My experience with Carvin gear at gigs is that the heads are a bit underpowered for their ratings and the cabs are crap for any lows.
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Carvin Amps and Cabs.
- Thread starter azsfcsh
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Blues Cat said:
Hey, Blues Cat, how are ya? Guess great minds think alike: my first reaction on realizing Carvin sent me a used amp for the price of a new amp was to get on the phone, and I got someone who was not at all helpful. Made it seem my fault, and my job to make things right. They kept to that approach to this day, after many emails, calls and a letter to the Carvin Board of Directors.
It's all good, in the end: I was bummed out, realizing that Carvin betrayed me then was covering it up, but that's what companies do. It was really a good reality check on my romanticizing about Carvin. It's about money for them, not about tunes. It's about bottom lines, not cool bass lines.
It really was my own mistake to think better of Carvin than they really are, to expect them to do anything ethical at a cost to themselves was my stupid mistake. They hustled me, covered it up, and my only recourse is to go to a lawyer (over an $800 amp?? that's chump change for lawyers and Carvin Customer Service people) -- or learn from it, live with it and move on.
I'm movin'!
The amp -- a BRX 212 -- is a fine amp, and the LB70 guitar is OK too. Carvin does make decent stuff. I just won't go there again for anything, and all I can say is: be careful of this company. Since it's mail-order only, it's easier for that company to stick you, then smirk. It's the smirk, in the end, that still irks. Whuupps. Movin' on. Movin' on....
Nice to meet y'all!
Michael
kowski said:
Not to discount your experience at all--that sucked, and you shouldn't have had to go through it--but what you had to deal with is IME not typical of Carvin. I have had to deal with gear problems with them once or twice. I've always been treated like a prince, no lie, and the problems were resolved as well as or better than I would have expected. For me, it's their customer service that, far from pushing me away, has been a big part of keeping me as a customer.
Again, I'm in no way devaluing what you said. I'm just putting in another angle, from another set of experiences. Just my $0.02.
Richard Lindsey said:
My experiences (two, and there won't be any more, ever) have been similar to kowski's. On one, I eventually gave the amp away and got myself something else - I couldn't take someone's money for this POS.
Perhaps he and I ended up with the same CS rep, but it was pretty clear that "blame the customer" was the modus operandi.
Carvin Customer Service experience:
I talked a student of mine into ordering a Carvin LB75 bass. After more than a month, they shipped him the wrong bass. Only about HALF of the options were correct, the others were way out in left field. Called, they confirmed the correct options were in the order in the computer, but not on the bass. Said to return it, and it would take about 6 weeks to build the correct bass. All were in agreement.
Bass was returned, 6 weeks come and go, at 8 weeks we call for a status. They never started the order. They said it had to be entered as a "new order". They confirmed timely receipt of the original bass back, but no credit back on my student's VISA card (of course, since the original order was to be corrected and a compliant bass built). After I suggested that he just cancel the order at that point, he nevertheless ordered AGAIN the bass as a "new order".
First, the idiots AGAIN charged his VISA card the full amount. Another call to correct that (and four days wait thereafter to have it appear off the card). Imagine 7 weeks later when he gets another bass, nearly perfect per the order, except it had a thick gloss finish instead of satin finish. Again called Carvin, AGAIN was agreed that the order in the computer was correct but the bass was finished incorrectly, but my student chose to keep it as he needed a bass badly. They didn't even offer him a cord or strap because of all the mixup. They even got snippety at the request for a free cord because the bass was "nearly perfect".
Unacceptible to me. Aguilar has gone WAY above and beyond for me, as have a few other manufacturers when something went awry (which happens occassionally in the world). The proof is how human error is handles AFTER the fact. I've read of MANY bass maufacturers here going the extra mile to remedy an issue once its been brought to their attention. Ernie Ball, Sadowsky, and a host of others. Carvin gets no more business from me.
I talked a student of mine into ordering a Carvin LB75 bass. After more than a month, they shipped him the wrong bass. Only about HALF of the options were correct, the others were way out in left field. Called, they confirmed the correct options were in the order in the computer, but not on the bass. Said to return it, and it would take about 6 weeks to build the correct bass. All were in agreement.
Bass was returned, 6 weeks come and go, at 8 weeks we call for a status. They never started the order. They said it had to be entered as a "new order". They confirmed timely receipt of the original bass back, but no credit back on my student's VISA card (of course, since the original order was to be corrected and a compliant bass built). After I suggested that he just cancel the order at that point, he nevertheless ordered AGAIN the bass as a "new order".
First, the idiots AGAIN charged his VISA card the full amount. Another call to correct that (and four days wait thereafter to have it appear off the card). Imagine 7 weeks later when he gets another bass, nearly perfect per the order, except it had a thick gloss finish instead of satin finish. Again called Carvin, AGAIN was agreed that the order in the computer was correct but the bass was finished incorrectly, but my student chose to keep it as he needed a bass badly. They didn't even offer him a cord or strap because of all the mixup. They even got snippety at the request for a free cord because the bass was "nearly perfect".
Unacceptible to me. Aguilar has gone WAY above and beyond for me, as have a few other manufacturers when something went awry (which happens occassionally in the world). The proof is how human error is handles AFTER the fact. I've read of MANY bass maufacturers here going the extra mile to remedy an issue once its been brought to their attention. Ernie Ball, Sadowsky, and a host of others. Carvin gets no more business from me.
YosemiteSam said:
I'm using the Carvin DCM1000 power amp along with a Yamaha PB1 preamp for my amp system. I'm very happy with the Carvin. It sounds clean, I can usually get away with running just one channel, and I can easily add another cab for more volume. I haven't had it a long time and I've been using it for rehearsals and jam sessions but so far it's held up fine. Not too heavy either.
Bass Player magazine reviewed one the DCM power amps and gave it a good rating, I think it got a best buy award actually.
I recently bought my friend's RC210/115 rig and I really like the sound a lot! It has plenty of volume and tone. A lot of people conplain about the number of switches and knobs - this is definitely not a beginners amp. I find it gives me the ability to shape my tone any way I want.
I am now using a Zoom B2 with my Carvin and it sounds amazing!
I am now using a Zoom B2 with my Carvin and it sounds amazing!
Eric Moesle said:
+1
I used to have a redline series amp and a carvin bass. His post is spot on with my expirence.
Bass Viking said:
I have the newer model DCM1500, 2 rack spaces instead of the original 3. Notably, it's only 10" deep. The internal topology is well designed, yielding the relatively shallow depth.
It's also a solid amp, very well built, and compact. They fit in an effects rack easily.
The way to go is to get a 3 RU effects rack, and use your favorite 1 RU preamp with the DCM1500. It's very compact and portable.
I can't agree for a second that this unit's power output is 'overrated'. I've bench-checked the amp and it puts out every bit of its rated power, and more. Transient response on slaps is excellent.
It's a great power amp, not only for the price range, but in general. The only way you can beat it is either on certain features you might want, or on weight.
