Carvin Bel Air 212

I think my Bel Air is one of the 2007 models, but I am clueless. I bought it from a friend who bought it direct from Carvin and used it at a Contemporary Church service for a couple of months then found a good deal for a Boogie on eBay and never touched the Carvin after that. So it was about a year old when he sold it to me for a discount because I knew him personally. I got it for $350 and I love it. It has 2 12in Carvin speaker, Carvins take on the V-12. It is great for blues and old school stuff. It has an effects loop and a 2 button footswitch. I use it for that same Contemporary service and it is 50 watts which is too much so I have to keeep the volume low for mic'ing it. It uses 5 12AX7s and 4 EL84, it has a volume, bass, mid, treble for clean channel and a separate, volume, soak, bass, mid, treble for the soak channel. and an acoustic pres for channel 1 and a reverb knob.

I use an Ibanez Artcore semi-hollow and an Epiphone SG. I like alot blues and classic rock. I also play contemporary christian music at my church. It is great for all those. There is a slight very slight hum but thats probably just a tube thing. It sounds great the clean channel is amazing, everyone always knocks the "soak" channel but I love it it is great for alittle overdrive and then you can add on to it with effects, but by its self, you can get it pretty dirty too. The clean stays pretty clean through the volume it does get alttle dirty when it is turned up high. The reverb tank does rattle alittle bit, not much,with some of the high notes, you can mess with it for a temporary fix what I do is just put beanie babies on the tank and it muffles the rattle with out messing with the reverb, I think the tank covering is just alittle loose.

I feel like I can depend on it, it took a hard fall in the back the car the other day when we went up a hill on the way to a gig, it landed, all 50 pounds of it, on the back. The tubes were fine and I had no problems with it after that.

I havent had to do any repairs at all so I dont know, the warranty I also don't know about, since I bought the amp from my friend I think the warranty is void, but i havent had any need for a warranty yet.

Ive been playing it now for 2 months or so. If it were lost Id porbly buy another. or buy the head and a seprate cab, the same version as the combo just in a halfstack form. You can also buy a 212 cabinet that goes with the belair perfectly from Carvin which I plan on doing. I wish it had 2 inputs, as a guitar teacher that is very helpful.

I am 56, and have been playing guitar for over 40 years now. My first serious rig was a 69 Marshall 50w head with slant 4 celestion cabinet used in my 70's band. Since then, I have had several amps. I mostly use tube amps, no effects, just reverb. I play blues, classic rock, rockabilly, oldies.
I had a Fender Hot Rod Deville, nice amp, heavy as lead, and the tone variations weren't that great. I then went to Peavey amps, Classic 30 great little amp, Crate Vintage Club 50 1x12 a good amp also, then the Valveking 50 okay, but a little too bright, and then a 4x10 Classic 50 nice. the major drawbacks of the peavey classics is the pre and post adjustments. You can get many tones by varying them but while playing it is hard to keep adjusting them. Then someone told me about the Carvin Belair. I researched in and then went online. found one right away on ebay and got t for $350 with cover. It is fairly new and in excellent condition. I have had it for 2 months now.
Let me tell you in all my years of playing, this amp blew me away immdiately. I played it for about 6 hours the first day and was amazed at the sound. the 2x12's are great. I used both channels and the reverb. I couldn't find any reason not to love it. I play semi pro now, gigging when my band can, older dudes, so we have families, etc. I would definitely trust it on a job, but always would like a backup in any situation just from experience especially with tube amps.
I paid $700 for the Hot Rod Deville and over $400 for the peaveys and this was a steal.
My main guitars right now are a Mex strat special edition with flame top and texas specials, sperzel tuners and cts pots. I also have a tele 62 reissue custom w/humbucker at neck and texas special at bridge, strictly vintage, maple neck, vintage slotted tuners, seafoam green..I just got an Ibanez AR 300 double cutaway with dimarzios and now this combined with the Carvin are incredible..
I will keep this amp a long, long time only to add a Fender blues deluxe to my gear eventually as a second choice now.
I don't know what all the negative feedback is about? maybe the older models had issues, but the quality of this amp is very good indeed in all aspects.
I would recommend it to anyone, especially those on tight budgets like most of us these days..

Not a Marshall, or intended to be one. It is a vintage copy amp, period and it is true to it's claims as such..much nicer than any other tube amp in it's range. period. Only reissue 59 tweed bassmans and old twins or mesa boogies can rank with this one. even peavey classics which are good amps also fall short.
Blues, great sustain and tone. Classic rock with growl distortion, not AC/DC, or Metallica screaming wall of stack sound but what the old blues guys got out of their silvertone tubes and whatever they could find back then.
ZZ Top songs like LaGrange sound perfect. even get the squeak when tweeked right..Billy uses a variety of amps, lately Crate, and Blue Voodoo's etc, even old Champs and I can copy him well..
Doors, Clapton, Stevie Ray, Roy Buchannon, Lowell George, Stones, etc. can all be copied with the Belair..very versitale.

I haven't had it very long, but judging from the overall quality and features, I think with proper care, it should last a long time. maybe replacing tubes is about it.

I haven't had the opportunity to contact Carvin. I know people that have had various other Carvin amps and they all liked them and no one ever told me any negative things about the company, etc.

I started playing at 11 and I'm 56, do the math!
I would definitely replace it if lost or stolen.
I simply enjoy playing through it everyday for hours sometimes, all my guitars..Better than the other tube amps I've had
Love all the features, even found a 2x12 matching cabinet, empty and am going to get matching speakers soon, can't wait to hear this mini stack in action.

I have the earlier version with the Carvin speakers instead of the Vintage 30's. All the features have been listed previously so I won't really go into it.

I don't know why some people knock the overdrive in this amp. I believe the Carvin folks make a number of other amps(Legacy, MTS, V3 etc) that offer up much more gain if that is what you are after. This is a vintage style amp. The clean is god like. That ultra high impedance input stage is wonderful-lets you put pedals into the front end without a lot of signal loss. The issue people have with the gain channel is rediculous. Yes, the overdrive is muddy after about 3 on the preamp volume, but that is what is cool about this amp. Set the gain for just a touch of grunt and then if you need more hit it with a tube screamer. It rips!! Sustain, chord definition is there if you don't overdue it. By the way, I find that single coils sound a bit better through this amp just for the plain fact that it doesn't hit the drive channel so hard.

Don't know about reliability. This is an older one and had an occasional volume drop when it was played for a long period of time. I swapped out the first preamp tube and the problem went away, hopefully that was it. I opened it up to get a look around, well built unit with good quality components throughout. The only thing that makes me leary is the tubes are mounted directly onto the circuit boards. There was some discoloration/residue on the tube pins at that point, don't know if the heat buildup caused this or what. I would watch that even though the amp is class a/b instead of a and doesn't burn as hot as say an AC30 amp.

They are a big company and do better than most. I like the fact that they stay in the USA.

Seriously, consider buying one of these. I got this off of ebay for $150. That's right, I know it sounds unbelieveable. The guy said it had an issue with the amp humming but he had no reverb tank in it and the level for it was set high. Duh. There's your hum problem. You don't get reverb without a tank in line. I just spent about an hour this morning playing through it with my USA Strat. Very inspiring, and I have a huge stable of amps in my basement at my disposal. For what it does and the cost involved you can't beat these for the price. You could gig with this and with a few pedals cover just about anything musically with the exception of say Cannibal Corpse/Slayer/Coal Chamber. Those type of bands wouldn't be seen with a tweed amp onstage anyway. I really like this one, and am keeping it until it or I die.

Mine is an earlier model,before they started using Celestion Vintage 30's in them.I've had it about 7 years.It has 2 channels: clean,and distortion.It has channel switching,as well as effects (reverb) switching.These are great tube amps,IF you are intelligent enough to understand these three little words: "vintage tube amp".It has all the features I need,which have been thoroughly described previously.I use it at home,at church in a praise band,and out at public performances playing old and original rock n roll.I've never been able to take the volume past 3 1/2 reguardless of the size of the venue.

Ok, here is where I'm gonna love telling you about this amp.It sounded really good with the Carvin speakers.I use LOTS of different guitars,each of which has it's own nitch with this amp.I have Gibson Melody Makers,USA Washburns WM4,WM3 prototype,CTS (best sustaining guitar I have including some amazing vintage Gibsons.Read my review on it here)Vintage Hagstrom Swede's,yada,yada,yada, all with humbuckers,that sound good thru this amp.I have vintage and re-issue Fender Strats and Tele's,that sound really good also.Some home built Strats that have SD hot rails,59,and JB jr's,all of which sound good with my Carvin.The clean channel (as stated MANY times before) is as good as it gets.Stays clean till you hit 7 1/2 to 8 on the volume,then you can get some usable minor distortion.But I cant feasibly go past about 3 !/2 without blowing the windows out of ANY size building.This is a great,clean,shimmery,VERY Fender-y sound.Now for the distortion channel.You cant really appreciate the full spectrum of what this channel can sound like till you get to about 3 on the volume.Set the "soak" (gain) knob at about 3 to 4,and you've got some wonderful vintage sounding distortion.Above about 4 1/2 and it starts getting a little muddy.It gets muddier,the higher you go.I never get above 3 1/2 any more,so it's not an issue with me.In church,and small venues I can barely get above 1 on the volume,without blowing everyone else away,volume wise.NOW HERE THIS!!! I was seriously concidering doing the Hasserl Mods to this amp to 'Open it up,and let it breath".It would also eliminate the upper volume/gain muddiness.But I cant play that loud anyway.It's just TOO LOUD!Then one day I brought home a Les Paul Melody Maker re-issue,with the dog ear p90 in the bridge.That guitar and this amp were made for each other.I hit a power chord,volume at three,soak at 3 1/2 and DAMN NEAR **** IN MY PANTS!!!! LOOKED IN THE MIRROR,AND LESLIE WEST IS STANDING THERE!!! AMAZING SOUND,INCREDIBLE CHORD DEFINITION!!! Every string sounds fantastic!!Needless to say,I would cut anyone's **** off who tried to modify ANYTHING on this amp.
Now just one more note: you wont get 80's metal crunch with this amp.I have to laugh my *** off at the idiots who ***** about this "vintage tube amp" not sounding like it's made for metal.IT"S NOT SUPPOSED TO YOU ****** IDIOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh yeah,just one more thing.I have had LOTS of other guitarists ask me how I'm getting that great sound.They will have a whole slew of pedals and effects processors,which have to constantly be re-adjusted,and try every new this or that.I really **** them off when I tell them that I dont use effects,and that if I needed effects to sound good,It means I cant really play guitar worth **** anyway.I also recently changed the speakers to Celestion Vintage Thirty's,and the amp sounds even better.Now,with that change,I can give it a 10

I've never had a problem with it.I just retubed it.It will get noisy if you leave the old tubes in too long.I always use it with no backup.I would never do that with a guitar.

I bought it used on Ebay for $375.00. I have bought other Carvin products direct.Whenever I needed support,Carvin has always been helpful.I will say that more than two or three amp repair shops have said that Carvins are built a little differently than other amps,and therefore,these shops are not familiar with the repair procedure.But any of the well known guys who have stellar reputations have said repairs would be no problem.

I cant play guitar.I've owned one for 35 years,but I still cant call myself a player.When I can play like Stevie,THEN I'll be a guitar player.Till then,I'll just be some guy who figured out how to create appealing sounds on a stringed instrument.If this amp were lost or stolen,I'd kill the ****** ,then set his dead body on fire.Then **** on what was left.Then I'd get another one,even if I had to buy it new.I'll never sell or trade it.I bought it before I ever saw any kind of reviews on it.I had a DC 127 guitar,and an AP11 loaded pickguard,both of which I thought were great quality.Thats why I bought this amp.

I purchased this amp in 2000, and have been using it exclusively for the past 8 years. I play a mixed bag of music, but mainly somewhere within the classic rock and/or alternative style. It has 2 channels (clean/crunch) with spring reverb and an effects loop. I play in a three piece band with drums and bass, so cutting through is definitely not a problem. I should mention however, that even if competing with multiple guitars in the mix, there is plenty of power and volume to spare. There is not an overabundance of features which lends itself well to its vintage appeal, and has a very straight forward layout. I don't use the effects loop nor do I use the crunch channel.

I use several different guitars including a Carvin SC90 with passive electronics, and humbuckers w/ coil splitters (neck/bridge). A Carvin DC150 with active electronics, again with humbuckers/splitters. And finally, a Gibson SG classic with P90's. This amp is equally adept at producing consistently warm and dynamic tones with any of the aforementioned guitars while allowing the individual tones of each of the instruments to be both heard and felt. The clean channel on this amp is simply fantastic. I have an array of effects and overdrives/distortions that I place in the signal chain in front of the amp which it seems to thrive on. My signal chain is as follows: Crybaby 535Q > guyatone ST-2 compressor > Pigtronix OFO disnortion > EH little big muff > EH Graphic fuzz > Rocktron nitro booster > Ernie ball passive volume pedal > guyatone NS-2 noise gate > EH small clone chorus > Akai headrush delay/looper. The amp has just enough clean headroom with a hint of breakup depending on how hard you hit the strings. If you desire more clean headroom, you can easily swap out the 1st of 5 preamp tubes in the "V1" socket with an ECC81 (in lieu of the 12AX7/ECC83 which I did experiment with for a while, but opted to go back to the original configuration to try and keep the volume down. I have changed out all of the tubes a couple of times over the course of the past 8 years which I purchased from Bob Pletka at Eurotubes...which made an outstanding sounding amp sound even better. (Kudos to Bob...thanks). The clean channel is clearly where this amp is "alive and breathing", which I feel is far superior to the crunch channel. I mentioned that I don't use the crunch channel on this amp. That is not to say that this channel doesn't sound good, but is probably better suited toward blues and I find this channel to be a little dark/muddy for my taste.I much prefer the sound of overdriving the clean channel over using the crunch channel. So much so, that I probably haven't even used the crunch channel in 5 or more years (the clean channel is that good). Also worth mentioning is the spring reverb which is very good, and unless you've got Dick Dale fever, should never leave you wanting for more.

As mentioned, I've been using this amp for 8+ years, and have never had a problem with it, and have never had a backup plan.

I've never had problems with any of the Carvin products I own, but have called with questions in the past and have found the staff to be very helpful and courteous.

I've been playing for about 25 years, and did much research prior to purchasing this amp. I haven't had the luxury of owning a multitude of amps over the years, so I can't provide comparisons in that way. But, I have consistently gotten positive feedback about my tone from other musicians, and I have certainly been pleased. If it were lost or stolen, I would definitely consider buying another, but after 8 years of use I'd probably be inclined to try something else (and would probably live to regret it). You'd be hard pressed to find any product better than those offered by Carvin...especially at the price they are offered at!! I have come to trust Carvin to produce high quality products at good price, and will continue to be an advocate for many years to come!!

Tube amp with stock tubes and two Carvin 100 watt V12 speakers. I have several guitars but usually play a Gibson ES-135 w/ P90 pick ups on it.

Rated 8 because: (1) Amp has a clean channel and a dirty channel with a toggle swith to go between the two. (2) One input jack for one guitar. Wish I had a foot switch to switch channels and it had one more guitar input.

It is a good looking amp. It is lighter in weight that I thought it would be. I use it for practice and have it sitting on top of a book case about ear level when sitting on a chair. Looks good in the room, kind of like an old radio (BIG old radio).

Rated 9: I heard more bad then good about the sound but I'm looking for a jazzy/bluesy kind of sound. I'm not planning on changing the tubes.

The amp sounds good with my ES-135 and P90s. Clean channel is very clean and the dirty channel is okay for me.

I don't crank it up. I did once just to see what would happen (it didn't blow up), it's friggin loud. Plenty good for a gig in a night club.

My opinion is it's not a amp for heavy metal types. It's great for the blues, southern rock, jazzy stuff.

Rated 10: Again I heard mixed results. It has to warm up and cool down properly. Hey, tubes are great!

Being a tube amp, don't recommend turning the thing off/on several times in a day. That would have to be a killer for sure at some point.

The cabinet is built well. The handle strap on mine is either pleather or leather, can't really tell. It's not a plastic strap/strip type thing though.

And, like everyone else, I recommend you carry this thing with two hands on the bottom. It's got TUBES in it! Of course, the tubes come out and are properly stored when transporting from gig to gig right! yeah ................ I know ............. good luck with that.

No opinion since nothing ha gone heywire yet!

Okay a 10 it is. This one has a permanent home with me.

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!

Read features below or carvin.com made in 02

It has it's own sound but the tube configuation is the same as AC30 not Fender or that other big name that gets compared all the time. Tone, it's subjective...I have several amp options that cost alot more and my choice is the Carvin. Love the clean, you can find useable OD if you take time with channel 2 tho with the right pedals you can get almost have any sound you need. My choice of tubes are Tung-Sol in V1&2 JJ's 3-5 and JJ power tubes.

Well lets see a band member managed to trip over it knocking it backwards on the pavement while it was right next to the truck after a show although he wasn't too drunk, at a recent show it was knocked from the back and came down face foward with the amp stand, a little dent on the fake tweed that's all!!! I really don't want to do a side fall test, no more crash tests!!! Thank you! Guess I really don't need the two of these that I have.

Talked to a few of the guys there two tech types were great, why would a salesman be a moron a-hole to a customer?

What you get for the price is amazing no doubt if you're here you see poor bastards paying 3x for junk BTW made in USA.

My amp was made in 2004. Has standard features of a 2 channel amp - separate master for each channel, spring rvb, all valve etc. Definately had enough power for any situation except a stadium where im miced up anyway - but I didnt find this a particularly "versatile" amp, but its good in its own right. I wish it came with a footswitch, and i wish the pre-gain knob wasnt called "soak" - what the hell does "soak" mean....
It also has an "acoustic presence" control, but for some stupid reason this is located on the back. i dont know if its just Presence in general, but it only effects the clean channel - and being on the back on the amp is a real pain.

This amp is a VINTAGE SOUNDING AMP. and thats exactly whats its marketed and designed as. The clean channel is wonderful - altho it breaks up a bit too easily. The distortion channel is a very 60's - 70's style distortion. people complain about it - and i did too for a while, but the truth is - as many have said - you cant really use this channel for modern sounding stuff - it just doesnt cut through enough particularly in a band situtation. Ive replaced it with a Fender Deville 4x10 and did extensive testing - reducing variables using A-B switches & a loop recorder - and the Deville was the amp i should have bought in the first place. I also put it up next to a Vox AC30 - and the Vox had the distortion sound similar to the Fender - clear cutting in your face screaming valvy goodness - whereas the Carvin will give you a thick, creamy kind of almost murky sound which i found frustrating after a while.
I got around it by using a pedal on the clean channel - but whats the point in having a second channel you cant trust? you shouldnt have to mod an amp to get the sound you want - buy the right amp. and no - EQ wont fix this - the EQ's are particularly useless on this amp. you get above 1 on any pot and it stays the same all the way through to 10.
its Vintage - thats all there is to it. For what it is - its fantastic i did a brief classic rock set and used the channel successfully for this - but for anything else - good luck.

never had any problems although i look after my gear extremely well - but its been pushed alot and NEVER let me down

never needed it

Been playing for 14 years, and this amp is good - as a vontage sounding amp only.
I love the look (although dont be fooled its NOT real tweed!) - its compact size - compare it to a AC30 which is much bigger for the same size/speaker setup.
I dont like the knob being on the back - what the hell were u thinking Carvin ? - its almost as bad as the AC30's controls being written upside down! and again - wheres the footswitch?
other than that - a pretty good amp overall - just not my cup of tea anymore. A word of advice. always try amps properly before you buy them (doh!)

I bought mine used but pretty new. All tube, two channels - clean and soak, reverb, fx-loop, line Out 2x12 Celestions. Pretty heavy. I give it 8 because the features are the standard. If you want a ten for features, take a look at Mesa Lone Star Special, which is also missing MIDI but this is a classical amp so the 8 in features doesn't mind this amp is bad - far from it! This is a great amp, see below.

It is an all tube amp, well known in the States but not that much used in Europe or Germany, where I live. So, for me it was an experiment buying it. But at the end and after about three months testing and working with it I'm very happy with the sound. The clean sound is just terrific. Simply perfect. The dynamic and headroom are awesome. Round, warm, mellow and crisp at the same time, three dimensional and very sonor. You can control the loudness with the attack and hitting it hard gets loud to blow you away. But the sound never looses it's precision, at any loudness. Fantastic! The Soak channel wasn't usable for me for a long time since we do pretty hard rock. But once I tried a few SRV riffs and thought: "wow, just like on the record!" So you can imagine where this channel goes. Driving it higher than 7 causes quite a hiss but is still usable. I'm about to use a booster or a tubescreamer with the soak channel but didn't find the right creamy sound I'm looking for (Richie Blackmore, Gary Moore). For that, I have the TubeFactor and Damage Control Womenizer which both sound great with BelAir. The reverb is also working very good. You notice it when you turn it off. It is very discreet but essential. It gives a another dimension to the sound. I give it a 9 here because sure there are better Amps, but they usually cost three or more times more (Victoria, Lone Star Special, Soldano, and other). So keep cool, and if you can test this amp you won't be dissapointed. It gave me the possibility to experience a high class sound for less money. Forget many other roundabout 500Euro cheap (but expensive) amps: Buy Carvin for almost the same money and heve the sound which ist far more than 1000Euro worth. You'll love it and you'll finally know, what a good sound is and how to get it. One more thing: Using Carvin I found out, which components of my Setup are bad. You notice it immediatelly when you plug in your guitar directly to the amp: Pure feeling and sound you've heard on thosands of records. As soon as you take a "cheap" guitar or a "cheap" component - it sounds "cheap". So I now use G&L guitars (Legacy and Classic), Haeussel pickups, good Sommer cables and different picks to get different sounds! It's that easy - get five sounds for five dollars: buy five different picks and playing Carvin you finally hear the difference. Now you play and form your sound with both hands. That's seldom, believe me.

No probs so far. I have it only three month, can't say.

No need so far...

Great amp for the money. Tons of sound for less. Buy it and end your search for good sound. I give it a ten here because for the money it is a fantastic values. Sure there may be better amps, but AFAIK not for the money.

2 channels - Clean & Soak!
My Amp has a mod to reshape the Gain channel.

Clean channel is almost Fender Twin Reverb Clean.
Very Nice Clean channel.

The Gain/Soak channel is why I bought this amp.
The mod that was done makes this amp sound like Marshall/Vox
Dream amp. It has a gain pot on the back of the amp that
boost the gain/volume output. Killer Smooth Gain. Tight,
Round & Fat Warm tone.

I have played through a stock Nomad (same guts as the Bel-Air) &
I really wasn't sold on the Soak channel. It did have its
own unique thing going on. Stock they don't sound bad, just
not as good as the

Great Amp!

Carvin has good customer service!

They always have.

I'm tired of hauling around 4x12 cabs so I got this combo.
I'm very glad I did. It has a great mod & 2 Celestion G12H-30's
that sound killer. I would buy another in a second. Even a stock one!

THESE AMPS ARE LOUD! It is as loud as my 100 watt Heads.
For Hard Rock, Punk Rock or Power Pop these combos can do it all.
I'm very happy with this Carvin product. I'm glad I gave this amp
a try. I have a feeling it will be around for a while.

2006 Carvin Bel Air,50 Watt, Vintage Wired, Tweed Covered, 2X12 Celestion G12 Vintage 30's, Two switchable Channels with Reverb and Effects Loop. You have to buy your footswitch and cover separately, mine were included by Carvin because I bought two guitars at the same time. The amplifier has more than enough power and I primarily use it to play out. I am not fond of Channel two's soak feature, but I am still fiddling with it, trying to figure out a sound I like.

I play blues, rockabilly, country, classic rock and sometimes hard rock. It fits my styles very well. The clean channel can go from surf style tones and Beatles style ringing tones to Memphis Sun Records style Rockabilly. The second Channel breaks up too easily past 2 1/2 on the soak knob. The amplifier sounds great at low practice volumes and has punch and shimmer at high volumes. The distortion could use a refit in my opinion. It is supposed to sound like a vintage amplifier so, it should not sound like a Hughes and Kettner Warp 7 with a cranked overdrive. Using pedals the possibilities are endless and it sounds great with every pedal that I have used through it.

So far It appears as though all of what I heard, and read, about Carvin is true. This amplifier is built well. I believe that it will last as long as I do with proper care and maintenance.

The sales and Technical Staff at Carvin where very friendly and I enjoyed my experience with them. I did not suffer the hurried rudeness from the folks I spoke with. They answered my questions and were patient with me. No repairs yet, Carvin Standard Warranty.

I have played guitar for 15 years an my equipment list is: Robin Savoy, Fender Mark Knopfler Strat, Fender Muddy Waters Strat, Jackson Soloist SL3, Carvin Bolt-T, Guild GAD-50, Budda Phatman Overdrive Pedal, Vox Wah Pedal, Vox Volume Pedal, Electro Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man, Mesa Boogie Mark 1, Carvin Bel Air. I use Planet Waves Custom Series Cables, Dunlop Ultex Picks, and Hercules Guitar Stands.

This amplifier is my primary gigging amplifier and I would replace this amplifier if it were lost or stolen. I am planning to buy a backup for gigging, probably a Carvin Vintage 16. I compared it to the Crate Vintage 5212, Peavy Classic 50 212, Fender Hotrod DeVille 212,and Laney VC 30 212. All of these Amplifiers are in the same Wattage-Speaker class. The Fender has 6L6 tubes and the Crate has EL-34s. All of the other amplifiers start at about $700.00 to $750.00 new. I feel that the Carvin is a good buy for the money and it is made out of quality materials, Birch Ply instead of Particle Board, and great Celestion Speakers. These other companies could learn a lesson from Carvin on this one. I would have bought any Fender amp because I prefer 6L6 tubes and I am not overly fond of EL-84s but Fender still makes just about all of thier amplifiers, even the vintage reissues (except the 59 Bassman LTD) that are fairly pricey, out of Particle Board. Good amp for the money spent. I don't regret butying it and would do so again.

50 watts, 2 channel (clean and soak), 2x12 carvin 100 watt speakers, you know the rest.

I play an 87 Gibson SG, 2001 Ibanez RG350, Epi Les Paul Custom, Fender Nashville Tele, and a cheap OLP double neck. I prefer Seymour Duncan JB's in the bridge and Jazz in the neck. I play for a modern church praise band. Hard rock/new wave for the kids, traditional/gospel for the old folks. This amp covers it ALL! Clean channel is comparable to a Fender Deluxe Reverb. Soak channel is old seventies/eighties overdrive. NOT distortion. I compared it to my Fender Hot Rod Deville, Line6 FlextoneIII. I also tried out the Peavey Classic 30, Fender Blues JR, Crate V32 Palamino, Vox 2x12 Valvetronics and lots of other tube amps. I SHOPPED AROUND!!!

I have owned other carvin gear and never had any problems. A friend of mine has one of these and it had a humming noise. He took it back and they replaced ALL the tubes free.

Like I said, I own other carvin gear and have had no problems. They helped out my friend and that was a factor in buying mine.

I'm 44, been playing guitar AND bass since the age of 13. I have two carvin basses but I didn't like thier bass amps.(I prefer SWR) I play bass in a top-40 band and play guitar in my church. I had a Fender Hot Rod Deville and a Line6 Flextone III. I sold them both when I got the Belair! I mainly use the clean channel with a Visual Sound Jeckel&Hyde, Boss Super Chorus CH-1, Boss Pitch Shifter/Delay PS-3,Boss Tuner TU-2. Sometimes I use the Soak channel. This amp has TUBE TONE!! I compared it side by side with my Fender. Even my wife and kids could hear the difference! I let my amp push the sound, my pedals do everything else. I will probably be checking out Carvins new line up of Bass amps allthough I am fond of my SWR rig. Overall, I feel these amps are underated and overlooked. The big chains dont carry them so the masses dont get to try them! I spent alot of time searching for MY sound and have found it! If I lost this amp or it was stolen I would buy another Belair or Nomad!

Bought new in 2005 ($599) and it came with the Celestian Vintage 30's. All other features are the same as described by previous reviews and Carvin Website. I also bought it with the matching 2X12 bottom cabinet. So my review is based on this expanded set up. Stock tubes that sound excellent right out of the box. Carvin even threw in the cable. I bought the matching covers (very nice quality covers) and footswitch.

Straight out of the box I plugged my Music Man Axis into this set up and the immediate response was pure tone heaven. Read the owners manual to this amp and Carvin fully explains the electronics set up and how it effects the tonal frequencies and what this amp will project. It meets and exceeds all that Carvin says it will. I hear and "feel" tonal ranges and frequencies that other amps cannot touch. I play everything from jazz, fusion, blues,classic rock and a bit-o-punk and I look for an amp that can give me a good mix of all those styles. This amp covers all the bases, but it has a warmth and sweetness to it. Clean channel is versitile from super clean to a nice crunchy-glassy top end. Distortion channel covers all the bases with a nice warm crunch to it. Looking for the "Brown Sound"? This baby has it and it is as sweet and warm as maple syrup. Top end of the distortion gives you plenty of gain, but warm gain full of tone and body. No thin or big thump harsh "Marshall" tone here. (Sorry Jim Marshall, you amps are great, just not my taste these days). Short of the Marshall, this amp gives you everything else. If you want big half stack thump, go try the Carvin Legacy or the new V3 (You cannot beat bang for the buck with Carvin)

I've only had this in the studio thus far for about 4 months. I have not set sail for a gig yet. However, this baby was in great shape right out the box from shipping, so Mr. UPS man did not manage to destroy it while tossing it about the Brown truck and the highways and biways. This thing is built like a tank, very solid, great materials and craftmanship. This baby will take a toss down a stairway I'm sure. I have full confidence in its gigging ability. Short of the live set up, I'd rate this higher.

When you call Carvin you talk to a person not a machine. I've called their tech support on some recommended set up with the extension cabinet and they are very helpful. The sales staff was informative and they communicate well. So far, so good and I will do business with them again. I've not crossed the road of a breakdown with the amp. Some people complain about getting them fixed and the shipping involved and so forth. With my other amps I've always taken them to an amp tech, there was never a situation where it was shipped out to the manufactuer. Carvin does a great job shipping or replacing parts and walking you through any trouble.

I've been playing for 25 years. Best amp I've ever owned. Every other amp lacked something or did not have the full-spectrum of what I needed it to sound like. This amp gives me the sound and "feel" that I love. The EL 84 tubes, do in fact, respond to the softest touch. This amp interacts with you. If you like to be connected to your equipment and have it respond to what you are feeling as an artist or musician and allow you to express yourself, this is the most connected amp I've ever played. Blows those expensive Mesa-Boogies out of the water! So tube and tone freaks this is one for the record books.

Purchased new in 2005,I play Jazz and Blues also compose for several different theater companies.It is loud enough for me,I bought it because I did not want to use my 1980 Mesa Boogie live anymore.

Prs custom 22,Prs archtop,Carvin Strat style.This amp sounds good when the clean channel is employeed.I use a minimal amount of distorion,I is fine for a slightly broken up sound.

no problems so far

Played for 40 years,Been on national TV,Records,Toured.This amp reminds me of a Gretsch amp I used in the 1960s or an old Ampeg sans vibrato.I like modern gear it is easier to keep up with,That is why I switched to PRS guitars.I have simple needs when it comes to equipment most of the sounds come from our hands

Bought secondhand two years ago so it's probably around four years old. All valve twin channel, one clean (unless you really crank it) and the other with pre and post gain to give you as much drive as you want. Separate and effective EQ on both with a presence pot on the back for the clean channel. Plenty loud enough for pub gigs and would be perfect if the effects loop was switchable in/out.

I use a selection of guitars including Les Paul, 335 and a Melancon Strat for blues with a bit of rock and jazz. This amp has continued to exceed my expectations is all departments and sounds really good no matter what you throw at it.

100% reliable - what more can I say!

Never used them so can't really say.

I've been playing for 40 years and have owned plenty of gear. After I retired my beloved Boogie I bought the Carvin as a stop-gap while I decided which high end, boutique tone monster I would purchase...because at my age I can afford to indulge myself. I can offer no higher praise for this little combo than to say that it has seen off potential replacements costing five or six times as much because, when it came to the crunch (good pun, eh?), most were no better and some were definitely inferior to the Bel Air.

Some honest advice - if you are in the market for a solidly built, reliable, all-valve combo that punches well above its weight then look no further than the Carvin Bel Air 212.