Electric guitars

Larry Carlton Q3 Midnight Blue

The Larry Carlton Q3 Midnight Blue pairs a mahogany body and set neck with two humbuckers and a vintage-style tremolo. Its 25-inch scale and simple controls suit players seeking a direct, classic electric-guitar setup.

★★★★★ 4.5/5 · 2 buyer reviews · 5 min read · updated 2026-10-07 · Tested by Cal Whitaker

Larry Carlton Q3 Midnight Blue: Technical Review

The Larry Carlton Q3 Midnight Blue is an electric guitar with a mahogany body, a set-in mahogany neck, a rosewood fingerboard, and two LC Standard humbucking pickups. The supplied specifications list a 25-inch scale, 22 medium-jumbo frets, a vintage-style tremolo, and a three-way pickup switch. The model has been available since September 2025, and its listed price is 381. No currency is specified in the product information.

This assessment is limited to those published details. There are no customer reviews available, and the specifications do not establish how the guitar sounds, feels, stays in tune, or performs in use. Those points require a hands-on test rather than an inference from the parts list.

Body, Neck, and Fingerboard

The body and set-in neck are both specified as mahogany. The neck construction differs from a bolt-on design, but the supplied information does not describe the joint dimensions or neck-access shaping. The guitar has no separate top listed. Its Midnight Blue finish is the stated color, while the hardware is nickel.

The rosewood fingerboard has a 10-inch radius and 22 medium-jumbo frets. White pearloid and abalone block inlays, shaped as rounded rectangles, provide the listed fingerboard markers. The neck profile is C-shaped, and the bone nut measures 1.69 inches wide. These measurements give a useful outline of the neck, but they do not indicate fret finishing, fingerboard edge treatment, or the setup at the nut.

The scale length is 25 inches, or 635 millimeters. Scale length is one of the key dimensions to check when comparing this guitar with other instruments, but it does not by itself determine string tension or playing comfort. String gauge, tuning, action, and setup all affect those factors, and none are provided here.

Pickups and Controls

The Q3 uses a two-humbucker pickup arrangement, identified in the specification as two LC Standard Humbuckers. A single volume control and a single tone control serve the pickup system, with a three-way switch for selecting configurations. The available information does not state the exact switch positions, whether the pickups can be split, or the electrical values of the controls.

That leaves the basic layout clear, while important performance details remain unconfirmed. The pickup names and configuration do not supply measured output, frequency response, or noise performance. It would be inaccurate to assign a particular tonal character without a direct test or further manufacturer data.

Bridge and Tuning Hardware

The listed bridge is a Sire Standard six-point bridge with a vintage-style tremolo. The specifications do not give the bridge's adjustment range, saddle material, arm design, or setup instructions. They also do not report tuning stability after tremolo use. Those are practical points to inspect in person, especially for a buyer who expects to use the tremolo regularly.

Standard die-cast tuning machines are fitted. No gear ratio, locking feature, or manufacturer is identified. The nickel hardware describes the finish, not the construction of each individual component. Taken together, the listed hardware identifies the main systems but leaves their precise specifications open.

What the Specifications Confirm

  • Construction: Mahogany body and set-in mahogany neck, with no separate top listed.
  • Fingerboard: Rosewood, 10-inch radius, C-shaped neck profile, and 22 medium-jumbo frets.
  • Dimensions: 25-inch scale and a 1.69-inch bone nut.
  • Electronics: Two LC Standard Humbuckers, one volume control, one tone control, and a three-way switch.
  • Hardware: Sire Standard six-point tremolo bridge, die-cast tuning machines, and nickel hardware.
  • Included equipment: No case or gig bag is included.

Buying Considerations

The published specifications make the Q3's core configuration straightforward to assess. Buyers can compare its mahogany construction, 25-inch scale, two-humbucker layout, and six-point tremolo with their preferred requirements. The rounded-rectangle block inlays and Midnight Blue color are also clearly identified. However, the product details do not state the guitar's weight, factory string gauge, setup, country of manufacture, or warranty terms.

Neither a case nor a gig bag is included, so a buyer who needs protection for transport should account for that separately. The listed price is 381, but because no currency is supplied, it cannot be compared reliably with prices in a particular market without checking the seller's listing.

Bottom line: The Larry Carlton Q3 Midnight Blue is specified as a mahogany, set-neck electric guitar with a rosewood fingerboard, two humbuckers, and a vintage-style six-point tremolo. The details provide a useful basis for comparison, but they do not verify sound, playability, workmanship, or tuning performance. With no customer reviews available, an in-person inspection or a return policy that allows a proper trial would help answer those questions.

Larry Carlton Q3 Midnight Blue, front view
6.7/ 10 overall score
$381current price at the retailer
Check today's price price and delivery time at the retailer

Shipping and duties

The retailer ships from its warehouse in Germany. Prices are shown in US dollars and do not include import duties. Orders under roughly $800 usually clear US customs without duty; above that, a duty of a few percent may be collected on delivery. 30-day money-back and a 3-year warranty apply.

Scores by area

Where it shines, where it stumbles

What convinced me

  • Set mahogany neck and mahogany body
  • Two humbuckers with a three-way selector offer straightforward tonal options
  • Bone nut, 22 medium-jumbo frets, and a vintage-style tremolo

What bugged me

  • No case or gig bag is included
  • One volume and one tone control provide limited onboard adjustment

Is it the right one for you?

Good pick if

A good fit for players who want a mahogany-bodied electric guitar with two humbuckers and a vintage-style tremolo. Its straightforward controls may also suit players who prefer a simple layout.

Look elsewhere if

Not ideal for buyers who need an included case or gig bag. Players seeking extensive onboard tone controls may prefer a more adjustable design.
RockBluesAlternative Rock

Suggested level: Intermediate

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Specifications

Color
Blue
Body
Mahogany
Top
None
Neck
Mahogany
Fretboard
Rosewood
Frets
22
Scale
635 mm
Pickup system
HH
Tremolo
Vintage
Including case
No
Incl. gigbag
No

Up close

Larry Carlton Q3 Midnight Blue, detail 2Larry Carlton Q3 Midnight Blue, detail 3Larry Carlton Q3 Midnight Blue, detail 4Larry Carlton Q3 Midnight Blue, detail 5

Watch and listen

Watch the video demo on YouTube →

Before you decide

Questions players ask

What pickup configuration does the Q3 use?

It has two Larry Carlton Standard humbuckers, controlled by one volume knob, one tone knob, and a three-way selector.

What are the neck and scale specifications?

The guitar has a set mahogany neck with a C-shaped profile, a 10-inch fingerboard radius, and a 25-inch scale.

Does it come with a case or gig bag?

No. The supplied specifications state that neither a case nor a gig bag is included.

Does the guitar have a tremolo?

Yes. It uses a vintage-style tremolo with a standard six-point bridge.

Are customer reviews available?

No customer reviews were provided, so there is no review-based consensus to report.

The last word from the bench

The Q3 has a clear, traditional specification: mahogany construction, a rosewood fingerboard, two humbuckers, and a three-way selector. Its C-shaped neck, 10-inch fingerboard radius, and 22 medium-jumbo frets provide a familiar platform, though personal comfort depends on the player. The controls are simple, and neither a case nor a gig bag is included. With no customer reviews available, this assessment is based on the supplied specifications alone.

Larry Carlton Q3 Midnight Blue, $381Check today's price →

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Larry Carlton Q3 Midnight Blue

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