Know Anything About Carvin Amps?

[Pink Unicorn Horsey]

My bassist is looking at Carvin amps, but it seems you can't buy new from a store (unless you live on the left coast, which he doesn't).

Anyone out here have any experience with Carvin bass amps?

Thanks for your help.

- Keith

 

[thucydides]

Re: Know Anything About Carvin Amps?

I have a B800, which was recently discontinued in favor of a newer model. I'm not primarily a bass player, but I have had excellent results w/it. I was using it for blues/blues rock, w/an Aguilar 1x12 cab. Small room setup, yes, but I have played it though larger cab rigs.

I thought it delivered great bass tone, especially for the price. I've used Carvin gtr amps also, and I would say those are ok, but I would say that w/ reservations. The B800, however, I would not have reservations or qualifications re the sound.

I have heard some people condemn Carvin re reliability, but none of the Carvins I've owned (three, including the bass amp) have had any problems in that department.

Go to Carvin's website, and check out the forum there. They have a pro-Carvin bias on that forum, but you still can get some decent info from some of the members over there.

 

[Bludave]

Re: Know Anything About Carvin Amps?

I have an old Carvin X amp. Its not a bass ampo, but it is a Carvin. It was made in the late 80's early 90's, kind of a Boogie %0Caliber clone. I used it on one GIG and had some issues with it, so I decided to retire it to my friends showroom (he is a tech and builder). I had some u usual noise coming from it afgter it got hot. I took it to my amp tech and he said the plate voltage on Carvins is very high, so it eats tubes pretty quickly. I think the new ones are made a lot better though.

 

[Pink Unicorn Horsey]

Re: Know Anything About Carvin Amps?

I've heard that Carvins have a lot of reliability issues, so I think they're out of the picture. I mentioned Mesa Boogie and Trace Elliot to my bassist, although (again) I know very little about their bass amps.

- Keith

 

[jeremy]

Re: Know Anything About Carvin Amps?

my bass player uses a carvin 4x10 and it sounds good, isnt too heavy and has never let us down. i wasnt thrilled with the head he used to have but it never gave us any problems.

 

[Mr. B]

Re: Know Anything About Carvin Amps?

Don't know about the bass amps, but none of their guitar amps have impressed me as being very good sounding. I've played a lot of used ones at Music-go-round and other pawn shops.

 

[jerryjg]

Re: Know Anything About Carvin Amps?

I had a Carvin Stagemaster. Worst amp I ever heard. I did mods to it. I tried deifferent speakers, and it was I-C-E-P-I_C-K :barf:

 

[idsnowdog]

Re: Know Anything About Carvin Amps?

A friend had an 80's carvin head and it was the coldest, loudest, midrange sounding amp I have ever heard. I was with him when he bought it and we tried a real sweet Bedrock that I was pushing him to get, but he thought multiple channels and a graphic EQ was worth it!

 

[thucydides]

Re: Know Anything About Carvin Amps?

Having owned three Carvins, I'd say the one bass amp (mentioned above), came off better, overall, than the two gtr amps I had (cleans were nice on those, but the OD lacked).

The gtr amps are gone because I wanted something different/better. However, the only reason I'm selling the bass head is because I'm moving overseas.

 

[RockStarNick]

Re: Know Anything About Carvin Amps?

I think the Carvin Bass heads and cabs are great. My bassist used one with ZERO reliablity issues. Worked perfect, and he treated it like absolute sh*t.

As far as guitar amps, the tone is eh on some of the older ones, but jesus, I literally dropped a head down a full flight of stairs, and it STILL worked perfectly.