Carvin amps

[Robert Burns]

I have one also. The cleans are very clean. Good rock amp but neads distortion pedals for metal. Mine also has Tolex and EL34`s. We have a rare bird as Carvin only made them 1 year with tolex and EL34`s, before that, they were tolex and 6L6`s and after they were furry and EL34`s. Maybe some were modded for EL34`s from 6L6`s but not sure. The only year they made them with tolex and EL34`s was 1988 in which mine is. Did yours come with the Footswitch, very important to have that. Mine is in very good condition, but lately it is loosing volume and having rise and fall volume issues. It could be the power coming into the house or the amp itself, not sure. All of the tubes are new and look fine. Either way, they are very versitile amps for sure. The latter furry ones had a Hot Rod mod from the factory. I am going to have mine looked over shortly and see what is up. As a side, I have a Carvin MTS 100 head on the way
Here is a pic with the knobs changed, but I still have the original knobs and the footswitch. These heads are also very big compared to some, way bigger than the MTS and much heavier.I forgot to add that the controls are active thus the sensitivity, but these amps don`t have clipping diodes in the pre-amp like the MTS does be it good or bad. Congrats-Jack.

Even with a "Line Conditioner"? Backup power UPS? I would see if
a digital meter in another wall socket showed any signs of voltage
fluctuation, while this was happening?

[slayer]

Yes, good idea for sure!! It seams, well I think, we are having power fluctuactions in my house. The one problem I have is moving that huge 4x12 to another room to try it. I really nead a 1x12 for so many reasons Forgot to say, I don`t use a Power Conditioner or what is a UPS? Also, what kinda Meter do I nead to buy? Thanks- Jack.

[lerxstcat]

I noticed the sales tag said with foot switch I'll contact them and go get it should be no problem.
Mine looks just like that.Yeah very sensitive I see why now.What distortion pedals work well with these amps in your experinces.

When I had one I hit the drive channel with a BOSS SD-1 and used moderate settings both on the amp and on the pedal, and it worked pretty well for me.
A tube screamer would do basically the same thing. The SD-1 takes a little low end out which helped with the slight fartiness that the stock X100B drive channel can have.

[lerxstcat]

I have one also. The cleans are very clean. Good rock amp but neads distortion pedals for metal. Mine also has Tolex and EL34`s. We have a rare bird as Carvin only made them 1 year with tolex and EL34`s, before that, they were tolex and 6L6`s and after they were furry and EL34`s. Maybe some were modded for EL34`s from 6L6`s but not sure. The only year they made them with tolex and EL34`s was 1988 in which mine is. Did yours come with the Footswitch, very important to have that. Mine is in very good condition, but lately it is loosing volume and having rise and fall volume issues. It could be the power coming into the house or the amp itself, not sure. All of the tubes are new and look fine. Either way, they are very versitile amps for sure. The latter furry ones had a Hot Rod mod from the factory. I am going to have mine looked over shortly and see what is up. As a side, I have a Carvin MTS 100 head on the way
Here is a pic with the knobs changed, but I still have the original knobs and the footswitch. These heads are also very big compared to some, way bigger than the MTS and much heavier.I forgot to add that the controls are active thus the sensitivity, but these amps don`t have clipping diodes in the pre-amp like the MTS does be it good or bad. Congrats-Jack.

Jack, does the volume fluctuation remain if the loop is switched out? I ask because the switches in the effects loop jacks can oxidize and you'll get that volume fluctuation. Spray those jacks with contact cleaner and plug a cord in and out of each jack several times to break the switches free, and see if that helps. Of course turn the amp off while you're doing this operation.

It could also be pots going bad, it's almost 20 years old after all. Try cleaning those too if cleaning the send and return jacks doesn't help.

[slayer]

Good question. I will try the cleaning of the loop thing and let you know Thanks-Jack.

[straycat]

Called the dealer and the foot switch will be in the mail tomorrow.WOO HOO!