Carvin Cabs from the 90's

[siggy14]

What can you guys tell me about this cab? How is the construction quality, how are these speakers? I am not so much concerned with the speakers as I am looking to build a celestion 75 cab, so they would probaly come out and replaced. See link below

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/msg/366201131.html

[fullmetalguitar]

I had a cab just like that (except is wasn't slanted). I got it in 1990 and had it for 15 years. Good solid construction. Never had any problems. Carvin is good quality.

[necrotechno]

Carvin makes the best quality cabs I've seen at any price. Metal grill, front loaded speakers, heavy-duty handles and corners, stereo wiring. Keep the BR speakers even if you change them out. You may want to change back because they're pretty good.

I can't tell what the covering is on that cab. In the 90's they used a dark grey carpeting. It's okay, but I prefer black vinyl and that's what they've gone back to now.

[Twisteramps]

Carvin makes the best quality cabs I've seen at any price.

I'm curious, what are you comparing them to?

[necrotechno]

I've owned Marshall 1960-As. What a joke they are for the price. The wall behind the guitars at the local Guitar Center is a faux background of cabs (Marshall, Fender, Vox, etc.) that has raised edges to make it look more real. The fake Marshalls in that display have metal corners. The real ones have plastic corners, and plastic handles. The first one I took apart I couldn't believe how sloppy the vinyl was applied.

It's those cabs that made me dislike anything rear-loaded or with a stretched cloth front cover, which knocks out quite a bit. Mesa's cabs are good, but they use that wide grate grill — I once backed into one and snagged a button in the grate! The way Genz Benz does their covers is interesting. I've had buddies that scrimped and saved for high-dollar cabs from Soldano, Bogner, Rivera, etc., and I just don't see where they're any better than my $400 Carvin cabs.

[Twisteramps]

Well, I have a peavey cab here that I think sounds like shit... but it has a lot of the features of the carvins:

front loaded speakers
metal grill
metal corners (I can tell because they have rust where they have been nicked)

...but I wouldn't say they are better than anything at any price. Opinions vary, I guess. One of the best sounding cabs I've ever heard was a Bogner 4x12 at an amp shootout.

Pete

[necrotechno]

Put some decent speakers in it. Sandblast the paint off the grill and re-paint it with that truck bedliner stuff, which is how the grills on Carvin's cabs are finished. Fill the area in the box behind the speakers with expanding foam. I've only had Peavey combos, so I can't say what else might make one of their cabs any better.

[Boxcar Willie 84]

the parts dont always equal the sum of the whole....my marshall cab kills my mesa cab as far as sound goes, and they have the same speakers...the marshall is made of particle board and has all plastic hardware and cheaper casters, but sounds way better.....go figure

[Robotechnology]

I had the 2X12 versions of that cab. Build quality was solid. Used them for years and they still looked the same as how I bought them. A lot of people like those BR speakers but, they were too bright for me. Cab is light which is a good thing. If you down tune or play a 7-String, you won't like the cab. Way tight and a bit light in the bottom end. Standard tuning and Eb you're totally fine though.

[Twisteramps]

Fill the area in the box behind the speakers with expanding foam.

I think this is a bad idea. You're making the enclosure smaller... which is going to change the resonant frequency of the cab. I've used batting at times stapled to the back wall and sides of a cab, which will increase the area of the inner dimension by up to 20% for figuring out what the speakers 'see', but filling the enclosure would be like making it a smaller 4x12, if I'm reading this right. That tends to be a recipe for a crappy sound, unless you have it ported correctly.

Pete