Carvin X100B

Yeah, another review full of 10's for this vintage amp. Mine is a 1985. Just bought it on E-bay for $330. The exterior is clean and the electronics work perfectly. Seller was a used musical instrument shop.

The clean channel is loud. The tone controls are extremely versatile. Even without using the graphic equalizer the clean channel tone can be tweaked from tinny plink-plink to bodacious rich full and warm. I love this channel. I never crank the volume beyond 5, as even at this level driving 2 Celestion GT-75's in a closed box is super loud.

Now the distortion channel with either single coils or humbuckers on it's own does NOT light my fire. I need to put pedals in front of it to make it sing. A Seymour Duncan Pick-up booster is really effective here. This amp distortion to my ears has a sucked out mid-range and spongey compressed tone. Tweaking the graphic equalizer here is absolutely necessary. Bring up the treble sliders for more note definition.

Accutronic long Reverb tank is "hot". I think it may a bit too overdriven. I never turn the reverb past 1 as I do not like a long tail reverb that rinnnnngggggssss the note structure into oblivion. But with just a light touch of reverb, the tone is luscious.

My 30 guitar collection includes the major guitar models and then some real esoteric stuff. The Carvin X-100B sounds great with Strats or Les Pauls. I actually play an old Ibanez George Benson with classic clean & mellow jazz tone. I can keep that tone at LOUD volume levels without distortion, amp compression, or wolf notes.

My custom made all mahogany Lap steel sounds great thru this amp. Hawaii tone!

I've owned lots of Carvin amps. They certainly are better made than anything from China, but Carvin amps are not vintage Fender reliable. Usually something has gone wrong with most of my Carvin amps that required shop time. I own Fender amps that are 35 years old that have never been in the shop.

I have met really nice sales people at many of the Carvin Stores in California. I have called the Carvin Tech desk in San Diego several times and talked with Not-So-Nice-People. The Carvin Factory employees seem unhappy & stressed out. But the Factory people will do what you need to get parts, manuals, or warranty service, they just won't be cheerful about it.

I have owned many Carvin amp models. This one is my favorite. It's got the tone that I love. I have not auditioned the 2008 Re-issue. Next time I'm in Sacramento, I'll visit the Carvin Store and listen to the new one for comparison.

The features of this amp are great for getting about any sound you want for any type of music.I have been playing for 20+ years and this is THE amp.Owned many brands,used them,loved them hated them,but this is MY amp.If you cant afford a Boogie,you need this amp.

I use a 4x12 w/celestions and it sounds awesome.Nice and quiet even on high gain,the only noise it makes is the noise I make.I play Carvin guitars,because they rule,and also have a Hendrix Tribute Strat and an 86 Gibson SG.My Martin DM even sounds great through it.These things are known for their excellent clean channel.Like I said any type of genre is good for this amp.Just live with it a while and get to know it.The overdrive is great and the gain boost is just enough,not too much.You can still hear strings hitting fretboard instead of like the line 6 solid state high gain that sounds more like a synthesizer.If its not enough you can change a few resistors and really get it sizzling.I tried this but it was a little much.

I play a variety of music,metal at heart,I work in a rock cover band that does all kinds of music so Ive run this thing for its money and its all I need.

Sometimes I cant believe it still works after I have put it through.

I bought this used so no need for support on a 15 year old amp,but I have bought from Carvin and their customer support is an icon of what it should be.

I have had this amp for 5 years.I wanted one of these since I started playing in the mid 80s.I have a 1x12 version of this that was also great until I blew it up by a shaky hand grounding out the bias ground to the EQ switch.oops.

Its a really good amp.One of the best,especially for what they are selling for on Ebay.Get a Boogie Mark 4 for 400 dollars and probably wont have a chassis in it.

If I could change anything it would be a tube driven reverb.The reissues may have that.Havent played a new one.

Mine is one of the last of the 90's models with the fuzzy carpet covering. Has two channels, but the overdrive channel has a toggle for rhythm/lead. I have Groove Tube el34's in it that were ther when I bought it second-hand. I had missed out on this amp originally and it took me 15 years to find one that someone would part with. The adjustable wattage settings from 25/50/100 watts was a big deal at the time but is standard now. The 5 band eq makes it capable of sounding any way you want it to. The reverb is as good or better than Fender (which is the standard for reverb). The effects loop has a db boost that you can set and the ohms output can be varied if you are playing a half or full stack.

The clean is what knocked me out in '93 - headroom that you have to hear and experience to believe. You have to crank it to about 115 decibels to get the slightest breakup. You can dial tones that sound angelic. The dirty channel is a rock monster. If you pull the knob to Hi Lead, it gets gritty for perfect rock sounds. It truly is capable of pulling out classic EVH, Aerosmith, Zakk, AC/DC...all by adjusting the eq and gain. The matching Carvin Cab is the secret to this beast - it is a 400 watt enclosure with 4 100 watt speakers, all set to 8 ohms for the cab. This is why it will bury a marshall head-to-head. The large wattage allows the amp's headroom to stand out and you get a well-defined distortion with the volume being used to just make it as loud as you want without coloring the tone. I have only used it set to 2.5 outdoors because it kills the PA to keep up! Awesome power and killer sound from clean to raunchy to driven.

I have had no problems whatsoever from the head or the cab. I have the back panel off to let the tubes get air.

Carvin is incredible at helping you over the phone. My questions were answered without a condescending tone like some other companies who have failed musicians who act like you're and idiot for asking a question that they are paid to answer. Their customer support is peerless!

No matter what style you play, I GUARANTEE that this amp is for you. The flexibility of adjusting the wattage from 25/50/100 watts makes it appropriate for all situations. The clean channel is the best (the old standard, Fender, is not close); the gain channel lets you dial up ANY sound; the eq is a fabulous feature; the overall headroom of this amp is unmatched. No need to buy some billion watt head that this thing can go toe-to-toe with.

You probably know the specs so I won't go over them again. This is an old-school classic, reborn. I have to say, as an owner of 2 originals, the new X-100B is every bit as good, if not better, and even better made.

The amp is pretty intuitive and simple, though it has a couple unique features that might throw guitarists at first. The EQ is active, not passive like most amps. As a result, you can get a truly transparent sound, with great fidelity, OR, shape your tone to get whatever sound you have in mind. You can also easily make adjustments for the venue you're performing in, without worrying about the soundguy messing up your tone. ;)

The Graphic EQ is another great feature: learn how to use it and it will become a great tool for shaping your tone. (It also makes a great tool in the studio to craft unique sounds that fit the mix perfectly.)

This isn't a Swiss Army amp, but it is very versatile. It's very simple and straightforward, but it's got incredible cleans, beautiful overdrives, powerful EQ, fantastic reverb, a boost, and handbuilt, American construction: what more do you need?

Carvin makes some of the finest guitars, basses, and amplifiers in the world, easily comparable to the best in the business. I'm a professional guitarist, and have had endorsements with PRS and Mesa/Boogie. I've got a ton of vintage and boutique gear, because guitar isn't just my profession it's my passion. ANYWAY, the Carvin X-100 is one of the all-time classic amplifiers. IMHO, it's a perfect halfway point between the "do-it-all" Mesa's, and the bare-bones, rockin' Marshall's. Unlike almost any other serious rock amp, the Carvin's have an INCREDIBLE clean tone, with one of the best onboard Reverb's you'll ever hear. I play jazz, and country, and the cleans on this amp, (or the Legacy or MTS series, for that matter,) are easily comparable to vintage BF Fenders, or boutique amps like Dr. Z. But the lead channel packs a beautiful crunch, and with the boost, a searing lead tone. If you like classic rock tones of the late 60's through the early 90's, you'll find that tone in the X-100B. It does the fat & squawky Allman/Gibbons/West type of tone, as well as a wonderful "Brown" sound like the first few VH albums. With the 5-band graphic EQ and active controls, you can get the most out of any guitar, while the amp itself is very transparent to the type of guitar you're using. Randy Rhoads fans will want to check out this amp, as should any fan of Zappa, McLaughlin, or Santana: the tones really are that incredible. Keep in mind, the X-100B is a primo, classic rock-style amp. It gets old-school gain, and great cleans, so Country, Jazz, R&B, Blues, and Classic Rock and Metal are covered: if you want super down-tuned modern mayhem, you'll need a pedal, (or better yet, check out the Carvin V3.) For everyone else, the X-100B is one of the most toneful amps on the market, incredibly well-built, and offered at a very generous price. I used to swear by Mesa's and PRS's, but now I swear by Carvin guitars and amps, and I've got the best tone of my career.

Incredibly well-made amps: on par with smaller builders like Mesa/Boogie easily. Heads and tails above Marshalls made in the past 20+ years, (sorry to say, Marshalls aren't made like they used to be...)

Top quality pots, caps, handwired components, everything isolated and ready for a lifetime of use. I've got 2 X-100B's from the 80's that still perform beautifully and look almost new: I'm expecting my new X-100B, (which is even better constructed,) to last just as well.

The guys at Carvin are great. Give them a call sometime. They're eager to help, and if they can't, they'll find someone who can ASAP. I called to ask about special wiring configuration on a guitar I ordered. The guy on the phone wasn't sure if it was possible. He had his boss call me later that day and not only give me the info, but gave me some references of other players who had the same setup. First class guys and gals.

A classic amp, reborn and better than ever. I'd strongly advise any player looking for a versatile amp with a great clean channel to check it out.

Anyone interested in the new Vintage Modern Marshalls should DEFINITELY check out the Carvin first: it's heads and shoulders above in quality, tone and value.

Anyone who's after great tone, and likes the idea of supporting an independent, US company that offers great value should get the Carvin catalog.

For the record,I don't have an endorsement or affiliation, (maybe in the future, ;)) but I just want to help them get the word out on their incredible musical instruments and tools. Keep Playin'

Looks like you guys have let the cat out of the bag. I have been buying and stocking as many of these away as I can. But now you guys have ruined it for me. Now I see these Vintage amplifiers going for no less than $800.00 to $1200 The upgraded carpeted version is going for the most money. Because it just has better tone with the El34 tubes.

The sound quality of these amplifiers are awesome. They get a fender blackface clean with more punch than a fender and marshall tones, no problem. I have collected tube amps my whole life, and this amp blows away any amplifier I have played other than a bogner or orange amplifer. you can't get those tones from this amp, but soldano, mesa boogie, fender, marshall, hughes & kettner, Rivera, VOX. You get all these amplifier tones with ease These amplifers will go from Country to blues, classic rock to metal and the gain still goes up more for thrash metal.

Built like a tank. I run mine four nights a week fours hours a night and have never had a problem. I have changed the power tubes out once in three years just because I thought they needed it.

Only had to use them to get some manuals. they sent them to me for free.

Purchased in 1983. Two channels with 5 band EQ. 100 watts. Plenty loud.

This is (was) a tube amp yet sounded like a transistor amp. Absolutely brittle high end and very sterile. The distortion was grainy and just horrible. The clean channel did not distort. A friend and I both bought these as they seemed to be a great value compared to a new Mesa Boogie (my huge mistake in passing that up). The ads made the X-100 seem like the best thing in the world. He sold his X-100B first and I then sold mine later. These have active tone controls which makes me believe it had a lot to do with the awful tone.

Didn't have it long enough for problems to appear. The build quality is excellent as is most things from Carvin.

Never had to use customer support.

I had been playing 11 years when I bought it in 1983. If I had insurance for it, I would have somebody steal it then get something better such as a Boogie or Marshall. My idea of great tone is Marshall, Boogie, and Rivera. If you want a very loud, grating Death Metal tone, then this is your amp. If you want a smooth and creamy tone, stay away.

5 band graphic EQ, Dul Channels-Clean and Lead, 25/50/100W out-put switch, 4-EL34's and 3-12AX7's.

THE BEST OUT THERE...DUH!!! the clean tone on this amp is SOOOOO crisp and clean. it like god just gave you TONE IN A CUP! dood you can have your 4 year old kid move all the nobs all over the place and plug it in and you have TONE for Years.

Nothing has Stoped my MONSTER X100B YET.

IDK

If you want tone the best way to go is the Cravin X100B. Plug this bad boy into your Stomp Box of any kind and man you got tone that will make any dood ***** his pants. Trust me it happend to me!XD

Others have already run down the features ad infinitum, so I won't go into that terribly much. Mine's an '89/EL34, with Electro-Voice power tubes and no-brand (best as I can tell) preamp tubes, purchased summer '08 for $320 (used, obviously), complete with original footswitch (and in mint condition to boot - not even any dust inside to speak of).

I find the graphic EQ to be useful for recording using the clean channel - helps to get the crystalline, bell-like highs that I like out of a strat or other single-coil. I use the active 3 band for EQ on the overdrive channel, finding that just nudges above 50% for bass, treble, and presence give me precisely the sound I'm after (with the gain dialed at about 8 or so).

Have noted a few people on here whinging about there not being enough power. I can only surmise that their amps are in dire need of retubing/rebiasing, as mine - with the seemingly-new EV EL34s - seriously threatens to blow my 4x12 Carvin cabinet with the volume anywhere above 3 or so. I play in a very LOUD band, opposite a distortion-soaked bassist jamming on an Ampeg through an 8x10 cabinet, and can render her completely inaudible if I so desire. LOUD.

I typically play a Gibson SG and a Kramer Focus 3000 onstage, occasionally using a strat as well. the X100B sounds magnificent with all of them; both the Gibson and the Kramer sound massive through the O/D channel (the fender significantly less so). The amp appears to be 100% hum-free, which is a damn nice change.

I am especially impressed with the X100B as my other amp is a '74 Hiwatt DR103, which I have been in love with for the last seventeen years. Now that the Hiwatt prices havve really gone through the roof, I can't justify taking an $1800 amp around to crap bars, what with the risk of theft/accident/deliberate vandalism/spilled beer, etc., hence my purchase of the Carvin. To my unmitigated delight, it sounds very nearly as good as the Hiwatt, and occasionally (when I need that marvelous Accutronics spring reverb) even better. Count me amazed.

To my ears, the EL34 x100B does an excellent job - especially considering the price - of performing on a par with the DR103 in a live setting. Nuances of the Hiwatt's tone come out in a recorded context, and the Carvin can't live up to that, but pumped through the typical venue's PA system, the two are indistinguishable for all practical purposes.

Rock solid, like all Carvin stuff. Haven't had it long enough to say for sure, but my expectation is that I won't have any reliability issues.

Never dealt with 'em - never needed to, over the course of owning three different carvin heads and two cabinets.

I've been playing professionally since 1988, through a series of Ampeg V4s, Marshalls (blech - got over that quickly), Carvins and my trusty Hiwatt. Loved the V4s (will get another sooner or later), and the Hiwatt rules uber alles, but the Carvin takes second place in a walk. Were it stolen, I'd buy it again ASAP. Can't imagine getting by without it now.

I bought mine new in 1983, 6L6 tubes- Series III X100B,,,WOW. More power than anyone needs, and I know because I've A-B compared side by side with every thing out there and it is LOUD ENOUGH!! Not a hi-gain head on the lead channel,, medium at most. Clean channel is the most deceptive thing on this amp. Smooth, warm and rich or hi-end, bright, and crisp with bass response that never gets flabby or muddy. Until you have turned active tone controls like these, you'll never understand what I mean. Anyone that thinks this amp has no balls and dumped it, lost out from not knowing how to use this amp.

The lead channel can be dialed in to make a wide variety of great sounds if this is all you are willing to do, BUT the clean channel is how this amp destroys others in its path. I play a strat with a Duncan Distortion in the bridge position and a Floyd Rose. Plug in a killer distortion pedal or like me a multi effects board ---digitech, Line 6, ADA-MP1 or any good pre-amp. My Digitech GNX2 with my own amp settings through the clean channel completely blows every one away that has heard it. These amps are dead quiet in comparison to most anything out there, with thick articulate distortion and a bottom end thump that Ive only heard from big-dollar heads. This amp moves air,, lots of it,, through my 2 4x12 cabs,,,,1 with celestions and the other with eminence speakers. The lead tone is fat and violin like, with single note bass strings having that Zakk Wylde agressive thump that breaks up beautifuly!!I am having a tough time plugging in to anything else at a music store because I can't find this kind of response, even at bedroom volumes.I am now hunting down more X100b's to buy because these are still gonna be killer sounding in 2028.

Never been on the bench since 1983 for anything but tubes. No scratchy pots or EQ sliders. I cannot ask for anything more from this amazing tube head!!

Carvin is a great company to deal with.

If it was stolen,,,I would find them,,, and wait till they were sleeping,,, and hurt them real bad!!

This is the 6L6 power tube version. Built in mid to late 80's (not sure what year). 2 channels, effects loop, switchable from 100 to 50 to 25 watts, switchable from 4, 8, and 16 ohms, 5-band EQ, active controls..pretty much anything you would want in an amp.

Most folks complain that the 6L6 version of this amp has less gain than the EL34. I wouldn't know, I haven't played on an EL34 powered x100b. I play punk/thrash/metal and this suits me fine. I use two Epiphones, one with stock humbuckers and one with a Dimarzio Super 3 in the bridge, and also a BC Rich with stock pickups. All sound uniquely like their own, this amp has a way of letting your guitar's natural tone shine through. This amp has plenty of creamy distortion, I'm talking Marshall JCM 800 to Mesa Mark Series. If you play something a little harder, might I suggest a slight boost pedal in front of the gain channel? Just enough to give it a kick in the a$$, I wouldn't want to ruin the already awesome distortion this amp creates on it's own. Tone to boot! Very easy to dial in "your tone" with the active controls, every millimeter on the knob changes the sound. I never use the clean channel, but have messed around with it: Sparkle, sparkle. No trouble with noise at all on this amp, quiet as a mouse and it's almost older than I am!

Have had absolutely no trouble what so ever. I carry a backup amp just in case but have never had to use it.

Never had to call them.

I've been playing about 9 years. I have own solid state after sh!tty solid state amps, a Sovtek MIG50, and came very close to buying a Marshall JCM 2203. This amp has more features, is more versatile, and is less noisy than all of them. I am very pleased with my decision. If this were stolen, I would buy two more! Ha! You can't beat these things.. and CHEEAAAPP! You don't have to pay a grand for awesome tone!