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Digitized and archived for search, history, and product lineage.
Browse the original 1959.
Key products, features, and themes you’ll see in this issue.
Amplifiers and Pickup Systems
Carvin devotes major space to amplification and electronic pickup design, underscoring that it was selling complete electric performance systems. The 12-C continues as a compact professional combo, while the 28-212-B, 15-8-B, and 8-12-A move into higher-output hi-fi territory with Jensen woofers, mid-range/tweeter combinations, tremolo, and 5881 or 6L6 power sections. The pickup pages further stress Carvin’s technical identity, especially the AP-series adjustable-pole designs that are explicitly tied to artist use.
Artist / Endorser Association
Harold Hensley - associated with the Model #12-C amplifier endorsement. Billy Mize - associated with the multi-neck steel guitar section, especially triple-neck steel promotion. Joe Maphis - associated with the Model #6-SGB professional guitar, Carvin amplifiers, and the AP-6 pickup family. Larry Collins - associated with the AP-6 pickup endorsement and artist-use positioning alongside Joe Maphis.
Steel Guitars and Tone-Changer Models
The 1959 catalog remains heavily defined by steel guitar products. Carvin offers entry-to-professional single-neck six- and eight-string steels, then expands into tone-changer instruments, double-neck consoles, and triple-neck steels. These pages emphasize eastern rock maple bodies, molded hardware, Alnico pickups, chrome leg systems, and home-study support. The tone-changer section is especially important because it shows Carvin presenting mechanical tuning flexibility as a core innovation for serious players.
Solid-Body, Bass, Mandolin, and Spanish Instruments
The 1959 catalog makes clear that Carvin was no longer only a steel guitar company. Electric basses, double-neck crossover instruments, solid-body guitars, electric mandolins, Spanish electrics, cutaways, and flat-top electric models all receive dedicated space. This broader instrument range, combined with accessories and parts, shows Carvin evolving into a full electric string-instrument brand with strong appeal to players crossing between country, rockabilly, western swing, and amplified popular music.
Searchable index of model numbers extracted from this issue.
A digitized archival scan from the Carvin catalog timeline.
Year: 1959
Carvin, Carvin Musical Instruments, Carvin Co., DeArmond, Martin, C. F. Martin, Amperite, Electromonica, Jensen, Joe Maphis, Larry Collins, Billy Mize, Harold Hensley, Terlinde, Del Principe.
1954 Carvin Catalog, vintage Carvin, guitar amplifiers, bass amplifiers, electric Hawaiian guitar, steel guitar, tube amplifier, Baldwin Park California
Carvin Models: Model #6DHG-5B, Model #6DHG-6B, Model #8DHG-5B, Model #8DHG-6B, Model #484-B Case, Model #486 Case, Model #12-C, Model #7-BG, Model #8-BG, Model #2-SGA, Model #2-BG Case, Model #51, APB-4, Model #4-BS, Model #5-BS, Model #6-CBS Case, Model #1-MS, Model #2-MS, Model #3-CMS Case, Model #3-SGB, Model #4-SGB, Model No. 2-SGC, Model #6-SGB, Model #3-SGC Case, Model #1-MB, Model #2-MB, Model #1-MA, Model #1-SGB, Model #2-SGB, No. 140, Model #6-B, Model #8-B, Model #9-B, Model #2-B Case, No. 44, No. 12, No. 65, No. 17, No. 14 Case, Model No. 6512, Model No. 1735, Case No. 2, Model #80C, Model #60C, Model #607, Model #52 Case, Model #6 Six-String Changer, Model #51-B Case, Model #8 Eight-String Changer, Model #C8806-D, Model #C8806-E, Model #C8806-SF, Model #C6806-SF, Model #8806-B, Model #8806-C, Model #6606-B, No. K8806, No. K6606, Case No. 28, Model #88806SC, Model #88806B, Model #88806C, Model #609, Model #50-B Case, Model #28-212-B, Model #15-8-B, Model #8-12-A, A-1, AP-4, AP-8, A-2, A-50, A-3, A-5, A-7, A-9, A-10, A-11, A-13, A-14, A-26, A-42, A-15, A-16, A-23, A-25, A-24, A-27, A-29, A-21, A-31, A-32, A-33, A-34, A-35, A-36, A-37, A-38, A-39, A-40, A-41, A-28, A-44, A-45, A-46, A-48, A-49. .Third Party Models: DeArmond #1000 Rhythm Chief, DeArmond #500 F-hole Mandolin Pickup, DeArmond #75C Ukulele Contact Pickup, DeArmond #700 Violin Contact Pickup, DeArmond #RHC-B Flat Round-Hole Guitar Pickup, DeArmond #FHC-B F-hole Guitar Pickup, DeArmond #900 String-Bass Contact Pickup, DeArmond #210 Flat-Top Guitar Pickup, DeArmond #610 Pedal Volume and Tone Control, DeArmond #600 Foot Pedal Volume Control, DeArmond #40 Guitar Pickup, DeArmond #41 Guitar Pickup, Martin D-18, Martin D-28, Martin O-18, Martin OO-18, Martin OOO-18, Martin OOO-28, Martin OOO-21, Martin OO-17, Martin O15, Martin 017T, Martin Model A Mandolin, Martin Model 2-15 Mandolin, Martin Model O Ukulele, Martin Model 1 Ukulele, Martin Model 1T Tenor Ukulele, Martin Model T15 Tiple, Amperite SKH, Amperite KKH, Electromonica No. 101, Electromonica No. 102, Model #100-C Crystal Microphone, Model No. 50-C Broadcast Type Dual Crystal Microphone, Model #22 Lapel Crystal Microphone, Model #8 Terlinde Accordion Mike, Model #10 Del Principe Accordion Pickup, Model #18 Baby Grand Accordion, Model #19 Average Size Accordion..
single-neck steel guitar, professional steel guitar, electric bass guitar, double-neck bass and Spanish, double-neck mandolin and Spanish, professional solid-body guitar, three-pickup vibrato guitar, electric mandolin, electric Spanish guitar, electric Spanish cutaway guitar, flat top electric Spanish guitar, tone changer steel guitar, double-neck console steel guitar, triple-neck console steel guitar, professional amplifier, hi-fi amplifier, pickup parts, wiring circuits, build your own electric Hawaiian guitar, Martin guitars, DeArmond pickups, accordion accessories
Alnico magnetic pickup, adjustable pole pickup, double-powered magnets, wide range bass and treble controls, built-in variable vibrato, built-in variable tremolo, Jensen concert speaker, Jensen woofer, Jensen mid-range tweeter, 5881 output tubes, 6L6 output tubes, 12AX7, 12AT7, 6AV6, 5U4, 5Y3, non-microphonic input tube, removable maple neck, built-in adjustable truss rod, rosewood fretboard, cast alloy adjustable bridge, precision molded nut, precision molded tailpiece, Cat plug pivot connector, chrome telescopic legs, Cush leg inserts, tone changer, lever switch pickup selection, patent pending pickup design, hard maple solid body, eastern rock maple body
Harold Hensley, Billy Mize, Joe Maphis, Larry Collins
1959 Carvin catalog, Carvin Catalog 1959, Carvin steel guitar, Carvin electric bass, Carvin 7-BG bass, Carvin 8-BG bass, Carvin 4-BS double neck bass Spanish, Carvin 1-MS mandolin Spanish, Carvin 3-SGB guitar, Carvin 6-SGB guitar, Carvin 1-MB mandolin, Carvin 1-SGB guitar, Carvin 12-C amplifier, Carvin 28-212-B amplifier, Carvin 15-8-B amplifier, Carvin 8-12-A amplifier, Carvin 60C tone changer, Carvin 80C tone changer, Carvin 6 string changer, Carvin 8 string changer, Carvin C8806-D, Carvin C8806-SF, Carvin 8806-B, Carvin 6606-B, Carvin 88806SC, Carvin AP-8 pickup, Carvin AP-6 pickup, Carvin AP-4 pickup, Carvin A-1 pickup, Joe Maphis Carvin, Larry Collins Carvin, Billy Mize Carvin, Harold Hensley Carvin, DeArmond Rhythm Chief, Martin D-28, Martin D-18, Carvin wiring circuits, Carvin build your own electric Hawaiian guitar.
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