carvin bx500 tube grind

bass4u · #1 07-12-2010, 11:13 PM

How much tube "grind" can you get out of the Carvin BX500 head? I'm using a MB LMII and it is a little too clean. I would like a little bit of tube distortion and don't really want to use a pedal to get that type of sound.

Blues Cat · #2 07-13-2010, 02:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bass4u

How much tube "grind" can you get out of the Carvin BX500 head? I'm using a MB LMII and it is a little too clean. I would like a little bit of tube distortion and don't really want to use a pedal to get that type of sound.

None

RedCoatMonster · #3 07-13-2010, 02:44 AM

I heard a local band about 8 or 9 months ago and the bass player had that head and a carvin 115 and 210 i believe. No grind from what I could hear(theyre SS heads arent they...too lazy to check) but his stingray was the fattest, warmest tone ive heard in a long time...it was killer.

MichaelVee · #4 07-13-2010, 04:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blues Cat

None

BC's definition of tube grind is different from mine. I have a BX500 and a variety of basses. When I run the Drive control up above 2 o'clock, or probably 75% of full, it distorts pretty well, especially if you are running a hot input. I can run a G&L L-2500 into it and easily drive the tube into distortion.

Any kind of higher input voltage will work, whether my bass will do it or if I boost pre-input with a pedal. If I set the input switch to the non-active setting (down, light off), and crank the Drive, the amp gets into grind with just about any bass with reasonable output.