Carvin X100B Series IV Guitar Amp Head

Carvin X100B Series IV Guitar Amp Head

Carvin has been around for over 60 years and is known today for there gorgeous high quality guitars and basses but there amps do not get talked about as often. Back in the 80's there X100B amp graced more stages then I or anyone can count. With bands like Frank & Dweezil Zappa, Starship, Missing Persons and Steve Vai using this amp to give them the tone and balance they was looking for in there tone. With the Series IV that is the latest and greatest version of this amp it is better then it ever was and well worth taking another look at. I have wanted one for a very long time and being a long time player of the V3 and V3m this was a nice addition to my already huge heavy Carvin collection. I have to mention also this was a awesome Christmas present to me from my wonderful wife Kathrine and Carvin.


Features
Dual Channels: Clean & Lead
Master Volume with switchable boost
Bass, Mid, Treble, Presence and Reverb Controls
5 band graphic EQ assignable to clean or lead channel
25/50/100 watt output switch
Bias switch for 5881, 6L6 or EL34 power tubes
Cabinet voiced XLR balanced output
Foot switchable Effects loop
Four EL34 & Three 12aX7 Tubes
25.25 wide x 10.5 high x 9.5 deep
(I have the Jungle Red Tolex put on mine like all my amps)


Sound
This amp has the best clean channel I have ever used on any amp to date with headroom that bursts the roof off.  I can get everything from country and bluegrass chime to blues and that beautiful almost acoustic sounding ballad sound. The lead channel is really bold and allows to take my sound from a very well almost non distortion to blues, rock, classic rock, hard rock and even a very heavy sound. The amp is one of the best all tube amps I have used (I am a bit of a old school purist I prefer all tube amps) getting that natural breakup that musicians adore.This is kinda a jack of all trades amp that will allow you to take and make any tone with the easy to dial in controls. The sounds are very rich and robust with clarity on all sides of the most sought after amps in the world.



My Opinion
Carvin has taken this amp and over the years tweaked and peaked it but kept it very close to the original keeping purists like myself very happy. It seems that most of the people that have used any version of this amp have loved it in one form or another and still play it or have it in there studio today. This amp reminds me of the most cherished Marshall's of the 80's but with more options and tone variation. It does not quite amp up to reach the Hardcore and Death Metal sounds but besides that it is a amp that can do it all and still stands up to any amp out there on the market today. With the tone and watt options on this amp you can use it in your bedroom, stage or studio and with the easy to dial in sound spend much more time playing then switching knobs. With the switchable EQ it takes a two channel amp and you can work it into a four by how you adjust the EQ and flip it in and out what is really genius. I fell in love with this amp with about 2 min of playing time making this one of my main amps I use now for just about everything I do. This amp is very pedal friendly using the effect loop what is one of the quietest loops in a amp I have used to date. I love everything about this amp and honestly would not change anything about it. It is rare this day in age to get a amp of this caliber for under 600 bucks that is made in the United States!!!


Contact
www.carvinguitars.com
www.facebook.com/carvinamplifiers
www.facebook.com/carvinguitarsofficial

Carvin V3m Guitar Head

Carvin V3m Guitar Head

This day in age there is so many different styles of guitar amps. From the pocket amps, small combo's, digital, modeling, hybrid, solid-state, tube, half stacks etc. Musicians have been really turning away from the 100 watt amp to smaller ''Lunch Box'' or micro amps. The smaller wattage amps allow the tube lover to get that warm buttery distortion or even high end gain at lower volumes for making the jam room, studio or even smaller stage a more pleasurable experience. Carvin is usually known for there custom guitars and basses but have been a secret for some of the biggest names in the business from tons of bands from the 80's with the XB100 line to a new generation with the V3 line. Today we are going to talk about the off shoot of the V3 line to the micro version the V3m guitar head.

Features

Channels:3
Power 50w/22w/7/ selectable
Impedance: 4/8/16 ohms selectable
Tubes: 4EL84, 4 12ax7
Lush reverb
Speaker Outputs: 2
Line Out (Cabinet voiced)
Effects Loop (Series)
Master Boost Control
Optional Footswitch: FS44L or FS22
Blue or Red Backlit LEDs (Selectable)
120 or 240 VAC 50-60 Hz (switch)
Dimensions: 15''Wide x 8.5'' Deep x 7'' High
Weight 19lbs
Made in San Diego California


Sound

Carvin really took what makes the original V3 line and pushed it further with the V3m. The amp might be small but you will not get anything small about the sound. Channel 3 is the clean channel on the amp with bright lush cleans that when dialed in right have a acoustic appeal to it. The cleans can also give you amazing ballad style and handles well if you are a musician that likes to add distortion pedals or choose to get your distortion from pedal boards. Channel 1 & 2 are the same but can be set up totally different. This really is the jack of all trades amps from the bright ballad style cleans to blues, classic rock, prog, rock, hard rock and even can push to make the metal players happy. With the three way toggle that goes from bright to soak on the clean channel and intense to thick on channel one and two it really allows you to dial in the sound that you are searching for. This is a well worthy tone machine for anything you want to do in or out of the studio.


My Opinion

Carvin has really put tons of time into the thinking of this amp from the small size that can be put into a rack with the optional rack mount for the musician on the go to the desk of the home studio. It is rare to find a 50 watt head for under 20lbs with this much under its hood. Three full functional channels that almost sound like three totally different amps when dialed in the right way. The amp loves effects and with the cabinet voice outs it makes using it in the studio a breeze. The master boost control really helps out the musician on stage that needs to get his leads on but does not want to have to get a volume pedal. The most awesome part is the optional pedal you can get from Carvin allows you to control the channels, reverb, boost all of it. I have had 12 lunch box or micro heads in my studio and none of them hold a candle to what this amp can do from the amazing amount of options and tonal variety. The part that is really impressive is this amp usually goes for under 600 bucks and is made in the USA!!!!! I can honestly say I use this amp in the studio, jam room and stage along with its older brother the original V3 (We will be talking about that monster amp soon also).


Contact: www.facebook.com/carvinguitarsofficial
http://www.carvinguitars.com