Carvin Bel Air 212

As far as features are concerned on the plus side the amps clean channel is very clean and the soak channel has enough gain for general applications though not metal, etc. The extra speaker out is good for expanding the volume with a ext cab for larger venues or when you play with a drummer who just plays only loud, etc. I have the matching 212E exp cab from Carvin to play larger venues and or outdoors where the sound just goes out and falls off. I find this very usefull that I can use just the combo up to medium venues and can drive the amps volume up to 7 to really use the tubes, and when I need more I can then add the cab. (I've been frustrated in the past when I have had an amp that has enough power for the loudest venues, but can't turn it up past 3 or so for the average venue and can't drive the tubes enough for it's best tones) The adjustable ohms selection makes it easier to select from various ext cabinets. The line out is also good sounding to a PA system where the signal easy to work with. It also has a standard effects loop. On the negative side I do wish the amp had a 2nd input and the presence nob was on front with the other controls instead of the backside.

I am very eclectic with what I play. Blues, punk, country, folk rock, alt rock, gospel, so a good tone basic tone to build from was my main focus. The clean channel tone is in the Fender vintage camp though not quite as greasy. The drive on the soak channel is reminds me a lot of classic Who crunch. In short, the tones are quality and even a fellow guitarist listening will not notice it is not a real vintage Fender amp on the clean tones unless he or she really focuses. I am finding this amp to be a very good match for my Reverend Jetstream 390 guitar, a P90 3 pick up guitar. The tone controls on each channel have a wide sweep and are easy to work with. On the clean channel by adjusting the presence from 5 to 7 with the treble around 6 or 7, the mid around 3 and the bass around 4 I can get some Tele like twang. When I drop the presence down to 3 or so I can get more bell like Strat tones. Rolling off the presence to 0 gives the punchy P90 tone. From there when I roll up the bass contour on the guitar about 1/4 of the way and roll the tone nob on the guitar back off the treble a little, I can get a decent PAF immitation, (though a single coil guitar is never sound exactly like a humbucker or vise versa). The soak channel is about the same, though it has more of a Vox AC30 crunch than a Fender growl due the the choice of power tubes, EL84's. The reverb is effective but hides in the background more than most amps I've used, (been playing 25yrs or so, have owned Crate, Fender, Peavey, Marshall and Vox amps). I find this amp to be very versital sound wise without being complicated and find the sound tones of both channels to be quality vintage tube. The clean channel does start to break up when pushed on the volume at around 7 or 8 or so. Finely, it is relatively quiet hum wise, even with a single coil guitar.

The amp is very solid. No problems to report after using for practice and a few gigs. Too early to give it a rating in this catagory.

So far so good. Haven't spoken to Carvin yet about anything but their web site I find very user friendly. 1 year warranty.

I have been very pleased so far with everything about this amp and nothing has dissapointed. It has every thing I was looking for, quality vintage tones, solid construction, easy to use, flexability, volume levels that fit my uses, This is the first amp I can say if it were lost or stolen I would go get another one as soon as I had the money and wouldn't see it as an oportunity to look at others, etc.

Made in 2008,Great amp 4 rock and blues.clean channel and overdrive channel,effects loop,line out.Plenty loud for me to play with almost any band.

I plugged in a 335 copy,nothing special,and it sounds like what I was hoping for....A cheap guitar now sounds like an expensive guitar
very quiet amp even turned up half way I did not hear any hum or noise on the clean or overdrive channel

only pulled it out of the box today. Looks like it is a tank
so far so good

1 year warranty, shipped on time ,I ordered white covering it took 3 weeks to get to me

Ive owned a mesa boogie subway rocket<killer amp>line 6 <disposable>
fender 65 twin<great amp,very heavy> poly tone mini brute<plain jane
cool for jazz>
I love the bel air would replace if it were stolen

it was a bel air or a new gibson amp I was messin with at the music store I work at.The price of both was about the same I think I saved
50 bucks ,But most of all I got vintage 30 speakers and groove tubes
it sounds as good as the gibson or maybe a tad better.plus direct out
effects loop and a drive channel

2 channels, soak and clean, w/presence (excellent!) on the clean channel. Reverb on both channels, fx loop, ext cab out, etc. Plenty of features for me.

Ok, so this is where things got interesting...
For the first couple years I owned this amp I loved the clean channel but was not at all impressed by the soak channel...it was noisy, growly, overly distorted but not musical, and generally really muddy sounding. I play Gibsons as well as Fenders and they all sounded aweful on the soak channel. I picked up an Electro-Harmonix English Muff'n (great tube powered pedal) and this remedied that situation, but the reverb would still feedback at anything above 3. This was highly annoying and swapping out the tube (#4 12ax7) helped a bit, but not enough.
Then, after reading a bunch of reviews on various tubes, I swapped out all of my 12ax7's for Tung Sol 12ax7's (it had Ei's in it originally).
OMFG!!! What a difference!!! It is now a completely different amp. I no longer use the English Muff'n. The soak channel is now rich, creamy, thick, and beautiful.
I would stack it up against just about any other amp now. Even better since I also have a Carvin 212 ext cab in tweed that is loaded w/Eminence Governor and Private Jack speakers. I would have given it a 10, but for the crappy tubes that were in it before.

I've only had one problem, with the exception of those crappy pre amp tubes that were in it originally. The circuit board had a melt down once. It was not a major issue and my amp tech did a fine job (for not much $$) repairinf it. Other than that it has been a workhorse. BTW...it is very loud! Plenty for any gig that I'll have up to a good sized club.

Carvin has been very helpful every time I've contacted them. I bought the amp used w/o any paper work and they emailed me everything I needed (schematics, etc.)

I've been playing 30+ years and have owned quite a few amps, all of them tube with one exception (little practice amp). If it were lost or stolen I'd consider another one if I found a great deal, otherwise I'd look for a point-to-point handwired amp for the added reliability.
As for sound, I'm very, very pleased with this amp. The clean channel is bright, crisp, clean ala Fender, but if you crank the clean channel, you get a beautiful distortion, too.
Bang for the buck, I don't think you can beat this set up. It is a quality American-made product.

Very vesatile amp, two channel, footswitch for channel and reverb. Great sounding reverb. Plenty of power at 50 tube watts.

Sounds great. I absolutely love the cleans and the soak control allows very nice distortion after tweaking it for awhile. The reverb sounds excellent. I am using a MIM Fender Strat with a humbucker in the bridge. Sounds fantastic with the humbucker. Suits all kinds of country to classic rock. Not sure about jazz or new metal stuff. Great for classic music.

Amp seems very solid and high quality construction throughout.

Carvin is a great company. Amp is built solid...If ever a problem I am sure Carvin would take care of it.

I think this amp is just great. I have been looking for this sound for many years. I like Fenders and I think this is up there with the best.

mine was made in 2007, I bought it new from the Carvin location in San Diego. I was drawn to these amps for several reasons. the faux tweed is lacquered which gives it a more convincing vintage look. the controls are front mounted which i prefer to the top mounted ones since I like to tilt my amp back. and they are super cheap for an all tube amp made in USA. the Bel Air is 50 watt, 2x12, two channel amp with independent eq for each channel. it also has a tube driven, three spring tank reverb which is really warm and subtle, but can be dialed in pretty thick... but not fender twin thick. the cabinet is made of actual poplar plywood, not partical board which is a very nice feature. 4 EL84 power amp and 5 12AX7 pre amp groove tubes. there is an acoustic presence adjustment for the clean channel which enhances the highs. and , at 50 lbs, it's quite manageable to cart around to gigs. also has an external effects loop and a cabinet voiced direct out which is nice.

first and foremost, it's important to realize that this amp is designed around the idea of vintage type tones. those looking for a modern "scooped" sound will be very dissappointed. it's hard to believe that anyone would see the look of this amp and then buy it expecting heavily saturated metal tones. that is to say the look of this amp is NOT misleading.... it looks vintage, it sounds vintage. however, if you are of the classic rock / blues school of playing, you'll be in heaven. dial in Jimmy Page, Angus Young, Eric Clapton, Joe Perry, Billy Gibbons, Peter Green, alex lifeson ect. if these are the tones you're after, you will find them here. don't let all the reviews from users who expected to find modern distorted tones scare you off. anyone who bought one of these with those tones in mind should have done some research. again, with respect to the overdrive channel, if you are seeking tones simillar to the ones produced by the players i mentioned above, you will have no trouble finding your sound.the "soak" adjustment (basically the same as a gain adjustment) lets you go from a gently broken up, singing lead tone all the way to Angus and Malcolm approved crunchy open chord riffing. the clean channel is equally impressive. a couple of people here have metioned it sound like a cross between a Vox AC30 and a Fender Twin Reverb. I can certainly hear their point. it really has it's own warm, round tone though. from darker jazzy tones to fat blues with a bit of reverb, to sparkling country tones, it's all in there. the amp has plenty of juice to cut through the mix and the clean channel headroom keeps it clean until the very highest volume settings. for blues or classic rock, there is NO WAY you won't be able to find tones you'll love. I am granting this amp a 9 based on it's ability to produce vintage style tones as designed.

I have owned Carvin gear in the past without problem. this amp seems really well made and I can't imagine it falling apart on me. time will tell, but i have a good feeling about it.

Carvin is a direct sales manufacturer, but I live just a short drive from the San Diego location. I have found all the guys i've spoken with there to be super friendly and helpful. 1 year warranty.

these days there are a LOT of amp choices out there, many very reasonably priced. I think in selecting an amp, it's vital to know the sound you're after and make sure you're looking at amps designed to reproduce the sounds in your head. there are so many so called "modeling amps" out there that claim to sound like the vintage plexi, or the Mesa Triple recto, or the vintage Vox or Fender amp you can't afford. but, the truth is, no solid state or hybrid amp will sound and respond like an actual tube amplifier. the Bel Air is a great offering from Carvin that allows the average player to be able to create some really super, vintage type tones without breaking the bank. it got awesome vintage styling and awesome tone. and, made in USA!!! do yourself a favor and check one out if your a crusty old classic rocker like me.. or a young guy aspiring to become one!

Ok, much has been stated about the O/D side of the Bel Air, and it's obviously a love it or hate it sound. but here is the thing. this amp is designed to emulate "vintage" overdrive tones.... but, how were those vintage overdrive tones first made? one word... VOLUME!! we all know that when you crank a tube amp wide open, it will start to break up, right? but, how many of us actually PLAY in situations where we can open a 100 watt Marshall PLexi all the way up? I had a 50 watt plexi that I couldn't even turn up half way before the volume was deafening. this is why so many of the low wattage tube amps like the Fender Deluxe and the Vox AC30 are so popular. that nice, broken up tone can be had at more manageable volumes. but, even these amps have to be very loud to get them singing. I personally do not use the overdriven tones of this amp, however they are not bad at all and many players may be able to dial in an overdriven tone that they would be more than thrilled with. realize, however, that it's not going to give you any hint of a "rectified" distortion. It seems there are people who bought this amp expecting to get heavy Marshall or Mesa type sounds from it which is does not, and was not ment to do. I bought this amp because the clean channel is insanely good. especially when you consider the price ($599 brand new) and that it's made in the USA. the blackface reissue twins and Vox AC30 reissues I've played through don't sound any better. they may sound different, but not better. and considering that those blackface twins and VOX AC30's are twice the price makes the Carvin all the more worth looking at. but, don't dismiss the 2x12 Bel Air as a clone, because it's got a sweet voice all it's own. I saw here where on reviewer stated it was sort of a cross between a twin and an AC30, and I would agree that it does possess properties of both. I use a fulltone fulldrive in front of the amp to get the singing, overdrive tones i'm after, because I play venues (and with band members..) that don't accommodate 50 watts of cranked tube amp. I suspect there are a lot of players out there that are in the same boat. If you are looking for a great, warm, well rounded clean valve tone that you can add effects to, this is a great choice and worth serious consideration before throwing down $1200 or more on a blackface twin reissue or Vox AC30 reissue. It's got a really great vintage look and vibe, wonderfull tone and made in USA. if you're in the market for a vintage voiced 2x12 tube combo, make sure to put the Bel Air on your list of candidates.

Not Sure what year made. I think it's an older one, it's got Carvin speakers.
Two channel. I love the clean one.

Effects loop seems to work fine.

Reverb is nice and subtle- not overpowering like some spring reverbs on other amps. It sort of blends in and you dont notice it's on unless you turn it off. Not a traditional surf or country twang reverb.

The line out is noisy. Carvin said I might need to move the wire around in the chasis to find a better placement for it, but I have not tried yet.

LOUD in a good way.

Fairly portable for a 2x12. Slightly smaller and lighter than a Twin.

One of the best clean channels I've played. It's like a Twin, but smoother and easier on the ear. It's like an AC30, but not as much sag.

The "Soak" channel I havent used as much. I am always changing stuff around, but so far I feel I can get a better "soaked" tone from my Blue Tube and Tube Screamer.

I use single coil Stat and Tele.

It's great for my music- jangle pop.

So far not the slightest hint of a problem. I can tell it's built very well. I have a Carvin bass head thats seen many gigs and much abuse, is 20 years old and I suspect it will work forever. Hopefull the Belair is of the same caliber, and it appears to be.

Ok. I'm pretty sure no one has better customer support than Carvin.
Try them- email them a question. They wont even care if you own Carvin. Ask them how loud the BelAir is. Someone will personally email you back in a few hours- from America.

Awesome.

How long have you been playing?

20 years

What other gear do you own?

Fender tube amps, various tube amps and Fender guitars.

If it were stolen or lost, would you buy it again or get something else?

Not sure. I would want another one. I might try something else just for a change.


what do you love about it?

The clean channel

What do you hate?

Nothing really.

Did you compare it to other products?

Maybe old tube amps like Fender Vox etc.

Which ones? See above

Why did you choose this one?

Always liked other Carvin gear I had. Saw it used for a good price.

Anything you wish it had? A working line out.

Anything else you'd like to share? Chicken butt

If you are thinking about getting one of these you probably realise that you don't need a huge array of features. The bel air has all the features that you'll need to get nice warm tones and that fantastic vintage sound. Has everything I need!!!!

As most people would say the clean channel is great, and they aren't wrong the clean channel is faultless, the soak channel is somewhat under par compared to the clean....however I changed the tubes to JJ tesla tubes and it made a world of difference! Now I rarely use the clean channel as all the sound I need is achievable through the soak channel. If you are looking for that Pearl Jam, Chili Peppers sound you can get it with this amp! I play a Maton Mastersound and a Strat through it and both have great tones through this amp and can get that real Mike McCready sound without blowing the budget. The reverb isn't as good as I would like, I am currently trying different tubes to get a better reverb sound, that would be the only complaint that I have

Only had it for approx 8 months and no problems at all, I did get it second hand and they reported no problems with it too.

In all my 12 years of playing I have finally achieved my perfect guitar, amp, pedals mix. This amp matched with my Maton electric is the exact sound I have been trying to achieve. If my bel air was stolen, without a doubt I'd get another one!

For anyone interested, Eurotubes @ eurotubes.com makes customer matched tube upgrades for this amp (and other popular low-cost tubeys). For $60-100 you can upgrade the tubes in the Belair 212 according to the sound you desire or need.

2006 model. features are coverd here, I did get the foot switch. Effects loop is noisy, clean is amazing soak is lackluster.

I play mostly clean with effect through channel 1. Morley Wah, TS808 overdrive, Boss chorus, . I use a variety of guitars, from a 86 American stock strat to a 2000 Gene Baker B1, a 96 LP Stadard, ....The clean matches any Fender I have ever owned and the spng reverb is tight as well. They really need to fix the Soak chanell, but since I play clean the tone is great

Have owned 3 Carvin guitars never a problem and never encounterd a problem at all. The amp seems to be built like a tank, I have no problem gigging wit it

Carvin has great customer service, I have owned 3 Carvin guitar's and whe I had a slight problem they were nice and fast! Hard to find these days

Playing 34 years, through all kinds of tube amps , modeling amps, simple slid stater's. this clean is amazing I bought the extension cab so I'm pusing 4 12's. Do wish it had a better overdrie channel. This amp hold it's own wth some BIG Boys!