I'm looking into getting a Carvin. They seem to sound amazing and they seem to go fr low prices. I know the great Steve Vai uses a Carvin Legacy, but I was wondering if anyone here has any sort of Carvin amp and how do they like it? I was looking at a Mesa MarkIV but that's a little much for me. So, any commnets on Carvin products?
Carvin users come inside!
- Thread starter BluesGuyJ
- Start date
TwilightOdyssey
Darkness on the edge of Tone
Re: Carvin users come inside!
A friend of mine has a Carvin power amp in his rack. I don't like his preamp, but it sounds great with my Engl preamp!!
The Legacy is a very nice amp, too, btw ...
A friend of mine has a Carvin power amp in his rack. I don't like his preamp, but it sounds great with my Engl preamp!!
The Legacy is a very nice amp, too, btw ...
Boston Joe
New member
Re: Carvin users come inside!
I play an '85 Carvin X-100B amp. They don't color the sound of your guitar (so you know if it's the guitar that is producing a great tone or not), and are very pedal friendly.
I play an '85 Carvin X-100B amp. They don't color the sound of your guitar (so you know if it's the guitar that is producing a great tone or not), and are very pedal friendly.
Xeromus
Tone Ninja
Re: Carvin users come inside!
I'll be receiving a carvin legacy half stack later this week and will be posting a review after a few days of playing it. Also, one of the guitarists I play with uses an SG with a Boogie mark IV. It's a terrific amp but it's not GREAT. At least not to my ears. I don't dig it's tone too much, but then again I'm an EL34 kinda guy.
I'll be receiving a carvin legacy half stack later this week and will be posting a review after a few days of playing it. Also, one of the guitarists I play with uses an SG with a Boogie mark IV. It's a terrific amp but it's not GREAT. At least not to my ears. I don't dig it's tone too much, but then again I'm an EL34 kinda guy.
JeffB
Let it B
Re: Carvin users come inside!
Sound clips on the Carvin site are VERY impressive for this amp, IMO. Heck it sounds like it could do 80's metal with the soak channel cranked, and has a great SRV-ish tone as well.
I've always been very curious about Carvin guitars and amps, but never got up the nerve to order one. The pricing unnerves me, even though I understand the business reasons why they are able to offer gear at such decent prices.
UCSDBoy said:
Sound clips on the Carvin site are VERY impressive for this amp, IMO. Heck it sounds like it could do 80's metal with the soak channel cranked, and has a great SRV-ish tone as well.
I've always been very curious about Carvin guitars and amps, but never got up the nerve to order one. The pricing unnerves me, even though I understand the business reasons why they are able to offer gear at such decent prices.
Re: Carvin users come inside!
I had an MTS3212 and loved it! I still have a Carvin 4x12 cab. The Legacys are amazing too!
I got a bud that is quite a player and he has done some recording with an MTS amp. When I get the chance from home, Ill post his address where his tunes are so you can hear em..
I had an MTS3212 and loved it! I still have a Carvin 4x12 cab. The Legacys are amazing too!
I got a bud that is quite a player and he has done some recording with an MTS amp. When I get the chance from home, Ill post his address where his tunes are so you can hear em..
BlueSnMettle
Michaelewski
Re: Carvin users come inside!
I dunno. I've been getting their catalogs for a couple years and read them pretty extensively. Been tempted more that a few times with both guitars and amps. Haven't heard anything bad about then, just good solid stuff. I'll probably get one someday.
Peace,
Darrin
I dunno. I've been getting their catalogs for a couple years and read them pretty extensively. Been tempted more that a few times with both guitars and amps. Haven't heard anything bad about then, just good solid stuff. I'll probably get one someday.
Peace,
Darrin
Boston Joe
New member
Re: Carvin users come inside!
The biasing of the amp is very neutral, so you can probably take it to a tech to increase the saturation. Tubes make a big difference. Since I like an overdrive pedal in front (by the way, I'm using the head that powers two 4x12 cabinets), I prefer the dry gain. Again, as I mentioned, certain guitars (at least the ones I use) can really drive the amp, even with low output pickups. I also am running the amp at half power and running it at 8 ohms into an 8 ohm 2x12 cabinet. Much warmer with a more saturated and smoother gain. At 16 ohms in a single 16 ohm 12'' cabinet, it sounds like a small amp cranked!
At 25% power, it's VERY saturated, but not noisy as is the probelm with some amps.
Biu said:
The biasing of the amp is very neutral, so you can probably take it to a tech to increase the saturation. Tubes make a big difference. Since I like an overdrive pedal in front (by the way, I'm using the head that powers two 4x12 cabinets), I prefer the dry gain. Again, as I mentioned, certain guitars (at least the ones I use) can really drive the amp, even with low output pickups. I also am running the amp at half power and running it at 8 ohms into an 8 ohm 2x12 cabinet. Much warmer with a more saturated and smoother gain. At 16 ohms in a single 16 ohm 12'' cabinet, it sounds like a small amp cranked!
At 25% power, it's VERY saturated, but not noisy as is the probelm with some amps.
Re: Carvin users come inside!
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/2/billlima.htm
Here is my best friend's clips. Tasty....
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/2/billlima.htm
Here is my best friend's clips. Tasty....
