Lowell Kiesel founded the Carvin Corporation in his Los Angeles garage in 1946. It was initially called the L.C. Kiesel Company and the first tube amps were produced in 1948. In 1949 the company name changed to Carvin, named after Carson and Gavin, Kiesel's two eldest sons. From the 1950s to 1970s Carvin made guitars and basses (largely from Höfner parts) as well as amplifiers and steel guitars. In the late 1970s Carvin switched to making their own bodies and necks as well as introducing pro-audio gear. In the 1970s and 1980s Carvin were known for their direct sales strategy as well as for offering guitars built to customers' specifications. The guitar side of the Carvin Corporation was split off into Kiesel Guitars, with a separate Carvin Audio brand for amplifiers and pro-audio gear.

Source: Carvin Audio website (12 July 2017)