Carvin gained notoriety in the 1970s when it began offering made-to-order guitars and selling direct to the public via mail order. Currently Carvin sells guitar and bass building kits, Fender-style electric guitars like the Bolt and AE185, basses ranging from the LB series to the double-neck LB76, and high-gain amps like the X100B Series, and the Steve Vai Legacy 3.