up with the tiny whammy bar?


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## Quitty (Apr 18, 2012)

Damn, that's sexy.
And it means you might be able to order a headless head-thing from Carvin - if only for a sixer.

How are you feeling that neck heel? It's the only thing that seems a bit uncomfortable...


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## Indigenous (Apr 18, 2012)

BlindingLight7 said:


> Whats up with the tiny whammy bar?



It's a Holdsworth trem bar. He prefers them really short, and it's an option you can choose when speccing out your guitar with Carvin.


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## HighGain510 (Apr 18, 2012)

Random picture request, could you post a clear shot of the truss rod area please?  Thanks for all the pics dude, that thing looks AWESOME!  GAS levels rising...


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## BlindingLight7 (Apr 18, 2012)

HighGain510 said:


> Random picture request, could you post a clear shot of the truss rod area please?  Thanks for all the pics dude, that thing looks AWESOME!  GAS levels rising...









This might be worth a look.


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## HighGain510 (Apr 18, 2012)

BlindingLight7 said:


> This might be worth a look.



Nope, I've seen the ones posted by Carvin already. I was hoping for a straight on shot so I could see how deep the truss rod nut is in the truss rod channel.


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## ShadyDavey (Apr 18, 2012)

Damn.....very nice and a great colour scheme. 

Want!


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## MF_Kitten (Apr 18, 2012)

Man! that's awesome! 

i'm glad to hear they are compatible with dingle-ball strings, that was one of my worries with these. I hate the idea of not being able to use whatever the hell kind of string i want on my guitars. How is the tuning range on it when using single ball ends, do you think? 

Also, these come in a fixed bridge version too, correct? do those take single ball strings as well?


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## gunshow86de (Apr 18, 2012)

Imalwayscold said:


> Looks nice man! One thing though, does the trem bar not get in the way of the controls somewhat?



Not for me. The great thing about this arm is that it doesn't spin. Put it out of the way when you don't need it and it will actually stay there. 



BlindingLight7 said:


> Whats up with the tiny whammy bar?





Indigenous said:


> It's a Holdsworth trem bar. He prefers them really short, and it's an option you can choose when speccing out your guitar with Carvin.



It was originally supposed to be an option, but mine shipped with both the long and short arms. I like the way the short arm looks and stays out of the way, but it is more difficult to do any serious trem usage and really control it. Anyone who has taken physics knows that, regarding levers, it takes less force to move something the farther away you move from the fulcrum.



HighGain510 said:


> Random picture request, could you post a clear shot of the truss rod area please?



Oh, I guess. 



MF_Kitten said:


> How is the tuning range on it when using single ball ends, do you think?
> 
> Also, these come in a fixed bridge version too, correct? do those take single ball strings as well?



No clue about tuning range, but I suppose you are limited to whatever the maximum tension the counter spring can take. You could probably go even further than that, but you would have to keep the bridge locked.

Yes, the fixed bridge will take single-ball strings. It has the same headpiece as the trem.


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## ThePhilosopher (Apr 18, 2012)

Can I play it?


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## Shannon (Apr 18, 2012)

KILLER! Only a few more weeks until my dragonburst DTS flame HH2X gets here.


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## Alberto7 (Apr 18, 2012)

Every time I think about getting a new 6 string, these come to mind. And yours is making me want one right this instant. Pretty guitar! It looks like it could be quite a workhorse.

Congratulations!


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## gunshow86de (Apr 22, 2012)

Tried to get a shot of the truss-rod for Matt (HighGain510), didn't turn out so hot.  But to answer your question, the truss rod nut sits right at the end of the neck. Basically, it's right where the metal on the headpiece ends on the backside. It's very accessible.





Snapped a few quick comparison photos so you guys can see how tiny it really is.


























Sitting in my rack, but just barely. 





Strapped on;


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## scherzo1928 (Apr 22, 2012)

Dat board! 



MF_Kitten said:


> dingle-ball strings,


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## Indigenous (Apr 22, 2012)

You are making the wait for mine seem much, much longer. Also, post some videos, prease.


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## DoomJazz (Apr 22, 2012)

Typical DoomJazz question:

How low is that action, sir?


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## gunshow86de (Apr 23, 2012)

DoomJazz said:


> Typical DoomJazz question:
> 
> How low is that action, sir?



It's already quite low, but it could probably go lower. I haven't checked how much relief Carvin set from the factory. I wonder if I could set this perfectly flat?


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## DoomJazz (Apr 23, 2012)

gunshow86de said:


> It's already quite low, but it could probably go lower. I haven't checked how much relief Carvin set from the factory. I wonder if I could set this perfectly flat?



FUCK YEAH. Putting one on order NOW. ...well soon...


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## MF_Kitten (Apr 23, 2012)

scherzo1928 said:


> Dat board!



Definitely keeping that there, hahahahaha! 

Also, the pics keep giving me GAS, and the pic of the two cases made me laugh.


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## MF_Kitten (Apr 23, 2012)

It won't let me check in norway, but what is the price for a totally standard 2 humbucker one with fixed bridge and no bells and whistles, just straightforward cheapest options all the way through?


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## Indigenous (Apr 23, 2012)

MF_Kitten said:


> It won't let me check in norway, but what is the price for a totally standard 2 humbucker one with fixed bridge and no bells and whistles, just straightforward cheapest options all the way through?



Comes up as 1200USD for me, plus shipping and the case, of course. I wouldn't recommend just plain though. The stock top is birch, and it just wouldn't do it justice.


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## MF_Kitten (Apr 24, 2012)

Indigenous said:


> Comes up as 1200USD for me, plus shipping and the case, of course. I wouldn't recommend just plain though. The stock top is birch, and it just wouldn't do it justice.



ah, of course, it's hollow... hmm...

Thanks for price checking for me!


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## gunshow86de (Apr 24, 2012)

Indigenous said:


> I wouldn't recommend just plain though. The stock top is birch, and it just wouldn't do it justice.



Mine has the stock body woods and it sounds beautiful. Mr. Holdsworth and Carvin didn't pick out the wood combination arbitrarily. Of course, if you are talking about the aesthetics of a trans finish on birch, well then........ carry on....


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## gunch (Apr 24, 2012)

solid colors are nicer than crazy tops anyways for high-tech guitars such as headlesses

IMO

DONT HIT ME

The ridiculously small body sort of throws me but I still want one.


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## MF_Kitten (Apr 24, 2012)

i would want a purple satin one myself. or a white satin one.


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## Jack Secret (Apr 24, 2012)

The logo looks like it's been etched into the wood. Awesome.


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## maxitrane (May 4, 2012)

Hi ! nice hh1 ,As would be the price if I buy the HH1, directly from Carvin guitars? I live in Chile and I have the chance to travel to USA and buy it there, I need to find out prices and stuff, i hope you can help me, thanks! 
pd: sorry for my english is really bad hahaha


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## 0 Xero 0 (May 4, 2012)

That's awesome. I've been very curious about these since they came out. HNGD! ... Where's that video at?


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## veshly (May 4, 2012)

Oh man, I'm really interested in one of these but the neck shape is keeping me back from really taking the plunge...


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## MrHelloGuitar (May 6, 2012)

Question! What's the neck profile like? I hear the profiles on other Holdsworth models are chunky.


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## gunshow86de (May 6, 2012)

MrHelloGuitar said:


> Question! What's the neck profile like? I hear the profiles on other Holdsworth models are chunky.



In terms of thickness, it's about the same as Gibson's 60's carve. So, compared to an Ibanez or ESP, it is chunky. However, it's not like vintage Fenders or the Gibson 50's neck. I find it to be quite comfortable, and the 20" radius gives it back that "shredder feel."


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## MrHelloGuitar (May 6, 2012)

gunshow86de said:


> In terms of thickness, it's about the same as Gibson's 60's carve. So, compared to an Ibanez or ESP, it is chunky. However, it's not like vintage Fenders or the Gibson 50's neck. I find it to be quite comfortable, and the 20" radius gives it back that "shredder feel."



Sexay. I might get the HH2 instead of the H2.. Hmmm.


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## Galius (May 12, 2012)

Great looking guitar! I found this when looking for this finish to see what my DC800 will look like. Looks exactly like I was hoping!


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