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Carvin bass amps

#3
General concensus is that they're good amps and great for the money. The one you have in mind is supposed to be voiced with a warm tone plus it has a ton of eq options. Carvin gear, although no personal experience with this amp myself, is well constructed and made in the USA. Also, try a search because I know I seen threads on these amps before with real user input.:)
 
#4
I've played a Carvin Rig since the early '90's. They rock. You can't find a better amp for less money. I wouldn't call them boutique, but they are definitely meat and potatoes.

Besides, they give you 10 days to see how you like it no questions asked.

Try it! You'll like it!
 
#5
Like their basses, I've REALLY wanted to like their amps - I have lived within 10 miles of the Carvin plant for nearly 20 years, and really, REALLY like the idea of supporting a 1) American and 2) Local business.

Sadly, every time I have looked at their gear, it has let me down, both basses and amps. I don't know why the basses don't work for me, save that they all seem to sound dead and the necks feel... well, wrong. And the amps? Before I bought my last rig, I went to the factory showroom and fired up their top-of-the-line amps/cabs... I even brought in my own basses... and it just didn't sound good. I ended up with an Ashdown head and a Epifani cab I got at the now defunct LA Bass Exchange.

Now, my recollection was that I was playing their "Red Eye" amps - They have moved onto a different design (at least on the outside), so they may be very very nice now... I don't know. That said, I would do everything you could to PLAY before you PAY. Yes, the offer a full refund, but the hassle quotient is non trivial with shipping an amp back to a factory...

Anyway, good luck.
 
#7
Ive got a B1500 and its a beast man! Its not tube but you can get some really nice sounds out of it. Got some Carvin cabs that Ive had for bout 8 years which have been gigged all over and dropped down a few sets of stairs too. And they still look and sound in good shape.

Carvin is well built stuff for the price you pay.

*edited due to horrendous spelling!
 
#10
I'm not going to pull any punches here, I own the SBR1018 and the BX1200 head w/BRX10.4 Neo cab. They've been nothing short of super in performance and in quality. At present this set up (lower pic) is 1,200 watts rms @ 4ohms and I'll put it up against anything in it's class. BTW, that's not a garbage can next to my amp, it's a Stanley rolling tool box that I use for some of my gear. I've dropped the BX1200 head 4 times, once out of the back of my car onto the cement pavement, somersalted 3 times and still works like a charm. As far as bells and whistles go, Carvin is loaded, the stuff is American made and the SBR1018 was given Editor's Pic Award by Bass Player Mag., that in itself says something for the performance of Carvin gear.

I too own one of their basses and I honestly have to say, I don't like their basses as much as I like their amps.
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#11
You're asking for opinions - so here goes. I purchased a 2-15 Carvin bass amp back in 1966/67. Of course, money was the big factor for a 15 year old and the Carvin was cheap, maybe $100 or so, compared to the other option, the Fender Bassman at $500. Man, it sounded great, for a while. I had problem after problem with it. It stayed in the repair shop more than at my house. Being in North Carolina meant taking to the local electronics repair shop, time after time after time. It sounded great when it worked. It just didn't work for any periods of time. I finally found somebody to unload it on and bought a roll and pleated Kustom. Never a problem with the Kustom. Fast forward to 2 weeks ago. My cousin had a Carvin guitar amp that just went dead on him just at the beginning of a gig. Hardly used, but still out of warranty, so Carvin says too bad. Ship it across country along with $25 and they'll look at it. Needless to say, he's not happy. I'm sure there are many happy Carvin players, but you now know of 2 who are not, even 40+ years apart in experiences. :cool:
 
#12
Phalex said:
I've played a Carvin Rig since the early '90's. They rock. You can't find a better amp for less money. I wouldn't call them boutique, but they are definitely meat and potatoes.

Besides, they give you 10 days to see how you like it no questions asked.

Try it! You'll like it!
Click to expand...

+1. I've had nothing but good experiences with Carvin amps & cabs. They are what they are - great value, great build quality, very good (not great) sound. IMHO.
 
#14
I just bought a B1500 as my backup amp based on everything I'd read here about it. I usually use GBE750 w/ 2 GB Neox 212T cabs, always sounds great. I just used the B1500 with those same 2 4 ohm cabs stacked in vertaical array this past weekend, 1900 watts @ 2 ohms, yeah baby. Now with my my MIM Fender Jazz 5 w/flats, not the best tone to me. Then I tried my Skyline 55-02D with the rig and it sounded awesome, used it for the gig that nite and will again soon. Sometimes you gotta find the right combo of equipment to get the best sound, IMHO. Now some sleaze walked off with my power cord and bayou cables speakon cord that same nite. I called Carvin to order another power cord. They said just use any 12 ga power cord. But I told them that all my amp cords aren't as long as theirs was so I preferred to get another one from them. He told me Ok but they're 10 bucks, I said fine, he took down my ship address, then after we talked abit, he said "Hey I'll just send it to ya" (free) I said "Cool, thanks". This was Wednesday, the cord got here Friday. So Carvins' really cool with me. I dont suppose Butch could send me a free speakon but hey, I'll order another one from him again, they are that well made. Hope that sleaze enjoys my cables he took, pr*ck. Peace.
 
#16
I had a Redline Red Eye combo amp, the head never gave me a problem, it sounded good, but the size and weight [90 lbs] was bad on my back. So, I took a saw too it and cut out the midrange speaker enclosure and used it for my mid cab and put the 15" speaker in a LBS enclosure. It sounded better and I could get it to practice easier. I finally sold the head, and got my current rig. I put the two 8" mid drivers in my Yamaha YST 550 home speakers when the woofers blew. They sound great, nice clean mids and voicing. Good 8" replacements.
Alembic Rogue 5 Custom
F-1X pre
Carvin 1000 amp It has been a clean sounding work horse. Excellent amp.
Aguilar GS 112 X 2
Korg Tone works PXB3
 
#19
Gearhead43 said:
I have been interested in the new BX1200 and 600 also.

These new amps certainly look like good stuff, cannot beat the price.

I have a Carvin store here in town, so I am going to check out a bass rig there soon.
Click to expand...

I'm telling ya, I've had the SBR1018 for 2 yrs, I just recently added the BRX10.4 Neo cab. In that 2 yrs, I've not had any problems whatsoever; it's worked brilliantly.:)
 
#20
I had a B800 had a pretty good sound but thought it was way underpowered. supposedly 800w at 2ohm, 500w at 4ohm.now using a gk 700rb 480w and has LOTS more volume. not sure what exact watts i should have been getting fromthe b800 but was at 2.67 ohm so i would geuss at least 600w,and it couldn,t keep up with the gk.
 

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