Maybe it's the record quality.
The carvin does sound OK but not good enough for me to give up my Studio 6.
It's cheaper to have a set of Bartolinis installed in the schector to get the better sound.
I mean think about it. the best sounding basses out today have some the top manufactures of bass electronics and pickups installed. The top pickups used in gospel, R&B and funk are: Bartolinis, fender, Musicman, Sadowski, and there are others. How many of the top gospel bassist have basses (That they use regularly) with EMG pickups. Most rock bassist use EMG's. That the sound that they are after. What is the sound that you are after? My piont is, find a bass with the feel you like and do some research and figure out what electronics and pickups give you the sound that you want? Once youve found that sound incorperate it into your bass, be it a schector, Carvin, MTD, or even SX.
Just MHO.
Rob