Carr Amplifiers Rambler 112 Combo

Always a tricky mark this because it will obviously favour multi function amps. This is not really one of those, because it is a relatively low powered amp that does not do a wide range of sound without a pedals. What it does do is provide a range of truly stunning clean sounds, with lots of variations. It also has a brilliant reverb and tremolo unit built into it, so it is getting a 10.

As others have said, just a brilliant Class A sound. There is much more industry focus on the variation in over-driven and distorted sounds, but usually much less on the range of clean sounds. Well this is best clean amp you will ever use. And the truth is if you have a great clean sound, and use the right pedals, pretty much anything is possible from there.
This amp takes pedals as well as any I have ever used. And if you don't use pedals and want to just got straight into this with single coils or humbuckers, well you are in tone heaven.

They warranty this thing forever, and it is built to the very highest standards standards with top quality components. This kind of craftsmanship is rare nowadays. You get what you pay for, and if you look after this it will only get better and better.

Not had to deal with them.

I am all in for this amp. I have been playing since the 70's, I have had lots of amps, and currently have a Matchless and a Victoria. Both great, but if i had to use just on it would be the Carr.

Mine is a 2005 model with the 12" Eminence Wizard speaker. I bought it lightly used on eBay for a great price. Single channel with reverb & tremolo. The trem is footswitchable. Pentode output is 28W and triode is 14W. No headphone output or effects loop. I mostly play blues and classic rock and was looking for a replacement for my Fender Princeton Recording Amp which is a disappointment. I like lots of clean headroom and the Rambler delivers it in spades. Much better than any of the Fenders I've tried. Being fairly neutral, it takes pedals very well. I use a Fulltone OCD and an HBE Mimic I analog delay. You need an OD pedal to coax dirty tones out of the Rambler since it doesn't break up until at ear splitting levels. Breakup comes a bit earlier in triode mode as you would expect. Since I have many different guitars it would be nice to have a cut switch but that's about all I'd add.

Clean, clean, clean, especially with my Strat and PRS Custom 22 in pentode. It is pure tonal bliss with the PRS set to split the humbuckers. In general the Rambler favors single coils better than humbuckers and is quite dark and much louder with my '69 LP Custom. With the LP I turn the bass down, the treble up and the volume down. My Ibanez reacts much like the PRS & Strat since it has much lower powered humbuckers. The OCD pedal gives me all the distortion and drive I need especially in triode. The Rambler is very quiet. I've never seen a tube amp that is completely silent, but the Rambler is as close as I've heard. I give it a 9 instead of a 10 because of the EQ tweaking I have to do to get the LP to sound like I want.

Haven't had it long enough to know. Since I bought it used, I don't have a warranty, but from the other reviews I've read I don't expect any issues. I do like the fact that I can change my own power tubes without re-biasing the amp.

Haven't had to deal with Carr yet. I don't expect any problems based on their reputation.

It's the quintessential clean amp. If you want Fender clean tone but better, the Rambler is worth checking out. I did a lot of research before I decided I wanted a Rambler and when I saw the great eBay deal I jumped right in. If my Rambler were stolen, I'd definitely buy another. Since I like a variety of sounds, the Rambler won't be my only amp, but it will be my favorite clean amp. I give it a 9 here only because of the $2290 price tag, but you can find them on eBay for a lot less.

all of this can be found on Carr's website. while my score here is kind of low, keep in mind that this amp wasn't designed to be feature-laden, nor was i looking for a bells and whistles type of amp. this amp's main features are TONE, and BUILD.

it's funny, most of the previous reviewers all preferred the triode setting while i prefer the pentode setting as i found triode a bit too dark for my liking. not to say it won't have it's uses when recording. i wanted to start getting more into stomp boxes for distortion and fuzz after years of relying on amp distortion. not that there's any dissatisfaction w/amp distortion, i just wanted to change things up a bit after years of doing things a certain way. anyway, this thing LOVES pedals as it has a ton of clean headroom. my vintage styled strats have a hard time bringing this amp to breakup, but my les paul does the trick, so i CAN get a bit of amp distortion/overdrive out of this amp and it too sound quite good. BTW- i've been told to stay clear of the Rambler's that have the blue webber speakers. spoke with someone at carr and he said that only 100 or so went out with that speaker. luckily, mine has the original eminence designed kingpin 60. i was told that the company that makes the speaker baskets stopped making them, and so ended the run of Kingpin 60's.

go to Carr's site and after you read and see how these are built, you will be convinced that they'll out live us all.

i've contacted them by phone and email and they've always been great, and genuinely pleasant. never spoke to steve himself but exchanged a few emails with him and he always got back to me w/in a day or two and never got the impression i was bothering him. questions were always answered fully and i was always personally thanked for buying his amps. (i also own a Mercury)

this amp replaced my Bruce Zinky designed Fender Prosonic. a less expensive amp that sounded just as good as the Rambler, and had a few more features. the thing was, 1) even at 60 watts, anything over 3 on volume would rip your head off. and 2) it was a money pit! my amp tech LOVED that amp, it probably paid for his daughter's sweet 16! when i told him i bought a couple Carr amps, there was a pause on the phone followed by him saying, "wow, i heard those are built really well." he sounded sad. oh well! LOL! so anyway, while you may be able to find great tone in less expensive amps, look into their reliability down the road. sometimes it's better to pay a little more up front and get the tone you want, reliability you can count on, and killer customer service. when i look back now, it would've been CHEAPER in the long run for me to have bought this amp first! live and learn

New 2006 or 2007 Weber speaker model. Amazing clean tone after some money spent fixing the minor weakness of the new ones.

So i thought it would be good to list my experience with this amp. I played one in a shop that had the kingpin speaker (older model) and fell head over heels in love with it. Then i got mine for a sweet deal on ebay. It was a total let down. I thought it was surely broken since none of the sweetness was there and it sounded like a hollow piece of broken glass with my strat and les paul. It had this super high piercing distortion that should not have been present in any amp, especially not at 9 o'clock on the volume. And surely not with a single coil guitar. Needless to say, i was freaking out wondering if someone sold me a lemon.
So i took the amp to Nashville Amp Repair to see what was wrong with it only to find out that all Weber speakers apparently do this and sound like terds. So they hooked me into a 4x12 cab loaded with 4 different flavors of speakers and i was soon hooked on the eminence patriot cannibus rex. Now it is the amp i fell in love with all those months ago. I never realized how huge the speaker selection is for an amp, but i can only warn Carr that if they don't stop selling these with the Webers they will soon find themselves selling fewer Ramblers and with quite a few less devotees.

No issues with reliability since the problem wasn't mechanical. Built like a tank inside.

No need yet.

I would have given it a 1 before - not even useable over my Peavey Delta Blues 210 (Great amp for the money)

After changing the speaker, 10 all the way.

If you are looking at this amp, you probably already know quite a bit about it. For this style of amp, its feature are quite good. The ability to switch from pentode to triode is a very good feature. Todays country music is more than just clean pickin'. I was worried about the power of this amp and after 6 months, I haven't been past 4. I realiize when it comes to tone, everyone defines it different. I have a Deluxe Reverb, a Mesa Lonestar Special and the Rambler. I have played forover 40 years and have owned many amps, effects, etc. This has the best clean sound I have ever heard. One of the amps hidden features is that it works with pedals very well. I use Xotic RC, Robert Keely Compressor, Robert Keely SD-2, Barber SS, Ernie Ball Volume Pedal and an Analogman Chorus. Set up is the best I've ever had.

In pentode this amp has a very musical quality. Think of a Deluxe Reverb with 6L6s and more headroom. In triode, the amp breaks up very nicely. This amp suits my style perfectly. I have used it on stage next to my Lonestar Special. The Carr was louder and cleaner. I use mostly a John Suhr Classic T and a Gibson Paul Jackson Jr. with Lindy Fralin Pickups.

I use it all the time without backup. The amp has never had a problem, I bought the amp used and the only thing I have done is plugged it in and played. I have emailed Carr, I always got and answer the same day. The amp is overbuilt. I like the long power cord and the upgraded plug. Nothing on it is cheap.

As I said, I've only emailed them, but they always got back to me immediately.

I've playing for 43 years. I have a Suhr Classic T, a Tom Anderson Hollow T, a Fender 52 RI, a Gibson Paul Jackson Jr, and a Takemine NP18. I have a Fender Deluxe Reverb, a Mesa Boogie Lone Star Special and the Carr Rambler. I have various effects pedals and Vox Tonelab SE. I have owned many other guitars and amps. If this amp was stolen, I d sell my car to get another one. I love the sound of this amp. There is nothing I hate, although I feel putting the controls on the front of te amp would be more conveniant for playing live. If I had to own only one amp, this would be the one.

triode 14 watts, pentode 28 switch, trem, verb.

You can unplug the eminence-made speaker as well.
I've hooked it up to a Bogner open back 2x12 cab. Got a full, bassy sound, works great.

Class A, no biasing. Make sure your power tubes match though, or it will hum loud in triode operation.

I wouldn't want anymore features. A verb switch would be cool, but not neccessary. I leave it on light verb all the time anyway.

Big wonderful rich clean, at home or playing with a band.
Crank it up in either mode and you get a nice breakup, that can go clean with just a slight guitar volume knob turn.

Don't worry about not being heard in a rehearsal or jam.I played it in a big echo-room with a hard hitting drummer and a 500 watt bassist.I heard every nuance coming through even at our busiest.I
t works perfect volume wise, unless your in some thrash metal, which, if your reading this, your probably not.

Works great with pedals, OD's. I recommend the Lovepedal Eternity.
Best most transparent OD I've ever tried. It just melds with any amp, the Rambler being no exception.

The tone IS Fenderish, but with more of the good stuff, simply put.
Pentode is brighter, triode a bit softer.
I've played a ton of Fenders, this sounded and FELT better. Great attack, sustain all that stuff.

Mine has deveolped an annoying hum in triode, I guess it needs tightly paired power tubes to resolve this. I haven't gotten around to it yet. This has been my only complaint thus far. Hopefully not a big deal. Otherwise it seems sturdy.

If you have problems or concerns they will answer them happily and promptly. Great guys.

I've played for about 17 years. I wasn't really in the market for a new amp, but when I played this I just had to have it. I actually got the Imperial (the no-longer-made 60w version of the Rambler) first off of ebay. I then realized I didn't need another big amp, and found myself wishing I had gotten the Rambler due to the convienence of it, so I got rid of the Imperial and got the Rambler. They're almost the same amp, and the size and volume difference does not affect the performance at all. The Rambler is plenty in and of itself. If it were lost or stolen I would definitely get another one.

A lot of guys will tell you its not worth it to spend 2k on an amp that is "just an expensive Fender". Bullshit. I didn't get this to brag or to inflate my ego or as a status thing. Steve Carr makes great amps that are special boutique or otherwise.

I bought this Tube Amp new in Sept. 2006, and its a 1X12. It has one input, but has the ability to switch between Triode and Pentode, thus cutting the power by a 1/2 or so. Its got all the standard features plus Reverb and tremolo. The footswitch simply turns on and off the tremolo. I was after a small/portable Amp with good clean headroom, and this fits the bill perfectly. I dont know what else I could/would ask for, maybe another input? Dont really need it tho. For the price, a nice Carr padded Cover? A Built in Beer Coaster? I do Love the green light.

Clean, Brilliant, Bright, Smooth and Sweet> in that order, come to my mind when describing this amps sound. In half power(triode mode) it breaks up like a blackface deluxe> really nicely, creamy and smooth. But its not the kind breakup old amps sometimes make, where you're just wondering if the amp>soldering/wires and speaker are just old & crappy / about to expire... In your home, its got an excellent power/clean volume ratio. In the Pentode Mode it has tons of headroom, similar to my 66 Twin Reverb, but when pushed up to Loud Club Volume, it too will break up a bit. The Reverb is deep and rich. The tremolo is as warm as my 64 Ampeg ReverboJet, but smoother, and with no unwanted noise. I've been told that its REALLY bassy, and though I use a .52 Low E string and like bass alot, it never gets turned up past half. I play a 1990 PRS limited 24 with Humbuckers primarily, although I own a Strat and others, but the PRS and this go together like Rum and coke. The Strat can obvioulsy get a bit more twangy clean country like sounds. Our band plays a mix of Originals and classic rock/jam band/Dead stuff, and this Amp suits our style perfectly. It would be great for Country and Blues as well. I wouldn't recommend it for heavy metal/ pop / full distortion type music, at all. It accepts my pedal board happily. Two TS9's, Octave, Qtron, Delay etc... I was just tired of carrying around a 2X12 Twin, it literally broke my back. Its a joy to get such full sound from such a small package. It really is the consummate clean club Amp.

I've been using this Amp for Gigs for the last 3-4 months or so, and its all I bring. Its been driven around, including in and out of Manhattan, and these roads are awful. So its been pounded around ( I dont have a case or cover yet) ...The craftsmenship wreaks of quality. The wires/cables are thick, its got a hospital grade 3 prong plug, thick rubber feet to rest upon and a solid handle....Its leaps and bounds beyond the reliabilty of 60's era amps that I used to lug around. It is true, old blackfaces sound quite nice, but you need a good local Amp tech to keep them running right, and I didnt want to be at the mercy of our Amp Doctor all the time. Granted I've only owned her for 4 months or so, so if something arises, I will come back to my review and adjust. So far I am more than pleased. I might add that the other guitarist in my band has a rockin 1965 deluxe 1x12, (same amp as Trey A.) that does truly sing when its cranked, but its back at the Amp doctor (second time in 9 months)and he is thinking about a rambler...

I did email Carr Amps the week I got it to ask a question, and I got a reply from Steve Carr himself within 12 hours ! It is really rare to get that sort of customer support or attention from many businesses these days. I havent had to have it fixed yet, and hope I won't have to, but its quite evident that Steve stands behind his products, passionately. I cant remember how long the warranty is, I sent in the form, but I'm really not worried. Steve seems more than reasonable, and confident in these amps.

Well I've been playing about 20 years, I've got a peavy 4x10 tube Combo, that I leave at our practice spot (decent/fine/heavy), a 67 Twin reverb (Love/heavy), an early 80's champ (good for bedroom) , and an Old Ampeg ReverboJet(vintage/delicate/super warm). Thru others in my band and music circle, I've played a bunch of Blackface Amps, Matchless, Tophat, Vox, Victoria etc...Make no Mistake, there are a bunch of great sounding handmade Amps out there. And I havent played them all or heard them all. Most of them are quite expensive, like this Rambler. If it were Stolen I would buy it again. I dont profess to be such a tone master /tone snob that I can hear the slightest tonal nuances like a Dog or an Amp builder could, as many here claim to, but I know for my style, this loud clean Amp, sounding similar to a Blackface is brilliant. No need to search around anymore. I know when I hear an awful solid state or heavy metal mess that its not to my liking. But I realize people can get decent/tolerable tones out of lesser quality (non hand made) amps. This is currently my favorite Amp, although for an big outdoor gig, I would likely use the Twin, and I know its sound is equally as pleasing to my ears. I've got a bunch of guitars and none of them sound bad thru it. I'm trying to realize when I'm happy with what I've got these days. I know the grass is always greener, and we all want another axe, amp, car, house, motorcycle, girlfriend (wife!) > whatever it is. But to be honest, my PRS is so great, I'm satisfied. And this amp is really perfect for what I'm doing /playing that I'm very content. The only way I'm going to sound better is from more practicing. I realize that at $2200 new, its quite expensive and out of reach for alot of musicians. Totally understandable. I watched them go from $1350 used on Ebay to $1800+ so I finally decided to just get a new one, w/ warranty. So for that I'll give it an 8, although Overall, this amp is a exceptional piece of equipment, that really exemplifies the best facets of quality, hand made American products. I hope this helps someone, as many peoples reviews on this site have been very helpful to me in the past. -Pete

This is a tremendously versatile amp in its simplicity. The tone controls are very well voiced and very flexible. They also change the dynamics and breakup characteristics of the amp some. The half power switch is effective in reducing headroom and providing a second distinctive voice to the amp. This amp also produces both extended highs and very big, full lows for a 1x12 open backed amp with a blackface type voicing. It's ability to make just about any distortion, fuzz or od pedal sound great also adds to its versatility.

Perfect reverb and tremolo.

I play mostly contemporary funk, soul, hip hop and R&B as well as some rock gigs, jazz, instrumental noise-funk-surf-stuff. I use teles almost exclusively and a small pedal board that usually includes a wah, OD, fuzz and delay.

I used blackface type amps for years (mostly a Deluxe Reverb reissue, and a silverface Twin and DR). Had reliability problems with both the reissues and vintage amps so I decided to give the Rambler a shot.

This is just a wonderful sounding amp. If you've been using blackface fenders you'll have to get used to a few things, but it's really delivers everything I like about those amps and a lot more. It's got enough fat on it to work beautifully for clean, single-coil lead playing, and enough clarity and "sparkle" for everything else.

It has more "sag" than DR's due to the cathode biasing and a sag resistor in the SS rectifier, and way more bass and midrange available. It's also just a hair less bright than DR's and Twins, though I don't find myself missing it. I've A/B'd it with my silverface DR on some recordings it just sounds better to me. Similar but bigger and fuller. It is a different sound though, and I do still love that very focused blackface thing. But in the vast majority of cases the Rambler sound really works best for me.

This amp is also unique in my experience for how well it maintains its basic voicing and response at different volumes and on different stages. It's the sort of amp that never gives you a "bad night."

I've now played around 100 gigs on the thing (have owned it 10 months) as well as all sorts of sessions and rehearsals. Everything from tiny clubs, to super loud auditorium stages to Pritzker Pavillion, the 11,000 seat outdoor venue in Chicago's Grant Park. Really not a single bad sound to be had from the amp and always the right amount of headroom. The only adjustment I make (other than the volume knob) is how I position the amp. On really loud stages I tilt it back. The added midrange and bass mean that you can use even very high gain pedals to great effect in a live mix. This amp holds together through everything.

Just a great sounding, great playing amp.

Always happy to answer questions via email.

This is actually the main reason I bought it. I was quite happy with the Deluxe Reverb sound and only really realized afterwards how much I gained sonically. Seems like it should hold together through anything at all. And after 100 gigs and almost a year of dragging it all around town and the Midwest not a single problem. Beautifully put together.

It's not an inexpensive amp and I don't say this lightly, but I think the Rambler is an excellent solution for the working musician who is tired of having amps in the shop all time. I'm by no means a gear snob--I've had great gigs and sessions with all sorts of amps--including really affordable ones. I loved my Peavey Classic 30 through many gigs. But it stands to reason that mass producers build to a spec that fits the majority of their customers--this is a guess but I'll say that's players who probably gig or jam 10-20 times a year. If you haul that amp all over town 4 or 5 nights a week it stands to reason you'll have some issues with it. So in the long run, even aside from the really excellent sounds this amp offers, I think it's worth it from the reliability standpoint.

I did email Carr with a few, slightly hysterical new owner questions. Steve Carr answers promptly and seems like a genuinely nice, really smart guy who loves what he does and appreciates and is committed to the musicians who buy his amps. I don't think it gets much better than this.

This is a fantastic amp for a gigging musician who likes both blackface sounds and the fat and grind of tweed fenders, wants an amp that takes all sorts of pedals well, and plays a wide variety of venues.

Steve Carr clearly is trying to innovate by building on the strengths of past designs. I think the Rambler is really a classic in the best sense of the word: a great sounding, beautifully built amp that is truly meant to be played.

2005 Carr Rambler 112 Combo
The versatility comes with the way the amp handles pedals.It loves them.
Single channel. I love the simplicity of the amp.

Custom Tele, PRS custom, custom Strat
It's great for Blues, Rock & Jazz
Very Quite

Very Reliabile

I've played for 37 years as a hobby. I have a 1973 Prinstin Reverb
I would buy it again.
The tone is great!

Single channel, Reverb, Tremelo, 3 tone stack, Hi/low power switch -12" speaker

I've gigged for over a year with the Rambler. Changed the power tubes once so far.(They didn't blow - just got a little noisy). No bias needed, just plugged in the new tubes and I was ready to roll again.
Steve Carr has built a very solid 1-12 amp here. It's costly but, to get this level of quality in an amp these days better save up your pennys.
If you are looking for a big variety in tones for playing live, better get some pedals. But, that's the good news, this amp has a lot more headroom than say a Fender Deluxe and it loves pedals.
For different levels of overdrive/distortion I use a BB preamp,a Sparkle drive and a Reezafratzitz. For modulation I use 2 chorus
pedals(one set up for a leslie sound). I also use a modded Vox wah and an old Ibanez delay pedal. You can cover a lot of musical ground with this amp and some good pedals.
The Rambler is brighter to my ears when playing on the high power setting (28 watts). I prefer to play it on the lower power setting to get a smoother/creamy sound and I mike into the PA. The lower power has enough power for me to hear it well on stage. I just set it on the floor and tilt it back.
I've had many compliments from other musicians about the sound of this amp after gigs.

I don't carry a back up amp - just tubes and fuses.

NA

This amp has all the features it needs. Volume, Bass, Mid, Treble, Verb, Tremolo, Half power switch.

I use Reverend guitars. I have single coils, P-90s, and Humbuckers. All my guitars sound glorious threough this amp, period.
I play mainly roots rock/alt country, and this amp is the PERFECT amp for me. No overdrive on this amp, but that's rather the point. If I wanted an amp (which I don't) with big overdrive, I'd waste my money on a Mesa.
I use a Fulltone Fulldrive 2 with this amp, and it sounds glorius. I play some fairly large venues, and tend to use this amp in half-power mode, with the volume about two thirds the way up.
I get the feeling that some of the folks who've reviewed this amp don't know the first thing about class A amplifiers. If you want an amp that has a billion bells and whistles, go get a Line 6, or buy some assembly line junk like Crate or Peavey.

Built like a tank, and as reliable as any tube amp I've ever owned. That said, I always have an extra set of tubes on hand, as you never know when one might give up the ghost.

Steve Carr is not only one of the nicest guys I've ever dealt with, he's also EXTREMELY concerned with the happiness of his customers. I mean, his NAME is emblazoned on the front of his amps, so his whole world is on the line when it comes to customer service. If it breaks, he'll fix it. It doesn't get much better than that

I've owned (and still own) several boutique amps. Matchless, Bad Cat, Bogner, Naylor, Victoria, Dr. Z, and some older Fenders. Thius is my favorite of the lot of them. Period. Hands down.
It's not only the best sounding amp I've ever owned, it's the best sounding amp I've ever heard. Well worth every penny I paid.

This is an update to an earlier review. I owned the rambler for two weeks. After a long gig, I noticed some sort of piercing high end in the extreme top range of the speaker, that I could not get rid of. I spent the whole day in a guitar shop, trying their ramlers, and all showed signs of this unpleasant high end. To put it into perspective, everyone has his own taste, and no one else was bothered by it, but it was enough for me to consider other options. I called, emailed, and even had my store call Steve Carr, and have yet to get a response, not the service I expect for a $2200 amplifier. Furthermore, while I was trying to figure out what to do, I used the amp again, and found the reverb had gone dead. I promptly returned the amp. I am not bashing carr, I wish they'd responded to me, but whatever. They make a great amp, just not the one for me. Mainly, I want to urge readers to thoroughly try something before buying. I spent a couple hours with the rambler, but didn't take my own gear in to the store, something I will never do again. Luckily my shop has a 30 day grace period, a rarity nowadays. I hope this helps some people out, this is a very bright amp, like some fenders, and ultimately it was buzzy with overdrives, at least for me. I'm after a robben ford inspired tone, and oddly I found it with my hermida zendrive into a boogie mark 3 head and openback 1x12. I'm not some metalhead going around bashing anything that won't distort, I love cleans, and I've been doing this for almost half my life. I just want to put things into perspective.

I've heard from everyone else that these guys are great, I wish I'd seen that.

Well documented here, all the features you need, none you don't need,

I have owned too many amps to list here over the past 10 years, and I was tired of my mesa lonestar's muddiness. I also didn't need an overdrive channel, I have a few select pedals that do that for me. i wanted an amp that was simple, but tonefull. I tried all the high end amps I could, and decided that the carr stuff was the best for me, clean, and musical, without any outrageous features and gain, just tone. I saved my money for a good year, sold my boogie, and bought this. If it's any indication of the sound of the rambler, everyone in the store gathered around when I walked out of the amp room with it.
I use telecasters, with fralin pickups, and high quality cables. This amp also allowed me to get rid of my fulldrive, ts808, and AC booster, it really let me downsize my rig. Now my signal chain is, vht valvulator, ernie ball volume, vox wah with TB mod, xotic RC booster, hermida zendrive, and visual sound H2O. I had double the number of pedals before I got the rambler, an eq, to trim the low mids of my boogie, a smooth and slim to try and do the same, and the three drive pedals, just to get a sound I could tollerate. Myzendrive through the rambler nails the most convincing robben ford tone I've heard to date, without spending 3 K on a dumble clone, and minus the brilliant playing that is Robben. The RC gives me some more meat behind the sound, and gives a nice solo boost.
This amp is light as well, a huge plus over the boogie and most blackface fenders I've tried. Also, the clean headroom is amazing. I had serious wories about that, but played an outdoor show for upwards of 600 people, and had the amp on 5, and cut through with no problem. That's about where the amp starts to go into a sort of fender inspired breakup, that's very musical. I also tried the amp cranked in triode mode, and got an amazing cranked deluxe or princeton sound, which reminded me of early larry carlton when I pushed it with the RC booxter.
I hear none of the flappy bass others have mentioned, just don't turn the bass all the way up and you're find. People have to realize, with such a small cabinet, it won't resonate in the low bass frequencies as much as a big box, so keep the bass below 5 and it's fine.
Sorry to ramble, pun not intended, but I love this amp,

I spoke extensively to Eddie Berman of indoor storm about reliability and he assured me that he's used a rambler for years without problems, and the lifetime warantee makes me feel that much better about it. I know Steve Carr will honor this amp if anything happens. Everyone I've talked to says Steve is a great guy, who loves his work, and that's enough for me,

I guess I sort of covered this above,

I just want to say, try this out, if you're going to spend the money, I think it's more of an amp than just about anything in it's price range. It's like the best old fender, but new, and with more power, better components, and frankly, better tone, it has none of the harshness of a lot of fenders I've played. I am amazed by the consistancy of these amps. I've tried around 10 of them, and they all sound fantastic, and very similar. This tells me the carr team is really trying to put out the best product they can, and is doing a great job. I know I sound like an endorcer or something, but this amp just exciees me. I had been going through a period where looking at my gear made me not want to play, I knew I'd be frustrated and would spend my practice time twirling knobs trying to achieve some tone I couldn't have. Now, I just plug straight in to the amp, and play for hours, without even thinking about anything. I know it's a lot of cash, but this amp is completely worth it, in my humble opinion. If I can be of any help, please feel free to contact me.
Kurt

I feel compelled to submit this review because of the one given below by "Anonymous." I always question a review that trashes a good product by someone who doesn't have the balls to attach his name to it.
I've had my Rambler about 2 years. It is a single channel class A 6l6 powered 1-12 combo with reverb and tremolo. 28 watts pentode, 14 triode. An external speaker input jack would be nice, but I've used a Y adaptor as Steve Carr recommends to power another single 12 cab and there doesn't seem to be any impedence mismatch thing going on.

OK lets start here with the previous review.
1) Yes it's 28 watts pentode - a SMALL club amp in the vein of a Deluxe Reverb, Dr Z Z-28, Bad Cat 30, etc. What exactly is "average stage volume?" I own several amps of different wattage. The size of the room, the type of gig and number of players, the guitar I'm using, and other factors determine which amp I use at a particular venue. My Rambler sounds wonderful live. I get compliments on my tone all the time when I play it out.

2) Nice full bottom for a single 12". Of course there is no OD in this amp! That's what pedals are for. This reviewer should have looked into a Carr Slant6 or some other amp with channel switching.

3) "The top end is a result of the speaker." What in the world is he talking about? The Kingpin 60 is basically an Eminence V30, a pretty good speaker. I've tried a few other speakers in it. There's an Eminence Red Fang in there now, and it sounds really good. It gives it a little of that British chime and sparkle without losing that 6L6 Fendery thing.

3 (again) One of the best reverbs I've ever heard. Full and lush. I use a slap delay quite a bit, and many reverb units don't work that well with a short delay. I set it at about 9 o'clock and the sound is clear and defined with the delay on, without being muddy.

4) The tremolo seems more similar to me to a Fender tweed or an old Gibson amp than a blackface. Plenty of depth, but I think the speed rate could be a little faster at max. But it sure sounds good.

I mostly play Teles with the occasional Strat, Lindy Fralin Blues Specials. The amp is very quiet.

Never a problem. It even crashed off an airport conveyor belt in it's roadcase without so much as cracking a tube. Very well built, as an amp that costs this much should be.

I haven't had any need to contact Steve Carr, but I've heard from other Carr amp owners that he's pleasant and very accomodating.

I've been playing for 45 years, 40 professionally. I'm down to the Rambler, a Dr Z Maz 38 Sr 2 X 12, a '66 Pro Reverb, a '64 Twin, and an old AC30. At some point or another I've owned nearly every blackface Fender made, several tweeds, Marshalls, a Measa Boogie, Ampegs, old Gibsons, and several I'm sure I've forgotten. I've gigged with Bogners, Bad Cats, Victorias, and God knows what else. This is my practice(triode mode)/small room (pentode)amp. The thing I really love about this amp is the Middle control. At low mid settings, the amp sounds very blackface. Crank up the mids and it gets very tweed-like. Very cool! I purchased this over several other boutique amps I tried - all single 12s, around 30 watts. A great little 28 watt amp! You just need to know what this amp is all about and not expect something it isn't.

I'd love to know which "great amps" the previous reviewer owns. I bet there's a few solid staters in there!

You know what its got... no sense going through it agian.

Wow, this is an overated amp if I have ever heard one. I own lots and this is a nice amp. But for the money, there are many better options out there.

Ok lets start here.
1) Its 14/28 watts. Well the amp cannot keep up at your average stage volume. I dont play loud and this thing just cannot put out a good tone to get over a drummer and fill the room. it may record well but it does not perform live very well at all.

2) The Bottom is weak, it lacks character and there is no OD in this amp. Nothing, nada, what the hell is the point of having a tube amp you cannot push to sound like a tube amp. The amp is built this way its the intended purpose of the design to keep the amp from going into OD but man, give me some kinda dirt to dig into.

3) The Top end is a result of the speaker. that stock speaker is not doing the amp justice. I used a few others and they did offer more organic tones and textures. That eminence in there is pretty toneless. With all the options on the market, even some other good ones from emenience why would you put a crapy speaker in a 2k amp.

3) Reverb. Ya that too is not very good. It lacks the depth and refinement of a good fender. Its not bad, its just not 2k great.

4) Tremelo is there but its pretty weak. Not much depth and the swell is not very good. It does not give you the sweep you need to cover several styles. I think Carr uses the Powertubes to create the effect. I am not sure really, but its not Fenderesque and that my not be a bad thing. Its just not a very good tremelo

This amp is built like a tank. It should run for years and years without an issue. No Faults here

Not very good, wrote a couple of emails looking for some help with parts and specs. Got no reply.

Pretty poor! For VERY small rooms the amp holds up ok, but for a really good blues tone and fat fill the room presence look some where else. This amp just does not have it going on. I took it on trade and knew I would sell it, but I sold it less than a month later. There was nothing there for me to keep and I traded a lesser value amp for it because the other owner felt the same way. I compaired this to 2 other ramblers and they all did sound just about the same. My 5e3 clone has much more mojo and about the same apparent volume as the Rambler. I dont know how this could get such high regards. I have a lot of great amps, and this is not one of them. I sold it as fast as I could. For 800.00 this is a nice amp to have, but any more then that and there are many more options for you play.

This is a simple to use no nonsense 1-12 amp. Nice sounding reverb. One channel. So I suppose it isn't chock full of stuff that you don't really need anyway

This amp is just the best. I have played it for Jazz and Blues, loud and soft and it just always sounds good. It can be a bit bright for solo guitar jazz stuff, but it has tone controls. I also own a Carr Mercury which I use for recoring and quiet jazz stuff. The Rambler is particularly good in a small club. I have never had any trouble being heard, even when playing loud blues. It can hold it's own with most 50 watt amps. Also the tone stays pretty and clean even loud, the amp just sings more rather than sounding farty like a Deluxe would

The reverb broke and Steve Carr sent a new tank at no charge. I guess the new reverb tanks aren't as sturdy as they were 30 years ago, not Carr's fault. Other than that one problem it has worked great for the 2 years I've had it. I always use it without a backup

Steve Carr responded to my email quickly and acted to get my reverb fixed. He was very friendly and helpful

I have played guitar for 36 years and owned a dump truck load of amps. I am very happy with my Carrs. Great sound, great company.
Highly recommended!!!

Standard features for a vintage style amp - full EQ plus reverb, tremolo and pentode/triode switch. The key to the Ramblers features is the wide ranging midrange knob and the pentode/triode switch. Using these two allows the tone and response to go from more blackface to more tweed. I say "more" because in my opinion there is always a sort of blend between tweed and blackface tones going on. I like to turn the mids up and use triode mode for tweedier tones, and keep the mids to 12:00 and under in pentode mode for more blackface tones.

The tones the amp produces sound like a lovely mix of old low powered tweeds and brighter and tighter blackface tones. The reverb is second only to Bruno and /13. The bass control is wide ranging and can be uncontrolled at high volumes when using high bass settings and high output pickups and or heavy picking. There is a lot of bass even with the knob at 9:00.

I've used Strats and Les Pauls with the Rambler with great results. There are some truly stunning tones with a nice Strat. The amp takes pedals very well, I find the best "pedal tones" in triode mode with the EQ knobs set mostly at 12:00 though I will push the mids higher depending on the guitar and pedal. I've used all the Xotic pedals (RC/AC/BB), the MI Audio blueboy and tube zone, The Menatone 6 knob KOB, Cornish G2, Stampede SOV, and the Hermida Zendrive with the Rambler, all with very good results. The KOB into the Rambler with a Les Paul does some very nice Marshall flavored tones. The Blue Boy and the Rambler do some of the nicest smooth and singing tones I've ever heard with a pedal/amp combination, and to get any better I think you would need to buy a two-rock (I've owned mulitple two-rocks and have played 4 different Dumble ODS) The response of the amp is very comfortable - not sure how Steve managed to get the sponginess of a tube rectifier into this amp, but it feels and responds great. While I am not a big fan of power tube overdrive, the Rambler in triode mode gets some very smooth overdriven tones when turned up.

I personally think a strat is the best match with this amp - they just work together so well for chimey clean tones, or thicker, smoother cleans. With a Strat and a nice pedal like the Blue Boy, you can cover a variety of clean and overdriven tones in a small, very well made package. There is a very good reason the Rambler is one of Steve's best sellers after more than 5 years with little or no evolution of the circuit - he got it extraordinarily right the first time. The only 2 amps I've played that can compete with the Rambler in terms of clean tone were a Bruno 45 watt Cowtipper and a Two-Rock Custom Reverb. After a few months of owning my Rambler I noticed a vibrating/fuzzy sound that I incorrectly thought was the speaker (turned out to be a power tube) - I was happy with the Kingpin but thought that I would try something else and put a Cannabis Rex in the amp - made the amp thicker, with more controlled bass and a smoother high end - the high end actually reminded me of my Bruno Cowtipper which has a very sweet and never piercing high end. The Cannabis Rex is also tighter on the low end, but doesn't totally eliminate the knocking or flapping sound you might get when using the bass heavy settings I described above.

I haven't had any problems with my amp after 5 months of heavy use - 1-2 hours a day.

I emailed Steve about my buzzing problem and a tech called me and spent a half hour on the phone going through various things I should test/check. Very happy with the service.

This is not a multifeatured amp, which is an advatage for me in that I just plug in a guitar and get outstanding tones. Reverb is simply the best I have ever heard, not to mention the lovely sounding tremelo. Triode switch is also very cool in that it is a little more tweed sounding, while in pentode mode there is plenty of clear , punchy, blackface style tones. Although there is no master volume, in a live situation I am able to achieve awesome clean to overdriven sounds just by manipulating the pentode/triode controls along with volume and tone controls. Isn't this how a great amp is supposed to work anyway?

Obviously this amp prefers single coils, but place a good od pedal(keeley ts-9) between the Rambler and a Les Paul and you get some of the most beautiful overdriven sounds you will ever hear; Sounds that are clear, smooth, and rich. With a Tele you can get a great blues tone straight into the amp, even at low volumes. I love how you can actually hear the amp morph into natural distortion as you turn up. I am not talking major gain here, but just a loud gritty tone that is perfect for blues and blues based rock. Another sound I like is turning up the amp to around 9 oclock in triode mode along with a Fat Boost. You get all the sustain and grit you need while retaining that "straight into the amp sound". The Rambler is also the most quiet amp I have heard.

I have had no problems yet, and considering the exceptional build quality, I do not foresee any major problems.

n/a

I have been playing for about twelve years and have played Dr Z, Matchless, Vox, Fender,Orange, Boogie, and Marshall amps. This amp is hands down the best musical investment I have ever made(along with a 112 tone tubby cab). This is the kind of amp that inspires you and makes you smile every time you play it. Expensive yes, but to me is worth every penny. This is the amp of a lifetime. Thanks Steve Carr for an amazing product.

2004 Carr
Needs a master volume. Quite loud, sounds better at volum ethat exceeds stage volume for smaller gigs.

Gibson ES-175, Tele, Strats...
full bodied, a room filler, sound is accurate and dictated by the guitar...good for jazz..actaully reminds me of OR80 Orange amps, not any character,though. Quite dull with too subtle of a vibrato. Not a rockin' amp, very midrangey, no squeeze. Boring...returned it. Admittedly, it is the right amp for some styles, but not chord based rock/pop...Incredibly quiet!

Probably pretty tough...

Boring, not a pice of design art, either...a good bone tone player will be rewarded by it. My stle of music uses amplifiers to shape and add to the sound in a musical way...I think it is overpriced for the features and lack of versatility.

I play blues, blues-rock, jazz. My pro playing days are behind me. However, I have a recording studio at home and play extensively.

Has all the features a vintage-style amp should have -- volume, bass, treble, reverb and tremolo. Additionally, there's a switch for pentode/triode operation. No need for channel switching, effects loops, headphone jacks. Self-biasing if you want to switch the tubes. Not a feature I intend to use but nice to have the option.

I play 90% with Gibson Les Paul Historic Reissues and 10% with a Strat. The Les Pauls are equipped with boutique PAF replacement pickups (Timbuckers, Rolphs, Crossroads). I'm all about vintage tone. The Rambler is perfect for my style of playing. I play with mild overdrive. It's important that the character of the guitars, amps and, most of all, my playing come through. The Rambler is an outstanding, transparent, clean amp. Dimed, it has a sweet, singing sustain. At lower volumes it also sings but requires an overdrive/boost pedal to achieve the same sound. I use a Fulltone FullDrive2 with an 18w converter which works great with the Rambler. The pentode mode (28 watts) sounds very tight and punchy but I generally prefer the triode mode (half power - 14 watts) which I find warmer, richer and more "vintage" sounding.

Build like a tank. Point-to-point wiring. No PCB anywhere. Only had the amp for a month but looks very rugged.

Steve Carr is exceptionally friendly and helpful. I had a concern regrading the tremolo and he addressed my concern promptly and was very informative. The amp comes with a lifetime warranty.

I've been playing 40 years. I played professionally for 12 of them. I own a Carr Mercury which is also a superb amp but with a very different character. I have the four above-mentioned Historic Reissue Les Pauls and a Strat. I mike the Rambler with an Shure SM57 into a Yamaha 2816AW hard-disk recorder and burn straight to CD. The Rambler has a sweet, warm, thick, creamy, vintage tone that perfectly expresses the sounds I hear in my head. I checked out a Low Power Fender Tweed Twin, a Gibson GA-5, Fender Tweed Champ and THD Univalve before buying this amp. I sold my Marshall TSL 602 and TSL 601 amps after buying the Rambler and the Mercury. I would replace them in a heartbeat. Expensive? Sure, but worth every penny.
I've owned several vintage plexi Marshalls and black-face Fender amps over the years and the Carr Rambler sounds better than all of them.

My Rambler was built in 2000. It had quite a few features for a 1-12 combo which I won't go into. You can read them in the many other reviews.

I used a Les Paul, Strat, Tele, 335 and a Firebird to try and get the "flat out amazing", "room filling" and "phenomenal" tones that everyone was talking about. They weren't there. I tried changing the tubes.No good. Maybe it was the speaker- I tried changing that. No change. The volume was anemic for a 2-6L6 amp. I had the amp looked over by my amp tech and everything was in good condition, it just sounded so-so.
I just don't get it. Maybe I had a lemon, but the amp sounded like an average tube amp- much better than solid state but nothing special in the tube genre. The only better-than- average aspect of the amp were the reverb and tremelo effects which were very good ( but I seldom use them). For less than the Rambler costs you could have a blackface Fender Deluxe Reverb or even a Super Reverb. I've owned both and both sound much better than my Rambler and have similar features.

It seemed to be built well and I had no problems with it in the 6or so months that I owned it.

No experience. Maybe I should have packed it up and sent it to Carr and asked him why everyone else was raving. I've heard he is very accomodating.

I've been playing for 40 years, all kinds of music , all kinds of venues, all kinds of gear. I was heavily influenced to buy the Rambler by reading the preceeding reviews here. I have never sent in a review but based on my Rambler experience I felt compelled to give my opinion. Don't buy a Rambler without a test drive. If YOU like the sound then it's up to you. I am personally glad to be rid of it.

This amp was made in early 2004. The amp features one channel with reverb and tremolo....pretty basic design. No channel switching, effects loops or other extras to clutter the controls or tone. What it has is enough for my tastes and playing. The reverb is exceptional but I never use tremolo so make no comments about it. It is rated at 28w, class A power and is very adequate for my uses, which are basement playing or jamming with friends outdoors. It also features a pentode/triode switch that cuts the power in half. This reduces the volume about 20% and works great when you need less volume but like to have the amp cranked for natural OD tones. A very handy feature and one I wish more builders would use.

I play mostly a Les Paul with vintage PAFs and a Strat, but occasionally break out the Tele. The amp sounds great with all guitars/pickups. Music styles are mostly blues and blues/rock. The clean tones are wonderful and there is a decent amount of clean headroom, unlike many lower powered amps. The OD tones for me, are where this amp is at it's best...they are simply the best of any amp I've owned or played through. Not ratty and grainy sounding, but very smooth and creamy. You'd think you were playing through an old plexi Marshall, very touch sensitive and responsive to pick attack and slight changes in the volume knob on the guitar. It has the perfect OD for good rockin' blues or early rock but isn't what you'd want for heavy metal. If you want the Stevie tone, plug in your Strat and it's there. Put a Les Paul in front and you get everything from Peter Green to Cream, Allman Bros and 38 Special tones. I sometimes use a Klon to push it a bit when volumes must be kept down but the tone stays the same so I'd rate it as pedal friendly. I have a number of vintage amps and this amp truly sounds better than about 90% of them. It is louder than a BFVR and a tweed Super, yet has most of the tonal qualities of both...only better! The volume setting will put you into either territory, the higher settings will give more of the tweed grind, while anything under halfway is BF territory.

I haven't owned it long enough to know how reliable it will be, but judging from the build quality and Carr's reputation I doubt there will be any troubles.

I've contacted Carr several times before making a purchase and always received a timely and courteous response. Since the amp is new and isn't broken I'll have to wait and see about their customer support.

I've been attempting to play guitar for 40yrs, off and on. Over the years I've owned about every model of tweed Fender ever made, as well as all the BF Fenders. I started playing Marshalls in 1968 and have owned one or more ever since. I've been somewhat of a vintage snob these past years but after trying out several of these newer amps I think someone else can own the oldies from now on! If this amp were stolen I'd buy another ASAP. It is absolutely the single best amp for all of what I play, plus it's portable and doesn't weigh a ton!

This is a new Carr Rambler 1x12 made in 2004. This tube amp is best suited for roots, blues and country. it is a very clean, full and round sounding amp comparable to a blackface Fender. The Rambler is one of the best amps I have heard. This is a one channel no frills amp although it does have beautiful reverb and a killer tremolo which can be controlled by footswitch. Because the wattage is 14-28, this is a great amp for home and small venues. The quality and attention to detail is outstanding.

I use this amp primarily with a les paul w/ P90s and a strat. Sometimes i play a metal bodied dobro through the amp with a bit of tremolo and the sound is killer - very full and warm. The amp seems to be quiet even at louder levels although you can hear the tremolo pulsing which is typical of this tremolo design. You need to go to around 2 o'clock to get the distortion thing happening. But that's not what this amp is about. Place a distortion unit in front of the Rambler and dial in the dirt using the volume on your guitar.

Considering the build quality of this amplifier it should hold up well for a lifetime of use. I've only had the amp a month now, but don't expect any problems. To be honest, i was looking at a Fender Deluxe Reverb Reissue and my local dealers didn't have them, or if they did, there was always a problem with the 1 dusty unit they had in stock and they needed a down payment to bring in another unit. I finally said, fuck it - i was feeling less and less confident with the fender and thought if i'm going to special order an amp - it had better be special - not some mass produced piece of shit with the Fender logo (that used to mean something) stuck on the grill. So i ordered the Rambler. And IMHO I never really knew what TONE was all bout until i plugged into this amp. I bought mine from Willcutt Guitars.

I've emailed Carr a couple of times and always hear back in a day or two from Steve Carr himself. I can't quite remember the details of the warranty. But info can probably be found on the Carr website.

I've been playing about 25 years through all kinds of acoustics: Manzer, Larivee, Guild, Dobro, Greenfield and electrics: Fender, Gibson, and Guild. For the music i play, this is honestly one of the best sounding amps i have heard. And a good amp is critical to good sound. More than the guitar. You just plug your guitar into the Rambler and enjoy rich full tones that make you smile and give you the assurance that you made a very smart investment.

I bought my 2004 Rambler new from Guitars Ect. after doing months of homework on "boutique" combo amps. The Carr and Steelbender websites along with Steve Carr himself and a network of select dealers provided me with plenty of help. Even without having an opportunity to demo a Carr I can gladly and honestly say I have had no regrets. The Rambler may not have every feature you could ever want but what controls it does offer are the best in class. Players choose this amp for it's simplicity, pure unmatched clean tone, top notch quality and portablity. If that's not your "cup of tea" check out something other than a Rambler. Tip,, be an informed buyer not a dissapointed reviewer.

I play a John Surh Classic with 3 V60's and a Gibson Chet Atkins CG in combination with this amp. My other amp is a loaded "88" Mesa Boogie Mark lll and it has been my benchmark for guitar amps for many years. I play R&B, jazz and Christian contemporary. The Rambler seems to be extremely well suited for these styles of music.
Tone? I'll never forget how I felt after playing through this amp for the first few hours,, stunned! almost speechless. Be carefull of initial impressions when you hear a new Rambler for the first time. Mine seemed to wake up after about an hour or so and just floored me with a clear,full sound like I had never heard before and it has only gotten better and almost addictive since. Steve Carr says this is normal. The speaker, power tubes and other components need a little time to open up. When the amp was new I could hear the power biasing when using tremelo but now it is always dead quiet. The Pentode-Triode power switching really gives me such distinct changes in tone that I feel as though I have two very different but wonderful sounding amps in one combo. I love the reverb and the tremelo on the Rambler. I was concerned that the modest power rating of 28-14 watts would not cut it for anything but a small venue. I was used to a 60-75 watt 95lb combo. Thankfully, I was very wrong, plenty of headroom for any situation so far. With the Rambler having only one clean channel you will need a drive or boost pedal to add gain unless you are able to run it very loud at 3 or 4 o'clock. I've added an Xotic RC booster to the mix and would highly recommend one for a transparent clean boost.

not worried. I'm sure the guy's at Carr will help me if I experience a problem with the amp.

I talked to Steve Carr several times before and after I bought the Rambler. It would be hard to imagine someone more helpful and considerate. I feel very fortunate to benefit from his commitment to the quality of his namesake products and his passion for tone. Lifetime warrenty! how sweet is that?

I would definitly replace it in a New York minute. This was my choice after considering another Boogie, a DR. Z, a Bad Cat 30, a Rivera Chubster, and Victoria combo. no regrets!

I bought this used about a year ago. It's a class A amp with the best sounding spring reverb I've ever heard, tone to die for, a great tremolo, and plenty of power in the pentode mode for most clubs. Crank the high end a bit and it absolutely screams at lower volume in the triode setting.

I play Teles mostly, with an occasional Strat and a Getsch Nashville Jr. Rootsy, with a twang. All guitars sound spectacular. And it's very quiet.

I keep spare tubes, but no problems at all. It actually fell off an airport conveyor belt in it's roadcase and escaped unscathed. I've been thinking it may be time to retube, but it sounds so good I don't dare.

I bought it used and have had no need to contact Steve Carr. I think it will definitely outlive me.

i've been playing 40 years. I'm a bonafide Fender nut and have owned too many Fender amps to remember. This is THE best amp I've owned, and I'd replace it in a second if something happened to it.