The most important thing was never the brand or the model, it was always how does it feel in your hands and under your fingers and how much do you enjoy to play it. Let me resume, I don't know what tones are you after and how big are the differences between Carvin models but if I can judge by my instrument, if you have the right pickups, it should sound great. The last one I bought new from the factory a year and a half ago is a CT6-T. But since then their QA/QC has improved considerably. (DC-150) The build quality was about the same as an upper end Ibanez. The first 1 bought new from the factory in 1979. With it and the Axe FX, I squeeze every possible sound out from Jazz, Ambiental, Funk, Reggae over Rock to Metal (old school to prog). Out of my 31 guitars 5 of them are Carvins. My idea was just one guitar for every style of music, cause I'm to lazy to handle more than one instrument. The cleans are warm and their sound is so versatile, especially when switching bridge/neck. After: I don't know, I didn't play that many guitars in my life but it sounded huge. I looked up in internet for modern alnico pickups and ended up soon with the mentioned above. I tried my Axe FX in the meanwhile with my old Gibson SG and had to say that this old 6-stringer sounded much heavier than my 7-string Carvin. Before: the clean sounds where very good and the gain sounds where OK but kind of compressed and fizzy.
So I may even compare two kinds of settings of a Carvin guitar combined with an Axe FX 2. Since 1946 Carvin has been designers of professional wireless microphone systems, tube guitar preamp pedals, in-ear monitor systems and gig essentials. Now I have Bare Knuckle Rebel Yell alnico pups built in, fully passive. I've changed the pickups, cause the stock ones where ceramic C22 which sounded a bit cold and sterile and I've bypassed the active plate, I never liked that piece of the circuitry although I've ordered it myself with the guitar.