Carvin Guitar Amp Heads

Bought it used for $700 with matching 4X12 cab. I had read many reviews and i knew that this is the amp i wanted. This head is built so solid, so tough, that i do play it at gigs without a backup, even though i have about 9 tubes to worry about. I've just always been confident that it won't crap out at the last second like other amps. The low end on the gain channel is a plus...it's incredible! and the distortion is perfect, you can get that Andy Timmons-like bluesy growl with the gain on about 5, and the John Petrucci-like major distortion while still retaining impeccable clarity...yes it's that good. And the clean channel features a specially wired treble tone knob that only controls the highest frequencies, allowing you to shape your tone like a piezo bridge! Another perk is the 50/100 watt switch in the back...if i want better tube clipping (better sounding distorion) at low volume levels, i can hit a switch in the back and shut off two of the 4 power tubes! That's a great feature because this amp can really crank, but when i'm playing late at night i don't want to wake up the whole house, but i still want to get good tone. I had considered a Mesa Boogie, or a 5150, but the Carvin just gave me more options and better sound in the end. made in the USA! Even the housing is made with quality pine wood...not plywood! everything is very neat and looks great. You can tell this wasn't thrown together in some cheap Korean factory. Bottom line: if you're looking for a professional amp that can step up when it needs to, and back off when it's told, buy this amp. You won't be dissapointed because it doesn't give you a reason. If this thing is ever stolen or lost, it will be replaced in a heartbeat. i've had this amp for a long time now, so i've had time to test it's features and really push it to the limit. I can tell you that through all my various musical phases (alternative, death/melodic metal, progressive rock, and most recently blues) this amp has always stuck by me and has been able to pull off all those sounds with ease. If you have any questions about this amp, or any other Carvin products (i play a DC400TA), e-mail me at TChristese@aol.com. This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com