Good to hear that about the sliders, and yes , got the bag free and free shipping. That was the icing on the cake that made me pull the trigger .
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Carvin BX500: Pt. 3
- Thread starter Chef
- Start date
buldog5151bass
Kibble, milkbones, and P Basses. And redheads.
Congrats. I believe those cabs are 4 ohm - makes sure you have the amp set to run at 2 ohms if you are running both cabs - call Carvin if you have any questions.
Congrats on the purchase! I ran across this thread and I also pulled the trigger on the 319.00 deal. I'm gonna off load some gear and I'll have the BX500 in my bag along with my GB-900 Streamliner and GB NEO 212...For me light is right...
I'm very interested in the BX500 but all the talk of the ribbon cable issues has me a bit wary. Has Carvin addressed or at least acknowledged the issue?
I made that same statement to the tech at Carvin , he assured me that had been taken care of . But , they were also trying to sell it to me so I'll take that with a grain of salt. I've never owned a Carvin product until I got a brx10.2 cab. I liked it so I bought a second one. When I started looking at light weight amps I needed one that would do a 2 ohm load , so I thought the BX500 was worth a shot at $319 . Time will tell.
buldog5151bass
Kibble, milkbones, and P Basses. And redheads.
Hey all
I haven't read through all 15 years and 200 some odd pages of the thread(s) associated with this amp but I've skimmed and gathered a few questions.
Tonally this amp (BX500) seems very versatile but versatility does not always equate to true performance. Is this amp a Jack of all trades or does it have significant capability with each tone?
I'd like to get something that can get gritty and heavy with lots of edge and growl just like a newer GK but that can also punch the warm mellow and round right out of a Fender or a MarkBass.
Can anyone speak to the true tonal strength of this Amp?
Secondly has anyone put together a cohesive image of the reliability of these amps throughout the years. The warranty is only 1 year (as far as I can tell) and my impression from the thread(s) is that these amps are not exactly reliable. Has this trend remained unchanged since these were first introduced? Considering the track record can anyone speak for Carvin's customer service?
Thanks everyone.
I haven't read through all 15 years and 200 some odd pages of the thread(s) associated with this amp but I've skimmed and gathered a few questions.
Tonally this amp (BX500) seems very versatile but versatility does not always equate to true performance. Is this amp a Jack of all trades or does it have significant capability with each tone?
I'd like to get something that can get gritty and heavy with lots of edge and growl just like a newer GK but that can also punch the warm mellow and round right out of a Fender or a MarkBass.
Can anyone speak to the true tonal strength of this Amp?
Secondly has anyone put together a cohesive image of the reliability of these amps throughout the years. The warranty is only 1 year (as far as I can tell) and my impression from the thread(s) is that these amps are not exactly reliable. Has this trend remained unchanged since these were first introduced? Considering the track record can anyone speak for Carvin's customer service?
Thanks everyone.
buldog5151bass
Kibble, milkbones, and P Basses. And redheads.
Yak, read some of the posts in this thread at least, as both issues have been discussed multiple times. It appears the reliability issue (ribbon cable) has been resolved - I've had mine about 2 years without issue.
As to tone, I am happy, I can dial in what I want. It's a subjective thing, but I am happy. For $319, it is a good deal.
As to tone, I am happy, I can dial in what I want. It's a subjective thing, but I am happy. For $319, it is a good deal.
- Oct 7, 2000
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- Endorsing artist: Musicman basses
As bulldog said, I had some minor issues until I did what was suggested here regarding the ribbon, and changed the tube. I haven't been following this thread too closely, so I don't know if that's been resolved w Carvin or something we need to take care of on our own. In any event, it wasn't an expensive fix and didn't require any special skills. If you can use a screwdriver, you can fix it.
As far as versatility goes, that's a subjective matter. My experience: I've owned lots of GK, ampeg, fender and other gear. This head covers more ground than anything I've previously owned. I understand how regardless of the controls/options a head might only be capable of so much - but the contour and mids really reshape the sound that comes out of this. I stay within the tones that I like, but I've fiddled enough just for fun to know that you can change this thing from wolf to an elephant to dolphin to a seagull. It can pump out all kinds of crazy.
Oh yeah, I've had no reliability issues since the minor fix, and that was years ago. I do also however play through a lot of backlines. I use it once or twice a month.
As far as versatility goes, that's a subjective matter. My experience: I've owned lots of GK, ampeg, fender and other gear. This head covers more ground than anything I've previously owned. I understand how regardless of the controls/options a head might only be capable of so much - but the contour and mids really reshape the sound that comes out of this. I stay within the tones that I like, but I've fiddled enough just for fun to know that you can change this thing from wolf to an elephant to dolphin to a seagull. It can pump out all kinds of crazy.
Oh yeah, I've had no reliability issues since the minor fix, and that was years ago. I do also however play through a lot of backlines. I use it once or twice a month.
Read through the thread and the reliability issues seem to center around the ribbon connections (easy fix with obvious symptoms) and a few cases of overheating/protect mode stuff.
I'm not too concerned with reliability after reading through the thread.
The tone question remains. I wasn't quite able to pinpoint any comments regarding tone and the COMBO amps, BR515 and BR510. What kind of voice do these combos have? The other amp I'm heavily considering is the new Fender Rumble 500 Combo (2x10, 350watt, 500 with extension). I like the clean tone of the Fender but was hoping to get something that could also be gritty. Has anyone played both the combos in question recently?
Also has there been a specific replacement 12AX7 that is identified as giving the most growl to these amps?
I'm not too concerned with reliability after reading through the thread.
The tone question remains. I wasn't quite able to pinpoint any comments regarding tone and the COMBO amps, BR515 and BR510. What kind of voice do these combos have? The other amp I'm heavily considering is the new Fender Rumble 500 Combo (2x10, 350watt, 500 with extension). I like the clean tone of the Fender but was hoping to get something that could also be gritty. Has anyone played both the combos in question recently?
Also has there been a specific replacement 12AX7 that is identified as giving the most growl to these amps?
I can't comment on this amps dependability since I just got it , but it impressed me and everyone in the band this past weekend. I play in a loud 3 piece and this amp never broke a sweat and I was playing too loud on purpose just to see what it could do. I've had a lot of rigs , not combos, I'm talking Peavey 2x15's, SVTs, and such and I love this amp thru my BRX 10.2s stacked vertically. I played my spector euro , into a hartke bass attack pedal so I can add some grit , drive on the amp set to 4, bump the bass and low mids a tad , and master set to 3 and the tone and punch was awesome. The lead singer said it felt like it was hitting him in the back of his head. I was skeptical of buying an amp with only 500 watts as I have always had at least 700, but this head with these cabs is a perfect match. At the end of the night I handed it to the singer " damn' it's not even warm" . As long as it keeps on keepin on I'm happy, and my entire rig weighs about 105 lbs.
I've tried several 12AX7 tubes and none make any obvious differences. Someone previously posted they had some success with a Mullard giving a little more growl. I'm assuming your meaning an overdrive tone.
As an alternative, if growl (overdrive) is what you're after, you might try sticking a pedal in front of it. I'm really liking the VMT (Vintage Microtubes) paired with the BX500. It's not going to give you distortion type of tones but gives a nice, I think warm, overdrive tone. There's quite a bit of love for the VMT on TB. Not a cheap option but giving you another type of option to consider whether it be the VMT or something else you prefer that you may already have.....
Do you think the new EHX Bass Soul Food would work well with the BX500 for some mild breakup?
thanks
thanks
Not sure about the Soul Food as I've never tried the pedal. The closest I have is a Klon clone pedal which is very transparent so adds as much boost as you need without coloring the tone...at least to my ears. Adds some overdrive to taste depending upon the gain and volume. However, being a Klon clone and not exactly made for bass, I lose a little bass frequency so I much prefer the VMT for bass and, to my ears, the VMT adds a little warmth that helps with my use of the BX500. But, I love the Klon clone for guitar. Maybe someone else can chime in about the EHX Soul Food and the BX500.
I need a second head that has a bit more beef to it than my TC BH250. I have a chance to pick up a couple year old one with a working but slightly loose mute switch for $175. Good idea? Good price? Anywhere else I should look? This amp really has a great feature set, and offers a lot of what I want.
buldog5151bass
Kibble, milkbones, and P Basses. And redheads.
Tasty, both B4E and I use it as our main amp. But check to see how old it is. More than about three years they used to be a little finicky with the ribbon cable needing cleaning, but last few years they have been very reliable. But I would talk the seller down - they are going new for $319.
A local establishment has a used BX500 I've been looking at to "replace" my "200 watt" Peavey combo (although I'll probably keep the combo also). I was also looking at a used Avatar B212 (4 ohm) cabinet. I am an amateur (very) that has returned to bass after a thirty plus year hiatus. I have no plans to go "on the road" as it were. I just really enjoy playing and want more control over what my equipment allows me to adjust/hear. Having said that I can foresee the day when I'll just HAVE to get another cab to go with this and run it at 2 ohms.
From all that I have read here, and I have read quite a bit, it seems that if both the BX500 and Avatar are in good working order that it would be a significant upgrade to the combo. Would that be an accurate assumption?
Is there anything to be cautious of with this equipment combination (assuming the gear is in good working order)? I am aware of the early problems with the ribbon cable.
Thank you in advance for your input!
From all that I have read here, and I have read quite a bit, it seems that if both the BX500 and Avatar are in good working order that it would be a significant upgrade to the combo. Would that be an accurate assumption?
Is there anything to be cautious of with this equipment combination (assuming the gear is in good working order)? I am aware of the early problems with the ribbon cable.
Thank you in advance for your input!
buldog5151bass
Kibble, milkbones, and P Basses. And redheads.
Other than that, the only issue is price. Since Carvin introduced the 700 model, they have been selling the 500 for $319, I believe with shipping and gig bag. Make sure it is a good deal.
