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**toejam** · 12-01-2002, 07:22 PM

Re: Carvin Legacy

Originally posted by Word:
Steve said himself a big part that helps his sound is a Boss DS-1..... [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Then Steve really needs to find a better amp. You can find plenty of decent sounding amps without the need for a pedal to help it out. Just proves that he's using the Carvin endorsement for the money. I love Carvin's guitars, but I've heard some mixed reviews about their amps.

**BigDaddyD** · 12-01-2002, 07:32 PM

Re: Carvin Legacy

The funny thing is that they will rip the Carvin because it needs something to help it sound good, but will recommend a Rocktron Pro Q for the CAE, Bogner, or Soldano of the moment so that they will sound good...Vince was the king of that. "Oh, that amps sounds like ass, you will need something to make it sound great...my CAE is the best made...I use Pro Q and it is INSANE." Look, I could give a rats ass about the Carvin. I wouldn't buy one myself unless I tried one and liked it. But then again, I do that with ALL amps. I never go by someone else's opinion. Ty Tabor used to use solid state Gibson Lab amps and sound AWESOME. Whatever works for you. Personally, I hate MESA amps for the most part, but they seem to work for many people.

**Black Mariah** · 12-01-2002, 10:08 PM

Re: Carvin Legacy

Good point. My tone theory is that guitars give you the tone, amps give you the character, and EQ's give you EXACTLY what you want. I don't think I'd ever run an amp without some kind of extra EQ on it. The tone I want simply does not exist in any amp.

**777SteveVai777** · 12-01-2002, 10:56 PM

Re: Carvin Legacy

You can't also forget that John had to mod his CAE to get a good sound. Neddi sold his. [img]graemlins/scratchhead.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/brow.gif[/img]

I'm not going to rely on what everyone else says though, the tone I hear is good to my ears. It sounds cool I think. Remember, I'm not looking for an amp for metal, I'm looking for an amp that will suit my style of playing which I don't classify as metal. In fact, I'm kind of straying away from standard shred/metal and taking a more classical look at my playing and recordings, with shred still of course [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img] I was looking at the Boss DS-1 to give me more distortion, because I like how the amp sounds. That and a delay pedal and I'm set.

I hate the way Boogie stuff sounds, flubby and muddy.

Just my opinion though.

**777SteveVai777** · 12-01-2002, 10:56 PM

Re: Carvin Legacy

Originally posted by Cleveland Metal:
They sound like ass... [img]graemlins/puke.gif[/img]

Umm, just my opinion... [img]graemlins/poke.gif[/img]

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Also, John, that's what you originally said about the CAE, no?

*edited a word I forgot to put in.*

[ December 01, 2002, 10:02 PM: Message edited by: Word ]

**OklaStrat** · 12-01-2002, 11:39 PM

Re: Carvin Legacy

Word... if you don't want people to pan or praise something, don't ask for opinions. When I ask something like that, I steel myself for the folks that aren't going to like it - because every piece of gear under the sun isn't going to get a 100% 'whoohoo' rating. Actually, take what people say critically about an amp and then when you check one out, see if you agree - it gives you the weak points to focus on. BTW, I've heard of several Legacies catching fire.

The Legacy amp that I heard (yeah, it was only one) sounded horrible. Very flat tone, and just didn't have a whole lot of character to it.

To the guys who say every amp needs outboard gear - I don't agree. If an amp doesn't sound good with it, I'm not as interested... I'm generally a plug into the amp and go for it kinda guy. If I have to bandaid an amp just to make it sound good, I figure the amp sucks. I can make some amps sound BETTER with some eq or fx loop goodies, but if I have to have stuff in the loop just to get an acceptable sound, I'll likely pass on that amp and look for something better.

Pete

**Cleveland Metal** · 12-02-2002, 12:44 AM

Re: Carvin Legacy

Word, I have the CAE back to stock now, and just plug into the thing now man... It's a deep unit as far as interactivity of controls and it takes a wjhile to find you sound...

Neddi sold his cuz he was in mega need for dough quicklike...

**horns666** · 12-02-2002, 04:07 AM

Re: Carvin Legacy

The only thing going into my Uber is a cord.

I gave my very non-biased very honest opinion on the Legacy. I came by one while searching for any great gigging amp! It was one the worst heads I ever tried......Check into it.

You asked...I told

Word play and own anything that makes you play your best.

How many here would defend Marshall Valvestates...
Glen Drover would.
If you ever heard his sound and his playing , I guantee you'd give them a second look. I can't wait to run into one of those VS100s , now I have to play the damn thing out of curiousity

[ December 02, 2002, 03:09 AM: Message edited by: horns666 ]

**JacksonShredder** · 12-02-2002, 06:39 AM

Re: Carvin Legacy

Hey i like the Carvin

i have had a few Carvins

and i think Carvin Legacy is nails the Steve Vai Sound

Word
you got to remember most of the Guys on the Forum like Duncans not dimarzios which the Carvin Legacy was built around
Get what you want i think it is a great amp
and perfect for you word

**Lev** · 12-02-2002, 07:30 AM

Re: Carvin Legacy

I played a Jem7DBK through a Legacy just a few weeks ago.. it was ok i guess.. I wouldn't buy or recommend one. But since i'm more into playing metal maybe it just didn't suit me or sound right to my ears.. it was too sterile and just didn't have any qualities that would make it stand out. I'm not saying its a bad amp, it just didn't suit me at all and its tone wasn't all that great. Then again I don't think Steve Vai's live tone is great either.. go try one out with your Jem. And even though Sid said the amp is based on Dimarzio's, not duncans, i think that a quality amp should sound good with either, since both are top of the line pickups. Do you really want an amp that only sounds good if you have Dimarzio Evolutions or Breed's?

**Black Mariah** · 12-02-2002, 10:57 AM

Re: Carvin Legacy

Amps are excruciatingly dependant on guitars to get a good sound (and the other way around, too). You have to find a guitar/amp combo that works. Some amps manage to sound great no matter what's plugged into it. My Carvin is NOT one of those. The basic tone of the amp is usable, but not great. That's something inherent in MOST amps. Just because it sounds like crap in a music store with some dumbass slapping away on a bass and another moron going "meedley meedley meeeeeeee!" in the corner, does not mean it will sound like ass elsewhere.

You have to remember that with the Legacy, it was designed around Steve Vai's playing. It's designed based on the tone HE wants, not the one that EVERYONE wants. Is that the only way the amp sounds good, with Ibanez and DiMarzio's? Probably not, but that's going to be a good place to start.

**OklaStrat** · 12-02-2002, 11:35 AM

Re: Carvin Legacy

Steve Vai is an amazing player, but he's always been tonally challenged. Wasn't it Zappa who called Vai's tone like an electric ham sandwich? [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Word, if you want an amp that's going to last a good long while and get the tones you're looking for - Get a JCM800 and a good overdrive pedal. You're into the Yngwie stuff, so a YJM DOD pedal may do the trick, or a boss overdrive, or a TS9.

Or heck, just get whatever you want, and don't worry about soliciting other peoples opinions.

Might as well get what you like and not worry about what famous guy uses it or who had a full page ad in guitar player magazine leaned up against it.

Pete

**buzzsaww** · 12-02-2002, 04:07 PM

Re: Carvin Legacy

Knock my boogie all you want but it's guitar cord and amp. I have an OLD Boogie, Mark3 simulclass. Here and other places I read I see people are not really happy with newer boogie stuff(post MK4 amps). I can't say as I have never heard one in person.

**horns666** · 12-02-2002, 04:25 PM

Re: Carvin Legacy

I like Vai and never minded his tone . I don't see his tone in that amp. But I don't see EVHs tone in a 5150 either...
It's your hands and your ears you decide

**BigDaddyD** · 12-02-2002, 04:35 PM

Re: Carvin Legacy

Vai's live tone is god like. He does, however, usually have a Bogner somewhere up on stage. I did see him to a teaching type thing last year here in NYC where all he had was a Legacy, a Jem (which broke [img]images/icons/tongue.gif[/img] ) and he sounded horrible.

Also, I believe that a truly great amp won't need anything to sound great. I have a ton of pedals, but find that they are all off with the Rivera. At the LPForum meet in OCt, I brought my huge pedalboard and the Rivera. EVERYONE loved the tones coming out of the Rivera, regardless how it was set. At one point I realized that I hadn't turned one pedal on all day. You just have to find the right amp for YOU.,

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