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!

I just want to point out that "X100B" is the model name for a series of amps Carvin built for over ten years from the early 80's to the early 90's. You'll find lots of all vintages on eBay and elsewhere, selling for around $300. The earlier amps, identifiable by a cursive, curvy Carvin logo, and covering that looks like Tolex vinyl, use a quad of 6L6s for the power tubes. The later ones, with an italic Carvin logo, usually "carpet" covered, are EL34 based. Most need adjustable bias added for best sound.

All of them share the same basic schematic. They have many op-amps and FET switches in the circuitry for the graphic eq, tube drive/receive, and even in the main signal chain of both channels. These are used for transparent switching and buffering. The distortion sources are all tube circuits.

The footswitch is a three-button affair with a DIN connector. Most used amps don't have the footswitch, which appears regularly on Ebay for lots of money, or you can get something compatible at tonejones on the web.

There are also cute combos available, with a 50W(XT), a 100W{XV)112, and a 100W(XV)212 made in most years. I really like the fuzzy grey 112s.

See carvinmuseum on the web for more details.

The 6L6 based amps, like most 25-year-old amps, usually need a good overhaul. Control pots, tube sockets, and reverb connections usually need cleaning. Once restored, these amps have an amazing Fender-like clean channel that can run at full power without break-up. It feels like infinite headroom. HV sag is moderate to low. The result is a really good amp for your tele or pedal-steel. The high-gain channel is less appealing. I prefer a tube-screamer up front driving the clean channel.

The later EL-34 based amps are still 15 years old, and can usually benefit from an overhaul. These amps give a more Marshall-like tone, with overdrive that gets really carried away if you turn the lead drive past 3. Again, the clean channel is still the high-light. These amps are good for blues and classic rock.

The circuitry is basically reliable, but these are vintage amplifiers with lots of connectors and knobs. They do need a bit of love.

You can find all the schematics at www.carvinmuseum.com.

Hey, what do you want for $300? If you like to mess with amps, and know enough to avoid getting killed, these amps are great fun. I've got 5, plus an X50B, an XT112, an XV112, and two XV212s. I guess that makes me partial.

i bought my x100b used at a local music shop. it's a carpet-covered later model. same features as previously mentioned in other reviews. the guy at the shop told me it was a metal monster. like mesa or marshall at less than half the cost. all the features were a little overwhelming at first, but i've had an easier time since downloading the manual on the carvin website.
he was right about the metal monster part. i don't know about the other reviews contradicting this fact. they probably don't have the right axe and cables, and can't dial-in the right settings. totally don't need any external effects. it's got everything covered. unless you want your axe sounding like a synthesizer.
this thing can get loud and sound like a freakin' chainsaw. setting the graphic eq and pickup selector to rhythm, pulling the rhythm channel to bright, and turning up the lead drive to like 9 produce face-melting deathgrind tones. the rhythm and master channels and presence control don't even make it past two before i can feel the immediate tremors on the hardwood floors!!!!
i'm really a one genre kind of player. but when i'm dialing in my tone, i can hear the other possiblities before arriving at brutality. for metal, this thing is friggin' awesome!

this thing does heavy and loud (my two favorite things) clearly and perfectly. although, i guess it helps playing a les paul with a pair of emg-81s run through monster cables.
turning up the lead drive produces gain that feels like a drill running through your ears to your brain. i recommend wearing earplugs if you value your hearing. also, the pull bright on the rhythm channel produces crazy mesa tones at (can't emphasize this enough) less than half the price. just gotta make sure everything is set to rhythm and all your pickup and eq settings are turned up.
you can get about any sound considering the multitude of controls on the amp and your axe. and with active circuits it doesn't take much knob turning to alter your sound.

i've never had any problems with it. but i've only played once in public at a local park amphitheatre. worked great for me. everything else is confined to home. i get it looked at for tube replacements etc. every couple years. so that probably helps too.

only used the website to download and print a user manual so i can't say much for their customer support

i've been playing for about fifteen years and owned the x100b for ten years. it was my first "real" amp and i've never had the desire to replace it. mainly cuz of the performance versus value aspect. it's always worked fine for me, and i can get the same sounds as other high performance amps for way less money. so there's never been any reason to change. not to say i wouldn't play the "high-end" stuff. i just ain't paying for it....

My model amp is an 89 model which i Bought new - with the "carpet covering", "EL34s" and "hotrod 1b factory mod".
As already indicated this amp has 2 channels, and for me the amps only problem is that there is no preamp control on the clean channel.
The result is that the clean channel stays very clean even at high volume, at times a slight bit of overdriven sound on the clean channel would be nice.
All the other features that others have already mentioned are very good (and useful).
One point on carpet covered amps - some people hate them but i love them, sure it does look a little ugly but its far more practical than Tolex. I must have played hundreds of gigs with this amp and it looks as good now as it did when new (however it is always transported in a roadcase). Carpet is hard to tear unlike tolex and velco sticks to it very well - Therfore, I have velcro under my wireless transmitter, tuner and anything else i sit on top of the amp while playing and never worry about things vibrating off.

I have read many reviews and couldnt be bothered writing one myself until now, as i had recently gone through a process of trying to replace this amp.
I simply could not find anything that was exactly what i wanted and did A~B testing with this amp and others including TsL100, 5150, Marshall 6100 and Mesa MkIV as comparisons.
I found that i could make the Carvin sound so close to every other amp (but with only very slightly less gain)and without having the 2 amps side by side i dont believe anyone could tell them apart.
The reason for this is the EQ sections on the carvin, - no amp came close to the control of its active tone and Graphic EQ functions.
The Carvin has more than enough gain (And i do like lots of gain) for myself so i couldnt justify spending thousands of $$ to get an extra channel or gain on the clean channel. As others have stated if you want a loud clean sound this amp is hard to beat.

As i have already said, i have done hundreds of gigs with this amp, i have replaced the valves a couple of times and had no problems at all.

never needed them but their website is good and you can download manuals and schematics.

Ive been playing for 26 years, and always plug straight into amps (no effects) and have many guitars of all configurations, all sound good (and different) through this amp.
My biggest revelation is how i have been setting up my tone more recently (since i decided not to buy another amp).I generably keep the tone controls reasonably flat (equal) and boost the mids and lower mids on the graphic EQ.
Like all tube amps, they just sound better when the power amp is turned up. Here is where the carvin trully excels.
Turning up a 100watt amp can be way too loud for certain venues, however as the carvins EQ is so powerful you can run the power amp to nearly full and drop all the tone controls down to about level "2" or less.
In other words you can get that highly sought after power amp overdrive at low volumes by using your EQ controls to control volume.(maybe at the expense of wearing out valves quicker).
Running the amp this way I now can also have that overdriven tone on the clean channel too. Yahoo.

I've had 5 of these things: 2 combos, 2 6L6 heads, and currently an el34 head. I don't like the el34 head nearly as much as the 6L6 versions regardless of a supposed hot rodded circuit. Either version needs a good boost pedal to get the distortion channels to kick @ss, anyway, though the cleans seem great on both. The graphic eq plays a major role in why I've had a number of these amps. From using these, I've learned that putting a good eq pedal in the loops of other amps can make a huge and great difference, as well. Due to the distortion being pretty lame without a boost and not having 3 channels like I'm currently used to with the Peavey Ultra Plus, but at the same time having a decent active eq and a great clean channel, I'll give this category an 8.

I may have found a solution to make the el34 version sound fairly good (using a Bad Monkey as a boost), but it's still not the same as the 6L6 versions boosted with a good tubescreamer. The X100B el34 version that I have now I might mess with a bit more and then possibly trade off for another 6L6 version if I can't get it up to par with what I'm used to.

To the reviewer a few posts down who said his 6505 kills the X100B in volume when the graphic eq is being used, all I can say is I don't know what he's talking about. I had a 5150 for a year that I also boosted the volume with a graphic eq in the loop and still can't say the amp all the way up is as loud or louder than the X100B with the graphic eq scooped, though admittedly I didn't also have every other control at zero, either. Playing too scooped takes all the tone and cutting ability out of about any guitar amp, anyway. Not knocking the 5150 here but rather am defending the Carvin where I don't think it was given a fair shake.

Anyway, I've used the X100B's to play everything from clean strat sounds to Stevie Ray Vaughn and Hendrix style blues-rock to classic rock and metal such as Rush and Iron Maiden to Slayer and Metallica tones when using a decent pickup such as active EMG 81/85 set or nice Dimarzio and Seymour Duncan high gain pickups in addition to using a tubescreamer as a boost. A nice chorus in front of the amp in addition to the onboard reverb can make the cleans sound exceptionally good, IMO.

I'll give it an 8 for tones considering the clean is great but the distortion channel is fairly lame without a boost but gets it done with a tubescreamer or other similar pedal.

Very solid amps, though I had the reverb mess up on the combo I had a long time ago; I was pretty ignorant regarding matching Ohms up, though, and likely messed it up by just plugging it into different cabs all the time without verifying the Ohms matched up correctly. I've played these amps for well over a decade with no other problem that that and played at high volumes with a heavy hitting drummer, and that includes playing the combo after the 'verb messed up for at least 5 or 6 more years with no other problem.

I like the carvin museum forum and the regular carvin forum, though I liked the older version of the regular forum better than the new one. I also like that they at least have a schematic of the old fs-36 footswitch available on their site, but I've never had any direct contact with the company, so I'll leave it at no opinion but feel likely the customer support would be very good.

Again, I've owned 5 of the X100 series amps altogether, and there's a reason I've bought more than one; first, I traded my first combo amp for a JCM800 amp back in the early '90s thinking it would be a better amp, but I wasn't really into the Marshall like I thought I would be and so got an X100B head that I found at a pawn. I used that head for a good while but ended up needing money pretty bad and didn't need a loud amp for a short while and so sacrificed it. It didn't take long to miss that, and then I got another combo. I played that one for 6 or 7 years and then found another head that I thought sounded better and bought along with the current V412 cab I currently have and love (that also has sounded great with the 5150 I used to have and the Ultra Plus I currently use).

Overall, the Carvin's a great workhorse of an amp, and when paired with a boost and decent pickups on the guitars can get some great rock to metal tones as well as very good clean tones. I'm not as keen on the el34 versions, but then again I've only ever played through one of those and that's the one I have now; maybe it needs rebiased or something. But the 6L6 versions are sweet, IMO. When I simultaneously owned the 6L6 head and the 5150, the band I was in liked the variety when sometimes I would show up with either of the amps, and they loved how thick and powerful the Carvin sounded as well as the 5150 with the eq in the loop. I know they liked the cleans on the Carvin more. ;)

I'll give this category a 9 due to how useful these amps have been to me over a long period of time. 8)

2 channels with a high lead on the dis. side. rythm, lead switch, and a bright switch for the clean channel. basic rock amp, can get a decent metal sound if you play with the knobs. only one warning not a plug and play amp. you will have to search for your sound, but it is probably in there somewhere, just have to know what to do.

you can get just about any sound you are looking for exept metal. for that just get a good pedal and you'll be fine.never had a problem with clean headroom, but ive never had it louder than 4 or 5 on the clean side, and that was to loud.distortion is not brutal at all at best you get a guns and roses or metallica black album sound without pedals. i retubed the head with jjel34s and ecc83s and now ive got a decent zack wylde sound. i play a prs custom 24 stock and a strat. overall amp is ver versitall does anything i need. but i dont play alot of metal. for that run a od pedal in frot of the dis.

never had a problem, but it is a tube amp. never play without a backup.

n/a

been playing for 7 years. i own a prs custom 24, les paul, and a strat. amp sounds good with them all.i would buy another if it ever blew up. i chose this amp over the marshall dsl 2000, and a jcm 900. the marshalls just aren't worth the extra $600 to $700. plus the carvin has a better straight up rock sound, and the clean channel is better than anything else ive heard period. you cant beat this amp for the money.i would recomend this amp to anybody, except maybe a metal player, you nedd a marshall or soldano.

1984or1985 black tolex covered head, with the 6L6 power tubes,no "hot rod" cirquitry.Two channels, reverb... All the features are covered in the other reviews, so i wont go into all of them.More than enough power for anyplace ive ever played!As a 100 watt all tube head, it is extremely LOUD!, and very heavy, as in weight.I run mine at the 50% power settings,and i don;t notice any loss of tone as opposed to the 100% power settings, as some people suggested.Maybe the gray carpeted version acts differntly at the 50% power, but mine sounds just fine, and i can open up the master volume more, and you can really tell when the power tubes kick inat around 3 on the master volume.THe bottom end of the sound really fills in and the louder you turn it up, the better it sounds!

I just got my carvin out of the shop 2 weeks ago, and had it totally gone thru, re-tubed with all new JJ tubes, some jacks and swithces replaced, and the amp bias set.I had;nt played this amp in at least 6 years.The clean channel is very good, but it;s not the warmest clean I ever heard,sounds like a early fender type sound, but it;s a little raw around the edges at times, almost a little bit of a brittle sound at times,I like the reverb alot.The pull bright onthe clean is really nice,really sounds fenderish.the distorted channel is a difernt beast altogether.At low gain settins, the amp nails the 70;s and early eighty rock sound.THere is definitly a british influnce to the sound, even with the 6L6 tubes,also as my friend pointed out to me, the amp has a certain honkeyness, or nasal about its general tone, that you can;t completely get rid of.At higher gain settings,and the amp has plenty gain, the sound gets kinda fuzzy/ raspy/muddy.And this is my point, the amp actually has a good amount of gain, it;s just not a smooth/singing/sustaining kind of distortion.The tone, or shape of the distortion is not that pleasing, and theres not much you can do about it, it;s just a characteristic of this amp, but it;s not bad at lower gain settings. This amp is very chunky sounding, and has some great rhythym sounds, thanks to the carvin 4x12 cabinet.As a stand alone amp, this wouldn;t cut it for me, because the distortion just isn;t very good, So heres how I deal with that,I run into my trusty ADA MP-1 tube preamp[ also with fresh JJ 12ax7's]first, and then.. into the clean channel of the Carvin.This changes evrthing, and now this anp breathes fire.I play a Parker Nitefly guitar, thers also an Alesis Midi-verb2 in the effects loop of the MP-1 for some delay.I play everthing from blues to mowtown,classic rock. to progressive.This amp is pretty quite,if it;s plugged into some clean power.

Had this amp for 20 years, did have it die on me once, were it needed some work, but all in all it's worked fine for most of the time i've owned it.

Always very helpfull

Iv'e been playing 32 years , and own a flextone 3 plus amp, a parker, and a kramer pacer deluxe guitars,and asst. rack gear.I wouldn't replace this if it were lost or stolen, as it's just too old, and too heavy!I love the look of this half stack, it;s most impressive.I love the fact that it;s 100 watts of all tube power for me to use however I see fit, weather it be with a distortion box, or my MP-1 preamp,WHen used in this fashion, this amp kicks butt! The louder you turn it up, the better it sounds!My 2 biggest gripes would be it's just to big and heavy for the places my band plays at, and the slightly honkey/nasal character of this amp,which isn't as bad when used with the ADA mp-1.

In regards to the reviewer below me, allow me to quote exactly from my original review:

"I have all Jackson/Ibanez guitars with either Duncan or DiMarzio p/ups. These are all very hot p/ups so it helps a great deal. I play this through its matching Carvin 4x12. I put JJ EL34's in the power amp, JJ ECC83's in the preamp, otherwise comes standard with Groove Tubes.

While this amp can produce massive WALLS of tone that really hit you in the chest, it simply will not give you a scooped high gain sound that can cut through enough to make a difference in the live situation. This is a moderate gain midrange amplifier well suited to hard rock and 80's metal. I play 80's metal with a bit of classic rock and heavier metal. It absolutely shines in the first two categories - extremely clear sounding and has a great "chunk" to it. I would say avoid this amp if you want a scooped/high gain sound because again, the amount of distortion while very distinct and clear, loses that "cut" when you scoop the mids. But if you're willing to accept the fact that 90% of tone comes from your fingers and the midrange frequencies, you will be delighted.

I haven't even mentioned the clean tone yet! I remember first powering this up, and thinking how amazing that clean tone sounded...but once you pull the "Bright Switch" - incredible! It is almost as awe-inspiring as the distortion, just so much to work with on this gem.

Rhythm/Clean Tone: Warm, bassy, very versatile.
Bright Clean Tone: Crystal clear, Fenderish.
Distortion A (un-hotrodded): Punchy and articulate. Think AC/DC and Led Zeppelin here. Underrated!
Distortion B (hotrod switch engaged): Very unique to my ears. It's like Gumby - you can shape it any way you see fit! Moderate distortion sound elevated by the incredibly sensitive tone controls. Superb."

In regards to the reviewer below me stating that my youtube video demonstrated less than satisfactory volume, please keep in mind that it was a small club and that when you're actually playing in a band you don't need to crank the amp that loud in said venues. I guess a bedroom's acoustics are a bit different.

Oh and by the way, here's the link to my youtube video:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=XsGlp7SUdTQ

In regards to the reviewer below me, please understand that I recommended this amp to you on a couple of occasions, yes - but I also said that it will not match your digital amps in terms of zero dynamics chunk. It ain't gonna' happen.

It was nice knowing ya' man, I'm glad to see you're doing the same.

I bought one because people told me it was one of the greatest amps ever made - WRONG! I later found out that they were just Steve Vai fanboys. This amp lacks a WHOLE lot, everything sounds like you would expect from a 20 year old amp, unstable and poor. The distortion is not hot compared to anything you can buy today, the cleans are its strongest point and they are good - but not great or awsome. The 'output' is pathetic at best, I was told this was a REALLY loud amp, if you think so then you desperately need to introduce yourself to a REAL loud amp, don't compare it to your 16 ohm stereo. Most of the volume is in the EQ, try to scoop the mids and you're done. It has no thunderous, wall shaking power. If you want it loud and bassy you dime the bass, if you want it loud and trebly you dime the treble, the volume is entirely wrapped in the EQ and even with everything dimed I have never needed to wear ear plugs, Someone who urged me to buy this amp talked about how he thought it was so incredibly loud, then I saw a video of his cover band playing live on youtube (unfortunately after I bought it) and I immediately noticed that I could hear people in this bar talking over what they were playing, thats not loud at all. Compared to my 6505, this amp is a joke in all categories and upon some further research Steve Vai hardly used it and flooded it with OD's, ext. preamps and effects when he did. This amp is far from worth it's hype. It was one of the cheapest amps on the market in its time for a reason at $440-500 brand new, I wouldn't suggest that anybody pay more than $50 for one if they plan on using it, it's nostalgic at best.

Horrible, it took me 3 weeks just to get my serial # dated.

Best suited for beginners and undevoted guitarists looking for something better than nothing, I gave mine to my 9 year old nephew, he likes it.

I bought one because people told me it was one of the greatest amps ever made - WRONG! I later found out that they were just Steve Vai fanboys. This amp lacks a WHOLE lot, everything sounds like you would expect from a 20 year old amp, unstable and poor. The distortion is not hot compared to anything you can buy today, the cleans are its strongest point and they are good - but not great or awsome. The 'output' is pathetic at best, I was told this was a REALLY loud amp, if you think so then you desperately need to introduce yourself to a REAL loud amp, don't compare it to your 16 ohm stereo. Most of the volume is in the EQ, try to scoop the mids and you're done. It has no thunderous, wall shaking power. If you want it loud and bassy you dime the bass, if you want it loud and trebly you dime the treble, the volume is entirely wrapped in the EQ and even with everything dimed I have never needed to wear ear plugs, Someone who urged me to buy this amp talked about how he thought it was so incredibly loud, then I saw a video of his cover band playing live on youtube (unfortunately after I bought it) and I immediately noticed that I could hear people in this bar talking over what they were playing, thats not loud at all. Compared to my 6505, this amp is a joke in all categories and upon some further research Steve Vai hardly used it and flooded it with OD's, ext. preamps and effects when he did. This amp is far from worth it's hype. It was one of the cheapest amps on the market in its time for a reason at $440-500 brand new, I wouldn't suggest that anybody pay more than $50 for one if they plan on using it, it's nostalgic at best.

Its strongest point.

Horrible, it took me 5 weeks just to get my serial # dated.

Best suited for beginners and undevoted guitarists looking for something better than nothing, I gave mine to my 9 year old nephew, he likes it.

I own the 80's-style fuzzy carpet version. I believe it was made in '89. It has treb, mid, bass, pres, and also a seperate 5 band graphic eq. Having the different eq's allows different tones to be achieved. You might find that say a cut in the mids on the 5 band sounds better than the mid cut on the standard eq, and vice versa. Also the graphic is assinable to either the clean or dirty channel. This allows you to set your standard eq optimized for say your dirty channel and use the graphic to compensate for your prefered clean sound. It has a 100%/50%/25% power switch, footswitchable effects loop and spring reverb (also footswitchable). On the dirty channel, the gain know pulls out and adds more gain. The clean volume pulls out for a bright switch. It has 2 inputs. I has a preamp output on the back. Also has a switch for 4,8, or 16 ohms and two cabinet out puts.
I use this amp in a metal/rock band. This amp is very versatile and able to achieve the cleanest sounds and has a good deal of gain, considering its age. Many newer amps have more gain, but I find that this has all the gain that I really need anyhow. If I ever want a tad more, I would use a overdrive or booster to give it a bit more. The only thing that I wish the amp could do is footswitch between gain and more gain. This amp is extremely loud. I usually use the half power setting.

This amp sounds amazing both clean and dirty. The lead channel sounds a bit like a Marshall JCM 800. When I plug in my Les Paul the amp sounds perfect even with all of the eq knobs set at 12:00. However, each eq knob, being active, offers more cut and boost than you'll ever need. In fact, the manual recommends using only subtle movements away from 12:00 under typical uses. The graphic eq offers an entire different set of tonal possbilities. For instance, you might prefer the way a bass boost sounds on the graphic and the treble boost on the standard. You might use a combination of mid cut or boosts. The clean channel is first very clean and second very warm and pleasing as any fender, except with more eq versatility. The reverb sounds great as well.
This amp is by far the most pleasing amp that I have ever owned, for dirty and clean. I have owned marshall, fender, and mesa. In my opinion, they sounded great with some tweaking. The carvin sounds even greater before I even touch the tone controls. I never give something a ten, but in this rare case I will. Nothing even close in price compares to the sound of this amp. Actually, I like it better than anything I ever plugged into.
* I use this amp with an inexpensive B-52 4x12 Cab, not the carvin cab.

I haven't had any problems. It's a tube amp. It's never a bad idea to have a back up of some sort for gigs.

I contacted Carvin about getting an the long-ago discontinued pedal. They quickly got back to me and explaing how one of their current pedals could be easily modded (a couple solders to the cable) and sent me a diagram. I found an original one on ebay. I think that they should carry replacement parts, such as the footswitch for discontinued amps. But this might not be very cost-effective from their side. Any increase in expenses on their part will require them to raise their sale prices, which we don't want

I've been playing for 12 years and have 2 music degrees. I've owned more equipment than I care to mention and find this amp satisfying in every way. Tons of power, plenty of features, and unbelievable tone and flexibility. For the 300-400 this thing typically sells for on ebay, don't waste your money on anything else. (I got it at guitar center for $150!) The only thing that I would change would be to add a forth footswitch that goes from gain to more gain. However, the push in knob is simple enough when say a less distorted sound is desired for a certain song. Beyond this, the carpet-like covering is a little cheesy to look at, but I could always buy Tolex cheap and recover it. Another benefit, this amp isn't as heavy to lift as many other all tube heads. This is because Carvin uses ligher materials, I want to say Plywood? In any case, it's very light and still seems very strong.

100 tube watts, active tone controls, bright switches, 2 channels, reverb, effects loop. etc. etc, if you're looking at this review you know what this amp has. Simply put this am is amazing. For the prices they are going for right now, it is an absolute steal, I sold my mesa boogie 2 months after i bought this, because it simply wasn't getting used. Regardless of what type of music i play through this, there is enough for everything, ska, raggae, classic rock, hardcore, screamo, blues, jazz, and the most amazing clean tone i've ever heard. The only drawback i've found with these amps is the lack of available footswitches, i've just wired my own with a schematic i got from carvin.

perfect with every guitar i put through it. fender cyclone, strat, schecter omen, les pauls, even acoustics, it all has it's place that is easily findable on this amp

Never so much as a tube crack. reverb can be a bit noisy when travelling with this monster in the back, but it has yet to let me down sound wise

The people at Carvin are amazing, they emailed me the wiring schematic for me to make my footswitch. All they do is make amazingly quality instruments and products for even more amazing prices.

I have submitted a review of this amp before, but I have recently purchased the V3 so I am giving a quick little update review on why going up against the behemoth V3 the X100B still stands tall in my book.

Compared to the V3's features, the X100B does fall a bit short. But what the X-amp offers is plenty enough for me and having reverb is a plus (it is an exceptional reverb at that).

The 5 band EQ and ACTIVE tone controls also help to seal the deal for the X100B.

I will start out by saying the X100B's clean tone truly is the best I've ever played - while the V3's is more versatile via a "voicing switch" and drive knob, it just doesn't feel the same to me. It's not a bad clean sound by any means, it simply can't compare to the X-amp's.

The V3's distortion is massive and brutal, which is exactly what some people are after - I'm after tone, and I have it right here in my X100B. Any sound you are thinking of can be found in it, and as I mentioned before, the active tone circuit will get its hooks in you to the point that you will never want to go back! Both the clean channel and the distortion sound much more direct to me, and having that kind of control over the EQ is incredible. Truly a magnificent sounding amplifier!

I've never had anything other than standard tube amplifier issues. It is dependable.

I have always loved this amp - from the moment I first fired it up to recently when I thought I would "replace" it with the newer, hipper V3 - I just had to go back to the X100B! It has plenty of distortion for whatever it is I need (any type of 80's metal, prog rock, or more laid back stuff), the clean tone is truly something to behold and the ease of which I can dial in whatever sound I need is comforting to say the least!

It is really cool to know that I have an amp that I can depend on for years to come. I can't stress enough how awesome a deal one of these is...$300-$400 for it? Don't pass on it! I have a feeling in a few years they won't be going for a measly three hundred bucks anymore. ;-)

This is the grey fuzzy cover, and I haven't found out exactly, but I'm estimating it's a late 80's/early 90's version.

As far as features go, it was awesome in it's day and is still good, although if you're comparing it to the Marshall TSL heads or some of the Fender/Line modeling heads, you may not find it has 'features'. It's perfect for me. I play 80's/90's rock, blues, and metal and it meets all of my needs well.

It has two channels, clean and dirty. Duh. However, the dirty channel can be either an overdrive, or a distortion channel by simply pulling out (or pushing in) the knob that controls the level of distortion. So you can either have AC/DC crunch or ball busting distortion by pushing the knob.

Channel switching is controlled by the elusive FS-36 footswitch which controls the channel, the effects loop, and the reverb. I bought my amp used 5 years ago (and got a heck of a deal - $450 for the halfstack from a guy who needed cash fast) but it took me two more to find the footswitch.

There are two eq's - a parametric and a graphic, and a selector switch controls which eq controls which channel. I set my clean to the parametric and the dirty to the graphic.

It is rated for 100 watts, but you can select either 25%, 50% or 100% power, which changes when the clean channel breaks up, the gain to some extent, and the sensitivity of the master volume control.

It has two impedence inputs, which is the only feature I don't use. It has an effects loop, 4, 8, or 16 ohm speaker output.

I use a Carvin DC127T with dual Carvin humbuckers and an ESP Explorer with EMG pickups.

The sound of this amp is phenomonal. The clean channel is the best in the business (well, unless you spend $5,000 on a boutiqe amp - maybe). Fender wishes it's cleans were as good. The distortion is a little mid-dy, even with some of the mids scooped, but is on par with any Marshall, Peavey, or Mesa. The only difference with some of those amps is that it can't get quite as saturated as some of the newer Marshall/Mesa heads, but it still has plenty of distortion for just about anything. The use of the eq's and presence knobs allow for a huge range of sounds.

Up until recently, I just used the amp's distortion for all my distortion needs. I've recently added a couple of pedals (Marshall Guv'nor 2 and Scott Ian Black-13 by Digitech) because I like their sounds through this amp. The distortion is awesome. 'nuff said.

The reverb is exceptional and on about 3 is plenty. At 6 or higher, it has so much depth you could dive into it.

This amp is LOUD! On 50% output and the volume on 4, I can fill nearly any small to mid-sized club. 1 is as loud as I can go to practice in the garage without destroying the neighbor's and drowning out the rest of the band. I don't think I've ever needed to turn it past 5 - if you do, you need a BIG PA system.

Had it for six years. It's never broken or given me any problems in any way.

The only thing I've noticed that I don't care for is that some effects can be noisy in the effects loop. Not a big deal.

Dealt with Carvin on my guitar and my amp. Excellent customer service, very helpful. Just wish they weren't in CA....

I've been playing for 15 years. I've recently been considering buying a newer Carvin head (Legacy or V3) just because I want to, but I will never part with this thing. It is great!

People who talk all day about their Marshall's and Mesa's (both are great amps) don't understand what they're missing and how they got ripped off by paying $1500-$2000 for their head when they could get a Carvin head (even the newer ones) for under a grand. These X100B's are on Ebay for $300-$400 all day long. They are perfect for all musician's but especially those who don't have a lot of cash but want to get a tube head. Look no further!

Quick true story. My bass player owns a metal club here in town. We practice there all the time so I left my gear set up most of the time. One night a few months ago he had a 6-band show booked. One of the guitar players for one of the bands had a crappy Crate 1/2 stack and had been saving up for a new Mesa. He asked if he could use my 1/2 stack so he didn't have to set his stuff up. I said "Sure". He ranted and raved about my 'old' X100B. They played again last week and he had taken the $1400 he had saved, bought an X100B half stack, a new axe, and a couple of new pedals. Yes people, it's THAT good.

Most of the features have been listed already so i wont waste alot of time here. I havent dated mine quite yet but its an el34 modern logo carpeted version so im guessing late 80's early 90's?

TONE oh dear god TONE! I have played through marshall jcm800 2000 and jtm45 heads and this amp has all them beat. such a wide variety of tonal choice this amp is amazing. The EQ comes in really handy when your looking to find "your" tone or when trying to math some one elses. I play mostly newer hard rock (nickel back, Metallica, Alter birdge, etc.) Some punk( blink 182, the offspring, etc.) and some classic rock ( AC/DC, Fog hat, hendrix, cream,etc.) THis amp has it all, and when i cant get that ultra smooth sound (this amp has chunk there's not alot that you can dot to smooth out good ol fashined chunk) i flip on my tube screamer or Big muff Pie, or DS-1 and i can get ANY tone im looking for. I play it through two matching carvin 4X12 cabs.

Alot of guys complain about not having a seprate boost, well i bypassed this problem by putting an Ashly SC-40 In the effects loop, hello boost! now its like having three channels and the effects loop is accesibe via footswitch.

I play a Gibson SG, an epi Flying V, and a Guild burnside, crossbow headless with seymour duncans all three guitars offer amazing sounds ouut of this amp and i would say its the most verstial tube amp ive ever heard.

This thing is a tank! I cant telll you how scary it can be when you gigi a tube amp... tubes being fairly expensive to replace this amp does a good job of protecting them, the amp is indestructible and the cabs are as solid as a brick wall. The only complaint is i blow a fuse about every couple of months but i guess its better the fuse goes than the amp fry.

Never had to call them!

I got this bad oy on sale from rumble seat music in itaca new york, they gave me the best deal for a full stack ive ever witnessed. With tone to die for and rliability, what more can you ask for?

I have the 1988 version(Modern logo but not furry) And I have to say I've NEVER been this impressed with an amp before, its more versatile than any marshall or peavey I've ever played(Not saying they are bad amps, just saying if you want a good jack of all trades go for this amp)

Its pretty basic, 2 channels, graphic EQ(Which honestly can shape your sound into almost anything you could want) One of the best onboard reverbs I've ever heard also.
It also has a selectible power switch on the back which gives you the option of playing at lower volumes and still getting some of the distortion, I personally love 50% power because I get that extra push off the cliff(yeah spinal tap joke, sue me)

Like many people on here I wish it had seperate EQ but considering how good this amp has been to me I wont complain too much.

I use seymour duncans and I've never used anything else on this amp although I bet EMGs would make it scream.

I play classic rock and '80s metal and this amp is very good for both, its distortion is strong enough although it benefits from pedals very well(MXR distortion+ in front of it and BOOM you have Randy rhodes)
Plus its clean is great for slower songs and even folk stuff.

The clean is able to stay clean alot longer than most amps and guys I know with marshalls and 5150s cant even TOUCH clean after low volumes.

The distortion is great for classic rock right off the bat, give it a boost from a pedal and you can cover any band, with a big muff you get the fuzz and with an mxr D+ you get the extra distortion needed for metal.

I have had it a year without any problems, I havent even replaced a tube yet although I can sense its coming(spiritual connect....DUH)

So far so good, its built like a tank so I doubt anything could stop it.

It saw heavy usage before I got it and sees heavier usage now and it hasnt given be a single problem(I dont even keep a spare with me)

I havent needed to call cavin although for an amp that was made in the '80s I think they would only tell me to get one of those MTS series amps.

I've been playing 5 years,
I own a couple basic guitars and enough pedals to insulate a 2 story house.

If it were stolen I'd hunt the person down and make a nice new leather amp cover...........
Of course I'd TRY to buy another, only so many left out there!

I love its ability to cover alot of sounds, I needed something that could give me marshall crunch but awesome clean.

I wish it had a million dollars stuck in the back of it but after many months of looking, I still cant find it.

UP THE IRONS!!!