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Carvin amps?

M

mynameisjake

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Apr 26, 2015
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#1
I'm a beginner at bass and I made the transition from guitar. I am currently playing through a Fender Twin Reverb. I want to invest in a nice bass amp under $400 because I am starting to take a liking to bass and I don't want to bust my Twin Reverb's speakers. My friends told me about Carvin amps and I found a couple I liked for around $350.

Are Carvin amps a good choice? If not, can I have some suggestions?
 
#2
Welcome to Talkbass.

There are many, many, many threads about Carvin amps here on TB if you do a search. At that price point, I am assuming you are looking at the MB/Micro combo series? If so, here is a very long thread about them: The CARVIN MB (MICRO BASS) Combo Club! | TalkBass.com

It would also help if you are a little more specific about what you are looking for out of the amp: Bedroom rehearsal, gigging with/without FOH support, 5 string bass usage etc....

Re: Carvin, I have owned several of them and never had a lick of trouble with any of them. You can also find great deals here in the TB Classifieds, and can often get far more amp used for the money.
 
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#3
I owned a Carvin head around 11 or 12 years ago. It was part of the Redline series. I cant remember the actual model. It was a good amp for the most part. I felt like it sounded a little bland but that might not be the most accurate. I always felt it was underpowered. That being said Im sure a good part of that was user error. I ended up getting rid of it because it kept overheating. I got it fixed once. It did it again and I moved on.

I would consider a Carvin again. The oveheating issue would be in the back of my mind though. It did seem like a very well built amp. I have one of their 2x10 cabs and its been great.
 
#4
steveinohio said:
I owned a Carvin head around 11 or 12 years ago. It was part of the Redline series. I cant remember the actual model. It was a good amp for the most part. I felt like it sounded a little bland but that might not be the most accurate. I always felt it was underpowered. That being said Im sure a good part of that was user error. I ended up getting rid of it because it kept overheating. I got it fixed once. It did it again and I moved on.

I would consider a Carvin again. The oveheating issue would be in the back of my mind though. It did seem like a very well built amp. I have one of their 2x10 cabs and its been great.
Click to expand...

They stopped making Redlines ~9 years ago, and the product line has changed dramatically in that time. Underpowered is not a term usually associated with the post-Redline products. One issue that came up in the new versions, especially on the BX500, was an issue of ribbon cables working themselves loose.
 
#5
If you are not planning to be gigging on bass anytime soon,
maybe you should consider just getting a good bass speaker
cabinet to use with your Twin Reverb.
That would save the Twin's speakers and give you something to
use later with a bass head.
Plan ahead and get something that can handle any bass head you think you may get later.

As to your original question, yes Carvin bass amps a fine.
The class D ones have moved way past overheating.
 
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#7
G On Bass said:
They stopped making Redlines ~9 years ago, and the product line has changed dramatically in that time. Underpowered is not a term usually associated with the post-Redline products. One issue that came up in the new versions, especially on the BX500, was an issue of ribbon cables working themselves loose.
Click to expand...

I think mine was a 1000 something? Like I said it felt like a quality peice of gear. Actually most of the Carvin stuff I have touched always seems to have been good quality.
 
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#10
for years i used carvin - first a 600 watt head then upgraded to a 1000 watt head when i started playing with a LOUD drummer. i blew out a 15" cab, so used an 18 plus a 2x10 with red eye. years later, sold the rig as i developed shoulder damage, but i never had any overheating. was happy with carvin overall, and am currently considering running down to san diego and trying an MB rid.
 

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