Carvin Legacy Head

Between the reviews by vastly under-experienced metalhead guitar players and old guys that will never admit that anything can stack up against their '77 Plexi, this was a tough amp to judge based on reviews. I've played it thoroughly against many other tube heads in my latest arduous head-buying experience and I hope I can be of some help...

Two channels with separate EQ's, spring reverb, effects loop, 50/100 watt and 4/8/16 ohm output switches, a bias switch for EL34's or 6L6/KT66's, and a line out footswitch (so practically any two-button footswitch will do if you don't have Carvin's FS22).

The head uses a total of 5 preamp tubes (three for preamp gain, one for reverb, and the last one for power) and 4 power tubes (stock are EL-34)

I was originally looking for a 3-channel head for a clean channel, a tight, crunchy rhythm tone, and a third channel for a lead volume boost with a little more gain but I just use the effects loop and put a volume boost and delay on for a lead sound. Very satisfied despite the lack of a third channel. The two channels switch very cleanly and quietly, much better than the Mesa Rect-O-Verb I had before this.

I play this with an Ibanez RG2550 with Evo neck and bridge pickups with a coil tap on the neck pickup. I play a pretty decent variety of music in my band, from clean dark bassy jazzy kind of stuff to tight aggressive riffs to sweet, wet solos. I should mention that I switched to KT66 (or 5881, whichever you prefer to call them) and it sounds better than I've heard a Legacy ever sound before. It's much more boutique and smooth.

Like most reviews have stated, the amp is most comfortable with gain at or below around 7.5, it tends to lose concentration after that. Fortunately that is plenty for me. The MOST IMPORTANT thing that I have learned from playing with this head that no other reviews have stated is that both channels sound like there is an internal compressor running in the amp. The cleans are very warm and a bit "clicky", people who use compressors in their rig know exactly what I'm talking about.

The head has enough gain up to the point where the sound becomes fuzzy, but that's fine because the lead channel sounds compressed enough that legato playing comes out smooth and the sustain will hold notes out for minutes. It's quite beautiful. The Bugera 333 I was testing compressors on benefited hugely from some compression, but on the Legacy I can hardly tell the difference between when my Comp 66 is on or off. This is a good thing, because with no external compression the lead channel sounds balls-smooth and I can go ahead and trade my Comp 66 in for something else.

Overall the sound is middy and VERY thick. I'm quite in love with it. It's smoother than the Bugera, the JSX head I tried, MUCH smoother than my old Rect-O-Verb, and more aggressive and dynamic than the TSL 60 head I used to play out of.

For half the price.

Metalheads claim this amp didn't have enough gain for them, but if you have any taste at all, please don't listen to them. There is plenty of gain. They obviously don't understand that huge mids with moderate gain sounds aggressive and tons upon tons of gain with scooped mids sounds fizzy. If you play metal, this amp will do just fine. Rectifiers are better at metal rhythm and chugging but just didn't have what it takes for any lead playing. Plus the clean channel on the Carvin is much better. The new Legacy II head has a clean channel that breaks up but this one doesn't. Just lots of clean headroom. Which I actually prefer.

This amp is a BIT noisy but I feel comfortable playing at a mid-sized venue unmic'd with the gain at 7. The microphonics are much more musical and subtle than the hiss of the JSX was. I really don't see much of a need to turn the head up to the 100-watt setting. Just take out the outer tubes and save them.

I will also say that I noticed people making a big deal about the huge effect on the tone that the EQ knobs have...I don't really think so. If I have any complaint, it's that the bass won't turn down as much as I would like to. Also, the reverb is nice but every time I hit a G on the low E-string the springs react strangely and give me an extra loud springy noise.

If there is ANY other amp that this reminds me of, it's the 112 Bedrock combo I once recorded with. Luscious.

I haven't yet had a problem, but reliability gets mixed reviews with Carvin products. Some people have had great experiences and some people have had nightmares. I hope I'm a lucky one, though I feel like alot of people's problems have had more to do with not knowing how to take care of a tube amp than factory-related quality issues.

Anyway I don't have the money to keep two tube heads at a time but I sure hope it doesn't crap out because I don't have a backup. I definitely feel comfortable with it though.

Other people claim Carvin is great about their warranties but mine doesn't have one because I got it off ebay and it's a year or two old. Once again, I have heard both great reviews and horrible reviews of Carvin's support, so good luck with that in case you ever have to call them.

I've had to make a decision about what amp to buy multiple times over the past 4 years and after making this latest purchase I can say I feel absolutely no buyer's remorse. The clean channel is beaten only the twin-reverb I toyed with, but it's a different clean. The Legacy is a little darker and warmer while the Fender shimmered a little more with a higher quality reverb. The Overdrive channel is WONDERFULLY fat and tight while maintaining sustain and a great amount of sag for leads and solos. You won't sound just like Steve Vai, you'll sound like you through a great amp and that's the best anyone should be asking for.

The most important thing I haven't gotten to mention in any other section is the straight up VALUE. I got this off ebay for $450 and I like it better than amps that go for $1000 and more used. There was once a time where I scooped my mids and turned the gain up to 10 and dreamt of a Rectifier, but I have since then grown up and realized that Mesa is just another quality amp company with their own niche in the market and a VERY loyal fanbase. For those of you like me that have moved past that stage, the Legacy head is a great, versatile buy for people with taste and a sense of uniqueness. It is a breed between the clear and smooth overdrive that audiophiles adore and the tight modern gain that shredders desire.

Just don't get it if your plan is to turn the mids to 0.

This amp is quite a feat. I own the halfstack version, plugged into a PRS Artist McCarty and a 1997 PRS Custom 22 ten top, and an Ibanez JEM7V-SBL. The features are great, very simple is what I love dearly. Some people complain about not having a master knob but I don't really see too much of a difference. This is a simple two channel amp, clean and overdrive. Has an effects loop, a line out, and 2 speaker jacks, and a switch for 4, 8 or 16 ohms.
Has enough sound variations to cover many styles, I have even used this in my college's jazz ensemble, and had good comments on my clean sound. But that was plugged into a fender bandmaster cab.
The cab you use will matter, a fender cab would give it a more sparkly clean, the carvin legacy cab gives it a modern tone, good for hard rock or anything else in between.

This amp is the ideal working man's amp. affordable and high quality, and best of all USA made. the inside of the amp is study, well built and doesn't look cheaply placed together, which is great.

the 100 watts is plenty of power, good for large gigs. if you want less power, there's a 50 watt switch too, however there's only a slight difference in volume between the two modes, but in 50 watt mode you can use 2x12 cabs into 8 ohms and get a more saturated sound at a lower volume.

At 100 watts, you have a lot of clean headroom, and that's good for those who love a very clean sound. be sure your pickups are not placed too high, or you'll get "wolftone" which is a muddy distorted sound on clean caused by too high pickups which causes a loud poppy sound that sounds horrid.

overall on features, its GREAT!

With my PRS's, it matches well with this amp in versatility. It sounds better with my PRS McCarty than it does with my steve vai jem guitar. As "blasphamy" as it sounds, the jem is too bright for my tastes to be paired with this amp. Maybe with a dimarzio breed pickup it would. It suits anything from jazz to hard rock, but it is not a total "metal amp" if you want riffage galore, I suggest the Carvin MTS series or for those who want "brand name" a mesa boogie. This amp is a lead guitarist's dream. the lead channel is articulate and very clear, I love how it responds well to my picking.
the volume doesn't jump with a turn, except from .5 to 1. after 2 or 3 on the volume its very clear sounding, I like to keep it on 4-5 on 100 watt mode. The gain is good, but if you're using the effects loop, some gain is loss, but not a lot, there's plenty of gain in this amp. I find it best on a lead setting to keep the gain on 7.5.
anything below that or higher, the sound becomes "loosened" anything higher than 7.5 would cause a lot of feedback and muddy up the sound. 7.5 to me is my sweet spot.
I don't like the presence switch. i like a warm tone from a neck pickup and the presence gives it a brightness which I dislike.
but for some guys depending on their guitar love it.
the clean is a dream, has a slight breakup on higher volumes but retains its clear sound and can get bright or warm depending on your settings. for an el34 based amp, its pretty clean sounding.

the reverb is ok, I keep it on 2 since the reverb is very intense, but I use a visual sound H2o in the effects loop for delay and analog chorus. I prefer delay on my leads over reverb.

The cab is loaded with celestion Vintage 30's. Not suited for jazz at all, but kicks well with modern rock.
the cab is lighter than most high end 4x12s. this cab is made of plywood, not birch, but sounds good and is pretty solid, considering that carvin skimps on cabs to cut costs. but its still solid.

Built like a tank.
try hard to break it, the worse you'll do is break a couple of tubes. No cheap wiring, which is good and it looks cool too. I like the brown color. represents the sound as well.

when I got this amp, it had a blown tube due to shipping. They sent me new tubes, and were nice enough to stay on the line to show me what to do, since at the time I had no clue how to use or install tubes.
they helped alot, and sent me a new head and I got it really quick.
their packaging is well done, I love it when a company packs it good. Musicians friend always never packs the stuff I order well, and I always had to send stuff back to MF. Carvin is relaible and they'll answer any questions you have.
be sure to get the wheels and foot switch.
the wheels are well built, not made with plastic like marshall wheels, and also they're faily priced for wheels.
get it with the amp so you save 10 bucks on shipping.

I've been playing for several years and quite picky on my tone. This amp beats the hell out of many mesa boogies I've played, and is a third of the price. Tone is fat like a Bogner, but more subtle.
If this was stolen, I would track the Bas!@#$%^& down and get it back and have him jailed. This amp is good, if it was I would work day and night trying to get it back. If I can't get it back, I would get another one no doubt, I'd probably buy a used one for $600. However I don't see too many people using Carvin amps. Priced too low? for $800 you won't find a better amp in any price range.

This is a long, detailed review because I don't do things by halves. For all the information you need, skip directly to the verdict at the end of the Overall column. This condenses hundreds of words into a crucial few. For the rest of you, dig in and enjoy (or criticise; I love a good debate and my email is included).

This amp was released in 1999, created by Carvin under the strict and exacting guidance of Steve Vai, noted guitar virtuoso and regular on the much-vaunted 'musicians musician' tour that is G3 worldwide. Though Steve certainly isn't my favourite player there's no doubting the sickening amount of skills the man demostrates every time he picks up an electric axe, so curiousity led me to wonder if his signature amp would be a one-dimensional shred leviathon or a versatile, under-appreciated masterpiece. Thankfully, it's both.

I've noticed that people are ******* about the lack of a master volume. I'd like to put forward the following theory: given that the performance of valve amplification and, crucially, the human ear change quite drastically given increased volume - both on non-linear curves - then do you think the difference in output between the clean and dirty sides would stay the same when playing quietly at home/in your garage and cranked up to noon at a gig? Probably not, and certainly not in my experience.

Steve and Carvin have wisely decided to keep the tone stack fairly simple here, and coming from another two-channel amp that lacked a master I don't miss it. Amps are the one part of any rig I've made that I keep simple - multi-channel beasts like the Marshall JVM series end up tripping over themselves with perceived variety when they only have one or two good sounds anyway. I regularly hear players of such equipment, and some multi-effects units that offer similar endless tones, that it takes them a long time to find 'their' sound anyway.

What I'm saying is, isn't it better to have a couple of versatile features than a plethora of limited ones? In rare cases you can have your cake and eat it, but in almost all amplification I've owned I have found that less is more, as long as that less is well-produced in the first place. Here, it is.

Bonus points for having a 50/100 watt switch and a 4/8/16 ohm one too. As a player who likes the overtone-drenched tone of 50 watters but also the occassional use of the more defined 100 watter, having the option to switch between both is rare, and much appreciated.

I like to start with what doesn't work, and what might discourage a potential buyer who would have similar tastes to myself, before moving swiftly onto what works like a charm. This being a pretty strong product, there aren't many of the former but plenty of the latter.

CONS:
1) Reverb. I've always been fussy when it comes to spring reverb, having been spoiled a couple times in my career by the glory of a Fender Twin. The only ones that came close were often found on Laney products. This one, while certainly a little above average, isn't _quite_ right. I find it to be brittle: lacking low end while the dwell time at lower settings seems excessive. It would suit ambient soundscaping, surf rock - and I do reel off a passable 'Misirlou' on occassion - plus shredding. But as usual, this will be one that I either have full on, or off entirely and substituted by a high-end digital reverb instead.
2) Low volume response. Fair enough, this is a problem common to a lot of equipment that really sings at gig levels, but this amp suffers slightly more than average, especially on the clean channel. But I didn't buy it to run on '1' on the dial forever, I want to keep it around noon on both channels whenever possible.
3) Clean Gain. I would prefer more control over the clean channel breakup point but then I'm quite lazy! And as I tend to use treble boosters, or a digital equivelant of such, not a big issue. Again, as I've said I don't like master volume controls most of the time, I can deal with it for the great tone.

Three cons, all minor. As a perfectionist that's a pretty big deal. Some amps I'd run out of fingers and toes to list 'em all on.

PROS
1) Responsive controls. It's like playing a vintage piece that's been worn in over a decade or two! The EQ sweep is a real technical feat, it must be said. I usually ignore the 'presence' or 'bright' switch on amps, but here it adds definition to my usually dark main electric.
2) Clean channel. Really, really strong. Even using EL34s as stock, which aren't as notable for good cleans as 5881s or 6L6s (might change them when I have more coin) this channel is voiced very well. Crank it up and get some spongey, slightly bell-like tone with edge. Very dynamic, exactly the sort of tones I expect from American-designed amps.
3) Dirty channel. Not quite as dynamic as the clean but not far off! Keep it at 2-3 on the dial and get all the strutting AC/DC classic rock tone you want, good pick responsiveness here. Get it to noon and you're in early Eddie territory. Any more than that and chugging shred riffs with squealing pinch harmonics are owned by this amp. It's a cross between the note definition of a Laney, the gritty higher mids of a Marshall capped with the overall smoothness of an Orange. For me, it's love, and it makes me play my best, something I just can't do with inferior equipment (or musicians!) any more.
4) Design. Yes, design. Normally I could care less about the appearance of my equipment, except for the really extremely ugly or gratuitous ones (sparkle glitter and crazy shapes are right out). But this device has an understated, unassuming charm to it. Vai's 'logo' is far classier than a signature. Carvin have used a different typeface and their name adorns the control panel. Normally I prefer tolex not metal grille fronting on the cab but here, combined with that likeable rust colour, the aesthetic choice is as sound as the tone it produces.
5) It's off-kilter, different, rare. It seems strange to me that one of the world's premier shred-guitarists would side with a less common brand, but Steve has wisely stayed where the tone is. And I always feel good using equipment that no-one else does rather than paying over the odds for the black/gold status quo (and Status Quo) amp from a company that hasn't made a good product since the mid 80s. (I think that applies to Status Quo too, though YMMV).

Try opening the amp if you don't have any warrenty left on it. Well constructed isn't it? Notice how there aren't too many circuit boards, and those that are there are sturdy? Notice how the valve sockets are mounted on the chassis, not the circuit boards? The only other modern amp maker of a similar size I can think that compares well is Laney. Open a new Marshall or a Fender and be horrified at the multitude of flimsy PCBs and ribbon cables. They look more like computers than amplifiers and sometimes I wonder that they work at all.

I'd give it a higher rating but valve equipment is notably more difficult to keep in top condition, though ironically I've had less problems with them than transistor or hybrid models. Perhaps because I choose my equipment better now.

It's an old line I tend to use that can apply to anything: the best example of customer support is making an amp so good you never need to use it. Carvin appear to have succeeded, with a little help from Mr Vai.

The amp is a nearly-new second hand model anyway and my local shop/tech will fix it under warrenty should something bad happen to it. Not that I think I'll need to use that service.

I've been playing for about fifteen years now, which is well over half my life. Literally since I was a kid. I've done hundreds of gigs and dozens of sessions in various studios, I've been around and though I'm not a pro I'm at least semi-pro in terms of chops and attitude, on the cusp of making my living out of gigging and jamming. My main guitar is a Burns Brian May Signature model and for effects I was using the excellent Boss GT-8 until it got stolen, so I'll be using the Boss GT-10 when money allows.

I'll compare this to every other valve amp I've owned or used long enough (hire/rent/borrow) to form an opinion on.

1) Fender Twin. Clean is slightly better on the Twin, as is the reverb, though in the case of the clean changing the Legacy to 5881s would probably score them even. The dirty channel on the Legacy is far, far beyond the modern Twin's paltry stab at it, as is the build quality.
2) Marshall JMP ('78 50 watter and '77 100 watter). Comparable low/mid gain, more sparkle and clarity on the Carvin. Superior clean on the Carvin, plus a reverb. Legacy can almost out-plexi these things, and has as many harmonically rich and pleasing overtones as the '78 JMP which up until now I assumed would never be beaten.
3) Orange Rockerverb 100. Orange has much smoother gain - too smooth to really rock, IMO. The clean on the Orange is a joke by comparison but the aesthetics are superior, obviously.
4) Vox AC30. Personally I never liked the AC30. I bought one because Brian May can get a great tone out of it, but later I found only because his ones are set up completely non-stock, to the point where I wonder why he uses them at all. The clean - what there is of it - is very nice, but the Carvin owns everything else. Especially in the reliability stakes.
5) Laney LC50, VC50 and GH100L. Tough one to call as I love Laney products - disappointed at Paul Gilbert for jumping ship but that's his loss! More harmonic overtones on the Carvin, drive channel probably just beats those on the Laney trio as it has more dynamic range and a touch more sag at the lower settings. Clean channel and reverb are a notch or two better, and a touch more dynamic. Dead heat, really, but the Carvin won because of overall versatility, whereas on the Laney I always needed to use a Boss GT-8 or similar to get good drive tones.

VERDICT: This amp is ******* awesome dude! Kick-*** dirty sounds, versatile clean sounds (even with stock EL34 valves) and enough volume to drown out most drummers on Earth, wrapped up in a subtle yet attractive package. This is pro-quality stuff all the way, for much less than competitors charge. You need to shake the rafters, forget about Marshall. This little beauty is where it's at.

This is an 06 Legacy Head that I purchased 2nd hand last week. 2 channels, reverb, footswitch, effects loop, ohm selection (4/8/16) and a half power switch. Mine has 6L6 tubes in it. I usually prefer EL34's in amps, but this is a good match for this amp. It has a voiced line out that I have not attempted to use yet.

If it had a master output pot, and seperate reverb controls for each channel I'd be ecstatic, but it really doesn't need it. It could also use a boost or solo function, but that is easily overcome.

I play a lot of hard rock, some metal, blues and pop. I can't say that this amp is a swiss army knife out of the box, but it certainly is versatile. I can get most of these tones straight jacked with some tweaking.

This amp is VERY loud. If you want loud, get this amp, if you plan on playing guitar in your bedroom of an apartment complex, get a line6.

I'm giving it a 8 even for lack of a master output and separate reverbs.

I use a LP standard with burstbuckers. I also use a Hamer Standard explorer with EMGs. I run the amp through a Vox 2x12 with Warfdale 30w "vintage" style speakers.

Like I said before you can get a lot of tones out of it, I have yet to find a bad tone. I have used 3 methods to shape my tone:

1) Straight from guitar into amp
This setup works amazingly well. Tonnes of gain, great sound, great cleans and excellent definition. Chording is great, single notes are clear and defined. Great tube dynamics. Good gain control with the volume pot of my guitars

2) Guitar>RP500>Input of amp
Can't use amp/speaker sim. Effects sound warm and complete but distortions sound bad by themselves. If you use the lead channel and the rp500 distorions, you get an extra amount of gain that sounds GREAT. The pedal does suck a little bit of the gain away.

3) Guitar>RP500>Effects return of amp
Here you can use the amp/speaker sim and with a little tweaking you can get some pretty great sounds too. Effects sound better this way. One thing to keep in mind is that there is no Master Volume on this amp, whatever output setting your RP is in will dictate the volume of the amp. The front controls aren't used at all while in this mode. I still like the straight jacked sound the best. However I will use this mode for most cover tunes etc.

I don't know anything about the reliability yet.

N/A

I have been playing for well over 20 years. I have used a plethora of equipment from vintage marshalls to mesa boogies and virtually everything in between. This amp is one of the best I've used to date. It replaced a Mesa Rectoverb combo.

I've been after a sound like this amp produces for a LONG time. I am happy to own this amp, and I would probably replace it with another if soemthing happened to it.

This is a Legacy head that I got right from Carvin on eBay. This is a factory second kind of deal - the page said it had a few superficial scratches (which I have yet to find) and I got it for much less than retail.

The features have been mentioned a lot, so there's no real need to re-cap those. Solidly built amp, all the features you'd really need.

I'm using this amp with a JEM7V, and can honestly say that there is a touch of Vai in the tone, but it really depends on how you play it. I use this much more as I would an older Marshall - gain at about 6, with an overdrive stompbox in front of it with the gain turned down to a quarter up, and the level pretty much cranked. With this, it sounds great at every level.

The amp will get more saturated and "shreddy" sounding with the volume at higher levels, which should not need saying. However, it's worth mentioning that this amp REALLY needs to open up to sound better by itself. I'm not sure whether or not it's the tubes or not, but on the 50w setting between volume 1 and 4-5, the distortion can sound... sissy. I was a bit disappointed when I first took it out of the box and found that even with the gain on 7 or 8 the distortion seemed rather mild. However, this could be the age-old problem of sub-par preamp tubes, or just me expecting too much gain. Either way, shove a box in front of it to boost it and it sounds amazing.

The clean channel is orgasmic. That's all that needs to be said. Without the presence switch kicked in, it's a fat, beefy tone that with the right guitar is great for jazz. With presence on, I just put the JEM into single-coil settings and spank it up. There is really nothing that I would change about this channel.

Overall rating without OD box in front: 6
Rating with OD box in front: 8.5

This amp hasn't broken or screwed up yet. However, going on Carvin's reputation for customer service and how they've dealt with me in the past, I would suggest knowing a really reliable in-town tech just in case something does go wrong. Again, the amp has been perfectly reliable so far, but in case something fizzles out, I would not suggest sending it in to Carvin.

Carvin's customer service is lacking. I've phoned and gotten several surly reps, they take forever to reply, and quite honestly if anything ever happens their only suggestion is to mail it back to San Diego for them to "have a look at it." Which is not something I warm to, being that I don't want to have to mail a relatively expensive piece of equipment from Canada (Calgary) to California to "have it looked at." I just go to my tech and let that be that.

Overall, I'd say that this is a great amp for what it does, but the dirty channel really needs a stompbox (or perhaps new power tubes on mine, seeing as it really seems to lack... balls compared to others I've heard) to really exploit it. But great, 80s-Marshally sounds all round, and nothing that I would grouse about at any length.

The Legacy has all the features I require. It's plug and play. Two channels with separate EQ, effects loop, bias switch, and choice of 50 or 100 watts. Just fine.

I use a strat Frankenstein with a Duncan '59 in the bridge. The band I'm in plays hard rock/classic. The Legacy is the best sounding amp I've used in years for this style of music. I've been playing in the clubs for over 30 years and have used many, many amps. This amp sounds great and is a lot of fun. The clean channel is also VERY nice. I'd say one of the best. I find the Legacy to be very quiet but then again after 30 years I find many things very quiet. Seriously, no hums, buzzes, or hissing. Even at high gain.

No worries so far but I never gig without a backup.

Hmmm. I had an unrelated issue with Carvin and wrote 5 times before I got a response. From what I can gather, their Internet customer support is hit or miss. I've had good experiences with Carvin in the past and will continue to do business with them but this is one issue they need to address. Whoever is in charge of that aspect is dropping the ball and losing customers.

If you are looking for a fantastic sounding rock amp the Legacy is perfect. Carvin makes good products at any price.

Purchased new in late '07. Two channels (clean and drive), switchable reverb on both and a totally useful treble boost on the clean that I feel would be right at home on the drive channel as well. A master volume would be a nice feature on the clean channel to give it a little breakup, but the clean boost I use does that just fine.

I use this amp for a lot of different styles, including 60's-70's punk and stoner metal/thrash. I get a sound similar to a vintage Marshall or Laney with a tube screamer up front, ala Mastodon or The Sword. This isn't a plug-and-play head and takes some patience and fine-tuning to find its sweet spots. This amp sounds great with all of my guitars, including two ESP hybrids and a Music Man Sub 1. I run Duncan SH-4's in the bridge and typically use an eq pedal with the highs boosted and the overall level up just a hair. I also play through a vintage Ampeg cab with two greenbacks and two vintage 30's in an x-pattern, which I think has a lot to do with my tone. It won't give you scooped mids, but who cares? Your guitar's natural frequencies are in the midrange anyway and scooping them sounds fine in your bedroom but you'll lose major volume and get drowned out by bass and cymbals in the mix. Settings vary on the clean channel, but for drive I keep it presence 10, bass 4, treble 6 and mids at 7.I keep it in 50 watt mode. I agree with other reviewers that the drive channel can get muddy, but with a little fine tuning and an eq pedal it cuts like steel. Definitely not the amp for everybody, but I really dig the unique tone (very fuzzy and gainy without the glassy chunk of a Mesa recto). The clean channel is amazing and with a little clean boost courtesy of the eq pedal it gets a little fender twin-style breakup. Turn the pedal off and you have headroom at full volume.

I've never had an issue, but It's only been out of the studio twice in the four months I've owned it. When I brought it home I pulled off the back panel and went to work with a screwdriver, tightening up anything loose and checking to make sure the tubes were all properly seated (common issues associated with shipping). The design doesn't allow for much venting for the tubes, and I'm considering routing out some vents in the front panel for better airflow.

I bought this amp because of it's reasonable price and unique tone. I really, really wish they put a treble boost on the drive channel. The voicing of the preamp seemed a little off at first, but playing with the settings will eventually lead you to some great sounds. The guy at the Carvin store said they're putting out a three channel version...we'll wait and see on that one.

You know the features. For the price, I give it an 8.

As everyone else has said, you know it is great for solos. The clean--- I hear it is great, but read below and you will see why I wouldn't know.

You will NOT get hardcore sounds out of this amp!! If you are looking for heavy sounds, this is not the amp for you! I never put the gain past 7. Any more than that it muddied it up. At 6 and some EQ to match whatever you are putting thru it, it sounds great for solos and regular playing... very Vai-ish---- go figure!

It is great in the lead department, so I give it a 6.

Ok, I ordered the Legacy combo... and the clean channel flat out did not work. I had to gig with this once, as I was without a back-up (stupid me thought a brand new amp would work thru the gig). I returned it and exchanged it for the VL100 Legacy head and the 2x12 cab. It showed up and the cabinet made this wicked unnatural vibration that showed itself when mic'd thru my PA. That one went back and I got a Mesa/Boogie Roadster half stack which I frickin love (different ballpark with price/options). This is not the end of my nightmare with Carvin.... see below...

So when my Legacy combo didn't work, I called and the guy said it was the tubes and he would send me some tubes. They never came.
When the 1/4 stack came and the cabinet was "broken", they tried to get me to pay for shipping until I made a stink about it.

I also ordered a guitar from them. It came with a ding in the finish, and missing a switch that I ordered. I sent it back. I was told it would be ready in 2 weeks. I called every week until TWO MONTHS had passed, and then I called everyday.

The guitar came back to me with a sheet saying "switch installed, test played OK". The switch was NO WHERE TO BE FOUND! And, to add insult to injury, the coil splitter switch that was already there was now BROKEN, and the frickin thing would not even WORK when plugged in!!!!

I called the VP of sales and told him my deal. He offered me 200 in carvin CREDIT, and I told him no thanks, I just want my money back. I got an Ibanez JEM7v like all the other copycats out there, but it is great and I love the thing--- I just look like everyone else now, which is what I was trying to avoid!

Overall, I will never say never... but I will never go back to Carvin, not even for a flashlight.


I am not a hard guy to please, either. I hope I do not sound like some others who just like to complain! I am NOT that guy!! I just want people to know my experience with the company.

Bought it used off of eBay. The guy who owned it before me took pristine care of it and "amp-ed it up" with some minor modifications to the tubes and preamp (JJ6L6; biased).

Features are pretty basic and found on most "pro-quality" amps. Dual channels (clean & overdrive/sustain, Separate Volume, Bass, Mid, Treble & Presence for each channel, Master Reverb for both channels, 50/100W output switch, effects loop. Weights in at about 40lbs. Not too heavy. The only feature it lacks that I would prefer is a headphone jack as this muther is LOUD! Even at the 50w setting, you're neighbors will complain and the dogs down the block will howl. Other than that, very nice amp. Suitable for home (use with caution!), practice, gigging, mid to large venues, you name it.

The clear channel is great! I play a few acoustic sets (Led Zeppelin, Heart, classic rock era tunes) and the clear channel is pleasing to the most discerning ear. The sustain or "distortion" channel is great too but requires some loud volume settings to get "brown sound" or "metal" sound out of it. Low volume settings are decent but hey!...who plays below 3, right?

No noise. Hum is present, but it could be due to my pedals. Play around with it, get a noise-gate, whatever, work with it, it's worth it.

I play a Les Paul standard through it and a Strat, both with stock pickups. Great sound although my Strat tends to get a little squirely at times. Typical Strat sound only gets to be a bit too "Tele" sounding for me at times. Maybe it's just me?

But get this bad boy tuned in, work with it a bit, and you'll be more than pleased with the results. Great job by Carvin and Vai on coming up with this combination. If you're looking for a real metal, classic rock sound, this is the amp for you. As one guy pointed out, it's pretty much a Marshall JCM800 "rodded-up" or on steroids.

Too early to tell. I only use it at home and play for about 2-6 hours per week on it. No problems so far. I do take real good care of all my equipment so it's not fair for me to say. I don't power it up with the volume on. I don't bang it around moving it from gig to gig. It's pretty much a set-n-forget type of setup for me. No problems here. I have owned a couple of other Carvin products and none of them have ever failed me.

I did order a CM140 guitar from them back in the late 70's. Back then, they promised to have it to me before Christmas (ordered in mid-November) and it didn't arrive till late January after several phone calls and inquiries. I guess my order got caught up in the Christmas rush. Granted, this was ~35 years ago. Hopefully they've gotten their order system corrected by now, right? ;-)

I did once order a couple of minor knobs and truss rod cover plate from them and the customer support rep mailed them to me free of charge. It should have been about a $25.00 order, but out of kindness, he just sent it to me for free. To me, that made me a fan of Carvin. It's the little things that go a long way. 35 years later, I'm still a fan of their products.

I've been playing off and on for 35 years. Mostly off...

I' just now got back into playing again (re-living my youth). I still get a charge out of the songs from the classic rock era. Good days gone by and never to bee seen or heard again. Too bad...

Overall, I'd have to say this amp is an incredible value. Sure, I could go out and spend $1500-$3000 for a Marshall, 5150, Bogner, or whatever, but for what I paid for this bad boy, I'll stick with it. I'll leave the high-dollar amps to the rich or "image is everything" crowd.

I love the look, design and feel of this amp. The logo is a bit "Jimmy Page" so I'm not sure where Vai comes off on this, but hey...whatever floats your boat. The knobs are bit old-fashioned for my liking and I might switch them out, but we'll see.

If you can find one of these bad boys for under $500...do yourself a huge favor and BUY IT! Even at $800 direct from Carvin, it's a great buy. I know some people don't like buying electronics "used" so paying an extra $300 may be worth it to some. Can't says I blame them. The only reason I bought mine off of eBay was I trusted the guy that owned it before me as he took great care of it.

If you're into Marshall's, great! Otherwise, get this Legacy model. You won't regret it!

It is a very simple amp that just about does everything I need it to.

Like everyone says, it has a great clean channel and the OD channel is great for leads. My only real problem is the OD sounds muddy to me for rythm, I am someone who is used to using pedals and a scooped eq for songs that require high gain. Now that I am in a band that plays less metal and more mainstream rock I have tried to ditch the pedals and just go with the amps od, but it just sounds to dark and muddy to me and everyone in my band. The other BIG problem with the overdrive is the amount of unwanted noise and feedback that is present. The clean channel takes well to high gain pedals though. I bought the amp because it has tons of headroom on the clean channel and I figured if I didn't like the od I could just use pedals for rythm. Thats just what I've had to do. It's a great amp but I don't get how people think the amps distortion is usable for rythm. This amp was designed for a lead player- even Steve Vai himself uses distortion pedals with this amp. .

No problems

Haven't needed it.

I don't want this to sound like a negative review. I have been playing for well over 20 years now and this is by far the best amp I have ever owned.

very basic 2 channel EL34 tube head

Clean channel is very nice and round. Could use a bit more sparkle on top. Sounds and responds awesome with overdrive pedals. I use a crappy DS-1 in the clean channel set to low drive for an explosive mid drive sound. Well, there is my third channel :)
Lead channel burns. EQ voicings are in unusual frequencies. You will not get a mid scoop metal tone out of this. Notes blossom georgeously and the feedback is superb.
I use 2 of these heads in a slave/master setup with a G major in the fx loop and the tone is ABSOLUTELY dripping hot. 2 Custom 2x12's each with a Fender Vintage and a Celestion G12t-75. Blew my fender vintage first rehearsal out...lol
I bought both heads used cause I figured used the kinks with factory issues would be ironed out, that is the previous owner already went through the return hassles etc.
Not sure the years on them but both sound completely differant and look a little differant too. One has EH EL34's (slave) and the other has Sovtek EL34's(master) The Sovteks sound WAY better in my opinion. The Slave amp is a bit louder but I use the Gmajor to control volumes on each amp.
There is a bit of a noise floor but the gate takes care of that.
This amp is fast. Palm muting is quick and explosive.
I only rate this a 9 because the reverb is a pile of shit and should just be disconnected and used as a wheel stop for your car or boat.
Yes it is that horrible, unmusical and useless. The tail is way to long for this amp. Its like a 5 second hall junk. Carvin should put a 2-3 second max in it.
And like others have said these are loud. Not ear piercing like a marshall, just friken loud but smooth. With 2 of these on 3 you'll have to mike the drums....lol
Tried with 6L6's- Bass was bigger, highs are thinner, but I didn't like it. EL34's are richer and more detailed in this head. Both switch pedals are trash but I use a switching system.

No problems yet but I'm only a couple months into these. My band plays large halls in the San Francisco area. So we'll see this coming season and I will update my review then.

I hope I never need them

reverb, reverb, reverb------ yukkkky!!!!
Been playing for along time. We do about 150-200 shows a year.
Original Progressive hard rock.
Bought 2 of these and sold my Mesa rack set up. This is much better.
Ibanez RG's- some with EMG's, others with Duncans.
For the price these are great.

I bought this amp brand new in 2007. It's a 2 channel tube amp, switches from clean to overdrive, with reverb, and an effects loop. Pretty basic stuff here...

I've been playing this amp for about 4 or 5 months and I gotta say that I love it, BUT, it took me a little while to find how to use it. I use 2 guitars. A MIM dual humbucker strat, and an American made Jimi Hendrix Voodoo strat.

When I first got it before I took it to band practice I messed around with it here at home. I never got the volume up past .5-1. This thing is LOUD!!! I first tried it with my Voodoo strat. At this low volume setting I was a little disappointed at first, but I realized "this is a tube amp, it's meant to be cranked." The reason I was disappointed was because at the low volume setting, with the single coils, it was a little brittle for my tastes. I was able to dial in a decent tone, but I had to put the presence and treble way down and the mids way up, with the gain on 8.

Next I plugged in my dual humbucker strat. With this guitar there was still some brittleness there, but not as much. I was actually able to dial in a pretty good "brown" sound with the gain at 6 and I was able to add a little more treble and presence.

Then I took it to band practice and turned the volume up to around 3. It was like having a totally different amp!! With the humbucker guitar the brittleness was gone and the distortion was really thick and middy sounding. I actually had to turn the treble and presence up to around 6 and the mids and bass down to around 4 or 5 while keeping the gain at 6.

When I switched over to my Voodoo I had to turn the treble and presence down and crank the mids up a bit. I also turned the gain up to around 8 to make up for the weaker pickups.

The cleans are top notch! No complaints here!

We play anything from Greenday to Nickelback to Godsmack and this amp does the job for me. I've read reviews where this amp doesn't have enough gain, but I keep mine at 6 and it's plenty for me! I don't even have to use a boost unless I'm going to play a solo. Speaking of solos, this thing can provide you with some liquid leads, with great sustain.

Overall I was able to get a really thick sounding distortion out of both guitars, although for what my band plays I prefer the humbucker guitar, but this is the first amp I've had that shows the different personalities of different guitars.

I've read some horror stories, but that goes for just about anything. I've been playing mine for 4 or 5 months and I haven't had any problems. The only thing I've noticed is a "farting" type noise when I turn the am on from standby, but I've read on the carvin forum that it's normal for this amp.

Never had to deal with them. I believe the warranty on the amp is 1 year and 90 days on the tubes.

What can I say. I love this amp. If you're a fan of scooped mids and fizzy distortion then stay away from this amp. If you like a nice thick and meaty distortion with great sustain for leads and an awesome clean channel to go along with it then this is the amp for you.

This review is of my 2007 Legacy. Pretty standard amp specs. two channel amp: Clean and Lead. Strait ahead setup.

I'm using the Legacy with a Les Paul Classic (loaded with a DiMarzio ToneZone in the bridge and a Duncan 59 in the neck), Carvin DC127c (loaded with a DiMarzio Fred bridge and PAF Pro in the neck) and a partscaster loaded with DiMarzio Virtual Vintage Solo set. Amp is running a Marshall 1960AX cab.

The amp is very warm and punchy. Evey though the Legacy Cab is loaded with Vintage 30s, I find the amp responds best to Greenbacks and GT-75s.

The clean channel is very clean, and I find that when using the 100 watt mode it doesn't breakup until very loud (7 or above on the master) It 50 watt mode, it will break up around 3 or so- which is still very loud. the clean channel has a unique voicing. You either like it or you don't. After much tweaking, I was able to find a tone that I really liked... and then I didn't touch the controls again!

The dirty channel is where this amp really shines. It has a mid heavy tonality overall, but then the guitar is a midrange voiced instrument... so there ya go. The tone is thick and chewy. It is more in the line of Marshall in it's overall voicing. Think of it as a JCM800 with a lot more gain. It sits well in the mix, and takes up a lot of sonic room. It is very articulate, even with the gain levels set high. I typically run the gain around 6.5, which is more than enough for my playing.

Over all, I find the amp to be quiet. Until you get really high on the gain settings. Around 4 on the master, the amp opens up and starts to really breathe. However, this is NOT a bedroom amp. It is extremely loud! I play hard rock, and the amp performs wonderfully for this application.

I gig without a backup all the time. It hasn't let me down in the past 6 months.

Carvin CS is simply the best. I have always had good dealings with them.

Overall, this is a great rock amp! It takes pedals extremely well, and allows you to sound like you. My only real complaint is that I wish the master volume wasn't so touchy. It's either off or loud! I do wish the amp had an adjustable solo boost, but I can live without it, since the amp does take pedals well. A TS9 in front gooses the volume for solos nicely.

The Carvin Legacy has two channels, Lead and Clean. It has tube-driven reverb and is supplied with EL34 power tubes. This amp is designed for soloing. Consider it a cranked up Marshall on steroids. That's about it.

If you like the "Brown Sound" - this amp is for you. It not only does that, but does it pumped up to the next level. The distortion is best around 7 and is incredible for soloing. You can also get some very nice power chords out of it as well with high-output pickups. Get rid of the EL34's and put in a set of 6L6GC's for more of a bottom end and move from the "Marshall" character to a "Boogie" character. (It does not however sound like a Recto.)

The reverb will add some "buzz" to the sound of the amp. It is a known problem with Carvin and they will tell you, but only if you ask.

Don't expect it to sound like something else. It will only sound like what it is, a Carvin Legacy.

Had a tube blow out on me within the first couple of weeks of purchasing it. This took out a few resistors and ruined the rest of the power tubes. This wasn't covered under warranty (since it was a faulty tube and not the amp) so I repaired the amp myself. The fuse didn't blow as it should have to prevent this problem.

The input jack also can have a grounding problem and create a lot of buzz. This is covered under the standard warranty.

Never gig without a backup, but if you're playing at home only, it should be fine.

Carvin's support can vary from day to day, depending on who you get when you call them. Internet support is virtually non-existant. When you get the right person on the phone, they can be great - otherwise don't expect anything special.

I got this amp because I liked the sound of the Carvin Legacy. There are many other amps to choose from, but this one had the sound I wanted. Do not buy this amp if you want to play thrashing metal. It will not do it. It will however do most anything else, and even a bit of classic metal to some degree.

The Legacy is king for soloing, and fairly good for everything else.

Listed Below. 2 Channel all tube head with reverb. Presence switch for the clean channel that adds bright to the higher frequencies and a presence pot for controled presence on the overdrive channel. Mine did not came with a footswitch pedal, but I don't mind. For the features, it's not a line6 with a thousand buttons and switches, just a fine head with the right controls. Perfect for me!

I play through an old Jem77FP (first year of production), a Peavey Wolfgang Standard Deluxe and a Epiphone X-plorer with Zakk Wylde's EMGs. I play mostly hard-rock, but any kind of rock that suits my taste (generally all of them), just a very little bit of fusion and a little bit of funk. Sorry guys, no jazz or coutry here. Well, at least not yet.

Thats where the Legacy really shines. Absolutely tone heaven with any of my guitars!!! It sounds like a very hot-rodded old Marshall, with lots of low-end and beautifull highs, and, I mean, lots of distortion, just not enough for the amp to play for you, if you know what I mean. Any setting you dial with it sounds good, and its perfect to achieve absolutly great cleans (sparkly, ballsy, shimery and never, ever distorted) and absolutely amazing distortion (everything a distortion should have, thght bass, beatifull mids and perfecly screaming highs, beside the fuckin' great harmonics)

The amp clearly transpasses the tone of the guitar and consequently the player's, making the player's mistakes more aparent, but that's the best part, you start to play in a cleaner way, and its distortion is quite enough for playing the sillyest nu metal available. I don't know what these guys think of guitar playing, nevermind. I'll put some videos in youtube, and everybody will be able to see haw far the Legacy goes.

Ah, and theres something else. The Legacy sounds completly different with each cabinet used, even someway retaining its own caracter. Running it through a Mesa 1x12, it reminded me somehow of a Rectifier. Through a cabinet loaded with an eminence, it sounded completly like a Marshall. I'll post the rest of this part when its own cabinet arrives.

Until now, it looks like nothing can brake it. Since I have it only for a month, I'll not post anything relevant here, but soon I'll express myself again about it.

Did not have to deal with Carvin yet, but the amp arrived on the scheduled time, with everything perfect (I mean the box, the shirt that it came with, stuff like that)

I play for something like 4 to 6 years, don't mind the time, and I don't own a lot of gear, but this amp does not need much of anything else to play with. Just a good guitar and creativity. If it was stolen I would replace it shurely (if the financial situation allows me to). For me it has been a perfect amp, it has made me smile everyday I get home and hop into the guitar for playing. I don't imagine how is it going to be when its great cabinet arrives =)

I bought my "used" Legacy head back in 97'(approximately, I've ran it through a 2X12 Marshall 1960 cab and most recently trough a 4X12 Legacy (Bottom) cab. In both cases it absolutely screamed like a demon... The Marshall cab seemed to sound a bit mid-range(ish) but the matching Legacy cab naturally matches up much better. In short, I am 100% a "Legacy guy", as it stands today I would'nt switch to anything else...

www.myspace.com/throttleusa

2 channel tube head clean and distortion, 100 watts all tube, 50/100 power switch to make it run on only 2 power tubes instead of all 4, bias selector to switch from the stock el34's to 6L6 power tubes.
Effects loop, line out, selectable impedance for whatever speakers you are plugging into this.
Footswitch costs extra, cover costs extra, they could have at least included the footswitch without having to pay extra, how many people will use this without a footswitch carvin? come on...

For solo's this amp is the king, nice smooth and defined lead tone as long as you have the drive between 7-8 you will be in heaven, the drive control is pretty much worthless at any other setting.
For metal it is pretty weak, I threw some 6L6 power tubes in it to give it a bigger bottom but it didn't make much difference it was still weak for metal, for a great all around amp that covers all the bases buy the carvin V3, if you want something that just has a great lead tone then grab this amp instead.
The cleans are pretty much what everyone else says about them, as clean as clean can be with no breakup unless you run the master around 9-10.

Haven't had it all that long to tell but if I were to grade carvin products on their reliability overall I guess they would score pretty low.
They use cheap parts in their amps and they seem to break down quite often, I have been left with a non-working amp more than once due to the cheap parts that they use, failing when I needed them the most, that is why carvin will never be a mainstream manufacturer of musical equipment and that is why you don't see many people currently endorsing their products, that is why when you go to your local clubs you rarely see anyone using carvin gear, they need something they can depend on.
Sure Steve Vai likes their amps but this legacy is modeled after a Bogner, not even an original idea to begin with and they polish his balls constantly whenever he has trouble by providing him with an endless supply of amps that probably have better quality components than the ones they sell to the public.
This has not always been the case with carvin, they used to make great products in the past but something happened around the mid 90's and their quality has gone way downhill.
They got rid of some of their greatest items they ever sold such as the X amps and pointy guitars, replacing them with guitars that look like complete garbage mostly due to the headstock and logo designs(with the exception of the PRS copy CT series) and an MTS amp that has no real power to it at all, very weak, show me the list of MTS endorsers carvin and I'll retract my words, the amp simply sucks, what are you people thinking over there?? how many of those heaps of junk are you really selling? I bet they don't even sell 50 a year including the combo version, pitiful, make a 2 channel version of the V3 and get rid of that stinking hunk of crap known as the MTS3200 head.

This is another issue where they needed some serious work, yes I give them credit where credit is due, they have been a lot better to deal with than they used to be, in the mid to late 80's they were a real pleasure to deal with, however sometime (and here it is again) in the mid 90's they lost it, they had some real winners working for them in customer service, I have never been so frustrated with dealing with a company as I have been with carvin, even worse, when they lost Sean they went way downhill, I felt as if I was calling aol or someone equally as terrible, clueless and insensitive.

Overall I would say the legacy is a great lead amp that has a great clean channel, but I expect trouble with it in the reliability dept. but I plan to hang onto it for my collection anyways, it looks nice and is very loud and the cheapo chinese vintage 30 clones don't sound bad either.
That reminds of of something to say positive about carvin, I know they used to sell these with the greenback speakers, the best move they made with this amp was to get rid of those useless speakers, they would blow way too easy and sounded they garbage but that is my experience with other amps using those speakers and not the legacy amp although I can imagine the legacy had the same issues with those speakers.
And a word about the museum, it seems like an ok place to get some info from but the forums leave a lot to be desired, all you will find there is praise praise PRAISE for carvin products and opinions from so-called players who are pretty much clueless (listen to the BBB sound clips) stuffy old men who have nothing better to do than compliment each other on the grade of their flame and quilt maple tops and argue over tone.
One thing the disturbed me the most was when someone who posts there lost a child, I couldn't believe the stuff I was reading about it, the father was posting constantly about his loss instead of spending time with the remainder of his family, the last thing I would do if I lost a family member was spend hours typing into some web forum.
That is the mentality of the people who post there, you have been warned.

This is a 2006 model with EL-34's Groove Tubes. I bought the Half stack, so the price corresponds to the half stack price plus shipping to Canada.

This amp is a true 2 channels amp (clean/overdrive) with separte EQ (Treble, Mid & Bass). On the clean channel you also have a presence switch that boost the high frequencies... on the overdrive channel you have a presence knob that enhance the high frequencies too. It have a switchable reverb. It also have an output switch (50/100 watts)... but the sound is better on the 100 watts.

PLUS: True 2 channels amp
50/100W switch
Reverb
Great Looks
EL 34 Groove Tubes

CONS: I wish it have light indicators on the footswitch.
Really loud ! ...will need a hot plates !
The Presence knob on the drive is pretty unusable pass 4 or 5.

I've tried it with a Fender Fat Strat USA with noiseless pickups and a Seymour Duncan TB-4 on the bridge; a Jackson King-V USA. I've tried it straight to the amp and with my pedalboard (GUITAR-Boss TU2-Boss Noise Supressor-Xotic BB Preamp-Ibanez Tubescreamer-MXR EVH Phase 90-MXR 10 Band EQ-Boss Delay-Boss Chorus-AMP)... I also tried it with RAT, MXR Wylde Overdrive and EH Big Muff.


This amp is awesomely versatile ! You can easily go from Jazz to Metal... you can also play country and blues in between ! And of course instrumental rock like Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Eric Johnson and Andy Timmons !

Clean Channel:

PLUS:
Really clean and doesn't distort at high volumes
Dreamy sounding
Fender quality clean
Great for Blues, Jazz and Country... reacts well with overdrives stompboxes (RAT, Tube screamer, BB Preamp, Big Muff & Zakk Wylde Overdrive).

CONS: Doesn't break (for blues... but my stompboxes can acheive that sound anyway)
Really loud

Distortion Channel:

PLUS:
Really mid sounding... great for lead tone
You can have a really great sound at a low volume setting
You can easily acheive that "Brown" sound
Really easy to have the Vai sound (easier with my Jackson)
Mostly for Rock oriented music, definitively not for Metal Heads in search of the "Mesa/Boogie Rectifier" sound ! But you can acheive a great metal distortion (easier with my Jackson... of course !)... 80's metal like old megadeth and old metallica and old rock like Van Halen, AC/DC, Aerosmith, etc.

CONS:
lacks of bottom for more agressive music... but that's not why I bought it... so that's not really a "minus".
A little to easy to sound harsh (mostly presence knob)
Fairly difficult to acheive a great blues distortion (but I use my stompboxes for this).

I own it for one month now so I can't say something about reliability...

at fisrt I was having problems... but it was the shipping that damage the power tubes.

but it seems built like a tank !

I totally rely on it !

When I received it the amp was sounding very bad... very harsh specially the distortion... I've told it to Carvin via email

Then they sent me new preamp tubes at first... and the amp was again sounding bad... then they sent me new Power tubes... ahhh ! wow the sound was beautiful ! night and day !

They are really kind and comprehensive.
It's trully the best service I ever had with musical instruments yet !

About the warranty you have 1 year for the amp and 90 days for the tubes.

I've been playing for 11 years now, I studied in Jazz music. I play mostly Rock, Blues, Jazz, 80's metal, Instrumental rock and compositions. I own a Jackson USA King-V, a Fender Fat Strat USA, a Jasmine Classic guitar and a Simon & Patrick Mahogany Pro acoustic guitar. Along with this I own several stompboxes... BOSS: TU2, Noise supressor, Super shifter, DS-1,delay, chorus, volume/expression pedal. MXR: Dime Distortion, Wylde overdrive, EVH Phase 90, 10 Band EQ, Super Comp. Ibanez: tube screamer TS-7. PROCO: RAT distortion. Xotic: BB Preamp. Electro Harmonix: Big Muff.

I have search for an all tube amp for so long (4 years)... I've tried alot of different brand and models (Marshall, Fender, Mesa/Boogie, Peavey and Carvin) and for the price none of the other brand was acheiving that quality. The other one I was considering was the Bogner Extacy... but way to expensive ! the last duel was: Mesa/Boogie Stiletto Deuce and Carvin Legacy... those two were really good amps... but I don't have the money to afford the Boogie and... So I've chosen the Legacy !!!

For the price/quality you can beat the Legacy... and it has his own voice and this is what I like with the Legacy... it doesn't emulate... IT CREATES ! This is not only for the Vai freaks, but also for the ones in search of a unique sounding amp, you can create a lot of different colors with this amp... and this is what I like with it !

Unless the fact that this is my FIRST ALL TUBE AMP, I've played with alot of tube amps in different shows and in my music formation, so I can say that this amp is a great Tube amp that belongs to be with the greats like Mesa/Boogie, Marshall, Fender, Vox and Bogner.

My years of search are now over !

If I were stolen... I'll surely buy another one !!!

Both VL100's sounded different when I turned them on...mostly bad.
Both TN100's needed to be turned on and off before I got them to work properly.

No comment. The gear I got broke after a week.

Marco (customer relations supervisor) was extremely kind and helpful but unfortuantely his being nice doesn't do anything for gear that doesn't work.
We exchanged the defective amps and TN100 racks and got exactly the same problems after a week.

I own a music school and professional studio. I also do studio and live session work on a professional level. I was looking for a company that had all the products I needed under one flag. Carvin seemed like a good choice.
I ordered 2 Legacy Half Stacks, 2 TN100 tone navigators, 2 custom 7 string guitars and a 5 string bass for an amount almost over $7000

I firstly got the amps and tone navigators. 1 Amp and 1 tone Navigator we're broken out of the box. I called up Carvin for an exchange and they told me they couldn't ship out replacements until I returned these. So I took another two weeks to get my replacement units.
In the meantime the VL100's tubes blew out on me in one week without gigging and just sitting in the studio and the Tone Navigator was acting weird not changing presets when It was suppose to and sounded boomy.
I finally receive the replacements. They Broke after a week (in the studio, not moving!).
You can start to understand why I wasn't going to take these products out on the road.
I asked Marco what the heck was going on and he told me it was an isolated incident but after doing a little research online I found many with my same problems.
As for the guitars. Well I was double charged on my Credit Card for the XB75 Bass so I was $1200 short and it took Carvin 10 days to admit fault and issue a refund that took 2 weeks to take effect.
The Guitars were due for delivery August 27th. Still nothing here. It took them 5 days to build the necks and bodies but they have been in the "string set up phase" for Three weeks now.
I just left a message for Marco and emailed to cancel all orders and issue a refund A.S.A.P.

I don't know what else to say. You be the judge.

You know the set up. All tube amp. I play rock. classic rock mostly. and some newer stuff. also play blues. this only thing I don't use on this amp is the presence on the clean channel.
My amp is set up with Electro Harmonics EL34's in the power tube section and chinese 12ax7's in the preamp section. I think they come with Groove tubes from the factory. At least thats what I read at the carvin website. I use this amp everywhere I go. it even sounds good at low volumes. But don't let the 50 watt switch fool you this amp is loud. low volume on this amp is set at 1. after that your on your own. the louder the better!

This amp sounds AMAZING. I've only played on solid state amps. and some hybrids, I then purchased a tube overdrive pedal and I fell in love with that tube sound. so I figured let me check out some tube amps and see the difference. to my surprise they sounded pretty much the same, I could basically get the same tone from my set up to the tube amps I tried out. not exactly the same but close enough to where I didn't want to drop down a nice chunck of dough for one. Until I found this amp. The Carvin Legacy. this amp is like nothing I've ever heard or can recreate with my set up, it is so crisp and clean, I never heard my guitar's sound so beautiful, even the overdrive is so clear not muddy at all. every note can be heard clearly note for note not mixed together or sloppy, this amp can go from clean to dirty without a change in volume, like some amps I tried. the reverb is amazing also its very smooth,doesn't sound like your playing on the toilet. I use a Jackson warrior XT with the stock detonator humbuckers and I can get plenty of gain with this amp and clearly. I was going to change the pickups in warrior because I thought they were crap, I could never get a good distortion sound out of them, it would always break up really bad but now its sounds good.to get really good distortion I set the gain anyware between 6 and 8 depending on your guitar and use the volume knob on the guitar to control how much distortion you want and beleive me there is plenty. I also have a strat with stock pickups that I play blues through and this amp can do that very well. I now like my strat again, it was my first guitar and I stopped playing it because I didn't like the tone all that much and was getting ready to sell it, Lucky I held on to it. its sounds amazing through this amp. I didn't mention any names on the other amps because I don't want to bad mouth any brands since they all have their own tones which I also like. Tone is like ice cream so many different flavors and everyone has their favorite. and this one is mine. and I'm only giving it a nine because you never now when another flavor is going to get your attention.

No problems Yet. If you can't depend on it why keep it.

I don't know how it sounded from the factory since I bought it used with different tubes in it. I know that if it doesn't sound good, it can. with the right tubes.

2-ch, clean & od. Clean ch doesn't have preamp control, which is unfortunate. I've been jamming with this head for about half a yr now & the honeymoon is over, though I still kinda like the amp. For what I play (free metal/jazz) there's only one good distortion setting & that's at 7-8 on the pre, presence nearly cranked, & treble around 1 o'clock.

This amp I feel has the min. requirements for gain to be considered a high-gain amp. I'm using neutral pickups though, & gtrs w/hotter pickups might feel otherwise. It's a fairly clean, tasteful distortion, probably not enough gain for thrash or grindcore if that's your genre. The clean ch. is nice, but again, no preamp setting so it's limited on its own, as it doesn't break up.

I also have a Decatone & would say that the dist ch. on the Legacy is somewhere in the 2nd ch. of the Decatone, although the Decatone's 2nd ch. preamp cranked still has more gain. The Legacy's dist ch I find cannot have the preamp cranked as it gets muddy. That's where the Soldanos are superior - their whole preamp band is useable whereas the Legacy is limited (as I mentioned in Features).

I give it an 8, all things considered, but for the price it's probably a 9. Carvins are bargains & if I was to get another one I'd try the MTS (even cheaper) or the V3, though a bloke had both the V3 & Decatone & returned the V3.

One other gripe - the amp chassis should be more open for better cooling.

You know the features; this amp is a 2004-5 model. I am not sure which. I play covers in a regularly gigging band and use this amp for everything. It is more than loud enough for any gig. Probably sounds best turned up a bit though. Why buy a 100 watt head for the bedroom? I think the amp is wonderfully straightforward and very versatile without losing its character. Some good options on it I like are the 50 watt option switch; the bright switch on the clean; and the footswitchable reverb. I wish that it had a solo boost function that is adjustable on the amp. Many amps have these now an they are pretty cool to use live. Maybe Carvin will add that option one day.

I play through a Les Paul and a 335. Pedal set up is minimal and I don't run any effects in the loop. This amp is a little bit noisy (at least mine was) but I don't mind. The amp itself is basically a clone of the Blue Channel on the Bogner XTC or perhaps the SHiva's dirty channel. I think it is a bit darker and has more gain. For the $ it is a great substitute for the Bogner. the Clean channel is nice and usable. People have said this amp is the poor man's Bogner and it may be. I also think it has a little of its own style going on. I have owned an XTC and a Shiva and I think they cut a bit more in the mix and are a bit more articulate as well, but I found the Legacy's tone to be inspiring to me and I am not a big Vai freak or anything either.

I have heard mixed reviews on reliability and quality in these. I am taking a wait and see approach with it. I haven't had it very long.

n/a

I would give it a solid 8. The tubes may need to be changed but other than that I dig this amp. It is a great find and I plan to keep it around (at least for a little while) haha....

Welly just recently get this amp head with the extension cabinet 2 * 12 carvin, my amp was made in 2006, have two chanels, the lead and the clean chanel, the features are simple but have the funcions of a guitar player need.

Well i use a JS1000 and and ibanez RG350DX with evoluyion pickups, the sound of theseguitars in this amps are great, it's all i need to play almost any kind of music, y recomend this one to all musicians who play all kind of music excep the hardcore, because the lead channelis not to grunch to that kind of music

Well my amp head sounds great, very nice, y just love this sound because it's all can i need to play, and y don't need any kind of acustic simulators or reverb pedals.

when i went to the store they give me all the atention that i need it, the respond to all my questions and i try all the amps to make the righ decision. they guaranty is very good, because they replace or repare the amp if you make someting to it, they just repair it or give yo a new one

i have been playin for 6 years and this is the amp better for me, the sound and the image it's geat, i tink this one sound better than a marshall at all, thisamp, do not need anithing else, just need to be played

Picked this up from the Carvin factory in 2002. I've used it exclusively ever since. Before that I was using a Yamaha T-50 designed by Soldano that had ridiculous gain, but I could never get the distrotion to sound anything but ratty and super fuzzed out. The Legacy has a cabinet voiced out ofr recording, and that was a selling point in addition to the clean and lead channel and the ability to switch between 50 and 100 watts. Plus you can swap the power tubes between el34s, 6l6s and 5881s without having to rebias the amp. Very cool. My amp has the el34s, and I love the tone.

I've played through a number of amps over the years. I used to have a boutique Nomad head made in Berkely that had a great vintage tube sound because it was based on a Marshall 69 plexi schematic. I also used a Sound City for a while which was great until it got fried with a misplaced beer. I've also used a Peavey Deuce, a Laney, a Fender DeVille, a Marshall JCM800 and just prior to the Legacy a Soldano designed 50 watt Yamaha T-50. All these amps had great tone, but none provided me the versatility and ability to dial in a really crunchy, heavy tone that doesn't sound like it's too edgy, ratty or fuzzy from over saturation. Well, that was until I found the Legacy.

This amp has the greatest clean channel by far of any amp I've played. It is nice and smooth and allows you to dial in a tone without being overly harsh in the highs like most amps are. I run mine with the presence boost set and the treble around 6-7, and it just shines. I don't use a lot of reverb when I play, but the reverb on this thing is not cheesy at all. It adds just the right amount of depth without being overbearing.

The lead channel is something to behold. I think the tonal variations from this amp are amazing. Anyone that can't get enough gain out of this thing has some real issues with saturated overdrive. I agree with a lot of other comments. If you need that much saturation, you really ought to focus more on playing better instead of trying to get more gain. The reality is you actually get MORE in your face crunch and smack by turning the preamp drive gain down so that the attack of the string can be accurately articulated by the amp. Otherwise you get a heaping dose of mush that has no definition. And all you guys that crave the scooped mid sound from high gain amps, let me just say this. A guitar is an instrument that is ALL ABOUT MIDS!!! If you take out the mids you basically suck out 80% of your tone. That just might be 80% of your problem!

Anyway, I have never had a problem with not having enough gain. On the contrary, I find myself usually dialing back the drive gain after about 7. It just gets too mushy and ratty for my tastes. I typically use a custom built 3 humbucker monster of a guitar with a Les Paul body containing hollowed out chambers, but I have also used a late 70's Epiphone Genesis, a Carvin SC-90 and a Les Paul Special with P-90s. The music I play is mostly heavy in the vein of old Sabbath, Soundgarden, Tool, Alice In Chains with a bit of classic rock a la AC/DC, Aerosmith and Zeppelin thrown in. My speaker cab is a 2 x 12 Laney cab with Celestions, and I have huge, growling tone.

The EQ is fantastic on this thing, and it is much different from the typical amp. The range is so broad that the movement of either the bass, mid or treble knobs even one tick has a dramatic effect. I have it dialed in now where you can hear every string perfectly, and I have had several sound guys from some of the premier clubs and venues in the Bay Area comment on how great the tone from this amp was.

The only real disappointment for me was the cabinet voiced line out. This was one of the selling points for me so that I wouldn't have to use something like a Red Box for live recording. I don't know what it is, but I found the output from this line out to be completely unusable for recording. It sounded really harsh and did not come anywhere close to sounding like a miked cabinet. In fact it reminded me of the days of old when we used to take the speaker outs from a head and run it through a direct box, like the nasty super distorted guitar fuzz heard in the lead guitar tracks on the Beatles' Revolution, but not as nice. It just sounded awful. I went back to using the Red Box with the speaker out feed, and it sounds great that way. I don't know if it's just my amp, but I wouldn't recommend using this line out for recording.

One last comment for the high gain guys. If you really need that super high gain tone, then look into getting a Hot Plate or a Power Brake to attenuate the output from your head before it hits your speakers. I did this recently so I could run my amp's power stage at 10 but keep the overall volume low so it doesn't blow my ears out. The gain was ridiculous! My tubes were so saturated I thought my speakers were going to start oozing. You can really hear the tubes break up in the power stage, and it is such a preferable sound to the breaking up of the preamp tube stage. What I liked best was running the preamp gain at 7 and the power stage at 8. My God! I needed a towel I was creaming so hard.

The first one I got died after the third time I used it. It had a bad transformer, I think. I sent it back to Carvin, and they sent me a new one. I've used it ever since and have had no problems with it. It has been my mainstay for 3 years now for regular weekly practices and several gigs. No problem. I gig with it and do carry a backup.

Carvin is a great company. I tried this amp out at their factory in San Diego, and they let me wank for an hour in their amp room so I could try out all their heads AND the cabinets in various combinations. Plus they let me haul in my own cabinet to hook up to the amps as part of my listening test. Very nice.

When I had the problem with my head they got a new one shipped to me within a week. Their service and support is nothing short of stellar.

For the money you simply cannot get a more versatile or better sounding amp. Period. You could easily spend 2 times as much and walk away with a far inferior product and even worse a far inferior tone. Carvin is one of the most underrated companies out there, and they really hit a home run with this product. I have recommended this head to many of my friends ever since I got it, and I would rush out to get another one if this one was ever lost or stolen. Kudos to Vai and Carvin as I feel this really is the product to beat at this price.

Basic 2 ch.
Cabinet-voiced line out (haven't tried yet)
Bias setting for power tubes. 50w or 100w setting.

I just got this amp, but I quite like it & will be using it more than my Soldano Decatone.
There's no master vol, but that may allow you to use your gtr's vol knob to roll back the gain a bit better than if it had one.

I've played it so far w/a US Tele HH. I play a fusion of styles from fairly heavy metal to jazz & progressive rock.

I agree w/the contributors below who said you can get more gain out of it by not cranking the gain knob. Cranking it makes the sound too flabby. The gain is optimum at 7.5 when you set the treble & presence high. It's not super-saturated, but strong enough for all but the most extreme metal, which I don't care for anyways.

Carvin has a good reputation for reliability. There's a lot of older Carvins on eBay so you know they'll last awhile

Actually, after shipping & charges for the money order, etc it cost $775 Cdn. Still, that's less than a third of what I paid for a used mint Decatone. Carvin gear is the best value out there. If you want a little more gain, get the Carvin MTS (they're even lower-priced than the Legacy).

I have had this amp for about 3-4 years now and purchased new from Carvin. It can cover most hard rock to less rock sounds. May not be great for metal unless you put an OD pedal in front of it. I wish it had a middle gain channel for the more ACDC type crunch or bluesy sound, but then again you can just turn down your gain quite a bit and use an OD for those time you need a little extra. I have used this amp for over 100 gigs in my hard rock cover band playing tunes ranging from Metallica, Ozzy, Creed, Bizkit, Hendrix, Rage, Van Halen, etc. I use it with the Legacy 2x12 cab with Vintage 30's and a TC Electronics G-Major for flavoring and channel changing.

I love the effects loop and the watt switch is great for certain situations.

The sound of this is like a darker Marshall that can get a little more saturated if the gain is pushed into 7+. Anything past 8 gets a little muddy. It fits rock lead playing the best such as of course Vai, Satch etc. It's a little dark for that commerical rhythm sounds you hear on many rock pop tunes, but great for a unique darker sound like you would here from Collective Soul to Ty from Kings X. It a meaner Marshall, with a little more gain and darker. I sometimes wish it was just voiced the same as the marshall since I like the feel of the sound/amp so much. The Eqs voicings are different than most amps. I don't remember the spec, but the Bass knob is lower in freq and the treble is much higher. I'm not sure I like that since I get the sense their ranges are outside of the guitar spectrum some. You can't beat the voicing of a marshall as far as rock goes. It always cuts through the mix. Don't get me wrong, I love this amp, but just wish it was a tab bit brighter. I use the EQ on my g-Major to brighten it sometimes. I do like that it does not fatique my ears like other amps though.

Since the amp is a little dark it is tough to get great overtones out of the amp. It's hard to explain, you can't this amp to feedback in a good way unless you crank the highs. Good feedback helps with long sustains sometimes for the on fire sound like old Van Halen sound. (His guitar always sounded like it was going to explode soon). Same goes with harmonics. You can get them, but it just takes a little etra work. As far as back feedback goes, it never had a problem when cranked. It's a very quited amp.

I don't understand the hidden Vai feature. All tube amps seem to have the feature of cleaning up when you back the volume down. My Fender Deluxe Start with Lace pickups don't do that well for some reason. Only on my Pandoras box and some old SS Randall. Go figure one digital and one solid state. I wish my guitar would clean up when I back the vol down without getting dark or muddy. Vai's guitar has a special vol pot that increases the treble as you back the vol down. Listen to Tender Surrender at the very end for that little trick.

Overall I love the dirty channel for lead can't find a better amp for it yet. Rhythm is just a little muddy, but still well worth it if you are a lead play.

The clean is great. Simply clean and not sterile. It would be nice to have the option of pushing a little for those blusy sounds, but oh well. Great clean.

Perfect so far and still on the original tubes after 100+ shows. My first week the vol seemed to fade a little here and there, but never happened again. Maybe it was just new tubes breaking in?!?! I am afraid to look at other amp since this has worked so well for me. I don't bother with a back up.

They were great. I didn't like the 2x12 at first, but aparently the vintage 30s take time to break in over the phone. I played the amp over the phone to Customer Service and they could tell the speakers were not broken in. I even A/B'd the cabs with a small marshall cab and they knew with speakers were the Carvin cab (before they were broken in). Very friendly and knowledgable.

Overall this had been a good purchase. I would probably not buy it again since I like most players are always seeking a better tone. I in no way regret buying it though AT ALL!!! I'm not sure I will find my dream amp, but the Bogner XTC is pretty close. They are similar of course, but the one time I played the XTC it was just a little bit clearing sounding. I would maybe get the DSL or TSL, but they just feel cheap these days and I don't trust them for some reason, plus they went way up in price. I like how they sound though.

Not really much to say here. Its a 2-channel tube amp... nothing extra than any other amp

Got some ESP custom guitars, a fender strats. My ESPs all have humbucker in the bridge and this is definitely what the legacy likes the most. The Distortion channel is very rich and warm with a sort of velvety distortion, i wont say fuzzy but really hard to explain just a personal description. The eq is very versatile and takes some getting use to but is capable of almost anything in rock,jazz,blues etc. The Clean channel is very bright and well clean...lol Its got real good headroom and its very nice especially with the bright switch, cant remember what they call (might be presence) but who cares its another option that makes it very versatile. One thing to note was the Strat pickups and the legacy arent to my liking the distortion channel. Its a little to velvety for my taste, but i run a OD pedal on the clean channel and that gives me what i want for my strat. So its almost like a 3rd channel.

Nothing yet has made me question it...used it for a couple years

Carvin is very good. I havent had to ask them anything regarding this amp but have talked to them many times. always helpful..

Played for over 17years. I also have a marshall 50watt plexi, POD, GMAJOR, and to many pedals to list. This guitar amp is very versatile. For what it was designed to do it does it very well. Nice distortion, not a higain distortion but its not designed for that. Very nice clean channel and a pretty good reverb. This amp is fairly loud but what do you expect!! its a stack.. Not designed to play in your bedroom while mommys at home...lol If it was stolen, i dont know if i would buy another one. I am constantly on the look out for a prefect amp but i have never found one. There is so much good gear out there, but really this is a very good amp for a cheap price.. nothing much else needs to be said!!

I'm giving this amp a 10 because it is very versatile. The clean channel is warm, yet has plenty of highs, very crystal clear, but not harsh or piercing. Good character to the drive channel, FX loop and reverb a plus.

All those who gave this amp a poor review is either stupid, can't play, or both. Not one person has mentioned the main goal of this amp. This amp sounds great ON AXIS! It's the only amp I've ever heard that addresses the problem: standing directly in front of your amp is very harsh and way too bright. It's voiced perfectly for standing 10 feet out and right in front of your cabinet. If you play live music and get paid (not in your bedroom), you're forced to listen to your amp on-axis.
Every other amp in the world gets way too bright and looses body. The Legacy is dark and thick enough to sound correct in front of the speaker. Steve Vai is a pro and he addressed that problem. If it didn't have enough gain for you, then you can't play clean enough. This is a responsive amp. If you sound bad playing it, the problem is you. It's very singy, full and round and sounds like Steve Vai. It's only for the good players, though. It doesn't cover up your mistakes, or poor technique.

Great!

Carvin is great. They actually try to talk you out of the Legacy if they get the notion that you just want to crank the gain and scoop the mids.
The Legacy won't let you do that. It has tons of body even with the mids on 1.

The amp is very affordable. Especially compared to an SLO or Bogner.

same features as others, 2 channels, clean overdrive, reverb, channel switching, el34 or 6L6 , 50 watt or 100 watt.
played through a carvin legacy 2 x 12 cabinet with celestion vintage 30's

i play a ibanez jem with evolution pickups, my music style is jazz fusion rock
the amp is fantastic, to me its the best , the overdrive is full rich and creamy, not overkill or mush but you can reach every harmonic on the planet. clean is crystal clear, i'm running it with el34's It's very versital, i've been playing 30 years and for rock hard rock blues jazz fusion . this amp will do !!

no problem here, and if so carvin is here right in california

i had a couple of questions before i purchased the amp, i emailed them and got a response in 1/2 a day, really quick.
i purchased the amp used, had no problems yet,

been playing 30 yrs, i own jems, 1 gibsons, and a strat
if it were lost, stolen i would get another, i found the amp for me.
i love bogners but 2500.00 is too much for me. i've played marshall, i own a sovtek mig 50, i had fender twins, super reverb, i had a mesa boogie mkIV, so, all in all. the above amps mentioned are fantastic, but for the right person,
but with the legacy i found my match. try it

Purchased new from Carvin. 2 channels, all tube, 100 watt, etc. I use this amp at home for pleasure and recording.

I am rating this amp as an 8 for versatility. It is perfect for me and alot of different styles with it's perfect clean channel and great dirty channel but may not be perfect for nu-metal or other types. I actually think more country players should use this amp. I am not a country player but do mess with some twangy old stuff my Dad taught me and it sounds great.

I use a Jem7vwh. My style is everything from hard metal to grunge, surf, 80s, british metal and some old country. This amp is perfect for me. I have always had crappy amps and never had a tube amp. I am very impressed with the sound. This amp is very very loud even on 50Watt setting, but just turn it down to 1 and turn up the gain a little and it still sounds great. I love playing ZZ Top songs on this amp, I think it lends well to that style of classic metal but some heavy thrash might need a distortion petal but the distortion is fine for me and I used to use a Boss MT-2.

Haven't had it long but so far is fine.

There was a mess up with my initial order and they sent me a 212E tweed 2x12 cabinet instead of the C212E Legacy cabinet. But they were very prompt in getting me the correct one and letting me keep the other until I received it and sent me a shipping label to return the wrong one.

I have been playing for about 10 years, play mostly Ibanez guitars, my previous amps were old 70's Kustoms and vintage solid state amps and a Crate 30-watt practice amp. I love this amp and would definitely get it again if it were stolen. I played the Crate Blue Voodoo and a Marshall TSL2000 before I ordered this and I like this way better. I have always been on the fence wondering if tube amps were really that much better and I finally got one and I am converted. I am not a tone freak but really noticed the difference this amp gives. Now, I think I am becoming picky with tone as I am afraid my cheap zoom pedal is impacting the awesome tone from my amp! I love it and will never go back to solid state unless forced. Trust me, give it a try.

This amp was made this year 2005, I got it brand new from the Carvin Factory store in San Diego. I am a complete freak about tone, and this amp is definitely versitile enough for the music I play and the sound I want to hear. I play mainly virtouso gutiar music... as in Vai (I bet you would have never guessed would you?), Satriani, Petrucci, Yngwie, Paul Gilbert, and Jason Becker to name a few favorites of mine... But I do like to draw from as many different musical styles and tastes as I can, so I also enjoy playing Classical, Blues, Classic Rock, and of course some Heavier Stuff... so I give it a good mix.

This amp has 2 channels (thank god!) a "Clean" Channel and a "Lead" channel, it does have channel and effect switching capabilities if you buy the FS-22 Footwitch (which I highly reccommend, it's so convienent) it has an effects loop which I tend not to use, because I don't use many effects and the ones I do use I run in to the front of the amp... However it does work quite nicely when I did use it, so it's cool.

There aren't any features I wish it had... It is absolutely perfect for me, no endless digital paramaters to tweak, just a simple 2 channel set-up, 100 watts, all tube, and badass tone out the wazoo.

I use the amp in my room at the moment... but when it's time to jam, this thing can completely overshadow everyone else, this thing is insanely loud! SO MUCH POWER! Jeesus, I can't possibly over-emphasize the power this thing puts out...

Other than the features mentioned above it has a master reverb control for both channels, and it sounds great! I love a hint of reverb on my tone to take up space in the mix and add that ambience to lead work and clean tones... and this has one of the most natural, soothing sounding reverbs I've ever played through.

If you want to get straight to the point and "plug-in and play" without having to tweak settings for hours, there isn't a better amp on the face of the earth in my opinion... You can't beat it...

I've got two axes I run through this amp... one is my Trusty 21 fret Fender Stratocaster with stock single coil pickups, and the other is my Custom Shop 24 fret Carvin DC-727 7 String with C-22 Humbuckers. Both guitars have different textures that I love, and I use them for different purposes. This amp lets the true tone of you guitar and fingers shine through... it rewards precise playing and it really lets you hear mistakes, so you've got to keep the chops up to sound good through this thing...

The amp is very quiet actually, I was pleasantly suprised... very minimal amp noise, unless you've got the gain knob dimed - which is totally un-necessary. Noise tends to come from the guitar's pickups anyway... and my Fender hums righteously. So I've got a Boss NS-2 Noise supressor that I run into the front of the amp, and that completely solves the problem...

This amp's tone can not be beaten in my opinion... very, very warm and full... the way the amp is voiced is absolutely brilliant! The tone of this amp is seriously reminiscent to that of the Bogner Extacy... the way the mids are voiced especially. It's a very mid-rangey amp, even with the knob set lower you've still got a good bit of midrange in your sound, which I love... mids let your little nuances and playing techniques come through. The Treble reacts quite differently from any other amp I've ever played through... even set to what is typically "very high" it never gets over-bearing. I've actually got it set on "7" all the time and it sounds wonderful. The Bass knob has it's own thing going as well... it doesn't so the Mesa "BOOMING BASS" thing... it really fattens up the sound while maintining definition, and the clarity is un-beatable.

The clean channel is heavenly, it's by far the best I've ever heard from an all-tube amp... I've simply never heard a tone this clean come from an all tube amp. I don't know how they did it, but it's beyond words... there is absolutely no distortion in the sound whatsoever, and for an all tube amp that is quite an accomplishment. This, along with the way the tone of the amp is voiced, makes for THE BEST clean channel I've ever had the privilege of playing through.

Now for the lead channel... Wow, where to begin? It's the most fluid sounding distortion I've ever heard, there is no harsh high end or muddy bass to be found, the tone as I said before is incredibly warm and full, and there is a lot of midrange... and it really doesn't have a whole lot of gain on it's own, even with the gain set fairly high it's just a "cruchy" distortion. It's not a "brutal" distortion by any means... It's a lead guitarist wet dream...

I can't over exagggerate the quality and durability of carvin's products... this amp is no different... it's 120% ready to tour the world, man... excellent...

Carvin has the vest customer support in the world, they are always very good and informative to talk to... and you can always get a hold of someone when you've got questions, comments and concerns... great guys...

I've been playing for 3 years... Religioulsy, every chance I get. This amp completely out-did my expectations, it's absolutely perfect in every way for me, very user-friendly... There isn't one thing I don't like about it, and I tried dozens of amps until I found this one... Mesas, Marshalls, Peaveys, Crates... e.t.c. and None of them even came close to this beast... I HIGHLY recommend this amp if you play some rippin' leads and you want a tone that can't be beaten...

I bought the 100w head w/2x12 cab back in 1999-2000.

I can't say enough about how good this amp sounds! From the minute I pulled it out of the box, it sounded amazing. It has tons of headroom, and a very warm and punchy quality to the tone, no matter what type of sound you set it to. It's also extremely loud & powerful.
I shoot for a Steve Lukather/EVH meets Dimebag kind of tone, thick and crunchy with good definition. This amp hits it for me!
If I have one gripe about this amp, it's that they need a 3-channel set-up, like Mesa Boogie has, (that is the only reason I give it a 9 here).

I am playing a Music Man Luke with EMG's (81-85) and running through Boss/MXR pedals that are placed in front of the amp chainwise (Boss chorus, delay, compressor, DS-1 Distortion, MXR Zakk Wylde overdrive).
The distortion tone on this amp is very nice. It's not a buzzsaw, scooped-mid thing, (which might turn a lot of metal players off), but rather it's really thick & warm EQ-wise.
Even though I run the amp fairly quietly (1.5 to 2 on volume), I still use the 100w mode rather than the 50w mode, because the amp sounds punchier that way.
As good as it sounds, the amp could honestly use a little more gain, but there is still enough for me to work with.
The only reason that I use the Zakk is because I need a solo boost for the lead channel (see my above gripe about no 3rd channel on amp). I use the DS-1 in front of the clean channel so that I have two basic distortion tones to choose from, the DS-1 or the amp's distortion tone.
The clean channel is also very good sounding. it's loud and punchy with lots of headroom.
Whoever (along with Steve Vai) voiced the EQ on this amp did a fabulous job!
The EQ is very responsive, but yet none of the frequencies are excessive. No shrill highs, nasally mids or muddy lows here. Everything is clear and pretty pleasing to the ears.

I've retubed this amp twice since 2000, and I've had to use some contact cleaner on a couple of the input jacks, but other than that, this thing has given me no trouble at all.
I play rehearsals/gigs 3 nights a week on average, and have done so as long as I've had the amp, so it definitely gets a lot of use.
No neglect here.

I've only called Carvin when I have questions. They've been pretty cool when I do call.
Luckily I've found a great amp repair guy here in Austin who can retube or tune up my amp very quickly. Carvin wants 3 weeks typically for any service they do.

I have been playing for 25+ years and have had a chance to play and own a lot of different amps. This one is one of the best that I've ever used. I would buy another one in a second if I had to. The only amp that I might consider using as an alternate to this one would be a Mesa Boogie Road King. Outside of that, you can keep everything else, I like my Legacy better.

It seems like most of the criticisms about this amp are coming from metal guys who buy it expecting Ozzfest-style crunch tone.
This is not that kind of amp. You can get good metallic tones out of it if you try, but it's voiced to be much fatter and richer than your typical amp.
If you want a metal amp, get a Boogie or Rivera or something crunchier.
If you want a versatile amp with lots of warmth that works for most any gig, get this one.

Built at the Carvin factory in California. A really versatile rock amp that sincerely covers most everything. I play mostly fusion, rock, blues, and country. 2-channel clean and lead and switches either on the head or with the optional FS-22 footswitch that can also operate the Reverb and Effecst Loop. Has a voiced line out and switches to 100watts or 50 watts (only -3db). I've always liked an amp that included an adjustable solo boost (soundman will hate you but, oh well) but, my Boss DS-1 with the level all the way does just fine. I don't use the voiced line out and don't often use the effects loop. There is also a bright switch on the clean channel that is cool if you need it (a reall acoustic bell like tone from a boost in the high frequencies) but, generally, I don't. I use the amp everywhere and anywhere; more than enough power it is REALLY LOUD and the wattage makes almost NO difference! I'd really like Carvin to house the Tube Sockets a little better and maybe encase all the tubes so they don't shake, rattle, or roll. . . Pretty standard overall but, done very well with some nice options that work. . .

I have switched strictly to Fender American Telecasters with Dimarzio Pickups (Twang King neck and Special Chopper-T bridge) and this amp suits my eclectic styles (rock, fusion, country, jazz, heavy metal) very well. I will say a great deal of its versatility is from my guitar and the pickups with generous use of the volume knob. But, this amp just cleans up really well and gives you a lot of tones to discover from just the guitar and your hands. It will not give you Steve Vai per-se but, it will give a good player a lot of expressive tones.

It isn't noisy with my guitar and setup but, any high gain amp with paltry shielded single coils will no doubt be noisy and hiss. My Twang King has just a bit of hiss (mostly on the lead channel) but, the Chopper T is DEAD QUIET. I have to say that is probably my pickup and guitar tech more than the amp. My now sold Laney GH50L and Mesa Boogie Rectoverb seemed much more noisy and I used good EMG humbuckers at the time (the Laney is especially noisy). It seems that having a good surge protector and plugging into good grounded sockets really help in addition to shielding the inside of the pickguard. With the Legacy I don't have to worry about the hiss near as much. Very responsive to pick attack and nuances with volume and tone knob. Reacts kinda unpredictable to different guitars, I can't anticipate what certain brands or style of guitars will sound like; they all take on new character than you've become accustomed too.

This amp is such a strange beautiful creature. I wasn't sold on it the first time I plugged it in because like the quirky dude that designed it, it is very unique. A poor man's Bogner? Well, Steve was using the Bogner 100B as the starting point but, I'll just say it isn't a Bogner and it isn't anything else just a Legacy. With the right guitar and a professional player that can use the volume and tone knobs on the guitar I don't think there is anything the amp isn't capable of. I got great classic rock, hard rock, jazz, and Hendrix type tones. Great variety if your a good player with the patience to use the EQ (they actually do something and are interactive especially the presence and treble on the lead channel) and experiment alot. . . don't get satisfied or unhappy too quick really dig into this amp and you'll be rewarded. Many people that dog this amp (especially the lead channel) I think are either too impatient or just "young" as players/musicians. The accusation of muddiness comes from not using the eq properly and no doubt using too much drive; even the modest instruction manual warns about this. . .

The Clean stays clean at high volumes (or I should say higher there is no medium just off or LOUD) and is just gorgeous with lush reverb. I can't find a bad setting for the clean channel.

The Lead channel is, well, unique and really variable depending on the knowledge of the player. I know what the controls do and I know what I want out of the amp but, I experimented for months and found not one or two "right" sounds but, a palette of usable tones. I will admit it sounds best above 2.5 but, I rarely get there even in the medium sized venues. Brutal, is not a good way to describe the Legacy it isn't a harsh overdrive. The lead channel rewards good technique with brilliant articulation from varied pick attack and synchronized hands. The Legacy really doesn't let you cover up flaws in technique which is cool because when you want to sound rough or on the edge it really let's that come out. So if that's what your going for (i.e. classic rock or blues type soloing) anyway it'll give it too you. Generally, as the drive goes up the volume is better down. Also, the presence and treble don't act like a Marshall JCM800----You can use them pretty high (6-8) and move the midrange up and the bass down it isn't a Mesa Boogie and it just responds to the EQ controls differently than one may be accustomed. Overall, lots of variety and great

Only regular servicing of tubes, lots of reviews have talked about this amp blowing up and stuff. Well, all tube amps can blow up or catch fire or just smoke and die. . . and in proportion to the number of reviews I'd say I feel comfortable with the reliability of this amp as much as any other. Bogner, Randall, Mesa, Marshall, Fender, they all blow up just the same but, Carvin will fix or replace it. . . you won't get that from anyone else but, Cornford, or perhaps Bogner. . .

Without a backup? No way, I'm a pro-----never want my junk in my hand half way through the night. I usually bring a Boss GT-8 or Carvin Bel-Aire just in case.

No amps are perfectly reliable and tube amps cannot be more reliable than an 8.

1 Year warranty. I have purchased a used Legacy as well and they made it tip top and retubed round trip for about $200. Cool guys there mostly, but, like all big places there are occasionally some uninformative sour pusses. I just hang up and try again for someone else and don't take it personally. Joseph is #1 and I recommend using his polite tempered demeanor to help with any of your concerns. Only service is in California unfortunately but, I haven't needed them much besides on the used Legacy. Nobody's perfect in this department but, at least you'll get to talk to SOMEONE! Try that at Fender or Ibanez. . .

15 years of pro playing and Berklee alumni; Graduate in performance from Webster (classical) and studied at Washington University. The only stuff I have after trying it all (literally): Two Fender American Telecasters w/Dimarzio pickups, Boss DS-1 and TU-2, Carvin Legacy VL100's, Carvin Legacy 2x12 cabinets, Monster cables. I never knew good tone was so simple. I accredit alot of it to my hands and experience but honestly, there is definately something special about this amp.

Stolen or Lost I'd buy it again.

I love the reverb and clean and love the simplicity. Mostly, it gives me my own sound and vibe (I wouldv'e never guessed that from a signature amp designed by a Martian). Hate, well I disliked the fact the tubes aren't enclosed and socketed as well as I'd prefer for the road but, that can be fixed or just get a good road case. Also, it is not for inexperienced players or the easily frustrated (read: impatient). Not getting tone right out of the gates upset me but, I just didn't give up on this amp (annoying the time it took though).

It was compared to everything from custom amps, standard brands to boutique amps to off brands and modded one-offs. All with or without rack mount/pedals and with every known style of guitar known to man. The only thing that I would have considered other than the Legacy was Cornford but, sweet Jesus that's alot of silver pieces and I get real close for 1/4th the price.

Maybe an adjustable lead boost that automatically gave just a bit more gain, midrange and sustain; also, caps for the tubes. . . really nit-picking here. A separate button on the footswitch for effects but, they say you can modify the pedal to do that and show you how. . .

To Close this amp is not for everyone, not for just anybody, not for alot of people probably, but, it isn't just for STEVE VAI either; It is for me, and maybe you too. . . just know in advance that the money you save not buying a Bogner or Cornford will be paid for in time getting this thing to sing the way you want. . . don't give up it's worth the $2600 savings. . .----------D

I bought my Legacy Half-Stack in September 2004. I had been (and still have) using a rack mount system consisting of a TriAxis/20-20/G-Force for about 4 years. My rationale for purchasing another rig was simply, it was simple. 2 channels, a few knobs, and that's it. No menus and endless parameters to tweak.

I know it has an fx loop, but I haven't even used it yet. I do play a Jem through it, and there is the "roll off" feature, where you can put the guitar volume on 2 or 3 and even with a distortion level of 7 or 8 on the amp, it cleans up nicely with just a little added bite. I can not achieve this with any of my other guitars (Strats).

This amp sits in a 4th bedroom with my makeshift recording set up, consisting of a Presonus Firepod, a computer, mics, and some keyboard gear. The amp is incredibly loud. When I'm laying guitar tracks, I use Shure E5's to monitor with. They do a good job of sealing out the noise when I have the amp cranked to 4 or 5 for recording purposes.

Don't be fooled though... even on 1, the Legacy is very loud. It doesn't matter if you're in 50W or 100W mode either. A lot of times when I'm just messing around, I don't put the volume past 0.5.

I've been playing for about 8 years now. I went through a period of maybe a month where I only played through the Legacy and then went back to my Mesa Boogie rig. Wow, I did not like the way it sounded at all.

I have 3 electric guitars that I use through the amp. The Jem (2002 model) that I mentioned above, which seems to be matched for the amp, and then 2 Strats (a 1995 Deluxe Strat Plus w/ RWB Lace Sensors, and a 1999 American Standard Strat with Texas Special single coils).

On the distorted channel, the Jem has a really 'buttery smooth' sound. The Lace Sensor Strat has kind of a "bright and blustery sound" as best I can describe it. The Standard Strat has a really nice "chunka" sound that I love for rhythm work with distortion on about 6.

The clean channel is simply amazing. The Presence button adds some extra highs that really can make a guitar stand out in a mix. To me, the clean channel is really warm, and distinctive. By far blows my Mesa clean channels out of the water.

I do run a Boss DS-1 in front of the amp itself. I don't know what it is, but I can not get any sustain if I don't. I went to a G3 concert last year, and took pix of Steve's amp setup (the knobs) and set mine up like that, and it comes close to what you hear on the Carvin site, but I'm just going to assume that's what is missing is related to "my fingers" and not the amp.

As others have noted, the distortion is different from any other distortion I've ever heard. It does not "get muddy". You can hear every note when you play a chord.

I've had it for a while now, and I haven't had any problems. I use it every day.

Never had to deal with them. Just ordered through their website, and received it about 5 days later.

Overall, this amp is really a good deal. If you've got $1,299 (for the amp and cab) to spend, I don't believe you could go wrong with this purchase... unlesss you're a sloppy player who hides in mountains of gain.

I also like the fact that it's 'something different'. It's not a Peavey, it's not a Fender, it's not a Vox. They're rare (seemingly) and you can get your own unique sound.

This amp was made in 2005, at this point it's about a month old. Two channels; clean and distorted. All tuber (4 EL34's, 5 12AX7's), 50/100 watt switch, 4,8, and 16 ohm speaker impedance selector, footswitchable reverb. The only thing I wish it had is a master volume, as this amp is absolutely DEAFENING. I borrowed a Mesa Triple Rectifier from a friend before buying the Carvin and thought that was loud.... hahahaha. This thing hurts by the time the volume hits 5 on either channel. For no master volume, minus two points.

I'm using this amp along with a Schecter C1 Blackjack, which has two Seymour Duncan humbuckers (JB in bridge position, '59 in neck position). I play a lot of styles: blues, rock, dabbling in a bit of jazz, metal, punk etc. The band I play with has a sound heavily influenced by bands like Isis, Explosions in the Sky, Pelican, Keelhaul, Godspeed You Black Emperor, etc. I use both clean and distorted sounds heavily, and this amp does both very well.

First, the clean channel: LOTS of headroom, and very warm and thick sounding with my neck pickup. In the bridge position, it still sounds warm and full but with a nice but not overwhelming trebly bite. This amp absolutely nails the clean sound I want, and sounds great with reverb.

Distorted (channel 2): Amazing. Runs from a nice bluesy crunch around 2 or 3 on the drive knob, a nice classic rock distortion around 5 or 6, and gets good and heavy from 7-10. I set mine at 8 and it's perfect for me. I honestly don't understand where anyone is coming from that says this amp doesn't have any gain. If you really are having to put one or more pedals in front of this thing to get enough distortion, you either have weak pickups, tube problems, or some problem that is not this amp. I figure the people saying this are the ones who will only be satisfied with a Mesa or 5150, and if thats you, go right ahead and spend literally twice as much money for a one trick pony amp that will make you sound identical to every metal/hardcore band going these days. This amp has plenty of distortion, it's just different. It doesn't mask sloppy playing, and has loads of midrange as opposed to the scooped, silly amounts of bass most seem to go for now. It's a smoother, warmer, and more toneful distortion. Not for everyone I guess, but I'm very satisfied with the sound of this amp.

It's only a month old, so I can't really say yet.

I only talked to the company when ordering, they seemed friendly and helpful. Shipping was fast, it took about 6 days to make it from California to my House in New York. 1 year warranty.

I've been playing for 14 years. The amp I had used until now was a Hughes and Kettner Attax 100 head, which I'm hanging onto now for a backup. If it were stolen or lost, I would most definitely get the same thing again. I love the tone, the warmth, and clarity of this amp. It looks pretty sweet too, haha. It definitely has a unique look. The only complaint I have is a lack of a master volume, but I'll live. I've compared this against Marshall JCM 2000's, Mesa Rectifiers, Peavey 5150, and a lot of other amps. This amp doesn't sound like any of those, but sounds every bit as good, and for half the price? Amazing value. I see a lot of negative reviews, and I guess all I can say is to let your ears be the judge. Carvin is a mail order only company, but you get to use this thing for 10 days starting when it gets to your door. If you aren't happy, you can send it back for a full refund. Nothing to lose there.

2 channels, clean and lead, if you want to read the specs look below everyone lists them anyways...

I really wanted to like this amp, but unfortunately I couldn't! It sounded NOTHING like the demos of Vai playing "straight" into it with just delay... I know because I tried the same setup... and got a really bland tone, especially for a tube amp. It is VERY loud though, and the clean channel is pretty good... that's about the only thing that saves this amp. I wish it had more gain... you shouldn't have to push this kind of amp with multiple distortion pedals to get a good lead tone out of it. The layout is very basic... wish the EQ was more impressive on the tone, I tweaked and tweaked and it just didn't want to work out for me!

I tried using two guitars with this amp and I can't say I liked the tone with EITHER of them! I am a big carvin fan in fact, I've owned about 5 of their guitars and held one of them even now! I used a customized Ibanez SZ720FTMG upgraded with sperzels and dual EMG-81's, as well as my Carvin DC-200 black walnut loaded with their M-22SD and M-22V metal pickups for my testing of the amp. I play mostly metal, both "nu-metal" if you want to call it that and classical metal, but mostly MY music is somewhere in between. I play a lot of hard rock now as well, but also like classical music composition on the guitar. It does not suit ANY of these styles as is, unless you want to go out and buy a couple distorion pedals or an effects processor... when you are buying a tube amp like this, you shouldn't have to though!!! The amp suits only low-gain classic rock, blues and maybe jazz depending on what kind of guitar the player is using. The clean channel has a LOT of headroom though, I must say. It doesn't distort, but I mean c'mon... you can only blast a clean channel so high before the noise becomes piercing and hurts the audiences' ears! Like I said, the distortion let me down for the most part. I was told by Carvin that maybe the tubes were bad, but on an amp that was slightly used, this really shouldn't have been a problem on such a young amp! I sent it back.

This is where I'm not sure about the amp... it powered up and everything sure, but the tone was junk for the most part. Could have been due to faulty tubes, could be bad circuitry by Carvin... normally their products are pretty reliable... not in this case... sorry Carvin.

I've dealt with the company a couple times via email and via phone. Via email, these guys are a joke... half the time I don't even get a response back unless I send them the same email about 4-5 times which is ridiculous. Over the phone on the other hand, most of their reps have a FAIRLY decent level of knowledge on the products they sell. A couple of times I had to get off with one guy and call back to get another one because they didn't understand anything about the product I needed information on. They didn't know what the deal was with the amp, and if it had shipped with bad tubes I lose some respect for Carvin! I will give a 7 here due to the good and bad almost balancing out.

I've been playing about 6 years now and have gone through my fair share of gear. I've played all sorts of high-end guitars (PRS's w/ Brazilian Rosewood Necks (very, VERY nice guitars!), Gibsons etc.) and middle and low-end guitar too, just as anyone else out there. I have owned and played all sorts of solid-state and tube amps before as well, and this one just didn't make the cut. If you play classic rock that won't need much gain or crunch to the tone, go for this. If you only want a loud clean channel, go for this. If you want GAIN at all, pass on this one and save up for a REAL amp. If it were stolen, I'd catch up with the guy and tell him he should try contacting Carvin to see if he could send it back too. (no joke.) I thought this amp would sound nice but it really let me down pretty badly so I was disappointed with it overall. If they modify the design to allow more gain it would be a nicer amp and I might think about it again, but until then, I'm going to have to pass on it. Look into other high-end amps, save up, and buy one of those!

Ive had this amp for a couple of years now since 8th grade i believe and im 18 now i bought it when they started using the vintage 30's in the cabinets instead of the old green backs and my old guitar teacher had one of these amps and his sounded nicer for some reason.....
I think it was the green backs....

Well its a nice amps for certain situations i mean if you play blues or jazz or country or some old school rock or anything like that this amp could cover alot of territory, mabe even some hard rock with some over drive or distortion in front of it. I run a ds-1 into it and its cool and a delay in the loop some times. But as far as this amp being suited for like high gain stuff like in comparison to a Mesa Rectifier or a Stilletto Deuce or Mark 4 it really doesnt saturate like that. the gain is well kinda old school but smoother. really round. with a delay and a distortion and a wah and a volume pedal you can get a little bit of an ed vanhalen vibe goin on and a steve vai thing but for bone crushing dime bag darrell rythms or a zakk wylde sound. your not commin close unless you get a noise gate and a furman eq and some other outboard gear. I guess this amp isnt everything you'd think it would be plugging right in. But you get out of it what you put into it.

yeah pretty tough ive taken it lots of places jams with friends or a couple of shows or parties here and there. havent had any problems with it except the routine tube replacement.

eh carvin had it shipped to my house and i havent dealt with them in years.

I think its a decent amp given the situation, Its really musical. I think im gonna keep it around for a few more years.

I did own tihis amp some years ago. It sounded fantastic!! It's not marshall, it's not mesa. It's a Legacy. Some people here said it did not have enough gain.. Well... I used standard strats with this amp, and it gave me a good climb up in higain territory. So if you tried out a Legacy witch sounded bad, try another one. May be bad tubes. Not every shop around do check all amps. By the way, try the boss Blues driver on the clean channel.. I also used the Marshall Guvenor 2, to get low-gain ZZ Top. Jesus just left.. (played with a strat) Reverb sounded fine. One more thing, If I don't remember wrong: the prensence only works at the clean channel.

2 years. No probs

Played for 17 years. Switched the Legacy with Line& FlexII. More versitile. Switched FlexII-->Rivera M-100--> Line6 FlexIII-->Line6 Vetta. Maybe a Legacy again? Yes....

2004 Model, 2 channels - cleand and dirty. I play this in a home studio and for that reason wish it had a 25 watt mode. This is the loudest amp I've ever heard. Basic foot switch to go between channels.

I absolutely love the tone of this amp. So much so that I put up with the fact that for my purposes I never have the volume past 1.5-2. I use a strat with duncan hot rails and a Carvin Bolt with duncan full shred pups with it. I use it for rock/hard rock intrumentals and it sounds great recorded. The clean channel is nice also, warm and full, not sterile. The reverb is very natural sounding and doesn't have to be set past 2 or 3 for a nice spacious effect.

Blew a tube once, other than that no issues.

I originally ordered a 2x12 combo and decided after about 3 weeks that I'd rather have the head and 2x12 cab. Carvin paid for the combo to be shipped back even after the 10 day trial period had ended and even gave me the sale price on the head/cab combination that was in effect at the time I bought the combo.

Been playing for about 18 years. I use a Rocktron Intelliverb through the effects loop for delay and it sounds great. I owned a Peavey XXX when I ordered the Carvin and thought it would be nice to have both to cover all the sonic bases. After plugging into the Legacy I could never go back to the XXX and sold it. Having the separate head and cab is a good way to deal with the Legacy's loudness. I have the head right next to my DAW and all my other effects and have the cab in a different area with a shure sm-57 in front of it. If the cab is near me I can't hear anything in the headphones coming from the DAW.

Two things keep the overall rating from being a 10. One is the fact that it is so loud. This amp needs a 25 watt setting. The other is not having a foot switch function to shut the effects off. My old Peavey XXX had this ability.

Brand new 2 channel simple to operate tube amp.
3 channels would've been nice for ease of use, but a Keeley modded DS-1 Ultra (in fat mode) gives me a solo boost when I need it.

I use an old Ibanez RG550 with stock pick ups, a Soldano 2x12 cab with Celestion V-30's and play mainly funk rock. I actually own a triaxis and it took me ages to get the lead tone I'm after on that. Even when I got it, it wasn't quite the same as the tone I had in my head. There always seems to be some high frequency stuff that I can't dial out that's spoiling my sound.

I wanted a Vai-ish lead tone for my solo's. One where I could get those spikey pinch harmonics with ease but still be able to ease off the volume a bit and have a nice dirty sound too. So I bought a Legacy!

Now I'm not stupid enough to think that if went and bought a Legacy I'd sound like Vai, I don't! But this amp does give me what I want tone-wise.

This amp is loud!!!
I can't really go over 1.5 indoors while practising.

The clean channel is good but I need a compressor in front of it to hold it back a little. The harder I play the louder it gets.

The lead channel is great for me. I have it set up for a blues/dirty type sound and add my DS-1 Ultra for solo's. I've found that if I use a wah during a solo and hold it flat to the floor while playing a fast legato run at the top of the neck, clean smooth harmonics just fly out the guitar with no mushy crap added, just real defined notes. Too much gain means a loss of definition at the low end so I have to play with the bass and mids to find the right balance between DS-1 boost and Legacy gain.

It has it's own sound that is really hard to describe.

I usually have to psyche myself up to go and sit with a new amp or piece of kit and go through all of the sounds and settings etc.
It usually takes me quite a time to find what I'm after.
The legacy is different I just plugged it in, tweaked it a bit
and my sound was already there. That is the reason I've posted this review. I spent a long time checking out reviews and specs before buying and I'm glad I went for it.

Incidentally I ignored the suggested settings that came with it and used my ears. If I'd have followed them I probably would have blown my windows out!!

I like this amp a lot!!

I've only had it for a day and it was still working the last time I turned it on.

N/A yet!

I've been the owner of a guitar for 35 years and have been playing for 25 years and still gig regularly. I think I've found the right amp for my style with this one. I'm looking forward to turning it up and leaving my rack gear indoors the next time I play.

I'd give it a 10 for my personal soloing tone but an 8 overall because I'd like it to be a 3 channel head instead of 2.

it's ok, no useless features here. 2 channels, drive, presence, reverb, 2 volumes.

it's the best clean sound i've ever hear, seriously !
the distorted channel is a little bit... strange, you know, just like stoner rock : fat and dark. It made me severals month too find a great drive, but know i've got it. Don't be affraid too put presence, high and medium at 7 or more and bass under 5, because in "classical" rating, it sounds muddy, with too much basses...

i own this amp since two years, and i had no problem with it.

i think it's a great amp, really. Clean sounds are awesome, just as a twim reverb. With the drive section, it's harder to make it sounds, you just have to understand how each nobs work with each others

Very typical two channel amp. Nothing special in the controls or features.

I just don't get it how some people say that this amp doesn't have enough distortion. I play in a prog-rock/metal band and I love this amp. This is a small clip of an early demo I recorded in my band's rehearsal studio --> http://www.lyranthe.com/media/dem1.mp3

I don't have any problems with the distortion in this amp. But then again, distortion and tone is very subjective. To each his own, I guess.

Only had a few minor problems with it. Mainly I only needed to change the tubes.

Their sales guys and service reps in there stores were very helpful. Email correspondence is fast. Can't really say anything about their phone reps since I haven't dealt with them in that area.

This is my second review on this amp. I've owned my Legacy half-stack since 2001 and I love it. Take the reviews in this web page with a grain salt and try the amp yourself.

All the features a real musician needs

Sounds are right up there with today's modern music

Carvin has the best Customer Service in the world. They will break all the rules to make sure the customer is taken care of. Other manufactures... *pft*

See above.

Read the review Submitted by bzdup at 12/29/2004 02:07.

First, anyone who writes a review based on a ten minute trial has no clue.

Second, by confessing he is a shredder, he is maybe 13 years old and want to be someone when he grows up, but still not sure between a fireman and a doctor.

Third, really jeffgeorgebomb@yahoo.com, get a clue and get a life dude. If you are going to write a review about something, spend several days with the item, not ten minuets.

Typical features, plus a presence button. Which does nothing. But overall, features alone, it appears that you can get some different tones out of this thing. But no multiple voicings like a Mesa, and the Presence doesn't shape the sound like a Marshall.

I must warn every other human being I come into contact with, this amp sucks. I'm a shredder, I like metal, but I also like amps that sound good when I play them. [A buddy of mine is huge on vintage sound, has a 67 or 68 les paul and some Gibson tube amp. And it rocks, different than what I like, but rocks] I'm reading these other reviews just thinking, WTF are you serious? 9s and 10s? No sir, this amp tops is a 7. And that's if you were frozen in an ice block since 1972 and just dethawed.

I went to Carvin to play this amp in Hollywood. They have an excellent setup in that store where you can jam to your heart's delight in a closed room. I played the legacy for about 10 minutes, and this thing is a piece of junk. I heard such good things about it, but in my quest for perfect guitar tone, I must try things myself to believe.

First problem: This amp barely distorts. Seriuosly. I was playing this thing on a nice Carvin guitar, say more than 1000 dollar guitar. No clue what kind of pickups, just picked a pretty one and went to work. I had the volume on the guitar cranked, had the gain or "drive" cranked on the head and it didn't start getting crunchy until 6 or 7 on the volume. I thought, "Naw, this can't be right. I must be doing something wrong here. Nobody would make such a weak sauce amp." No. I was right. This amp just doesn't drive very hard.

I guess if you're into half ass distortion. Then get this amp. It does produce decent mid range sounds, and playing scales sounded nice on it. But hit some good old fashioned power chords and you'll find yourself asking, "where's the beef"? Answer: There is none, this is a vegetarian model.

So, completely disappointed with the distortion section of this head [ummmm this amp does not sound anything close to steve vai's super distorted sound], I turned to the clean section. Ahhhhhhh. This must be why people talk about Carvin. The tones were warm, deep, and soothing. One of the best sounding clean tones I've heard. But it clipped the sounds a bit. I would get really good sounding deep tones, but then it would clip like a huge gap in the eq or something when I changed notes. Possibly user error though, overall pleased with the clean section.

Now, I am no guitar gear wizard. Kind of a dorky kid who thinks if you don't know how to play the damn instrument no tone is going to help you. But I do know what I like, and this thing was junk. My friend was next to me like, dude, play another amp. [Which I did. Played the MTS 3200 head, which sounds IDENTICAL to the Legacy.]

In it's defense. I'm a shredder, looking for some kick ass tear it up distortion. I don't know, I play an amp like this, and I'm like, dude, go buy a Fender Amp. And don't you dare compare this thing to a Marshall or a Mesa. Sir, don't do it. Please, don't embarrass yourself any further.

If you want shred tone, if you want "vai's" sound, do NOT buy this amp. At the very least, be forewarned and GO PLAY THE DAMN THING yourself. Maybe I'm tweaked, maybe it was a bad day at Carvin, I don't know. But I wouldn't play this thing covering Pat Benatar's Hit me with your Best Shot which is what it sounded like. [Or anything else. It's a damn Damn DAMN ugly thing]

No clue, played it ten minutes, then threw up, and went next door to the Mesa Boogie store. Hollywood ROCKS! Guitar Center, Mesa, Carvin, and some other smaller guitar retailers all bunched up together.

No clue. People there seemed nice.

all right, I've been playing for some 15 years, I do a lot of studio work. Play through a Digitech GSP 2101, and a VS 265 R. I compared it with a Marshall every amp I've played in my life. A solid state Crate 130, a hybrid Marshall 265R, a JMP-1 hooked to a Marshall 9200 [very nice], and even have been lucky enough to play a Bogner Ecstasy, and lately the Mesa Dual REctifier Combo amp, my bandmate owned it. Didn't own them all, but played all of these for long periods of time through friends/bandmates.

So definitely not a pro, may have screwed it up, but it doesn't take a genius to crank the distortion and see what happens.

2004
i play in a modern pop-punk band and this amp is perfect for the sound
i also play about every style of guitar
sounds awesome for jazz and funk. 2 channels is o.k., 3 would have been more appropriate for this amp. the reverb on this amp is phenominal. the only feature i would add is delay... cause delay is a big part of modern and classic sound.
i gig with this amp a lot, with a backup of course, but i have full trust in this amp. this amp has more than enough power. i actually run it at 50 watts, make the tubes drive for a better sound.

i use an ibanez universe 7 string with a custom made emg at the bridge. i also use a washburn N4 relic with a handmade bill lawrence at the bridge and a suncan '59 at the neck. it fits the style of my band perfectly, yet it is versatile enough for my own song writing needs. a very quite amp, i only run the drive at about 6. this amp can make any sound, all sounding awesome. depending on what settings you use, the clean channel will stay clean and not distort. the distorion channel on this amp is pretty damn good, its a good clean sounding distortion that doesnt sound all stupid and obnoxious. when you crank it up, you're gonna have to back off on the distortion.

no problems with this amp yet... i just got it
i would gig without a backup tho, i do trust it that much

i bought this amp straight from carvin
they didnt mention a footswitch wasnt included, so that was stupid.
you get a one year warranty with this amp as well. i give it a 6 cause of the footswitch thing

i would buy this amp again over any marshall or mesa line6 shit
i bought the whole halfstack package so i got the badass cab with it
GO BUY THIS AMP! IT WILL BE GOOD TO YOU!

Pretty basic, 2 channels with reverb..although I rarely use reverb (I wish they'd substitute reverb for delay). Bells and whistles on an amp are usually crappy anyway, so I give it a 9..would be a 10 if it had a third channel.

Ibanez S470DXQM with Dimarzio Tone Zone in the bridge, stock single coil middle and stock bucker in the neck. Homemade strat-style guitar with a Duncan Screaming Demon at the bridge, stock yamaha single coils in the middle and neck.
When I first got the amp, I didn't have the Ibanez. I was using my homemade guitar which is a modified Yamaha Pacifica. With the Duncan, the thing was just a chunk-fest..but the guitar's intonation sucked, so I moved on. Plugged in the Ibanez and wasn't really impressed with the pickup, so I changed it to a Tone Zone. Let me just say that it's taken me about 3 months to get the sound that I like with this amp. I knew from the beginning that it was a great sounding amp, it just takes a lot of tweaking to get "IT". It's a mid-heavy amp, so keep that in mind. In my opinion that's great, though..because of the textures that the mid frequencies create. If you want more thump, get an EQ or overdrive/distortion pedal...makes it all the more versatile. It's a thumping amp, focused mainly on classic rock, but you can get just about anything you want from it.
Oh, and the clean channel is SO good, that I haven't even messed with the EQ on it..seriously! It chimes like nobody's business with signal coils. The lead channel gets a really great "gulp" with good single coils, too. Really great sounding amp, the 9 is just because it took a long time to get the sound the way that I wanted it.

Had it for nearly 4 months and no problems..but the tubes need to be reseated every month or so. I put a piece of isolation foam between the head and cabinet to ease vibrations...really oppened up the sound of the amp too.

Havent had to deal with them, except to ask a few questions..and they were pretty helpful. A friend of mine at work had some really bad problems with support with his guitar, so I'll give them a 7 from his experience.

You can't get a better amp for the money, bottom line.

2001-2002
it has the average stuff

I have had this amp for over two years I bought it new. This amp has a thick low end and with the presence nob one can get highs that will make your ears bleed. When I first got it I didn't know if I liked it or not.

The clean channel is sweet but on my amp the powertubes start to distort on 2 with a gibson les paul dc plus.

The overdrive channel took me a while to get used to because of how the presence and treble nobs work with each other. with the treble on 10 and presence on 0 this amp is muddy. One has to mess around with the presence and treble nobs to get a nice sound. I am disapointed with this amp in that with all of the nobs set on 5 this amp isn't even or balanced. The amp with the nobs set on 5 is fat, too much bass, and muddy. Maybe it was ment to be played with thined out carvin guitar. Don't even think about using the neck pickup in a Gibson Les Paul! To fat!

I reached a nice eq with the presence on 3, treble on 10, mid on 7, and bass on 2. The distortion is chuncky and thick - it isn't the fuzzy type. It is not a shredders, 80s long hair metal amp. If you want to shred get a rhino amp. The distortion on the leagacy doesn't comprese enough for that- thanks to vie's hidden feature that allows the distortion to clean up when the guitar's volume is turned down. I know because I completed the Metal Methods Speed Kills Video.

Don't buy the amp because you want to want to sound like Steve Vie. To sound like steve you must then buy alot of fx petals.
You either like the amp or not. It is good for a roar chuncky distortion and sweet clean. I would say it fits in with modern rock. this is for some one who likes big fat sound.

After I had the amp about 6 months the reverb went out. And I forgot to change the power tubes after 2 years and the tubes overheated and fried the amp.

Carvin replaced the the PC boards and rebiased my amp for free without me filling out the woranty card. They probably fixed it because I have spent about 7,000 dollars with them. A whole PA system ect.

I have been playing absesivly for about 5.5 years. Its not how long one has been playing but how much one plays. I play several hours a day, almost every day. I am 19 and I feel like I represent a new generation of guitarist. I play a Gibson Lis Paul DC Plus and an Ibanex Prestige RG3120. I have played on the following amps- Rhino Beast, mesa booge-rectofier-nomad-triaxis, soldano slo100, dizel v4, marshall jcm2000, orange ad30, carvin belair, line6 vetta-flextone, vht-combo,------------I think I have heared tone before.

The amp is great for modern rock - Go play on one and maybe it is for you.

Features already listed, 2 independant all tube channels, tube reverb, 100 watts EL34 or 6L6
It has a unique voiced high and mid range, and ALOT of low end.

I use an Ibanez RG1570 w/ Evo pickups. I play a mix of southern rock and progressive, with everything in between. This amp is ungodly loud!
I use mine with 2 power tubes(run it at 100watts,8ohms)Ive found this way I can get a reasonable volume to practice on, this worked better than the 50watt switch, which I could not tell any difference at all, other than at loud volumes the clean channel breaks up on 50watts, but the way I run it, I get plenty of headroom with the clean.
Which by the way is an great clean channel. Ive always been a huge fan of Steve Vai's clean tones, this thing nails it.

Now for the lead channel. Ive had this a few months, and I'll admitt, I wasnt very impressed with it. Some people can just plug into and love it, others have to play with it for awhile before they can dial in "that tone". I have to say though, when you find "that tone" its hard not to love this amp. And make no mistake, I do love this amp now. the mid range on this amp is amazing. Even with the mid range cranked, the tone doesnt not get harsh, but enough bite to cut through mix, and get an incredibly smooth lead tone. Which is seems to be the major charactistic with this amp SMOOOOOTH. No, it doesnt have the gain of a 5150, XXX, JCM2000 or Mesa Rect.it also doesnt have the fuzzy highs, and muddyness of those amps either. Its more of say..an extremely hod rodded JCM800, with a Mesa Mark series lead tone. Make no mistake though, this amp has enough gain for any style.
The only other thing I could add, is this amp really tends to like high output pickups(or atleast my ears do)

Ive had no problems, other than some power tube troubles, but thats no fault of the amp. I depend on it, But I will pick up a backup head when I start gigging again. A Carvin MTS perhaps =)

It a tube amp. so its as dependable as it can be

Since I bought the amp used, Ive never had to deal with Carvin, I only hear good things though.

If anything happened to this amp, I would get another one. I bought it because I wanted something alittle different. I love everything about it. Steve Vai and Carvin made some magic with this amp.

Tried out the amp in 2004 at the san diego carvin factory.
My style is instrumental rock,metal,and some classical.

I tried out the carvin head with an ibanez rg520qs with dimarzio pickups.I went into the sound room and tried out the legacy head on their 4x12 legacy cab.The clean channel was awesome,gave me a bluesy sound and I was very impressed with what I was hearing.Bass was good,mids and highs all sweet sounding.Now to the distortion that was in the amp.Total garbage,I don't think steve vai would use that distortion.Whenever I would play scale runs,tapping,arpeggios this amp did not sustain well at all.I was fighting to play any runs I was doing because this amp doesn't get enough distortion.It sounded like an old overdrive pedal from the 80's.Like a zz top distortion or something.I give it a 5 only beacuse of the clean channel.

I didn't get a chance to use it in a gig because i never bought it.Only tried it out at the carvin factory.

The dealers that were there were very kind.They let me spend enough time there to evaluate if I liked the amp or not.

I have been playing for 10 years.I own a peavey 5150 II now that I'm very happy with.The peavey 5150 II blows this amp out of the water as far as distortion,but the carvin sounds 10 times better on clean.

I own the 2004 model head, which I picked up with the Legacy 2x12 cab. The features at first seem to be pretty limiting in terms of specs, but I rate these specs highly simply because of the flexibility of the sounds you can get out of this amp. The range of the eqs are pretty astonishing and the reverb doesn't sound half bad either, although it would've been nice to have independant reverb controls for each channel.

For the acoustic stuff, I use a Taylor 612CE and a Godin Multiac Nylon, which both sound tremendous through the clean channel, especially with some reverb. I also use a Fender Thinline Tele and a couple of Ernie Ball MusicMan Axis guitars through the rig. I also own a Bogner Ecstasy 101B rig, which I am mentioning for 2 reasons: One - the Ecstasy, in my opinion does truly set the standard for high gain amplification - Secondly, the quality of the Carvin's tone is in the top bracket and A/B'ing the two amps truly reveals the benefits and deficiencies of the Legacy.

Now, the Legacy's gain on the lead channel is HIGH. I only have to use it at 50-60% with the Axis guitars to get a great, rich distortion which is surprisingly quiet. There are times when you can really hear Carvin's attempts to replicate a chunk of the Ecstasy's tonal range and they've done a good job of acheiving just that.

The Legacy's lead channel doesn't quite have the 'growl' of the Ecstasy, but it does blow the doors of anything Marshall have come out with recently or any Mesa Boogie stuff period. The clean channel, however sounds weak, primarily because it lacks a gain stage. I therefore ordered a Keeley modded BD-2 Blues Driver pedal to compensate for the big void that exists between the clean channel and the gain channel, to try to get as close to the untouchable 'Blue' channel on the Bogner Ecstasy. It hasn't arrived yet, but I have no doubt that this pedal will do wonders for the Legacy's already impressive sound.

The clean channel doesn't quite have the TWANG I strive to achieve with the Tele, when playing Southern Rock and Surf - but it gets pretty close. I think a gain stage would really help out the clean channel, so you can set it just to the point of saturation to really fatten the sound up AND give you more flexibility with your guitar's volume knob.

I give this rating an '8' based on the quality of what the amp DOES have to offer, instead of marking it down for lack of features which one can only speculate about.

Haven't had any problems thus far.

The guys at the Carvin store in Santa Ana where extremely helpful, friendly and knowledgeable. Kudos to all of them for making my Carvin experience a good one.

I have been playing for almost 20 years now, and I've gone through amps like a termite goes through wood! I found the perfect tone in my Ecstasy, and it seems I've got the perfect back-up amp. For the price - this amp is a steal, and it does sound almost Boutique. The distortion is CLEAN, instead of the MUSH Line6, Marshall and Mesa Boogie seem to produce lately. It's also comparitively light and is extremely portable along with the light 2x12 cab. I'm very happy with this amplifier. Would I get another one if this was stolen? Yes I would. Although this isn't quite the Ecstasy, if it were up to me, I wish a) I never heard the Ecstasy and b) heard the Carvin Legacy at the time of my search for the perfect amp! It would've saved me quiiiiite a bit of cash! No regrets though... I'm lovin' them both!

I am guessing that the amp is from about 2001. I bought it used from a friend's son. Don't do that. I though I had already submitted a review about this very good amp. I play blues, modern and classic rock and jazz. It's great for blues and classic rock. It's OK for jazz, but my Fender Hot Rod Deluxe (clean channel) is much better. I use a POD 2.0 for modern rock, and the sound is acceptable, but not convincing. It's not the amp's fault though. It's the POD's. Still the amp is not suitable as a replace for a triple rec or whatever. 2 channels with switching, separate tone controls which actually do shape the sound, and excellent overdrive, 50-100 watt EL34-EL84 switchable. Has the important stuff and not alot of useless junk. I bought it to use for higher volume settings. My Matchless or Fender have to be miked. It was a very good addition. It's obviously all-tube. I don't play anything else.

UGH. I have a 58 strat, 53 LP, another strat, 3 teles, a Heritage H575. Pickups include P-90s, Humbuckers, mixes of single and double coil. The reverb channel is noisy, and before I got it repaired it was generally a little noisy. The sound has much character, pinch harmonics, flat boogie-like drive, great midrange and highs. The bottom is very classic rock, and not great like the modern scooped amps. I've never had the clean channel clear up. It would be deafening. The distortion is very useable but gets silly at about 8.

It's been back to Carvin twice. The first time was because of the monster rock son of my friend. The second time was because, like an idiot, I let liquid spill into it. It came back better than new, and I had to pay $200. I don't regret it. Carvin is wonderful and prompt.

Excellent

I've played 34 years. Besides the guitars I own a Matchless Chieftain, and a Hot Rod Deluxe. I have the guitars said above, as well as a 67 Gibson Hummingbird. I'd replace the amp. I love it's power and great sounding overdrive. I believe it is better than any marshall, and I've owned a few. It doesn't have the glassiness or beautiful tone of my Matchless, but it isn't as fussy either. BTW, The Hot Rod Deluxe drive channel absolutely sucks. It's embarassing. It sounds alot like a Boogie Mark IV, with alot of swat to the overdriven midrange.

My amp is a 2002 the features are ok. I use this amp a lot .

I use a gibson super 400 with this amp and it sounds great. However is does have some strange noise at times. I think it should be a lot quieter. This is carvin's very best amp head but it sad the way it sounds

I had to send it back after 3 months. I had to send it back again this year for the same problem. And sat. night on stage it caught a fire . Smoked and died. I just sent it back for the third time.

carvin response to your problem but they keep sending junk to you.

I have been playing guitar for 45 years. WHen I was a teenager I played a solid body Carvin. If it was stolen I would take the insurance money and buy a reliable amp

This is for the Legacy head and cab...
The Cab is a deffinate 10.
It is very heavey duty, great celestone speakers..you can tell this thing was built for the road. I love it. It has removable casters (excellent)
The head has "ok" features.
Clean with independant EQ
Crunch with independat EQ
Reverd
Switchable 4 and 8 ohms
Switchable 50 and 100 watts
Effects loop
Foot switch with a very long cable.
All Tube
easy to use.

The Clean is awesome. It has its own sound, very full and independant.
The Crunch is good depending on how you use it.
The reverb is the worst Ive ever heard.
Also when I switch the head over to 50 watts, the treble on the clean channel doesnt work. May be a glitch.
The Speakers in the cab are amazing. I went from a Peavey classic 8 10" set up, and theres nothing like a great set of celestone 12" speakers.

Other than the trebel not working on 50 watts this amp has been more than reliable totally heavey duty.

I bought it used, so I dont havnt contacted Carvin about the treble issue. But I own a Full Carvin PA system and a Guitar wireless system andI they have been very friendly.

I play in a Touring band and this fits me for now.
If I lost it, I would probably take out a loan and buy an Orange 4x12 and Marshall jcm 2000 head. (good stuff)
But this amp is perfect if you are on a budget like i am. (only about $1250 brand new)
You cant even get a good head for that these days.
I compared it to my friends Marshall 30 anniversary head. The clean is better and the Crunch is comparable but no lead channel will top a marshalls.

2004 model - 2 channels, each uniquely voiced for excellent clean and distorted tone - effects loop - cab voiced line out - 50/100 watt switch ? handy switch to use EL34, 5881 or 6L6 tubes without rebiasing ? comes equipped with 4 Electro Harmonix EL34's / 5 sovtec 12AX7's, and a footswitch for channel & reverb. Combined with the Legacy 4X12 V30 cab, enough power and volume for any venue.

PRS / LP / Strat through a modded tube screamer before the amp (set for a mild clean boost), and a Boss chorus, Boss delay, and a MXR Micro Amp through the effects loop - excellent for most music styles, but really shines for country, jazz, and especially classic rock. Clean channel is vibrant and alive with unbelievably massive headroom, distortion is extremely articulate and balanced with a violin-like singing sustain for days. Solos bumped with the help of the Micro Amp leap off the fret board and cut easily through the mix without losing any character - in fact, I'd say that solo's bumped with a clean boost achieve a beautiful new character all their own. Although it has plenty of gain, and a metal tone can be achieved, metal devotees might want to go another route due to the Legacy's pronounced mids (metal players might want to check out the Carvin MTS series). The reverb is also nice on both channels (in moderation).

4 months with zero problems so far. The biggest quality test was passed when it arrived in working order after UPS threw it around for 5 days. I have used it at gigs with no backup, but as with any tube amp, I always have spare power & preamp tubes and fuses, and I suggest a good power conditioner to guard against electrical spikes and surges common in some dives. Although it has worked flawlessly, I don't feel comfortable giving a reliability rating until more time has passed.

Excellent. Outstanding. Carvin tries very hard to please its customers with quality products and helpful service after the sale.

Been playing 25+ years. Sold my Marshall DSL50 stack once I played the Legacy (the DSL is a great amp as well, but the Legacy's awesome tone, quality construction and fair price convinced me to re-tool). Sounds best through V30's, IMO. This head is meant to be driven hard for best results - bedroom players beware: The Legacy head will get real loud real fast (even in 50 watt mode). It sounds great at low volumes, but it really comes alive when you ease down on the gain and cook the power tubes with some tasty volume above 5. I really enjoy playing it, and I highly recommend this amp to anyone looking for a 2 channel tone monster.

Made in Jan 2004. It is a two channel amp. Marry a good overdrive pedal with this amp and you will have a very flexible setup. I am in an improv band. No set songs, just a structure so flexibility is good to have. I use it everywhere. Has plenty of power. Just about everything you could ask for except a third channel and footswitchable effects loop.

My main guitar is a Parker NiteFly M. I come from a rock background and was taught music at a university. I think the lead channel is a little noisy, but what do you expect, it is a lead channel. Very nice clean channel. I run a Carl Martin MK overdrive to boost either channel and to get a nice overdriven bluesy sound out of the clean channel.

The lead channel has plenty of gain for anyone. I dislike the fizzy modern "scooped" sound which was the major selling point on this amp. The mids are wide open on this amp. No fizz. All tone.

I have had quite a few Carvin products over the years. I purchased this amp used. They are the most under rated music mfg. out there. Solid products. I did replace the power tubes to sweeten up the OD a little.

Never delt with them on this amp. I will say that Carvin support is above average, but not the best I have had.

I had been playing for 8-10 years. I'd buy another if it were stolen. I really like how open the sound it. The mids are wonderful to hear on a modern amp. The clean channel is very Fender-ish and the reverb is great. I don't like that the FX loop isn't footswitchable.

I compared it to both of my Tech 21 amps (300 and 60), 1974 Twin Reverb, Traynor YCV's, and my original Marshall Super Lead. The Legacy is just a great all around amp for the money. I found it used for $600 only 4 months old, but even for $900 it is a great amp.

umm i bought mine used.works great for style of music i play i play rock emo spazz jazz hardcore type of stuff.2 channels comes with pedal for channel switching or can use the botton on amp has an effects loop.i couldnt ask for more.i use this amp at shows i play and to practice with.it has more than enough power for me.i changed the el34 tubes to 6l6 and put mesa tubes in the preamp from my old daul rec.

i use and ibanez joe satch with dimarzio humbuckers.it suits the style i play almost too good.its noisy as hell i jam with it at home and bam the volume just jumps out at you.this amp does anything if i could summerize it i would say:take a 5150 add the dark mesa mids and crunch and throw a jcms thrash sound and you have this amp.the clean channel owns it is so perfect almost like i am playing out of an acoustic guitar.the distortion is beyond brutal it can do it all Mesa(my old favorite company),marshall,peavey you name it can do it.that guy that said the distortion was a jumbled mess was lying he probably just didnt know how to work it well.

i can really depend on this amp its a tuff amp.i have been using it without bringing a back up and it worked well.this amp has never broken.

never dealt with carvin got mine off of ebay.never tried to repair it cause it never broke.i dont know how long the warrenty is it doesnt matter.

i have been playing guitar for 12 years.i own a mesa boogie daul rec and a few satch model ibanez.if i lost this amp yes i would buy it again.i love how i can get any sound out of it.i hate the brand carvin i always have but this amp def is a great one and i had trust in via so thats why i decided to give it a try.i compared it to my daul rec and found it can do more soundwise and has alot more power.this amp is awsome

I bought my amp new last year and have had it nearly 10 months, and honestly ther are other amps out there with a lot more features,this does have some cool stuff though like a reverb switch on the pedal that can give you some decay effects on a sustained note.
This aplifier definitly has enough power, and is built to be able to hande anything you can give it.
The stock EL34's could stand an upgrade to a crunchier 6L6 set.
Overall i have to say, after thoroughly checking out many Mesa Boggies, bogners , and Marshals, i would not trade mine for any.

This is the best sounding amp i have found ,no lie, even though it lacks a little in channel versatilty, i have been able to produce some of the absolute best and most wicked pinch harmonics that would make even Zakk Wylde jealous, this is incredible even with the stock EL34 tubes, but only gets better with upgrades.
The clean channel shimmers with a sound so rich and clear it will amaze even extremely critical types.Even at loud volumes this clean channel is flawless and crystal clear.
The distortion channel is a bit lacking for what i like, but i run effects proccesors anyway, its cool for mellow bluesy type stuff, but i cant dig into any dime riffs with it and do any justice.
The liquid sustain is pretty incredible on the distorted channel.
I play an Ibanez universe, and a Jackson sl2h soloist, and this amp has no problem picking up the low tones on the seven string at all, although the Seymore Duncans on the soloist seem to be better than the dimarzio pickups in the universe, but i have found that to be true no matter what amp you are using.

I have had this amp 10 months and have never had any problems of any kind. i would not play any gig ever without a backup of some sort, but if you dont have one, just carry extra tubes with you, and dont worry too much about the rest.

When i bought this amp, i bought it factory direct. Like anyone expecting a full stack to be delivered i got exited and called a couple times to make sure everything got shipped ok and was told everything shipped at the same time. a week later i got a bottom cab and nothing else. i called to find out what was up and was told that the head and top cab had not been shipped yet. So after being lied to, i now had to wait another week to even be able to enjoy this wonderful piece of machinery. VERY frustrating. also they did not provide speaker cable for 2nd cab.
For the mixup they offered me a free hat, whooopdy ddoooo!
This amp is great but do not expect good sevice to go with it.

I have been playing about 20 years and have had a few amps guitars ect. and i am pretty sure i would not trade this for anything(well i would trade for a road king, then sell it and buy two Legacy amps).
Mesa Boogie is highly overated, marshal is barely even a decent amplifier, and lets not even talk about Peavy.
The 5150 however is the only other amp i was actualy considering when it came down to spending the dough, but i thing the Legacy has way more to offer. I mean face it, the 5150 is a Peavey, enough said.
Needless to say, i will have a Carvin Legacy in my studio for a long time to come.

This is a pretty basic two channel high gain amp with reverb. It has a serial effects loop. I view this as an honest rating; the amp is not over-the-top with features.

Clean Channel:
Big and bold! The clean channel is a different beast than other amps out there. It has an extended range compared to most amps; the extreme highs and lows are pronounced. There is plenty of bottom end. The sound is open and clear but very unique. It may be a little on the thin side for single coils.

Lead Channel:
For crunchy rhythm sounds, the Legacy nails it. Look elsewhere for scooped metal sounds, but for everything from mild overdrive to heavily saturated rock tones, the Legacy will cover it. For lead tones, the Legacy is absolute liquid. It produces a great fluid lead tones that fit nicely into a mix. Again, this channel has plenty of low-end and the frequency in range is extended compared to other amps.

Caveats:
The Legacy is quite loud. Consider buying an attenuator to use with it. The effects loop is serial and cannot be bypassed. My Legacy is fairly noisy, but I haven't tried changing the preamp tubes yet. It's also very idiosyncratic; almost too much character.

I can't really rate reliability. I decided to sell after about 2 months. No problems, but I'm still looking for my perfect tone machine.

Customer support was helpful, but I had to call to get a tracking number.

I was pretty pleased with this amp. The Legacy even has a great tone completely dry. I think that for the price it's an incredible bargain. This amp has character; not another Fender or Marshall clone. For me, it was too loud and had a little too much flavor. With the radical eq points, it wasn't flexable enough to cover a lot of bases. For me, it was a 9, not a 10. I'm selling it in order to buy a Mesa F-50.

The features of this amp are good. Two channels with their own eq section.

The cleans sound is good. The presence button is a nice feature as it adds almost an acoustic type sound to the clean guitar

overdrive channel - terrible. I don't see how this head can recieve any praises at all. The overdrive is so muddy it's ridiculous. This head is very mid range sounding, actually to a fault. If you play a full chord with the distortion you can not make out any of the notes clearly it is just a garbled mess. I thought maybe I got a bad head but then I tried another and it was the same way. I would go so far as to say the the dirty channel is useless. This head is not even in the same league as my Soldano SLO-100. Save your money and get a different head if your are looking to get a good tight distortion tone

Didn't keep long enought to find out. I put it right back in the box and returned it!!!

They seemed cool. They gave me an RA to return it. That made me happy!!!

I have many years of pro experience and know my stuff. This amp is terrible. If you can't afford a Soldano you'd be better ooff with a 5150 head (Which by the way was modeled after the SLO-100).

This a follow up on my last review. I didnt give a reliablity rating because I just got it and was giving it a trial run and let peoepl I know and trust look at and hear it to see if I'd keep it. I've since been inside it to have a look and have talked to quite a few owners of the Legacy that have played it for longer than I and I have used it exstensively for a few months now. From what I saw of the inside and talking to other guys I know and who I trust over somone who wont even post thier name is that the Legacy is a very reliable head. Plus you add the customer support that is nothing short of the best Ive ever seen and there isnt any reason someone should give a bad review on reliablity on this amp. With a 3 year warranty and knowing that a guy had crap out on him and that Carvin sent him a new one as soon as he gave them a UPS traking number there is no question it is a good deal. I agree there is something fishy here. The combo has a rating of 9 and the head 6.7?? Come on. Have you looked at the reliablity rating of some of some Marshalls lately? They are not too good but I would still buy one if I found one I liked. You always hear from the complainers and they are always the loudest but rarely hear from people who are very satisifed and are out ther playing. I too think there is some trolling going on here against Carvin. I am going to buy another half stack to run stereo. This amp is just that good and that good of a deal. For less money than than boutique head I have 2 half stacks that sound just as good.

Has all the features you need. A good clean and distorted sound. Yeah it doesn't have 16 different sounds but who needs that many sounds. A good clean and distorted sound is all you need. You and the guitar make the rest of the magic happen.

I should first say that this isn't my amp. My buddy (the rythm guitarist in the band) owns this but I've played it tons of times over the past couple of years. The clean sound as many people have put is alot more focused or if you dare say thinner than your typical fender sound. That doesn't mean it sounds bad. Not everybody plays jazz right. you can pull off many sounds off of the clean channel. Funk, blues, you name it. It's just a different sound than fender (thank god). The distortion channel is just amazing. you can tell vai helped design this. The sound to me sounds like a plexi on steroids. Very fat but clear. Saturated tube tone at its best. Believe me I know, My rig consists of a 1987 head through marshall cabs loaded with greenbacks and also some carvin cabs. To me it sounds like an extension of a plexi. Very dynamic and responsive. Just not quite to the level of my plexi. For the price though, you will not find a better deal. My plexi however is just more responsive. I can crank to about 1 or 2 o'clock and it overdrives nicely for some great crunchy rythm sounds. I use overdrive pedals for leads. The important thing is I just slightly back my guitars volume control and it cleans up very well. I haven't found another amp that is this good at acheiving this. The marshall plexi will always be the ultimate amp for rock tone. Sorry guys but it will never be toppled. Go on about your mesas. A plexi is simply the most responsive amp ever built. It will make a bad player sound like shit and will make an excellent player sound like a greek god. My point being that if I ever had to part with my plexi I would really consider a carvin legacy based on my experiences with them. My buddy has let me play at least a dozen gigs with his legacy half stack and it will rock just about any joint you will find yourself playing at.

I have to give a 10. My buddy has been gigging with his legacy half stack for about 4 years now and it has always been consistent and has never crapped out on him or us. I depend on him and his gear. My solos only sound as good as the backing chord progressions that he is playing and his legacy half stack has always been there. I'm not frightened about some negative reviews. 90% of reviewers who left negative comments in this category are anonymous. They are probably working for some other company. If you wan't to trash talk a company at least have the balls to leave your name. Another thing, any time you are going to play a tube amp which either came in the mail or hasn't been played before, it is critical that you go through and check the tubes to make sure they are properly seated. Since most of negative reviews I've read seem to have taken place hours after the first time they turned it on. You can really mess up a tube amp if the tubes are not properly seated. We are talking some serious repairs here. I own quite a few carvin guitars and am really looking into purchasing some more of their stuff. To me Carvin is the last pure American musical instrument company that makes quality products that us hard working americans can afford. I will give you a thousand dollars if you can show me a guitar that plays better than a neck-thru carvin. It will never happen. Every other american instrument company other than PRS has sold out and is basically making crap. Carvin makes good stuff and I don't care what some boutique maker says about them. They are just sorry that this legacy sounds twice as good as their "boutique" amp that costs twice as much. They are going out of business because american manufacturers such as peavey and carvin are making good souding amps at prices that average americans can actually afford. Sorry dumble, mesa, soldano. I can't afford 3 grand for an amp package. I have a masters degree in music and a bachelors degree in business and electonic engineering I understand why most of the legendary "boutique" manufacturers are now out of business. Quite simply because they or we can't justify the prices that they charge for their amps. It can only possibly cost so much to make an amp. I've designed extensive circuit boards for countless machines and robots that are 5 times as extensive as amplifiers and I'm sorry I just can't see how people can justify amps costing 3 grand. Guys it simply doesn't cost this much to build an amp. I don't care how much of your precious time it takes to build an amp. It doesn't cost 25% of that build a good amp. If you disagree you will be out of business in 3 years I guarantee it. I see tons of famous players endorsing "boutique" amps when most of their well known recordings and best tones were recorded with marshalls and fenders not some $3,000. Take George Lynch for example. We all know and respect him from his excellent tone and work from dokken which was primarily marshall plexis. Now, because he used a bogner for some crappy lynch mob album with terrible, muddy tone I'm supposed to buy a $3,000 bogner half stack. It's not happening. Well I don't mean to ramble but I think alot of these negative reviews are employees from other manufacturers trying to downplay this great amp. I think that harmony-central needs to do something about this. It's getting pretty serious. I'm sorry but manufacturers should not get involved with forums like this.

They offer pretty good customer service. I can rate accordingly as I have alot of experience as a customer service representitive. They have consistently taken of any issues that have arose. Of course their will always be jerks that will temporarily work for a company. There is no getting around that.

What can I say. For $1,300 you can not find a better half stack. Great clean and distorted sounds. If you are a working a musician seriously give this amp a try. You will be amazed. Don't be fooled by "boutique" manufacturers. They rely on endorsements for sales other than an actual user base. I have extensive knowledge in electronic engeneering, marketing, business and have a masters in music. It would be nice if everyone can afford a $5,000 amp but we can't. Another thing, there is something fishy going with the reviews on the legacy. The head rates in the 6's for reliablility and the combo has like a 9. I'm pretty sure carvin used the same preamp and there can't be that much difference in the power output design to cause such a discreppancy which leads me to believe that there are alot of bogus reviews for this amp. It's unforunate because this is one of the best modern amp designs especially for the money. Take what you wan't from my review. It's my opinion as are all the reviews. Opinions.

Well with all the other 1000 submissions, 2 channel head all tube, 100/50 watt output, separate Eq's, master reverb, presence on the lead channel, presence switch on the clean channel (love this feature), Fx send/return, cabinet voiced line out, you know the deal ...

I play in a modern Progressive rock band, but Im also a huge Vai fan, I use an Ibanez RG-570 equipped with humbuckers, the amp is quite powerful, im not really getting unwanted noise out of it yet, just bought it a few months ago (2003). This amp is Xtremly versatile, but I dont think this is the amp of choice but metal players, but it suits my style perfectly, Iv played marshall and Fender amps, but my new Legacy is the King :o) clean channel is truly Amazing, ultra responsive, wont hide your tiniest mistakes, so be careful! the presence switch adds acoustic like tone on your clean sound, great feature too. lead channel is great also, what makes this amp stand out from the rest of the pack? EQs, this is where the Legacy wins in my opinion, with just a little tweakin, you can make a huge difference on your tone here, it's matter of experimenting, but let me tell you this amp will not hide your slightest mistake, so pick attack, articulation, will really come into play here, and mind you, thats a good thing :o) I also use a Boss DS-1, A Boss DD-6 Digi. Delay, Boss Chorus, wahwah...

Well I cant really say, I have bought it only a few months ago and will gig with it soon, record with it, so I do have lots of confidence in this amp, maybe having spare tubes is a good thing though.

Didnt deal with the company yet but the salesperson I spoke too was very nice and helpful in all departements, very friendly people in my opinion,

Iv been playin for about 8 years, im also a guitar teacher, own various effects pedals, uhm, If it was stolen or lost, I would track down the thief and probably kill him for his wrong-doing, but I would defenitly get another one though, the price is worth every penny, I love the EQ on this baby, you can possible acheive a wide variety of tones but finding your own tone on this amp is very possible so tweak it til you like and just play :) I basically choose this amp considering what a Vai nut I am lol, but also read some good reviews on it and I knew i wasnt gonna be disapointed in this purchase and Im not at all i got what I expected, even better.
my only little bad comment is the cab simulator out, which I tried and havent got any really good tone out of it yet but hey who needs this just plug in and play, So if you want something worth the price, versatile, built tough, reliable and with great cutting edge sound and tone, check out the Legacy Head, you shouldnt be disapointed,

I wont beat a dead horse here. Its all been covered in previous posts and the amp is so straight forward I see no need in going over features again.

I use an Ibanez RG with a mohogany body and maple cap with DiMarzio Blues Buckers, an Ibanez Jem, and Yamaha Ty tabor model with JB's. With all my guitars this amp sounds very good on both channels.

Channel 1 is one of the nicest cleans Ive heard in a head. Its not a Fender Twin but it holds its own with its own uniqueness. I really like the presence feature here. Its really voiced nicley with no harshness and gives an almost acoustic quality

Channel 2 is nice and fat and round. Great musical quality to the gain with rich harmonic structure. Here the presence is very cool also. Ive never been big on alot of presence but here it adds just enough bite with no harsh brightenss. Very cool. Tonally the lead is not harsh at all. I see where some guys can say it doesnt have enough gain but what I think they really mean is it doesnt have enough of the fuzzy distortion that fits well into that metal/thrash style music. I dont see this amp as is being for that but with a well placed pedal it can definatley do that. It definately has enough gain but maybe not enough distortion for for some.

Over all the EQs are very wide which makes it very good for tone shaping and ami very pleased with the tones from this amp.

Havent had long enough to say to have an opinion. Right out of the box plugged in and worked great. If I have any problems on I will post back here. Has a 3 year warranty. Tube amps can be troublesome sometimes and cost isnt always a good indicator. I have had amps that cost over twice as much have problems.

Great so far.

Yes I admit it. I am a gear whore. I really need help. That said, I have owned or own alot of the amps made out there. Marshall, Soldano, VHT Pittbull, Peavey 5150 and 5150II, Line 6, Groove Tube preamp with VHT power amp, Dual Rectafire Trem O Verb, Fender Pro Sonic, Rivera, THD Univalve, Vox. A good friend who had a Bogner Exstacy and has an awsome collection of old Marshalls. Ive been around some great gear and know great tone.

Over all and tonally this amp holds its own very nicely! Plus you cant beat the price.

Brand New 2003

? Dual channels (clean & overdrive/sustain) ? Separate Volume, Bass, Mid, Treble & Presence for each channel. Master Reverb for both channels
? 50/100W output switch
? Bias switch for 5881, 6L6GCIs or EL34 power tubes (supplied with EL34)
? Cabinet voiced line output ? 4, 8 or 16 ohm speaker imp. switch
? Effects Loop
? All tube: 4-EL34, 5-12AX7A
? Hand crafted 7-ply poplar wood cabinet
? Optional FS22 foot switch for selecting channels & reverb
? VL100: 24.25W x 10.5H x 9.5"D, WT: 40 lbs.

It is a 10 for me because I am an 'old school' guy - real old school pro (LordValve is a rookie by comparison!), but many foks want unlimited features so a 9 for them. I play jazz, blues, country, "modern" rock instrumentals", but I'm semi-retired now. (Huh?) I've played every gig imaginable ('amusement park bands' and orchestra pits, too fer' cryin' out loud). Power? This thing is LOUD. I'll probably put in a couple of TADs from Simcz.

I play a couple of different older, dual HB (moderate output) guitars. This is the best clean I've ever heard. And all the true pros (I don't mean 'rock stars' here, either) now that the BF Twin is usually setting in the corner of 90% of the gigs they've done. This can stand up to the BFTW comparo, except the Legacy is quieter and you can mess with the 'sheen' - if you know what I mean.

I'm just a 'grit' kinda OD player (Gotta' back those R&B singers and hard-core country guys too sometimes.) so the distortion seems monstrous to me. I can make it muddy with these old HBs, but I can clean it up as well as any amp I've used. At the low levels of OD I use it is quite articulate and clear.

Keep in mind that tube technology is older than me and nearly as old as dirt. Every individual tube amp of the same model I've played can sound fairly different. Don't expect to emulate what you hear on the radio with a single tube amp - this 2003, not 1953! Keep that in mind! A ten for me, here, also.

I forget to mention the organic nature of the tone. I love pug into the lead channel with low drive, roll of my guitar's volume knob, set my clean tone and then "play" the amp with the guitar's volume knob and my string attack. Just sweet as the dickens!

Well, this is hard to rate because tube amps just plain suck in this regard. I've had nearly new BFTWs (pre-CBS, too) that fell apart without cause and others that fell off loading docks and still rocked - extreme variability. I just hope my Legacy was built on Tuesday! (You know the joke about American production quality, right)This has stood up to 6 months of 'hard rock weekends' with average care. ('Hard rock weekends', Lord, I'm gonna' have to start wearing 'KISS' make-up. I'm gettin' so old lookin' that people laugh - until the head-cuttin' starts anyway!) :-)

It hasn't even had a tube rattle so far. Oh, I do use a very good quality power conditioner/regulator. Those things would have saved a bunch of great sounding tube amps in the old days.

I bought it out of the factory store in SD, CA. The folks were nice and pretty knowledgeable. At least they had the sense not to insult my intelligence or my playing history! :-)

I've been playing nearly all my life - let's just say I'm truly a 'vintage' piece - and I'd like to think 'classic' piece! :-) I was not only a working guitarist pre-CBS, but pre-TV! Lordy I still feel like a kid of 41, err' 21. Hey, I really mean't 21! I would definitely replace it if something happened to it. I just love the tone of the clean channel and the organicity of the this amp's tone on both channels. It's not a (insert the name of the current craze of boutique or vintage amp self-annointed gurus), but it is a versatile, fine sounding amp - and it is affordable enough for us retires on a fixed income! :-) If you can find a better sounding head for this price please let me know.

MOST IMPORTANT - your ears, Your tone, YOUR decision! Don't let marketing types, teen angst magazines, peer pressue and the like influence you! Especially ignore the 'Net based 'tube amp experts' who can't play - that's why many of them are amp mechanics,n o ears, no hands, no soul - and poor ones at that (I find ham radio folks do much better work). Play your heart and if your music is in the Legacy you'll know! Mine is!!!

No idea what year my amp is from, I bought it 2nd hand from a bedroom Steve Vai fanatic, so it was in very good condition. I use it for all styles of playing, I'm a huge fan of music, and try my hand at everything (to varying degree's of success)and this amp caters for all. I'm in a prog rock/metal band, and a hard rock outfit, and in both it fits absoloulty perfectly. It has all the features you could ever wish for on a good amp, an Eq for both channels, individual volume and reverb, aswell as an effects loop and a direct out. Plenty of options for cab ohmage and a 50W switch makes this amp incredibly versatile while not doing too much, thats what pedals are for. Anyone who says an amp shold have built in digital effects needs to learn to play again.
I use this everyhwere I use my guitar, from pubs to clubs and in the house, to be honest its a very very loud amp, and on its own I couldn't use it anywhere under probably a 150 capacity simply cause it would be too loud, but get a power break and you can use it anywhere. The cabinet voiced line out I found to be very harsh and not at all similar to the sound of the amp, but why would you want to use it anyway. It looks great, and not that similar to most other amps which I like. It sounds like a wet dream, on both channels, what more could you want, Its an amp, not a POD.

I use humbuckers and humbuckers alone, on plenty of guitars, from a custom built les paul, through some cheaper arias and pacificas and back up to another custom built iceman. This amp loves hummers, and that suits me fine as I hate single coils. The clean channel is quite simply the nicest clean channel in the world, it has a beautiful clear sound that sounds like a perfect acoustic but with a bit more bite. Full chords sound like tears from the gods, quite simply gorgeous. The overdrive channel on the other hand sounds like an angry shark, cutting and mean. Gorgeous in its own special way. You can get anything you want from muddy grungy pap through to shining leads back to cutting heavy riffage, and when you've selected what you want in general you get more choices by manipulating your guitar. Steve Vai describes it as his hidden feature, but its there to some degree on all amps, and I've certainly used it from long before I ever started to watch other players techniques. However on this amp, it makes a helluva difference, rolling back on your volume makes immense differences to the sound the amp makes.
The amp is very quiet in general, hen I plug straight into the amp, my different guitars are noticeble by the amount of noise they produce, but with the more expensive ones, there is nothing but the noise an amp is supposed to make, so any hum is not the amps fault, its your instrument. The effects loop has started making a huge amount of hum but Its recent, and before it sounded clean and as good as the pedals you use, so I'm guessing I need to get it to a head doctor.
The only bad points on this amp are...........I can't think of any, it has a killer clean and an overdrive that sounds like a decent marshall used well. I find the best way to set an EQ on any amp is to put all the nobs to 12 o'clock and play and adjust till you get what you want. The overdrive is great as you can get it sounding very "METAL" and still be able to pick out all the otes in a chord making interesting and subtle playing still a viable option, I hate these guitarists who hide their lazy technique with muddy sound, this amp doesn't let you hide, which might be why some people don't like it.

I've heard that the legacy is not a marshall when it comes to rugedness. ie If you threw it from a 19 story carpark it would not necessarily survive unscathed, buit at the end of the day, if your doing that to your amps, music is the wrong proffesion for you. It hasn't died yet, and I've had it for just under a year and hurt it lots, the insides are interesting, but they work and thats all that matters

never used

I've been playing for 4 years (not long I know) and I've ammased a scary amount of gear, I have a vox AC30 sitting about that hasn't been touched since this beauty entered the house, and if it were stolen I'd buy another, or take out a loan to buy ity anyway. I love just about everything about it, my only critsiscm is that its potentially too loud, not a bad problem if you think about it. I compare this amp with marshalls, engels, peaveys, diezals, ashdowns, anythign and everything I could play I did and this shone far above all others in terms of price and usability, I might trade it for about 4 marshall JCM 900 dual reverbs when I'm stupidly rich, but for now this is more than adequate.

This amp is pretty sweet. The knobs have a wider range than the norm. In other words, the low seems lower than usual, the high is higher than usual. There is a lot of flexability in this. The presence on the clean helps clean the already crystal clear clean sound up. Sounds more acoustic like. That is my favorite part of the amp. Also the "VAI" feature... not that I Will use it often, but it is good to know it is there. Maybe I will start incorporating this into different songs

At one time the dirty side was too low, fat, and muddy. My buddy told me to swap v1 and v2 tubes and it helped out a lot. I dont know why, or how, but it worked. So I got some bite now, whch is what I want. My Ibanez screams in this puppy. My Axis sounds good, but differently smooth and less bite. So it is good knowing the amp can help provide the different sounds. My other Ibanez is usually detuned 1/2 or 1 step, depending on the song, and drop D. So it gets realy fat. But I installed a Seymour Duncan Invader in the bridge so it shouldnt really count towards the sound of the amp.
The only thing I can say right now that I dont like is my volume knob. It may be just mine but in my house, I am yet able to get it above 1 without blasting myself away. My cats get pissy too. I havent taken it to a practice or a show for a true test, but I have confidence in this mofo. My volume knob is touchy tho... barely touch it and it will jump out. It does sound best at a louder volume.

BOTTOM LINE: The clean is the best I have ever heard

I personaly would buy backup tubes. With the Metal Grill I know this badboy is tough. Heavy as hell too

Im kinda pissed at the salesguy. He was just a punk. He also promised schematics but they are nowhere to be found. The website didnt have it either. I could bitchslap him but I dont want to waste my time. But it did let me down.

Since I havent contacted them about any actual work on the amp, I will give them a rating based upon my salesman. That WeakDick

My opinion may not be suitable for you. But I love this amp. The clean is bad ass. So far I havent hooked up effects, just been going straight. hen again, havent had a need to with my style and stuff. But I will most likely get back into a few effects.

Basic

This amp rocks! As for the so called pro who slammed it if he was that pro he wouldn't have to crank it if your playing a big room because eveything should be miked anyways. so as far as i am concered he can kiss my ass. I just recently bought this amp (about three months ago) and as much as i hate to say it my mesa and my JC120 have been the neglected step children ever since. The clean cannel is quite remarkable with mass amounts of headroom and the distortion is big! a little on the muddy side but a graphic eq takes care of that problem if you consider it a problem. As far as music styles go it's pretty damn versitile i play in a hardcore band as well as a jazz band and it does the job for both. I don't know maybe it's the fact that it's fairly new, i've been using my other amps for some years and it's time for something different. Either way i would suggest you buy one of these, they are inexpensive not cheap and sound like they cost a fortune. Sure most likley Steve Vai has his modded like a mother but, who cares he's a big dork anyways.

No problem so far

I also own a Alan Holdsworth signature guitar and when it stopped working they got it back to me in a fairly decent time.

Over all it's way worth buying. I am actually thinking about buying the combo version also for my jazz gigs. Of course my other amps have more options but that's what pedals are made for.

read the other reveiws i'm to lazy to list everything. (pretty basic)

ok, because i am a total gear whore i own a dual rectifire, a peavey 5150, and a carvin legacy. regaurdless of what any one says you should go out and find your own opinion on what ever amps your intrested in. me personally find the legacy to be my favorite out of the three. it seems to have the best clean sound and most definition on the dirty channel. i use a les paul, a strat, a carvin, a schector, an sg, and i have an old fender baritone i just got (called IV or someting) guitar. the amp has alot of head room and sounds great at any volume. this amp tends to more low end than most but that makes the girlys wet so i'm not complaining. plus with a little tweeking you get what ever sound you want pretty much. best part is that it is cheap as in not overpriced like quite a few of the overated amps on the market today. carvin is factory direct so i guess that cuts out the middle man and thats why the price is reasonable (thats what they say anyways)

have had it for 3 years, other then having to change the tubes it hasnt broke down and it is used on a constant basis.

not sure never had to take it in.

overall i would suggest this amp to anyone it can use more options, but like i said find your own opinion.

This is a brand new 03' Carvin Legacy 100 watt amp head. It is shipped with EL34 power tubes, and 12Ax7 preamp tubes. The stock tubes seem fine for now, not bad at all for what they are. This is a two channal amp, with very different sounding clean and lead voicings. I usually play it through a Legacy 2x12 cabinet at home, but of course with the cunning use of a dolly I can take this beast anywhere and jam. Its a very loud amp, which would work good in any live application. It gets extra points for having a very useful spring reverb, a presence boost on the clean channal, a 6L6/EL34 bias switch, and a 50/100w switch. It only has 2 channals, so its not as versitile as some amps around, but its a very robust amp head.

Clean Sound: This is one of the best clean sounds I have heard. With presence boosted, it is jangly, without it it can be very jazzy. I am a humbucker player, and humbuckers usually don't sound great clean, but they sound amazing through this amp. I usually have a problem getting that bridge pickup to sound right, but it sounds nice and full. Thats one of the many things I like about this amp, the difference in sound between neck and bridge pickups isn't huge, its very balenced that way. You get the same basic warm sound with either more jangle or more botton. The spring reverb is put to much better use on this channal than the lead channal. The verb is very big sounding so it bounces off the walls big time on the lead channal, so I use a digital verb for my distorted sounds.

Distorted Sound: Two words describe this channal the best, big and smooth. It fills the room, and there is no buzziness. Some may say that this channal is muddy, its true that the amp is voiced towards the low midrange and bass frequencies and you have to adjust the eq accordingly, but that is the nature of the beast.

Just like I expected this amp is a classic design with modern tweaks. It has lots of gain, but you don't really need that much to have a singing tone. The amp seems to work well with my Carvin guitar too. On the lead channal I was able to turn up my treble boost on my active electronics to get a crunchier rythem sound, which was great. On both channals the volume knob is key to get the tone your looking for. The "Vai hidden feature" works very nicely. You can get a great bluesy sound by rolling off that volume. The clean channal is so good, that it makes the piezo pickup on my guitar sound great too, and makes the tone control for it a lot more useful. I suggest this amp for players have most styles. I can see jazzers, rockers, and everybody in between having a good time with it.

Oh my main guitars are a 91' Gibson Les Paul studio and a Carvin DC127T-FA.

I give it a 9, because it doesn't really do that sizzly modded Marshall thing, but it basically does everything else great. If I really wanted over the top fizzy gain I would go back to the 5150 I use to use.

Its hard to tell, ive only had this amp for 5 days. Tube amps are fragile, even the best amps breakdown, but this one seems very well built. I just love how someone can put a quote up of "Lord Valve" running his mouth and so on. I discount the majority of internet snobs, that plug expensive tubes or $3,000 amps on discussion forums and try to put poison in the well. Let me make this clear, I don't work in the industry, I have no vested interest in any company, and I own this product. That is a lot more than you can say for a lot of the guys that are flooding the site these days. Just look at the Diezel Herbert reviews, two reviews are made by DEALERS! This review is coming from a customer who has over 8 years of playing experience, and who has gone through some gear, good and bad. I'm not saying take my word over someone in the industry, everybody should make up their own mind. All I'm saying is, that my opinion will not yeild me any financial gain, so take it for what its worth.

As I have said I also have a Carvin guitar which I'm very happy with. I really like Carvin products, they are affordable and offer a wide variety of options for the player out there. Their flaw is that its a mail order company and if there is a problem you have to send the item to Southern California. If you live in that region you would probably give their service a 10, but since I live In New York, it gets a 7

For $800 you can't get anything like the Legacy. I closely compare the lead sound of this amp to a Boogie Mark and from the sounds ive HEARD from a Bogner Esctacy it seems to have a similar sound too. It kind of figures that it might sound similar to an XTC, since that is the main amp that Steve Vai used before he started endorsing the Legacy, and if you notice the Legacy has similar cosmetics too. I am very happy with my purchase.

Same typical features you find in most tube amps.... two channels (clean & dirty), reverb, effects loop, blah blah blah...... nothing special. I wish it had a boost option in it's dirty channel and then having the ability to access it via footswitch (kind'a like a quasi-third channel).

A lot of folks have been saying that the Legacy amp is not for those who play metal. While this maybe true, it is still possible to get a metal tone out of a Legacy by doing tweaks here and there. I own a Legacy half-stack and I'm really impressed with this amp. I play with a progressive-metal band and I was a bit worried about my Legacy rig at first. While the rhythm crunch stuff was amazing (the Legacy's clean channel is a charm and so is it's dirty channel) but every time I go to my solos, the Legacy seems to be a bit muddy especially for shred-type solos (and most especially when I use my neck pickup). It's awesome for bluesy-type solos but not for shredding. At one time I decided to use a Line6 POD v2.0 as a pre-amp (using the Rectifier emulation settings) connected to my rack and then plugged in straight to my Legacy's effects loop return input. Although this gave me the tone I was looking for when playing solos, I felt I was betraying my Legacy head. For me I felt that it was either I use the entire thing (the Legacy's pre-amp and power amp sections) or just ditch the Legacy all together. At that point I was contemplating on getting a Mesa-Boogie Dual Rectifier head. But I decided to give my Legacy head on more chance and play around with it's settings to see if I can get that shred tone. Well, after searching the web for tips and hints on how to get a metal-shred tone on a Legacy and screwing around with a bunch of settings. I have finally found what I was looking for. My solos don't sound that muddy anymore and I'm happy as hell. I wish I can make a recording of my current tone with the Legacy (I will eventually) but for now I can only describe my tone as somewhere between Petrucci's Dream Theater guitar tone and Dimebag's Pantera sound.

First, here's how I have my Legacy head set:
Clean channel - treble = 4.5 - mid = 3 - bass = 5 - presence = on

Dirty channel - presence = 7 - treble= 6 - mid = 2 - bass = 5 - drive = 7.5

Then secondly, I had set my EQ on my rack to where I scooped more of the mids out particularly 640hz (which I set to -15dB) and 1.6kHz (which I set to -2dB). I then set my BBE 482 Maximizer to 3.5 for it's Lo-Contour and 2 for it's Process. (My rack by the way is connected to the Legacy's effects loop.)

Also for those who say that the Legacy doesn't have enough gain in it's distortion, I beg to differ. I always use my guitar's volume to control my sound. I usually turn my guitar's volume knob to around 6 or 7 to get that nice crunch rhythm chug and then just crank it up to full when I want to go crazy. I have no problems now with my current Legacy settings when playing lead. But I occasionally hit my Boss SD-1 Super Overdrive along with my Legacy's dirty channel to get that crazy Paul Gilbert shred tone when I go balls out in my solos. And I love it! I just love it! I have my SD-1 set at 1 o'clock in it's Level, 8 o'clock for the Drive, and lastly the Tone is set at full. If you guys heard Paul Gilbert's leads on Racer X's Superhero CD, then you know what tone I'm talking about.

The guitars I use are Ibanez guitars with DiMarzio pickups (Tone Zone on the bridge and Breed Neck pickups on the neck position). I also use Electro-Harmonix tubes in my Legacy (EL34's and 12AX7's)

When I first got my Legacy half-stack and after playing with it in the first five minutes during band practice, the amp's circuit breaker actually kicked in. There was a power surge in my area. I was worried I blown off the amp's tubes, fuses, or maybe even worse, the inside circuits of the Legacy. But once the current went back to normal and placing the amp's circuit breaker back in position, the Legacy played and sound normally again. As if nothing happened. Of course I went back to my local Carvin shop and asked them to check and see if there were damages. They said there souldn't be since the amp's circuit breaker pretty much protected it from the power surge. I also bought newer tubes just to replace the stock ones.

So besides having a defective footswitch when I first got the amp (which Carvin changed and gave me a new one), I really didn't have any problems with the amp after that.

I haven't dealt with their CS through phone since there was a local Carvin store near my area. The guys in the store were pretty cool and friendly when I initially brought my Legacy head in for inspection (after the power surge incident).

The Legacy is a very good amp in my opinion. It's definitely a class amp. For $800 it's the best amp for it's price range. If you want to save some bucks rather than spending more on a Marshall, Mesa Boogie, or Bogner.... get the Legacy! Of course this is all personal preference and very subjective, all you need to do is just try out this amp and if you like it then go for it. If not, then just get a different amp that you think will fit your sonic needs.

I think its alright. Im only posting about the reliability but while Im here Ill say that as far as Vai using them, it seems to me that like the bad horsie, which seems to sound like crap to everyone accept Vai, my suspision is that the legacys and Bad Horsies that Vai use arent the same exact ones sold to the public. He admited his bad horsies are modded. Sell-out comes to mind here. Im just in a bad mood becouse after a few heads I have to call it quits becouse of reliability.

I think Lord Valve (one of the best experts on vintage amps and amps in general) said it best on a post board:

"Crap." "I take guitar amps apart for a living. I'm good at it. Every Carvin
amp I've ever opened, without exception, has looked like holy hell on
the inside. I challenge any other tech on this NG to say differently.
These amps are not reliable, and they're full of cheap parts. Lead
dress is non-existant. Hardware is laughable. Cheap pots. Not built
with servicing in mind, either, as anyone who's ever tried to get one
of the damn things apart will tell you. If you order parts from
Carvin, you'll pay retail PLUS, and a hefty shipping charge on top.
Example: a type 8 (shorty) reverb tank for one of their 'acoustic
guitar' amplifiers cost me FORTY BUCKS, plus $7.50 shipping and
handling. A type 8 tank costs $18 from New Sensor. (NS was out of
stock on the correct impedance, and the customer was in a hurry.) How
Carvin gear sounds is up to you...if you can live with it, be my guest.
I'm not a tone snob...but I've been in this game for over 30 years,
and I've taken apart and serviced damn near every amp ever built on
this planet. Some of 'em look great inside, and some of 'em don't.
There is a reason why top players use certain amps...SRV coulda had a
TRUCKLOAD of Crate, Carvin, Roland, Peavey, etc. amps delivered FREE
anytime he wanted, just by picking up the phone. Anyone care to
speculate as to why he didn't do it? Bottom line: Buy all the Carvin
stuff you want. Remember, though, that there's no such thing as a
Carvin authorized warranty station. If it bites the dust, you'll do
without it while it travels back and forth to the Carvin factory. Ask
em for a loaner. :)"

That was the exact post he made. My tech agrees and I agree. Every night something went wrong with this POS. carvin is no help either. The parts are cheap, the construction is shoddy at best and this amp is UNRELIABLE!! I feel dirty for trying to like them for so long. Ive since moved onto Soldano. There expensive but for an amp in the same game (AKA modern hi gain "marshall" type amp with FX Loop, 2 channels etc..) Soldano is in another league. I had a problem being heard through the mix with the Legacy despite what all these bedroom jammers say about it cutting through. If your in a band that just practices, its easy to crank the volume and think the amp is cutting through. When your a pro and your playing a large room and your sound is just getting soaked up when the band gets loud, thats a real problem. I still did like the tone of the amp but what good is that.

Like I said Carvin offers no real service other then to send it in to thier HQ. I live on the east coast. Do you know how long Id be without an amp if I sent one in every time it failed. If you think its not true look at the reliability ratings from all these reviewers. Sure some people give it a 10. First off alota these morons post a 10 and theyve only had it a week or a month. Dont post a reliability rating people unless you have real experience with it. If its been sitting in your basement for a month it could be held together with scotch tape and work fine. On the road is another story. Weed out these people and you get an average reliability rating of 4 which is sad. I have to completely agree with Lord Valve and when the amps come back from the factory supposedly fixed, its only a matter of time before they crap out. There attitude is. You bought it. Its not my problem. Or. We fixed it. If it doesnt work its on you.

two chanels completily independent ,
efects loop ,an acutronics reverb ,
bias switch 50/100 watts switch etc

very flexible tone , and a lot of headroom
the clean chanel dont break up!
the distortion has a lot of definition
(more than my mesa boogie mark lv) and is loud as hell

it seems to be pretty strong

N/A

I PUT THE LEGACY ($799.00) AND THE BOOGIE (MARK IV $1,400.00)
AT THE SAME TIME , THE LEGACY SOUNDS BETTER AND LOUDER

AS EASY AS THAT

This one of the first production runs of the Legacy, circa 1999. Straight ahead tube amp, 2 channel, footswitchable, reverb, loop, bias switch, etc. I have gigged with it every weekend since its purchase at a smaller (500 seat) club. Works well for all styles we attempt, more than enough power - tamed with a THD Hotplate. Cleans up well just by backing off with guitar volume knob.

Generally used with a Carvin TL60T, a custom shop Strat (w/hot rails), and a Greenback loaded 412, it delivers both a very warm, mid-heavy distorted tone, and a somewhat ballsy (not pristine) clean tone. It originally had lots of tube noise, and sounded very thin and harsh with the volume dimed. My amp service guy checked it over and decided that 100m/A was too cold of a bias setting for EL34s (it's now like 144m/A). He also changed the screen grid resistors from 360 ohm to 470. It made one hell of a difference in my opinion. Nothing beats the pure organic sound of EL34s pushed hard. I can get pretty close to the sound of an old plexi without too much tweaking.

So far it hasn't crapped out on me at a gig, and I use it without a backup. But I keep the power tubes changed about every 6 months because using the Hotplate wears them out a little quicker. Other than changes made just due to personal preference, it has only ever had just routine maintenance. By the way, my service guy thinks the bias switch on this amp is kind of a waste. Maybe not so on all Legacys, but mine doesn't seem to make enough of a difference current wise to use most 6L6s.

Although courteous and friendly, the guys at Carvin seem to want you to send everything back if there's a problem. This isn't economically possible for me. And they usually can't give you a straight answer over the phone. They were quick about emailing a schematic for this amp.

I've been playing for about 30 years (25 semi-pro). Having owned 2 other Carvin amps with little or no overall problems, I have to give them high marks for consistency. Being something of a gear fanatic, I would probably try something else if the Legacy were lost. For the price, it definitley is a remarkable value. But you also take a chance buying an amp mail order. I've read others reviews that dog Carvin products...maybe I've been very lucky. I happen to think they're top shelf.

uso la mia LEGACYcon una ROBIN ,con pick up PAUL RED SMITH e ponte FLOYD ROSE,UNA VERA MACCHINA DA GUERRA,suono hard rock,prog metal e pantera style groove, l'ampli suona da paura,il canale pulito e' definito e rotondo,molto grosso addatto anche per il power blues,il canale distorto e' stupendo un timbro originalissimo molto vicino a steve vai(se gli si imita il tocco),non e' vero che con quest'ampli non si puo suonare metal,forse chi lo dice ha in testa il suono merdoso alla IRON MAIDEN(le zanzare marshall hanno fatto il loro corso)consiglio quest'ampli a tutti quelli che amano il suono potente con tanto gain, ma allo stesso tempo dettagliato e cremoso, una valida ALTERNATIVA AI MESA BOOGIE

This amp is fantastic, however I do wish it had some sort of boost for soloing. The 50 Watt reduction switch really doesn't do anything. I'm going to give features a 9 because it doesn't have the boost for soloing.

The sound of this amp is incredible! It has wonderful tone and the distortion channel retains definition under almost all conditions. I use a Gibson SG Standard and I think this amp was made for humbuckers (single coils are just too twangy for me). The amp is definately versatile and it is very possible to "tweak" it into many different sounds.

I have only had my amp for about a month and have only played out with it once, so I haven't experienced any problems with it yet and hopefully won't ever experience any.

My amp took really long to get to me (something like two weeks), but that wasn't Carvin's fault it was UPS' fault. The people were friendly and helpful under all circumstances.

This amp sounds fantastic and honestly has wonderful tone. However, I do feel the overdrive channel needs some sort of effect on it for soloing. If anyone could e-mail me and tell me what they are running through their Legacy, I would appreciate it very much cmg1020@charterpa.net

Great simplicity - No log jam of switches that break and compensate for a true, all-tube circuit. My guy at Gruhn (Nashville) actually says that those little boost and voicing switches on an "all-tube" amp make it not an "all-tube" amp... Ponder.

I kinda wish it had a digital reverb - This thing has a great long-tail reverb that is lush (its a real, Accutronics tank like from the 60s) but the double-kick drummer can pound it on a hollow stage and I can hear a little of the *smack* of the drums through it. No one else can hear it but I can : )

Can anyone say through the Bogner away?

A real hi-fi amp. So, my strat is very bright through it, my Lennon Rickenbacker (short scale) is spongy and my Hamer "Explorer" from 1976 sounds like Rick Nielsen's wet dream come to life.

Tried a friend's 7-string Gretch from ages ago... Now that's a freakin monster. Vai doesn't play 7-string does he? It sounds like this amp was made for it. Like the Vintage 30s too - Loud speaker and better bass than most.

Previous users complained of problems. Frankly, most tube amps are not for those who don't know how to troubleshoot. It's like selling a car because a tire got a nail in it.

Had it now for 13 months and on the road for 5 of them. No problems and tube life of about 160-165 hours on the powers and the preamp tubes no problems yet.

I learned a great deal from working at a hospital patient relations center (complaint center). Be a jerk, get treated like one. Capice?

Never a problem with them answering my questions and getting the materials to me before and after the purchase. Got a schemo after the purchase when I went on the road *just in case*.

One thing I wish I could have is a different material - I'd prefer a silver and black (Mesa / Fender) look to it. I'm not into brown.

If Zappa was alive, he'd play this amp.

If I were dead, I'd be buried with it. ; )

This thing kicks total butt over anything I've ever played. JCM800, Plexies, AC30s, Johnsons, Soldano, Rivera and the usual list of crap out there too.

The amp reads the vibe I'm giving it with some sort of sensitivity deal. The dynamics of my playing, my guitar (pickup output, even tone), my strings... And there isn't a bunch of settings to mess up with. This amp may not be for amateurs because it takes skill to sound good anyway (no, a bad player with no tone will ever get good tone out of an amp alone, there's a lot involved!)

I can play brutally (glass breaking) clean to monsters of rock driven. Loud amp. I have both 2x12 and 4x12 cabs and go down to a single 10" when playing at home.

It has taken two dives... The 2x12 cabinet was on an angled stand and I thought the head was secure enough - DUMP!!! One power tube was knocked out of commission and I let them cool, moved the tube to the "outside" position and switched to 50W mode - As if nothing happened. The amp is built with an almost ergonomic chassis that cuts down on damage when dropped (per my amp tech). A lot of high end companies do it, cheap ones put the tubes where it is easy to service them and easy on production.

They are real players. I've talked to the keyboardist from Deliverance, the bassist from England Dan John Ford Coly, and a guy who got CDs for sale on Amazon.com. These guys are knowledgeable and street-wise. Try Guitar Center if you're looking for jerks who want your money and don't give a ***k about anything else.

If stolen, I'd hunt down the crook and chop him up to small pieces, then feed him to the dogs.

It is love!

This amp is certainly no modeling amp and it's not for everyone's tastes. I love the simplicity in this amp and it's nice to have a tube amp that doesn't take a year just to figure out what every switch does. Every dial is there for a reason and there is no BS to be found. The options for 50 or 100 watt operation not only adjust volume (4 decible difference) it also helps shape the tone. I play with my half stack set at 50 watts because the tubes seems to drive harder and warmer than at 100 watts. Give both settings a try. There was only thing that would have made this amp better in this category and that is a solo boost option or 3rd ultra type channel for lead playing. But since this is the first version of this amp, that is expecting a little too much. That problem is easily corrected by an EQ pedal or even a volume pedal. The price for this amp is also out od this world. You will never find ANY amp that sounds this good and is this cheap unless it is beat to hell. (1200, cab and head). VERY GOOD DEAL!!!!!!

I use an ESP LTD MH-100, an Epiphone Dot, and a Squier affinity strat with Texas specials in it. I do not use any pedals with this amp other than a volume pedal. I can get all the tones I want by either backing off the volume or switching my pickup selector. I usually end up playing lead and rythm using my bridge pickup. The amp sounds muddy when I use my neck pickup, but only because that's the way I have it EQ'd. You can get a very crisp yet solid sound out of your neck pickup as long as you are willing to mess with the EQ. That's a big part of owning this amp. You have to be a tone freak and you have to spend some time messing with the EQ to get the right sound. This amp will really reward you if you work with it and learn how to use it...which isn't very hard. The distortion is fairly heavy but not punishing or in your face. The amp can rock but it is a delight to listen to. Unfortunately the sound you have been hearing from Steve Vai over the years has not come from The Legacy except for on the Ultra Zone CD. G3 1996 he used Bogners (Custom built I believe) which I personally believe have the greatest lead sound of any amp ever built. Don't by a legacy expecting that type of gain and sustain though because the legacy is not like his older sounds. Bottom line: Buy one, try it, send it back if you don't like it. I love my Legacy.

I have to give it a 9 here because it broke down on me once while I was on stage. It just would not make a sound After having it looked at by the local repair shop the next day I was told it had "Weak shoulder joints". But when I took it home it still did not work so I took it back to the shop under warranty. They plugged it in and after about 5 minutes of trying to get a sound out the amp came to life instantly and it was fine. And I havn't had a problem since. Tube Eater? Some one is smoking something because I have had my Legacy for 13 months and it still contains the same tubes it was shipped with. There is little crackling when the amp is warming up now (which was not present before) but it is totally inaudible unless you have your head up to the speakers. By the way, as far as tube life. I practice at home on this amp every day for at least an hour and they are still good. Bottom line, this amp aint perfect but no amp is. Some just aren't as good as others. If you get a bad one, send it back and get a good one. It is totally worth it. Good quality!!!!!

I have nothing but good things to say about the customer service. I lost my input jack at one point and all I did was call and tell them what happened and they send me a spare part with a bumper sticker in like 2 days. They know how to treat their customers.

I have only been playing for 2 and a half years but I do listen to the big boys and I have done my homework on amps. This amp is a fantastic deal and is also a beautiful sounding amp. This clean channel is very focused and sparkly. The drive channel is so thick and juicy and warm. I have been able to get tones that sound almost exactly like Eric Johnson!!!!! There are very few negatives about this amp and it still has a lot of time to develop. Please give it a try or wait for it to be modified by Carvin and then try it. This amp is wonderful and I'm glad I bought it!!!!

Very simple and reliable features
Two channels and no Bull Shit!!!
this amp does feature good tone.... (gimik)gearheads need not apply!!!

I love the saturation from this amp, it's very wet and organic sounding. I wouldn't rate this as a high gain amp, it's more of a medium gain amp, I can get a real nice STP tone. The one thing that makes this amp absolutly shine, is the backed-off volume knob clean/distorted sound on the distortion channel.(can't live with out it now) single notes are absolutly gourgous sounding on the overdrive channe, chords tend to get a little muddy with high distortion. This is not def. not the poor man's boogie, this is a unique amp in it's own class.

I gave it a 7 because circut board amps don't deserve more than a 8, and the tubes crack and pop once in a while. The warm up time on the stand-by switch really piss me off.(15-30 seconds) If you play while the stand-by switch is enggaging, you'll hear the nastiest sound(bad nasty) in the world.

responsive, just like the amp.

I've never heard a (new) 700 dollar amp sound as good as this one, and personally I think this is one of the best sounding circut-board amps on the market, along with Deizel amps.

I like simplicity and so Im very happy with the features. 2 channels. FX Loop (which I like on occassion to run other preamps into the fx return an use the VL as a power amp), slave out, power tube bias switch, half power switch (wich only cuts by 4Db I think and completely doesnt have the balls in the low end and the definition, but, hey, in small clubs who can dial in the power even half way at full volume). Its true though. Any amp tech will tell you pulling 2 tubes from a marshall 100 watt does not give you a marshall 50 watt. Same power. Much less tone. The fact is the transformers in 50 watters are voiced for 2 tubes and the transformers in 100 watters are voiced for 4. Cutting out 2 isnt gonna give you a 50 watt version of the head. Still a convienient feature in the Legacy though. I give it a 9. Just to let you know were Im at, my only other amps are a 68 Plexi, Fender Twin and a THD UniValve (what a fucking value in an amp too.) The univalve has 2 interesting features that I like on amps but dont look for since Ive only seen it in THD amps. A built in Attenuator (which I use in sparing amounts to cut a few more DBs) and a built in Variac cut switch wich drops the voltage about 15 volts (a la EVH brown saturation sound.) Would be nice on every amp but like I said its not a necessity.

Im gona cut to the chase about certain things. First I wann say something about volume. For one I dont think anyone has the need for 100 watts of guitar amp anymore and if this head was made in a 50 watt version, Id take it. Ive seen rock bands play concert halls with linking marshall 100 watters and Ive seen great bands play stadiums with a fender deluxe reverb. If you use monitors and the rest of your band are good musicians theres no need for exess volume like that. Not when everythings miced up. Ive never played stadiums but Ive played plenty of large concert halls (seating 5000+) and up untill now Ive used a Budda Super Drive 30 watt amp. Turned 3/4 up and I play alot of hard rock type music. As long as I can hear myself. What the audience hears is in the hands of a soundman. If you need 100 watts of guitar amp to get the sound to an audience when the amp is unmiced, the place is way big enouph to have a REAL sound system. Know what I mean.

OK to the tone

1- Clean. Ive heard a few people comment negatively about the tone of the clean channel being thin and flat. While I dont agree I can definitly see why they do. This clean channel is very unique but Ill try to dscribe it as best as I can describe a sound. I dont see resemblance to a Fender at all. I see alota british amps in there, but not american clean amps like fender. And I own a twin. Believe me a fender is much rounder and darker. This amp more resembles an amp like a Vox AC30 but I dont think it sounds like an AC30. Its definitly got that kind of brightness and brittle quality. I would almost go as far as to say thin but thats kind of a negative way of putting it. Ill give a good example of what it sounds like. Im not a Steve Vai fan but I watched the Grammys and heard him do that duo with Nelly Furtado, I knew it was a great example of the Legacys clean tone. Download it if you can.
Its very transparent. It reveales string buzz similar to the way a DI guitar does which is a clear sign of the amps transparency. Matter of fact, I hear alot of the qualities of DI guitar in this clean sound. All of what Im describing may have a kind of negative sound to it, but try out the amp. Youll hear what Im talking about and it just sound right when you play the amp. Unique.

2 Hi Gain. Although it does have a little of that tube-y flabbiness, I think this is one of the coolest hi gain channels Ive heard. First off. It is soaking with midrange. And not the kind of midrange that makes an amp sound honkey like a wah in the middle position or old 70s rock songs (Journey comes to mind here.)Its the kind of midrange that makes for a very fluid thick tone and makes your sound CUT THROUGH! When I was doing research on this amps' sounds (since I couldnt go to the store and try one) I downloaded lots of current Live steve vai stuff and Lit stuff. Again Im not a fan of either but I know they both use this amp and listening to a studio record is never a great resource for listening to an amps sound. Amp sounds can come accross very unique and unreproduceable in a studio mix. So Ive found live sounds as a great resource. Youll notice if you do check either one out, how fluid this amp is. Its almost as if a TS808 was built into the gain channel. Not exactly but you can hear the fluid nature of the gain channel the way a good OD pedal sounds. In fact when boosting the gain channel on lower gain settings with a TS9, I get a sound very similair to chaining 2 TS9s one after another. Only the sound has much more definition. Its tube and its got the meat as opposed to solid state pedals.

I rated it an 8. Call me oldfasioned (even though Im only 28) but I think the best tones out there come from amps that use power tube distortion as a main component to thier sound. Not that I dont love other amps such as the Legacy for their alternate and impressive flavors.

Theres one more thing I want to mention. THD is a great company. Forgeting about the amps they make, thier HotPlate power attenuator a

The fact that so many people posted bad reviews and even going further- The fact that this amp is so affordable is gonna make me nervouse at giggs. Since its so cheap I know that Carvin without a doubt used alot of cost cutting measures like mounting the tubes directly to the board etc... Ive only had the head a month but ill be watching it closely. And by the way. For everyone that said Carvin packs the head badly and in a cheap box. You dont know what your talking about. Like a previouse reviewer said, Ive seen the way Marshall and Mesa ship thier heads and cabs and if anything Id say thier worse. The foam corners in the box kept the head a good 2" from the box surface on all sides. Ive seen some Marshall heads com in with noting but an extra layer of cardboard on the corners.

I havent dealt that much with the service people. Its is a pretty small company. Not like a boutique amp co like THD but still small and I still have different people on the phone telling me different things about my order. One day a guy told me my head was on back order and I wouldnt see it for a few weeks and the next day I found out it was already shipped the day before. Of coarse that made me happy so I wasnt really thinking of bad service but if it was the other way around Id be pretty pissed. I just hope when a problem pops up I get good service. ll wait to rate that in the future just like reliability.

I love the simplicity. I switched from 15 years of playng bass to guitar in the mid 90's so I am still learning about guitar tone. If you turn all the knobs down and re-dial each time you use it, you will see just how versatile it is. I rarely get the same tones twice and it can emulate any sound I have in mind on the dirty channel. The clean channel is a little thin compared to a vintage bassman but better than anything I have heard in 20 years. The two channels blend nicely and,if you know how to manipulate a pick, can give you many different sounds without ever moving your knobs. KEEP IN MIND THAT THE EQ IS FLAT WHEN THE DIAL IS IN THE OFF POSITION. My eq knobs never get beyond the 11 o'clock position. This head allows you to use almost any tube on the market. I am happy with the el34's. It also looks great. I would only rate a vintage head as a 10 due to the development of the circuit board to cut costs.

Any guitar will sound it's best through this amp. From the fender or british sound, to the Melvins modified Gibsons. I use a Guild Bluesbird which comes with seymore duncan sh-1 pickups. My style varies between Big Black/Melvins/Jesus Lizard style post punk to Beatles/Radiohead Rock. This head does it all with just stomp on the footswitch. I leave it on the 50 watt setting through a two 12 cab with celestion vintage 30's. I mean it, this head can do anything I would ever want it to. The heavy channel will crush a marshall. The clean channel can only be out done by a vintage bassman or orange stereo 120. It is very quiet and clean until you jam. Again, do not get carried away with the eq on this head. The 12 o'clock position is too high and will make it sound cheesy. The drive knob should be used conservatively as well with the volume knobs at 10. The distortion can be tight or loose depending on how you play. What you put in is exactly what you get out of the Legacy. Steve Vai in = Steve Vai out. Enjoy.

I had a tube come loose in shipping. I carefully re-inserted it and everything has been fine since then. I am a little worried about reliability with what I have read on this page, however have not had to do any maintenance. My tubes are holding up wonderfully. Perhaps the problem has been solved. The head is built like a tank. For the price, I am amazed.

I have never called. I bought this head used on ebay.

I have played seriously for 14 years. I do not own another amp. If this head were lost, I would probably replace it. I love the versatility, simplicity and sound of this head. I chose it over a Marshall, Mesa Boogie (triple the price), Fender, and Line 6 (Too Thin and Cheap Sounding). I chose this head because I can make it sound like anything I want and it has a real kick ass tube drive. I am not a Carvin loyalist. I have sent gear back to them because I felt it was cheaply manufactured. This head is the real deal. If it had a built in tuner it would be perfect. I took a risk and it has paid off.

This is a 2002 VL100 head. You all know the features from the other posts. I use it in a rock band and it is way LOUD! My other guitarist is currently playing through a Marshall half stack, and my Legacy pumps out more power. I'm using EL34s, which in my opinion sound better than 5881s. This amp has everything that I need, so I give this category a high rating.

I'm playing a PRS Custom 22 w/ Dragon II pickups through this amp, and it's one of the best combinations I've ever heard! I play heavy music (not death metal) and this amp suits my tastes just fine. I'd describe my sound as a combination of Creed & Collective Soul, and the amp definitely floats my boat.

The clean channel is the VERY BEST I've ever played through. With my PRS on the split coil position, all you hear is TONE TONE TONE! The presence button kicks in even more highs for when you need that extra sparkle.

The distortion is NOT a metal sound. If you're looking for that, I hear the Carvin MTS would be a better choice. But if you're looking for an amp that is going to amplify the actual stuff you're playing and not just mudd it up, this is a great choice. This amp is very versatile.

My first head had a wiring issue where it burned EL34s to a bright orange and I had to send it back to Carvin. But, they took really good care of me (sent me a new head for free) and now I'm up and running again.

Carvin has some of the best CS I've ever experienced. You're talking to a live person in a matter of a couple minutes after calling, and they always seem happy to help. When I had my issue with my amp, they mailed out some brand new tubes for me to try, and when that didn't work, they exchanged my head for a new one.

I would feel better about having a warranty that lasts longer than one year, but, like they say, most problems you experience are going to happen due to manufacturing problems within the first couple months of purchase.

I don't know where the heck people get off complaining about paying the shipping on sending back their amp, but I know first hand that Carvin picks up that tab. Yes, you have to pay the cost up front, but they pay you back for that! Maybe those people with problems were so busy complaining about paying it out of their pockets up front that they didn't think to just ASK for a reimbursement. Carvin really aims to please its customers. They're flexible in many ways, all you have to do is ask them.

I've been playing guitar for about ten years, and I love this amp. I used to play through a 1970s Peavey 2x12 combo with a Digitech RP6 processor, but then I woke up to the incredible tone of tubes! I compared this amp to a Marshall JCM900, and the Legacy sounds better in my ears. Plus, I got the half stack brand new for the same price I'd have to pay for a used Marshall. The amp is beautiful in every way, and I would definitely buy another one if it were lost or stolen.

2000 VL 100. This is an OK amp if your looking for a lot of crunch. I don't care for the brittle clean sound, but the crunch is good. I
like the seperate eq's for each channel, that's a big plus. The amp still seems to miss it's mark, it's not very versatile as far as dialing in different useable tones.

I use a Custom Strat, a Hamer Vintage S, and a couple of Carvins. The amps gain is good, but tends to squak. Clean is too brittle. By backing the highs off, still doesn't cure the problem, in fact dampens the tone too much. It's all or nothing.

Terrible ! ! ! ! You'd think right out of the box the factory has done their job. My amp lasted 1 hour before it fried some circuits. I sent it back to Carvin and 2 weeks later it was fixed. Came back, still gave me problems. They fixed it again. all with the first 90 days. Not too impressed.

Have to admit Carvin shines here. Get a live person on the phone and they tend to take good care of you. I've been using Carvin gear since 1981 and they have always treated me right. I'd call with a problem and they would have a replacement part to me in 2-3 days. One time it was next day, very cool.

AS for this amp I would say stay away. Vai's a great player, but this is his amp not mine and by the other reviews, not most peoples pick. Carvin has made some nice amps, this isn't one of them.

This is an update regarding the reliability, thats all.

You MUST have a DS-1 with this amp. Use it one the clean channel, better yet, put an overdrive or compressor in front of that. It sound much fatter than the Lead channel. Also run an effect unit in the Loop to control the output level, and consider a Marshall Power Brake. This amp get VERY loud VERY fast.

I posted a review here last year and had concern for tube eating. Well, it's all true. This amp eats tubes like candy. I had it sent back to Carvin, it's not better.

Very good. Friendly easy to reach a real person.

This amp was made in either late 1999 or 2000... I bought it used in mint condition from someone. You know the features. For some reason the "Vai Secret" where you turn down your guitar volume doesn't work wonders for my head.

I am using an ESP LTD H-300 with Dimarzio X2N and a Hamer Archtop with a PAF Pro in it. This thing ROARS. People who say the distortion is muddy, well, it gets unbelievably muddy past 7. I keep it around 5-6 and this thing gives me TONE for hours. It's not very noisy, not as noisy at my Peavey 5150. The clean channel doesn't distort at high volumes, my X2N pickup does make it break up, but that's because it's a metal pickup. It is super versatile, I can get classic rock to hardcore chug to Slayer to Jazz. This amp is amazing. I play it through the Legacy 2x12 cab and get awesome sounds. It is LOUD though... past 2 it's almost too loud for bedroom practice. Don't get this amp unless you play out a lot or practice in a band.

I can depend on it, regardless of all these BS reviews pertaining to its reliability. I've only owned it for a few months, but I see no reason as to why it would die out on me suddenly.

I once asked the employee at Carvin what made Vintage 30 speakers so popular. He replied, "They break up earlier because they're 30 watts." To me, that is just gross misinformation on their staff's part.

I've been playing about four years and I absolutely love this amp, it's really become a part of my sound. I play mostly indie rock, emo, and hardcore/metal and this thing covers all the bases. I have a 5150 for my metal needs but the Legacy has more TONE and could chug any day. I bought it on a whim because of the fantastic price and I couldn't be happier. If it were lost or stolen I would definitely buy another. I also own a Peavey 5150 which is great, but I think the Legacy has a sweeter tone to it. I just wish its clean channel wouldn't break up with the X2N but other than that, I don't have a bad thing to say about this head. This amp isn't for everyone, so make sure you try it out before you buy.

I bought my Carvin Legacy head and 4 X 12 cab in 2001. You know the features from the other reviews here. There are no additional features I wish it had. One feature I especially like is the way it cleans up when you turn down the guitar volume without losing overall amp volume. This amp has enough power to blow the walls out of just about any typical bar/club gigging venue you can imagine. I play primarily blues and classic rock and this amp hanles my Strat and Carvin SC90 (Dual classic humbuckers)very well. It is a SOLIDLY BUILT, STRAIGHTFORWARD, SUPER-SOUNDING and VERY RESPONSIVE head.

This head can take 6L6/5881 or EL34 tubes. I hate 6L6/5881 tubes so mine has EL34s in it. This amp is not what I would call noisy, contrary to what some reviews here say. The EQ on this amp covers an extremely wide range of sounds. The clean channel stays clean all the way to around "9" and then gets a very subtle growl. If you can stand to be anywhere within 50 feet of this critter on "9" you're a better man than I am. It is also one the two best clean channels I have ever heard on any amp. The other one is the Carvin Bel Air. This clean channel is better than any Fender and WAAAAAY better than any Marshall. The reverb is great as well. The Drive channel is also very impressive and can run pretty clean if you want it to. Its distortion on high gain settings is smooth and complex and growly, but not as harsh as a Marshall and it will sustain all day long. Again, if you can stand it in front of this amp on full snot you're a better man than I am (or dumber). But this is not a heavy metal amp. However, with the right OD/Distortion box in front of it, it could certainly hold its own with any heavy metal rig out there; it has power to spare. I have been playing seriously since the early 60's and have played/owned/tried about every 100 watt head and combo on the market at one time or another. This Legacy head is the most all-around satisfying 100 watt job I have ever played. I also own a 100 watt Lee Jackson LS1000 combo (basically a hand-wired hot-wired Marshall built by the guru of Marshall hot-rodders himself with a built-in power brake yet) and since getting the Legacy the Lee Jackson sits in the corner neglected. And the Lee Jackson farts and sputters at times with some kind of ailment I haven't yet doped out.

There are some really ugly reliability reviews in here about the Legacy. I have experienced NONE of that stuff, none whatsoever. The amp does take a longer than normal time to warm up when you turn it on, but that to me is no big deal. I got mine mail order just like everybody else and everything worked just fine and has continued to work just fine for over a year. I even accidentally left the amp turned on full power (not just standby) for 10 days when I went on vacation and no harm done. The head and 4 X 12 cab are very well constructed, quality of workmanship is excellent. My cab has Vintage 30's in it. The only mod I have made is to install a switch in the cabinet to switch it between 4 and 16 ohms. I have not banged this head around a lot hauling it to gigs ... yet ... but I would not hesitate to do so and would not hesitate to gig with it without a backup. With electronic gear (computers, phones ... and amps) if it is going to be bad it will be bad early in its life and usually fresh from manufacture ... if it has worked flawlessly for a year it is likely to work flawlessly for TEN years. I will rate this AFTER I have owned it for ten years and CAN rate it.

I have dealt with Carvin a lot. They have built two custom guitars for me and I have bought quite a lot of stuff from them over the years. They have always tried to bend over backwards to be helpful and informative and honest. I called once to see if they had replacement saddle screws available for the Wilkinson trem on my SC90 and they sent me a whole set of brand new saddles and a new trem arm totally free of charge. My guitars each arrived with 20 sets of strings and a strap thrown in free of charge. I have never had to have anything from Carvin repaired including a 50/50 watt rack tube power amp, a 4-channel rack tube preamp, my Bel Air combo, my Legacy or either of the two guitars.

Yes, I would buy this head again in an instant if it were lost or stolen! Ditto for my Bel Air combo! What I love most about both amps it the tone tone tone tone tone. Yes, I have compared them to other products ... like 35 years of trying about every amp on the market. These two amps, the Legacy and Bel Air, are the first set up I have ever been totally HAPPY with. They both look classy and very high quality and they both sound absolutely incredible. I know I sound like a walking Carvin billboard, but I mean every word of it! This really IS the first time in 35 years of serious guitar wanking that I have been COMPLETELY HAPPY with the amps I have! I have gone through probably twenty different amps over the years. And I am rating this amp a solid "10"

This is an up date on my last regarding the results of shipping the head back at a cost of $40

Sounds...well the clean channel works now. Now the dirt doesnt (no sound at all)! How freakin' wonderful.

Dont buy this thing. Its JUNK

support???? would be Carvin paying shipping on their faulty products not once but twice...not the consumer. Wouldnt you agree? We'll see what they doe for me.

Do not buy this amp. It is one of the best sounding amps I have played, however its reliability is awefull...in fact the worse. You would have thought it was egineered and made in some third world country.

channel switching. Nice clean....good dirt. The dirt in this amp is not a great amount, which is fine with me! You cannot hide behind the dirt in this amp. Everything you play comes through loud and clear.

I use a Peavey detonator AX, and a Strat through it.The style I play is hard rock and blues rock. This amp "WAS" quite when I first got it.However it developed problems afeter a few hours of use.

The thing it is a ...well it turns on ....uh it was clean at first. I would not buy this amp if I were you. After spending almost a grand on this head I am pissed off at how unreliable this thing is. If you are into having noise that reminds you of "white noise" from a television then buy this thing. Oh, that noise is all the time wether or not you are in the clean or dirt channel. Also add some poping and microphnic noise in there too! Yeah yeah, I replaced the tubes and that WAS NOT the problem.

Hey ! it only cost me $40 to ship it back! What a deal. Buy an amp for about $900 and it works right for a few hours and you ship it back and it cost you? What in the hell. Why should you pay for shipping this back because of a faulty product????? What a piece of junk. There is obviously a design problem with this amp and the use of "cheap" part ie. tranistors and what not.

Uh...how about Carvin pay for the shipping on this thing. That would be customer support.

I have been playing guitar and for about 20 years. I own alot of gear. I regret buying this amp big time. If I were you I would listen to these reviews carefully. Hey ! maybe if you buy one it will work for you....go ahead and take the chance. You were warned. I should have bought a Fender or a another Boogie...or A peavey or something else.

two channels with the lead one very strange... you arrive at 5 with the gain and you have a distorted but controllable sound... from 5 to 10 you enter in vai's territory.. :) the clean i also pure and very warm.

the right head for hard rock... not very brutal...from blues to hard rock :))

some problems in the beginning (but now it works well...shhhhhh)

one year warranty

What the other guy's said

It didn't work long enough to tell.
Pretty good I think. Even with the unit totally warmed up though,
it took over a minute to get any sound after turning on the standby
switch.

I thought the guy that said his amp caught on fire was just an angry
customer. Well now I believe him.(sorry pal). Mine worked for 3 hours
and totally fried. (lotta Smoke). If you buy this amp keep it away from curtains and walls, and get a good fire extinguisher.
I'm actually not to angry about it because I have alot of other equipment, But it is kinda shocking.

I haven't told em yet. I have heard good things about them.
I live about 5 miles from the San Diego store, so I hope I can just take it back.

I've played for about 20 years.
I would not replace it if were lost or stolen.
I compared it to mesa and bogner and I hoped I could get a good sound
cheaper than bogner or mesa.
This amp seems to have a reputation as being unreliable. If your into
tube amps and tone, just spend the extra bucks and get something nice.

This is a follow up to an earlier post.

I bought my Legacy half stack when the cabs were being equipped with Celestion Greenback speakers. I loved the amp then as I do now, but always felt something was missing from the sound, like some of the tonal detailing and nuances that should have been there. Well....I was right, and I found out the culprit: the greenbacks! I ordered a replacement cab from Carvin with the Celestion Vintage 30s, and the difference is remarkable. This amp and speaker combo were made for each other. The V30s are so much more detailed and have so much more clarity and character....and sustain....and attack. They also don't get farty like the greenbacks at higher volumes.

The greenbacks are great for low power, low-gain playing and have a nice woody sound to them.....save them for the Class A blues. The Legacy has the tone to own, but you've gotta get some V30s in there. I know, everybody's taste is different....but you're gonna have to trust me on this one. You will not regret it. Matter of fact, I've been scratching my head about why Steve Vai chose the greenbacks to begin with when the V30s are such an incredible match.

Anyway, peace in the 'hood, and go get yourself some V30s!

Basic and straight foward. 50/100 watt switch and loop. Two channel with direct line out.

My Holy Grail! Zion customs with Anderson, PRS and Duncan in each guitar. I have finally found a amp that reacts to rolling back your guitars volume pot. Still has full output but only half the gain!
Clean channel has more headroom than most people will ever need. Focused and bright bouncy and very useable. Kills with an old MXR Flanger on it.
Drive channel is awesome! The most midrange ever produced in an amp. Cuts like nothing I have ever had. You will be heard with this amp! Again the ability to roll your volume pot back on your guitar and have full output with half the gain I love it!

Na only had it 2 days

First time buyer. Called to let them know how incredible the amp was and they were really cool and talked to me about what I liked and if I had any improvments. I will be ordering a guitar from them soon!

This amp is all you need! The Vai mod with the drive channel that allows you to roll your volume knob back and have a killer overdrive sound and then roll it back and it is all there! Just the right amount of gain not quite as much as a VHT,Bogner or Egnater but more than enough for my music taste. You wont be sorry with this great priced head!

This has already been well described

I mainly play this amp with my Parker Fly (a very mid-rangy guitar) into 535Q Crybaby to a Fulldrive II (Fulltone overdrive pedal -on the clean channel this provides perfect blues tones) to the amp. In the effects loop I run an EQ pedal (to notch out some mids and volume -shut off for leads/boost), chorus, delay and harmonizer.

Many are stating in the reviews that this amp will not "hide your mistakes" or the like. This amp has enough headroom that it does not get muddy. It is very responsive. Responds beautifly to subtle pick attack differences (unlike most solid state amps). You can get very emmotional with this amp.

This is not a practice or bedroom amp. It is a gigging amp. Lots of power. Sounds great at low volume settings (1-3) but these too are very loud (SPL-wise). This is not a beginners amp.

As well, do not buy this amp "to sound like Steve Vai". You won't. Not unless you use his fingers and soul!!!

The Clean Channel:
Wonderful shimmer. The first thing that came to my mind was Incubus' Steller. The clean channel is the most important to me. I can easily create metal sounds on most amps, but their clean channel is where you express the most emotion. This is very clean, and does not break up. Add a good blues pedal (TS-8, FullDrive etc...) and you have a great blues amp (SRV and Eric Johnson comes to mind). It also responed very well to my Piezzo pickup (Accoustic Sound). Did not compress at all.

Distorted Channel:
I use this for everything from Limp Biztkit to Eric Johnson (i.e. Cliff's of Dover was very easy to dial in). Godsmack to Randy Rohdes. No mud what-so-ever. It is hard to keep the 5 stages of gain noise free (Trying to find 12AX7s that are very quite is very hard so there will be some noise). However there is enough power (not volume but POWER) and gain to cover amost every stlye. With the use of th eq pedal, those scooped-mids that everyone misses so much, are quite easy to obtain and the amp's versatility is greatly enhanced (I now the 2 distorted channels).

The best thing about the sounds on this amp, is you will have no problems cutting through the mix. This amp was obviously designed to be played in a full band situation and live. Now that I have used this on a few gigs, I am happier than ever.

When you get this amp, BEFORE you plug it in, open the back and make sure ALL the tubes are fully seated. This is a must for ANY tube amp you buy mail-order.

I have not had it long enough to judge, but where I stated prior that it was obviously made to gigging, it is probably pretty robust (knowing Carvin).

The folks I spoke with on the phone seemed very good. I have purchased many things through Carvin in the past and they have always had the "Local Guitar Shop" type mentality. When they saw the I had already bought the Legacy Cabs (about 9 months earilier), THEY offered to apply the system discount price (I didn't even have to ask). I would call that pretty good service (even if I have never had to send something in yet).

I bought this to replace my old set up:
Digitech 2120
POD 2 (for distortions -in the 2120 effects loop)
Marshall 8008

I hadn't realize how homoginized the old set-up made me. I used to have to work very hard to allow any picking techniques to be heard. The Legacy allows me to be very expressive. It responds beautifully to subtle changes and it cuts through.

I would recommend this to anybody looking for a serious amplifier. I would also recommend that anybody looking for a starter or bedroom amp look elsewhere this is not what you are looking for. Lastly, DO NOT BUY THIS TO SOUND LIKE STEVE VAI. That takes many years of dedicated pratice (Steve would sound like Steve on a Pig Nose: you won't).

Bought new in 2001. All tube, 2 channel with seperate EQ, footswitchable. 50/100 watt switchable power output, effects loop, voiced line out, reverb not adjustable per individual channels. Loop sends a very low level signal, wish it had a loop mix. 4*12 cab with Vintage 30's in it. Mono cab, casters were optional.
Used currently in my bedroom for jamming. VERY loud. It needs some air behind the speakers to sound anything like it's supposed to sound like. Not for the faint of heart (volume wise.) Seriously consider a Power Brake or Hot Plate to attenuate it.

Playing Hard Rock/Prog Rock with several Ibanez RG's with various Dimarzio's. Only use Humbuckers.
IMO, this is NOT Vai's sound, that doesn't mean it's bad, just don't expect to sound like Vai.
The clean channel is brilliant. One of the best on the market. Sounds like a well-tweeked Mesa Mark IV. I didn't like it at first because I was used to more color in the clean channel, but got used to it very quickly. Sounds best with humbuckers in split positions. Tons of headroom, doesn't break up easily but will warm up with some volume. EQ works well, doesn't sound bad at any EQ setting. Won't get muddy with lots of Bass and Mids and won't rip your eardrums with too much Treble. Presence switch is a nice addition, gives it even more sparkle.
The lead channel is something of a Bogner/Classic Marshall mix but with more harmonics and definition. It doesn't scream or sustain like a Mesa or Soldano, but it isn't all crunch either. The most midrange I have heard in a modern high-gain amp. Not the best for leads as the sustain just isn't there like you need it, but when playing multiple strings this thing rocks. Would recommend more for rythm playing. EQ is very responsive (Except presence, i can't tell a difference no matter where it's set, maybe another problem?) I don't know why previous reviewers could say it wasn't. You should expect to play with the EQ for quite a while to find your best sound. There is a good bit of versitility in there, but most of it comes from the EQ. I've found I don't like the gain anywhere but between 6 and 8. Either not nearly enough gain or it gets sloppy on either extreme.
Very quiet amp except for the Reverb which adds quite a little buzzing. This happens anytime the reverb knob is turned up, even it the effect is switched off. Wierd.

I would not gig without it yet. The noisy reverb might be an indication of problems yet to come. It's kind of light for an all-tube head, That doesn't prove anything but leads me to believe that it's not built quite as well. The tubes aren't ventalated as well as most amps so I would definately worry about long periods of usage. The output tubes are good tubes and they put in some good preamp tubes and some generic ones. When gigging with it I would bring a spare set of tubes and a Line6 POD, just in case. Giving it No Opinion due to short length of ownership.

OK, problem number one started when Carvin charged me for the amp then swore they didn't. I must have called my salesperson 15 times to get it straight. In the end I had to go to my bank and have the Branch Manager call them to prove I had paid!! They made up for it by shipping the amp 3-day Air (must have been expensive.) They never admitted they made a mistake, or appologuised, and in fact my salesperson had said, "We will not be able to ship your order until you pay for it." Then hung up on my voicemail. Very upsetting and time consuming to get it straight. Now, I know mistakes happen and I can accept that, but a simple appology would have made me a much happier customer.
I called Carvin about the noisy reverb and spoke to a tech. He had no idea what the problem was. I had tried new preamp tubes and moved the head to different outlets, but it didn't help. It was a good experience because he said if it persisted then he would send me a new head. That sounds fair enough to me.
I'm a little mixed on the rating for this one so they get a 5.

This monster amp is much better suited to loud garage jamming or gigging than bedroom thrashing. The sound is very good but not stellar. The features are in line with other modern amps. The price is great though.
Having played about 10 years I have owned dozens of amps(Line6, Mesa, Laney, Ampeg, Peavy, Crate, Metaltronix,) this one is definately in the top 20%, but is not one of the top 3.
I don't know if I would replace it if I lost it somehow.
I bought the amp because I wanted to try something different than my Mesa Mark III and my Line6 stuff. It's different allright and will make a good addition to them, but I don't know if it's good enough to replace the Mesa in my main rig. I had considered a 5150 too, but the Legacy looks better and I figgured, if it's good enough for Vai, it's good enough for me. I know Carvin only sells direct, but if you can, try one before you buy it, because it's not what you'ld expect.

Steve vai co/designed 2001 model 2 channel 100-50 watt switchable. 4-EL34 5-12ax7 tubes.standby switch .great ambient type reverb .fx loop. impedance switch 4,8,16 ohm bias switch for changing to 5881 output tubes. 2 speaker outs.cabinet voiced line out.weight about 40 pounds. clean channel has treble mid bass and a prescence "button".overdrive has regular prescence, treble, mid and bass knobs .cosmetics are very classy and beautiful and distinctive. sort of a "modern vintage" appeal especially the cream colored chicken head knobs. construction is sturdy and clean

my main guitar is a mid nineties basswood/maple carvin neck thru w/ seymour duncan pickups[custom custom model bridge, 59'neck] laney widebody 2-12 celestion 35 watt loaded cabinet. my other amp for stereo purposes is a line 6 spyder 112 50 watts ,dunlop univibe and a morley wah. my style is "hard lite alternative" anything from Lit to matchbox 20 to googoo dolls etc.some heavy godsmack/incubus also.this amp covers it all for me.the clean channel shimmers and feels more "angular" and percussive rather than round and bouncy like a fender.not bad at all just different. the prescence button adds a very highend clarity and detail almost acoustic sounding .cool.the over drive channel is not for thrash like a mesa.its frothy, creamy,gorgeous and mean like a modded marshall jcm 800. this is a lead machine no holds barred.solo notes are vowel like and very dynamic. note: if you don't have chops this amp will let you know right away.i've had to adjust my pick attack and articulation beacuse I used to a play solid state line 6 which is instant gratification city.the legacy is ultra responsive.what you put in it puts out.It will make you a better player because of this in my opinion.some would like a third channel but the manual explains how effective backing off the volume on the lead channel decreases the drive without much volume or tonal sacrifice.great feature.there's a lot of overdrive available harnonics and squeals leap out aplenty and its all mids so its not harsh or raspy.great sound for fusion/jazz like scott henderson or frank gambale.heavy palm muting is not its forte so if you want a mesaboogie get a mesaboogie.If your a lead player who's into Vai, Satriani rockin jazz blues etc. go get it you wont be disappointed.In my current setup I feed the cabinet voiced line out to my line 6 and whoa! stereo city lush lush lush and silky i love it

so far its been 2 months and no problems at all .I play 2x a week all nite long and practice alone daily

carvin has great support.very honest and knowledgeable i was impressed how fast my order arrived in about about fifteen hours{xpress shipping $65x)and i live in florida

overall its a killer amp for me and my style maybe not yours if your into heavy metal.but for lead playing its a dream. my only gripe is the plastic front and back grill. metal would be more substantial but to get this tone at this price some sacrifices are made

2000 Model, 2 channel 100 watt tube head and 4x12 cab with vintage 30's. Has INCREDIBLE power. It's not stereo and has no frills. Just a butt kickin head. Works GREAT as power amp too!

I am using a Ibanez JS1000 and a custom built guitar that currently has Dimarzio Evoution. The JS is an incredible guitar no matter what you play through, but work very well with this head. The down side to this amp is the power. Even at half power (50w) setting, it's VERY loud. Not really a townhouse or basement amp. But I am in both, so I have to wait for my neibhor to leave to crak it up were it warms up and smooths out. The tone is just like Vai, no way aroung it. Itis not an 80's metal, scooped midrange sound at all. It very midrangy, so you notes come out on top. You have to get used to the amp, it doesn't play for you, or hide you mistakes. But when you play well, it's just the ticket. I have a Pod also, sounds great into the Legacy. When doing this, you get a little of both tones, but mostly the Pod. The real Vai tone is on the lead channel. If you like Vai, GET THIS AMP!

Well, it's tubes. So keep cash handy to replace them often. Thats just the way it is. But solid state is weak by any standard, so I'll deal with the tubes.

UPS workers are close to human, but more like package destroying monsters. My first cab was beat to heck. Carvin sent a new one RIGHT AWAY! The 2nd one had a dent too, I asked for some free stuff if I kept it. So they sent me free covers for the head and cab. $50 value? Very cool!

Great amp at any price! Get one, heck, get two. If you like to be heard, and can play with some emotion and and accuracy, this amp rules. If your still learning, this amp still rules, just get a pre-amp or effect unit to cover up your mistakes.

This post of for those few poeple that are bashing Carvin for shipping these heads in a cheap card board box with foam corners to protect it. This is not a "cheap" way of shipping. It meets UPS standards and EVERY head is shipped this way. Marshall, Mesa, Crate, Fender.. everyone ships like this. I work in a music store and the only amps ive seen broken out of the box are crate. If you think these amps cant handle being thrown around by UPS then you have missunderstood the physical aspects of guitar amps. there are very few moving parts. if you drop it the most likely thing to go will be the tubes. This might be why your reverb doesnt work. maybe not. If you think amps are shipped carelessly, check how guitars are shipped. THAT is scarry!

features are limited in that the amp is very midrangey and the EQ is not very sensitive. It is impossible to tune the mids out. It has a great clean and lead tone, but rthym can be rough with all that midrange.

I liked the tone very much, it is thick and smooth.

My biggest gripe with these amps is that they are completely unreliable!!! I had Carvin send me three heads and they all did not work properly after a couple hours. All of the heads became microphonic and produced noise and other weird noises. The reverbs in two of them did not work either. I do not own one now and would suggest that no one buy this amp because even if it works out of the box, it will break shortly. It is a shame because it is a really good sounding amp. These amps come shipped in a cardboard box with no packing material at all.

Helpful and nice.

Don't buy it until they get there act together!!!!!!!

Made in 2000. 100 watts, 2 channels, standard 3-band EQ on both channels with the addition of a bright switch on the clean channel and a prescence knob on the drive channel. Effects Loop, direct line out. 4 EL34 power tubes and 5 12AX7 tubes. Black Tolex with a metal "grille" over the faceplate. Looks classy. Used for recording, gigging and rehearsal.

I use the Legacy primarily with my DC127 (two humbuckers) and DC135 (two single coils, bridge humbucker). I play progressive instrumental rock and progressive metal like Dream Theater and Fates Warning. This amp is well suited for this type of music.
The clean channel has a very unique sound, very full and thick but with lots of clarity. The voicing is very detailed. Sonic nuances of your guitar are never lost. Lots of headroom. The EQ is simple and sensitive, with lots of variety on tap.
The drive channel is superb. Like the clean channel, your guitar's sound never gets lost no matter how much gain you use. The voicing of the amp has lots of midrange, but after you play for a few minutes you realize that this is not at all a bad thing. There is plenty of gain, and when you roll back the volume it cleans up very nicley. Very responsive to pick attack.
NOTE: Do not crank the gain to try and get the best distortion on this amp. I have found that the most satisfying distortion with a hot guitar is right around 7 or 8--more than that and you will actually over-saturate the pre-amp and make it muddy.
The lead tone of this amp is thick and rich and buttery--never harsh or thin. Bridge pickups sound hot, detailed and well-articulated. Lead runs with a neck humbucker are fat, smooth, punchy and incredibly honest and detailed. The gain structure of this amp is amazing. Tons of sounds can be had by fiddling with the EQ. It's impossible to explain the tone of this amp. Find one and play it, as soon as you can.
See Overall Rating below to see if this is really the amp for you.....

Reading about the bad experiences of other Legacy buyers is disappointing. I hope Carvin has realized that doing things right is more important than meeting demand. Personallly, I own lots of Carvin gear and never had a failure. I would trust it without a backup, but bring some tubes!!

Urvan is my cutomer support guy and I ask for him by name. This guy is the best. The rest of the guys can either be helpful and curteous, or give the impression that they don't really care and try to rush you through the call. For that reason, they get an 8.....

Been playing for about 8 years. This is a great amp, the best combination of modern and vintage gains all rolled into one. Totally unique with a delicious sound....and actually affordable. Try one on if you get the ghost of a chance.
BUT--You want to make sure this is an amp for you. This is NOT a brutal metal amp--it is an expressive, powerful instrument and not a death machine. It is not forgiving of mistakes or sloppy playing either--it is very honest and will amplify every flaw. To get the most out of this amp, you need to have chops and picking dynamics, and a great instrument. Otherwise your money may be better spent elsewhere.

I finally got around to writing this update. After I had the amp for two months, I went to play a show at a local bar. During the middle of my first set the head caught fire and died. Yes, you read right....fire! There where no liquids near the head. I sent the head back to Carvin. They shipped me a new one. It didn't work out of the box.... :( I returned the head and got my money back. This is a shame, because I really liked the tones. But I can not play an amp that I can not trust.

Carvin CS was great about the situation.