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**OklaStrat** · 01-28-2003, 10:20 PM

Re: carvin amps

I checked one out at a pawn shop a few years ago... thought it wasn't that great. It was ok, but nothing amazing. Zappa and Vai used em, but I doubt they paid for their amps either [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

PEte

**Souldigger** · 01-28-2003, 10:36 PM

Re: carvin amps

I've played good ones and bad ones. Personally I like the EL34 version better than the 6L6 one. It really just boils down to your ears. Give it a listen and if it's something you like, go for it.

**charvelguy** · 01-29-2003, 03:40 AM

Re: carvin amps

The Valve Master series is a good buy. It was the series after the 100b but before the Master Tube and Vai Legacy's came out. A flexible amp you can nab for about 250.00 .. 5 12ax7's, power switchable..when you find one in great shape, it's alot of bang for the buck. Read the reviews on Harmony Central. The X-100 tend to be well rated as well. I've heard they're pretty clean with alot of headroom until driven, you need the 5 band eq. They're setup like a Marshall 100w JMP, 4 output tubes, 3 12ax7's..seem to be pretty reliable.

[ January 29, 2003, 05:50 PM: Message edited by: charvelguy ]

**lerxstcat** · 01-29-2003, 06:15 PM

Re: carvin amps

Yep, the Valvemaster is a lot of bang for the buck; I have 2 because as soon as I got the first one I knew I had to have the same amp for backup! They're almost
identical to the MTS and Legacy amps.

I also had a few X60B heads, and they're
nice too, but the drive channel isn't a
great modern metal sound - bass is too floppy, you really have to cut it back!
You can use the 5-band EQ on either channel, so you do have separate EQs for
each, but dialing in a modern-type distortion isn't easy or quick. The clean channel is really nice, though, and
is a great platfor to hit the front end with distortion pedals! My ART Xtreme into the X60's clean channel is a pretty
decent alternative to the GOOD drive channel on my VM100.

Also remember, the sound has a lot to do with the age and quality of the tubes in the amp. I've gotten great improvements
from a can of contact cleaner and a couple of new preamp tubes. A full signal makes a big difference.

You didn't say what "cheap" was, but if you can get it for $200 to $250 that's good -$250 if the 3-button footswitch comes with it, as the footswitches are a
$50 item alone on Ebay, and the only 3-button to XLR config I know of. The Valve Master heads are getting pricier
though - I just saw one get $380.01 on Ebay, so a steal on that may be harder to get.

**OklaStrat** · 01-29-2003, 06:21 PM

Re: carvin amps

i would take any harmony central review with a grain of salt - there are tons of kids and misguided adults posting on there.

I pay attention only to negative reviews there, it lets you know in some cases what to look out for when you check the gear out for yourself, which you should do anyways if at all possible.

There are far too many "Dude, my Squier ROCKS through this Crate 1/2 stack - it sounds so much better than those bawgner amps!" or.. "Why get ripped off and buy a Jackson when my Stephen Carpenter ESP is the exact same guitar he plays!"

etc...

Pete

**T-Town** · 01-29-2003, 06:33 PM

Re: carvin amps

well I picked it up for $250 with new tubes and got to use it last night at band practice...nice amp with alot of clean headroom. thanks for all the input and if anyone has the footswitch for sale let me know.

**Black Mariah** · 01-29-2003, 06:48 PM

Re: carvin amps

If the footswitch jack a standard 1/4" plug? If so, it's super easy to build a footswitch.

**rhoads667** · 01-29-2003, 06:55 PM

Re: carvin amps

the footswitch jack is xlr on these amps. I do have an extra if you want. its the older style but should be fine . Before I got my actual footswitch I made one out of an old peavey one and it worked great. the carvin site has a schematic on how to wire these its pretty easy. email me for details on the carvin switch. [img]graemlins/toast.gif[/img]

[ January 29, 2003, 05:56 PM: Message edited by: guitarded ]

**charvelguy** · 01-29-2003, 07:06 PM

Re: carvin amps

Originally posted by OklaStrat:
i would take any harmony central review with a grain of salt - there are tons of kids and misguided adults posting on there.

I pay attention only to negative reviews there, it lets you know in some cases what to look out for when you check the gear out for yourself, which you should do anyways if at all possible.

There are far too many "Dude, my Squier ROCKS through this Crate 1/2 stack - it sounds so much better than those bawgner amps!" or.. "Why get ripped off and buy a Jackson when my Stephen Carpenter ESP is the exact same guitar he plays!"

etc...

Pete

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">True, I respect your opinion as I also use it for the same thing, reliability ratings, but I also post on Harmony as well so I tend to look for reviews that I can relate to,.. just as I would here. The bottom line is guitarists run in herds sometimes. Is not the tone issue relative to your minds idea and what your ears hear based upon what is established or wanting to be established by you, and that is relative to what you know, what you have and how you use it. "It's all relative my friend, but thank the Lord were not related". [img]graemlins/idea2.gif[/img]

**T-Town** · 01-29-2003, 10:21 PM

Re: carvin amps

guitarded you have mail

**lerxstcat** · 01-30-2003, 03:24 AM

Re: carvin amps

Originally posted by OklaStrat:
i would take any harmony central review with a grain of salt - there are tons of kids and misguided adults posting on there.

I pay attention only to negative reviews there, it lets you know in some cases what to look out for when you check the gear out for yourself, which you should do anyways if at all possible.

There are far too many "Dude, my Squier ROCKS through this Crate 1/2 stack - it sounds so much better than those bawgner amps!" or.. "Why get ripped off and buy a Jackson when my Stephen Carpenter ESP is the exact same guitar he plays!"

etc...

Pete

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Good points, but it's not hard to recognize those sorts of reviews and weed
them out. Base your decision on detailed reviews, and try it yourself to decide if you like it. The negative reviews are a good source of warning for potential headaches, but "accentuate the positive"
too, with open eyes.

Carvin amps are good value for the $, for
those whose wives won't tolerate them locking up the average house price in music gear! For those of you whose wives
DO tolerate that, treat 'em right, 'cause
guess what'd go first in the divorce? You
might find yourself with one of those old
X-amps yourself!

**80'sThrasher** · 03-09-2003, 04:06 AM

Re: carvin amps

I got one of the VM100's when they came
out,paid over $700.00 for it.It was a well made and sharp -looking head,but I
never could really get it to do what I was going for,even trying a Real Tube pedal and EQ and other dist. boxes.It
doesn't have a lot of gain beyond a bluesy-rock vibe,but a friend of mine
has it now and it rocks pretty good
with a Zoom processor through it.It's a good amp to use as a good "neutral"tube
head if you front-end it right(if you want more gain character than it's Gn'R
type overdrive)I can't argue with that.
I remember the footswitch was a 1/4
stereo plug type,so I believe Carvin still sells these,the FS-22 model.

**Vivian Campbell** · 03-09-2003, 04:40 AM

Re: carvin amps

Hey Pete, my Squier DOES ROCK!!!!!!! LOL

[ March 09, 2003, 12:31 PM: Message edited by: Vivian Campbell ]

**OklaStrat** · 03-10-2003, 01:24 AM

Re: carvin amps

Mine does too - the old ones have only the name in common with the new crap!

Pete

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