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Carvin BX500: Pt. 3
- Thread starter Chef
- Start date
I have said this before and will continue to issue my cautions on this head.
I will also say I really liked (past tense) this head.
I got my first one AFTER Carvin said they had the initial problems fixed.
#1 Head Dead on arrival.
#2 head lasted two or three hours.
#3 Head lasted through the Warranty (1 year) plus TWO MORE MONTHS WOW!!
Then died.
Repair procedure for these amps is a FLAT FEE of $275.00
as you can see these returned amps are just thrown into the garbage and they send you a new one... ( my guess granted based on the low retail price) ..... and it's a BIG IF ....if it dies within the warranty.
I wish you all luck with your amps I really do. YMMV & IMHO
peace Kirk
PS My Glockenklang Soul head lasted 13 years before needing service.
I still have the Glock and now a shiny new Genz Benz SM 12.0
I will also say I really liked (past tense) this head.
I got my first one AFTER Carvin said they had the initial problems fixed.
#1 Head Dead on arrival.
#2 head lasted two or three hours.
#3 Head lasted through the Warranty (1 year) plus TWO MORE MONTHS WOW!!
Then died.
Repair procedure for these amps is a FLAT FEE of $275.00
as you can see these returned amps are just thrown into the garbage and they send you a new one... ( my guess granted based on the low retail price) ..... and it's a BIG IF ....if it dies within the warranty.
I wish you all luck with your amps I really do. YMMV & IMHO
peace Kirk
PS My Glockenklang Soul head lasted 13 years before needing service.
I still have the Glock and now a shiny new Genz Benz SM 12.0
From what I read, nobody has owned up to even doing it.
There are a few TB's that have try different tubes.
I put this together last night:
BX500 Rack 1
BX500 Rack 2
My thought was to make setup/break down faster at gigs. But I am not sure if I dig the Behringer tuner. It's pretty slow and can't find the B string.
BX500 Rack 1
BX500 Rack 2
My thought was to make setup/break down faster at gigs. But I am not sure if I dig the Behringer tuner. It's pretty slow and can't find the B string.
I've been using the Planet Waves Chromatic Headstock Tuner: http://accessories.musiciansfriend.com/product/Planet-Waves-Chromatic-Headstock-Tuner?sku=501781
I clip it onto my strap, and I can either use it right there, or if it's noisy I put it on my headstock while tuning. Cheap, fast, does well with my low B, and no wiring/muting required - just turn down the volume of your bass.
And it weighs almost nothing.
I clip it onto my strap, and I can either use it right there, or if it's noisy I put it on my headstock while tuning. Cheap, fast, does well with my low B, and no wiring/muting required - just turn down the volume of your bass.
And it weighs almost nothing.
Thanks for the link, don't know why I never thought to check the Carvin BBS.
They fixed mine for free, well +shipping to them. (It was out of warranty at this point I might add.)
Carvin is selling some of these under the part number BX500NT on Ebay for $349. I wrote them for an explanation of the NT and they said they are new units with the 12AX7 omitted for for customers that aren't interested in the tube preamp. They claimed that all I have to do is plug in a 12AX7 and it's just like its "non-NT" friends.
I have tubes. I'm in!
I have tubes. I'm in!
I've been staring at the schematic for this amp for an hour this morning. I have to get me some of what these Carvinites are on. A couple things jump out:
The printed circuit board was revised to rev F on 2/25/2010. That means there a 5 revisions that don't act the way Carvin wants them to, although they didn't all necessarily make it to the outside world. I design circuit boards all day and I don't rev 'em unless I have to.
The descriptions of the BX500 I've seen claim that the 12AX7 is in the pre-amp. Actually it's almost the last stage before the Class-D power amp, coming after the parametric and graphic equalizers and the compressor. I guess it's technically still in the pre-amp.
I can't wait to get this thing. I found a NOS 12AX7 from 1960 in my basement that's going in on day 1.
The printed circuit board was revised to rev F on 2/25/2010. That means there a 5 revisions that don't act the way Carvin wants them to, although they didn't all necessarily make it to the outside world. I design circuit boards all day and I don't rev 'em unless I have to.
The descriptions of the BX500 I've seen claim that the 12AX7 is in the pre-amp. Actually it's almost the last stage before the Class-D power amp, coming after the parametric and graphic equalizers and the compressor. I guess it's technically still in the pre-amp.
I can't wait to get this thing. I found a NOS 12AX7 from 1960 in my basement that's going in on day 1.
Interesting. I thought I'd take a look at the BX1500 schematic, but there doesn't seem to be one available.
My experience is they are flexible within reason also. I scratched the faceplate on my MB10 trying to tighten up the screws (I slipped).
They replaced the faceplate for me and tested it out for vibrations for no charge.
I also witnessed firsthand (in the San Diego store) a guy come in with a very old and beat up powered mixer that finally burned out.
It easily pre-dated my old bands powered mixer which I purchased back in 2002, I believe.
Carvin said they couldnt fix it but offered him a decent credit on a new powered mixer, which was quite generous if you saw this thing.
I've heard many good things about Carvin service which, I guess, is why I was a bit surprised to hear about Kirk's experience above. I've been wanting a BX1500 for quite some time now and this might be my week.
'lo all-
im getting seriously interested in the bx500. seems great. but first, some questions...
im hearing that these heads are very bright, and almost all of the audio/video reviews are of jazz-y stuff. (correct me if im wrong about that). i play rock- garage, blues, hard, you name it-but rock, so i was a little concerned that the head would be too brite. .
and im having a bit of trouble finding one of these to try out- so i was wondering how well the head could emulate these sounds? (not to copy completely, but my sound usually happens with a mix t=of these as a bassline and then i tweak it from there, so if i could get these sounds i'd be set.
sorry if this is long-i can get a tad wordy.
im getting seriously interested in the bx500. seems great. but first, some questions...
im hearing that these heads are very bright, and almost all of the audio/video reviews are of jazz-y stuff. (correct me if im wrong about that). i play rock- garage, blues, hard, you name it-but rock, so i was a little concerned that the head would be too brite. .
and im having a bit of trouble finding one of these to try out- so i was wondering how well the head could emulate these sounds? (not to copy completely, but my sound usually happens with a mix t=of these as a bassline and then i tweak it from there, so if i could get these sounds i'd be set. sorry if this is long-i can get a tad wordy.
The head is not bright; it is flat. There are no built-in (non-defeatable) tone shapers in the circuit, as far as I can tell. Ever plugged your bass into a simple mic preamp and gone from there to a power amp? That's what Carvin amps sound like when they're set flat.
You should be able to get almost any sound you want out of a Carvin using only its rotary controls. That's the case on my BX250. The EQ sliders on the 500 guarantee it. I'd say that of my five amps, my BX is the one I'd take to a job where the work could wind up to be anything at all, because I'm 100% sure it could deliver any tone I was asked to come up with.
As with any amp that offers overlapping tone circuits, it's crucial you choose your settings with some understanding and forethought. (And, tread lightly.)
You should be able to get almost any sound you want out of a Carvin using only its rotary controls. That's the case on my BX250. The EQ sliders on the 500 guarantee it. I'd say that of my five amps, my BX is the one I'd take to a job where the work could wind up to be anything at all, because I'm 100% sure it could deliver any tone I was asked to come up with.
As with any amp that offers overlapping tone circuits, it's crucial you choose your settings with some understanding and forethought. (And, tread lightly.)
Rthm
I play in 2 working rock,blues (allman,zep,clapton)loud bands. I use the BX500 with 2 1x12 Deltalite 2512's.I use a Stingray and my old Pbass.Never had the master past 3 and this baby kick's some serious ass.Crank the drive up and you get some nice grit and roll the contour all the way to flat...serious punch,roll it to full scoop,nice Mowtown. A LOT of power in 5 lbs. Nice easy to use controls and can dial up good sound quick.On sale at Carvin now for 379.00 with a 10 day trial,send it back if your not happy.I have had a ton of stuff....this one is a keeper.
I play in 2 working rock,blues (allman,zep,clapton)loud bands. I use the BX500 with 2 1x12 Deltalite 2512's.I use a Stingray and my old Pbass.Never had the master past 3 and this baby kick's some serious ass.Crank the drive up and you get some nice grit and roll the contour all the way to flat...serious punch,roll it to full scoop,nice Mowtown. A LOT of power in 5 lbs. Nice easy to use controls and can dial up good sound quick.On sale at Carvin now for 379.00 with a 10 day trial,send it back if your not happy.I have had a ton of stuff....this one is a keeper.
Rthm, I've never shot for that sound personally. I'm more in the Marcus Miller tonal category, but as others has mentioned the BX500 is super flexible. Much more than any other amp I can remember playing through. It will let you dial it up anyway you want. I'm not sure if it can get that amount of warm distortion though, you might need a pedal to push it into that, but otherwise I'd think its doable.
I just recorded a clip with the BX500 trying to get towards that sound. Keep in mind I'm playing Jazz type bass (Carvin SB5000 set passive, neck pickup only) not a P bass and also the DI out that I am using to record to my computer is pre EQ only so this is just the sound of the bass and drive of the amp:
Link Removed
With the EQ, I can get a little closer, but you might want a pedal to get as much OD as the guy is getting in the Fender YouTube clip.
I just recorded a clip with the BX500 trying to get towards that sound. Keep in mind I'm playing Jazz type bass (Carvin SB5000 set passive, neck pickup only) not a P bass and also the DI out that I am using to record to my computer is pre EQ only so this is just the sound of the bass and drive of the amp:
Link Removed
With the EQ, I can get a little closer, but you might want a pedal to get as much OD as the guy is getting in the Fender YouTube clip.
