Carvin V3M micro stack. Lovin it!

[jgcable]

Just picked this up last week. Carvin V3M head. Outstanding. 3 channel, reverb, solo boost. Switchable 7w, 22w, 50w. Very versatile. I think it sounds better than the full sized V3. Its not as grainy and it has absolutely no fizz providing you have the master volume up high and use the channel volumes. Came with a 4 button switch that does channel switching, reverb and solo boost. The solo boost is variable from 0-10db.
I also got the matching Carvin V212S vertical slant cab. Loaded with Carvin GT12 speakers (clones of V30's) , slanted, closed back (but can be converted to open). Its a great sounding portable cab. I have a Ted Weber Beam Blocker installed in the upper speaker. It cuts that high end pierce coming from the center cone and it spreads the sound out to the sides of the cab.

Both came with soft road cases. Both fit in the backseat of my Toyota Prius C.
All I do is throw a delay in the loop and out in front I use an MXR Bullseye chorus and a wah.

I am really done with bringing 1/2 stack amps to shows. Too heavy and they are beating the crap out of my Prius.

https://carvinaudio.com/pages/archive-v3m212s-3-channel-all-tube-2-x-12-slanted-micro-stack

[toejam]

John, stop with the pussy lunchbox amps and play a real amp for once! I still love my V3M.

[Number Of The Priest]

LOL. It wasn't so long ago he denounced mini amps: https://www.jcfonline.com/threads/124122-Mini-Amp-Craze

[toejam]

I know!

[Carbuff]

Wait, what happened to the vetta?

[jgcable]

I hear you guys!!! I actually bought the Carvin rig last Friday. I had a big show on Saturday. My bandmates came over and saw my Mesa Half stack, Marshall half stack and my Egnater half stack all lined up next to this tiny Carvin mini stack. They laughed and said if I brought the Carvin to the show I would have to hide it somewhere so the crowd can't see it. I ended up bringing the Mesa.
Damn peer pressure. You see... when you are a frikkin guitar god like I am... looked up to by many... adored.. revered..... you have to play the part.
That's why for the next few gigs I am bringing the Carvin and hiding it behind one of the black mesh screens we have. I may even get one of those balsa wood Marshall full stack fake amps and put it out in front! lol.....

[jgcable]

I know!

Hey... its 50 watts!!!!!! And... it is bigger than a lunchbox.

[shreddermon]

I still have mine. Great versatile little amp. Wish it had some more gain on the lead channel, though. There's a little something missing there, maybe it needs a TS to slam it up front.

[jgcable]

I still have mine. Great versatile little amp. Wish it had some more gain on the lead channel, though. There's a little something missing there, maybe it needs a TS to slam it up front.

I use channel 2 on the classic mode with the gain around 7.
I use channel 3 on the intense mode with the gain around 7.

Bark at the Moon is probably the heaviest song my band plays and the V3m has plenty of gain for that.

Yes.... If you took a tube screamer, dialed the gain down to 0 on it, tone around 1 o'clock and set the level at unity (when you step on the pedal the volume doesn't change at all), you should be all set. That's the little known trick that most pros use the tube screamer for.

[toejam]

Hey... its 50 watts!!!!!! And... it is bigger than a lunchbox.

True, it is a little bigger than a lunchbox. It's still an awesome little mini head. I got rid of my regular V3 a few years ago and still use the V3M.

[jgcable]

True, it is a little bigger than a lunchbox. It's still an awesome little mini head. I got rid of my regular V3 a few years ago and still use the V3M.

I did the same thing. I got rid of my V3 about 3 months ago and since my Egnater Renegade 65 head is now in the shop I needed something more versatile than my Mesa Single Rectifier and my Marshall JCM800 2203 Vintage Reissue. The V3M fits the bill perfectly. I can squeeze just about any tone I want out of it.
I also have a Carvin Nomad 50 which is their 1 x 12 tweed combo. What an incredible amp. I use a Bogner Ecstasy Red pedal in front of the clean channel and holy crap does it sound good. That pedal is without question the best distortion pedal I have ever owned. Every feature on it is useable live. The Variac, the variable solo boost with variable gain for the boost etc... I also have a Vox Satchurator pedal that I use with it for some solo's. That pedal absolutely nails Joe Satriani's guitar tone. A lot of thought went into that Vox pedal. I agree that it does sound a lot like a DS1 but with the extra features it has its absolutely worth owning. It sounds like a Keeley modded DS1 and the MORE switch is outstanding.
Talk about harmonics jumping off the fretboard. I do think its a much better solo pedal rather than a crunchy rhythm pedal though.

[jgcable]

Did my first gig with it. Nice sized club. I used the cabinet voiced output directly to the board instead of mic'ing it too.

All I had is the stock footswitch, a wah out in front and a Satriani Time Machine delay in the loop.

Absolutely positively the best rock tone I have gotten live in a very long time. I only used the clean channel and channel 2 set on vintage (middle position) with the gain around 7. I had the amp set at 50 watts. Master volume on 6. Channel volume on around 3. Amazing tone. Great sustain. Great harmonics. Harmonic feedback at will. Clean channel is amazing. Variable boost is perfect. I carried the entire rig in the back of my Prius C without even having to put my rear seat down. I have a small folding hand truck. I wheeled in the club in one shot and made one more trip for my guitars and my pedals. Set up in 10 minutes.
Its a great rig. I wish I had used it for the gig the night before. For that one I used my Mesa Boogie Single Rectifier 1/2 stack. It sounded great too but not as good as the Carvin.

[thetruthguy]

I had a few of them over the years. Great amps. Recorded a lot with them. Gigged with them a lot. Hate that they stopped making amps. I wound up selling mine. I'm now playing Laney Ironhearts, which are badass. But the V3ms are awesome as well.

[PowerTube]

Hate that they stopped making amps.

Yep. It's a shame because they made some great ones. There's an X100B Reissue head and 4x12 cab sitting behind me as I type this. I've heard great things about the V3M, as well, and almost pulled the trigger on one a couple of years ago.

[PowerTube]

By the way, I went in and snagged a few Carvin amp schematics after they announced the closure. I don't know if they're still available on the site or not.