Carvin Legacy Combo

The amp was made in 1999. The styles I play are rock, blues, some jazz, and I'm venturing into the prog-metal world. This amp seems suitable for playing classic rock, blues, and jazz (the clean channel is nice -- muddy without the presence button pushed in, at least with my guitar). The amp is warm-sounding on both channels (clean and lead), with plenty of volume. Tubes break up nicely at around 4 or 5 on the clean channel's volume dial. Looks like a normal effects loop on the back of the amp... no headphone jack, but there is a voiced line-out for going straight to the PA/mixer/computer/stereo/whatever else. The features of the amp are pretty much like most other amps -- separate EQs for each channel, pre- and post-gain dials, presence, and reverb. Nothing out of the ordinary, here. A few things I wish the amp had, are more drive, and a parametric EQ -- but I suppose you could fix that with an EQ pedal. I was planning on using this amp for practice and small gigs. It has plenty of volume, so there are no worries there. Since the amp doesn't really suit the harder side of my music, I'm sending it back. If I wasn't into heavier stuff, I'd keep the amp. Unless you're willing to hook up other pedals to get the sounds you want, you won't get a heavy sound out of this amp. It's not bassy enough (might be if you used the EQ pedal) and I am searching for an amp which has a distortion channel I like. I'm going to give the MTS3212 a shot... that's a heavier-sounding, bassier amp from the reviews I've read. Also, the amp is pure tube, and has a speaker out for an external cab... the back of the cabinet is removable, though this didn't change the sound at all, unless you put your ears behind the amp -- no change in the bass output, no real change in tone at all. I'm giving it a 7 because of it's limits -- too many people give 10s or 9s on this section of the amp review, but I think they're over-estimating. :)

I'm using an ESP Horizon, with heavy bottoms/regular tops for strings, and a DiMarzio Tone Zone in the bridge, a stock LH200 in the neck. These are both humbucking pickups. As I've stated before, the amp can handle most of what I want it to do, except the heavier stuff. And when putting a heavier-sounding pedal through it, it still just doesn't produce it right. This is not an amp for playing metal (of course, you wouldn't consider Mr. Vai a metal player, would you?). The amp is pretty quiet, I was surprised. On the drive channel there is a hiss but it's quiet, and at one point I was getting a radio station through the amp, but ever amp I've owned has done that (btw, for those of you that think it's the guitar's pickups making the noise, it's not. I turned my guitar volume down completely, the hiss was still there, radio noise was only for part of the time) and of course you'll get noise from whatever your pickups pass to the amp. To sum up the sounds then, with this amp you can dial in blues and jazz tones, rock sounds, and a GREAT lead tone (again, it's not THAT distorted....) The clean channel is warm and clear, and breaks up at around 4 or 5 (depending on how hot your pickups are). The distortion channel is NOT brutal. It's overdrive.

Seems dependable, but I haven't owned the amp for very long, and I'm sending it back... but I hear Carvin gear holds up pretty well...

I've dealt with Sean at Carvin, and he seems really willing to talk you through anything you need, and he's got boatloads of patience. Talk to him if you want to order any of the Carvin stuff.

I won't belabor any points I've made before. This amp is not for me, but my roomate said he loved the sound of it.. he plays rock. To give you an idea of the heaviness of the amp... it can ALMOST get a Pumpkin-esque sound, a la Quiet, but it's not there.. has a ways to go before it snarls enough. The amp does very well at the other styles I've mentioned, though.

This is a new model, made in 1999. Designed by Carvin, signature Steve Vai model. I recently played one for about an hour at the Carvin Factory sore in San Diego, CA.
This all tube amp, (4-EL34's and 5-12AX7A's) is very versatile for the rock /blues/ jazz original music I play. It has exceptional lead/ overdrive tone, and the clean channel is also quite nice.
The 100 watt Legacy has 2 channels, (lead/ clean), which are footswitchable. The lead channel controls include: master volume, drive, bass, mid, treble, and presence. The clean channel has a master volume, and its own bass, mid, and treble, (there's also a presence button). A single reverb control covers both channels. The power and standby controls are located on the front panel as well.
Other features include a 50/100 watt output switch, "cabinet voiced" line output, an effects loop, and the ability to remove a back panel to switch from closed back to open back. Nice.
The combo features 2x12 Celestion 25 watt Greenback speakers. Steve apparently did a blind test of several different models and he preferred these. I agree.
The amp has enough power for most studio or small club settings, and Carvin makes an optional 2x12 extension cabinet for settings where you want to push more air.

I have only played this at the Carvin factory store, using a couple of their guitars, (a Bolt SSH, and a Holdsworth H2T).
The Bolt is basically a strat type guitar and I was able to get convincing stratty tones from the neck pickup and neck/ mid in between position. This setup is very suited to blues and jazz, and the clean channel would break up nicely at louder volumes and harder pick attack. The tone controls were useful, but there wasn't a lot of change in volume when I switched from 100 to 50 watts with the switch on the back side of the combo. Compared to other clean sounds from ither Carvin amps I've played, this sounded the best. Probably the Greenbacks, (they are not available on their other amps).
The lead sound is what sold me on this amp. Steve Vai played a big role in making sure that this amp sounded the way he wanted, and for him, the lead sound is the one that really matters. This amp is excellent for the lead soloing style Steve is known for. I played the Holdsworth, and starting with relatively low drive settings, and gradually adding more, moved the tone from a slightly overdriven, tubey blues solo sound to a rich, (not brittle), fully overdriven sound that seemed to have virtually endless sweet sustain. WOW.
I like a more mid range solo sound compared to the mid cut "V" type, and this amp can really do it. Having seperate tone controls for the two channels is a valuable feature. Even at low volumes, the lead sound was full and rich, and I was able to get some great sounding feedback. I wasn't able to crank it up for very long, I was in the sound room... but it is a very loud amp at 100 watts.
Overall the sound of this amp is impressive especially if you are interested in overdriven lead solo tones. You can go straight in to this and throw away your distortion stomp boxes!

This is a new amp so it's hard to judge reliability, but it appears to be well made, and Carvin has a reputation for quality. It comes with a one year warranty, (I wish this was longer).

I've dealt with them in regard to their guitars, and I have always been treated well. I don't think they have factory authorized service anywhere except their factory, so I would bring a backup set of tubes and maybe a backup amp if I were traveling. Again, only a one year warranty.

I've been playing for over 20 years and I've owned numerous amps, mainly Marshalls and Fenders. My current amp is a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe, and while its clean sound is a bit more "Fendery" to my ears, the lead sounds in the Legacy are far superior. I have a variety of guitars including a Fender American Deluxe Fat Strat, a Les Paul Standard, a PRS Standard 24, a Carvin AE/185, a Tele, and others.
The guys at Carvin told me Steve was really picky about this amp, (The Carvin engineers had to bring amp changes up to him from San Diego to LA on a frequent basis), and they said he now uses the 100 watt head and cabinets stock for his rig. The combo is more realistic for me, and I like the fact I can run it at 50 or 100 watts, with or without the back.
I think Carvin is going to hit a homerun with this amp. It looks cool, sounds awesome, and has the best ideas of one of the great players behind its design.
On the downside, most people won't be able to hear it for themselves, (until Steve's next album), service is going to be long distance, (which is true for any of their amps), and at around a $1000 for the combo, this is not an inexpensive amp. But if you are willing to pay to get a really great sounding, well designed amp, I think it's worth it. I've played all of the current Carvin amps and this is the one to buy IMHO.
I plan to have mine within the next 30 days, and if I have additional comments, I'll add them here...