# Carvin V3 amp head



## Empryrean (Feb 7, 2010)

Whats the word on these? I've got a marshall cab with Celestion v30's in it and am curious if this would be a correct route to go. I was also considering peavey 5150/6505 but I am wary due to the lack of cleanliness.


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## djpharoah (Feb 7, 2010)

The Carvin V3 is a great "budget" head and I hate to use budget because people instantly think budget = no tone. It can sound really brutal (shane gibson I think uses one with korn) and it has some great cleans. It also has a shit load more options and more channels than the 5150/6505.

However for shear brutalness or rawness the gain on the 5150 will take it especially if that is the tone you head in your head (like me). Lack of cleans on the 5150 - you gotta decide what you want more.

It's definitely an underground amp - I'd prolly get one down the line as it's very versatile


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## Leuchty (Feb 7, 2010)

The word? 

VERSATILITY

great bang for buck amp. I would love to have one too.


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## Empryrean (Feb 7, 2010)

Thanks Dan & Mesh!


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## kherman (Feb 7, 2010)

I've only had my V3 for a few weeks.
But, so far I'm really liking it.
I'm more into the Classic, Prog, and Power metal.
It has more than enough gain for me.
It has 3 channels. 1 clean and 2 gain.
Each channel have 3 modes.
As well as an expanded EQ switch.
Each has their own presence control. (use sparingly)
Master section has a master volume, 
a bright knob (like a global presence)
a deep knob ( like a global resonance)
Mid cut (0= no effect. 10= uber scooped)
Boost knob (add 9db of boost)

The trick with this amp is to set your master volume high and use your ch. volumes to adjust how loud you want to be.
This way you're working those power tubes.
I have my master set around 8. my gain chls. set around 2. Clean around 6.
And it's still loud!!
I can't imagine how loud it would be fully cracked open.

There is so much tweakability with this amp.
Once you get a feel for the nuances of all those knobs and switches, there are tons of tones you can achieve.
I'm still experimenting. 

I do need to get a better built 4x12 cab.
That's my next goal.


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## Empryrean (Feb 7, 2010)

What cab do you have right now?


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## budda (Feb 7, 2010)

Paired with the right stuff, it will get you into Protest The Hero - fortress territory.

Search Codyyy on here


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## Empryrean (Feb 8, 2010)

Thank you budda!!


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## kherman (Feb 8, 2010)

Empryrean said:


> What cab do you have right now?



Sonic cabinets.
They're ok.
Not built as nice as a lot of other cabs today.
They have a plywood baffle and base.
But, MDF sides and back.

So I eventually want to pick up an all ply cab like an Avatar or the actual Carvin cab.


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## MaxOfMetal (Feb 8, 2010)

I love my V3. It's not the most expensive amp I've ever owned, but it's definitely the one I've kept around the longest (unlike my JCM800, Single Rec, and 5150), and I plan to keep it forever. 

With the right tubes and settings it absolutely roars. Not to mention I can get a very smooth almost liquidy high-gain lead sound that a lot of other amps simply can't deliver. At the moment I have a set of GT 5881s in it and it sound phenomenal, really takes away some of the brightness and a bot of treble compared to the stock EL34s. 

It sounds fantastic on it's own, but absolutely HEAVENLY (in an evil way ) with an Overdrive. 

People definitely pass it up from just looking at the price (they can be had for as little as $750 delivered, brand new, thanks to Carvin's sales every couple months), but like I've said, to me, as well as previous band mates, it kicks the shit out of some more expensive amps, as far as both tone and features go. It's simply impossible to find a three channel, all tube, high-gain head, at this price point, that's made in the USA by a company who really stands behind their product, and this slays. 

Just for shits and giggles here's a pic of mine from when I first got it about three years ago. Excuse the super shitty cellphone pic!


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## Leuchty (Feb 8, 2010)

The white is epic!


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## MaxOfMetal (Feb 8, 2010)

CYBERSYN said:


> The white is epic!



Thanks man, I can't tell you how much it pains me to have black/grey amps. 

In fact that faceplate is soon to be swirled.


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## scottro202 (Feb 8, 2010)

This summer when I get a job again, I will hopefully be buying either a Carvin V3 or Carvin XB100IV. I'm guessing as far as overall versatility, the Carvin V3 wins, huh?

Plus, check this out:

Carvin.com :: V3L

LEDS!!!


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## MaxOfMetal (Feb 8, 2010)

scottro202 said:


> This summer when I get a job again, I will hopefully be buying either a Carvin V3 or Carvin XB100IV. I'm guessing as far as overall versatility, the Carvin V3 wins, huh?
> 
> Plus, check this out:
> 
> ...



If you want something more along the lines of a Marshall but more versatile the X100B is the way to go. You can easily get both Plexi and JCM style tones out of it with EL34 tubes, though, it's certainly not a super high-gain head. 

I want those LEDs so bad. I'm kinda pissed how Carvin didn't make them backwards compatible in any way. Now I guess I'll just have to get it custom made. At least then I can use my own LEDs.


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## scottro202 (Feb 8, 2010)

MaxOfMetal said:


> If you want something more along the lines of a Marshall but more versatile the X100B is the way to go. You can easily get both Plexi and JCM style tones out of it with EL34 tubes, though, it's certainly not a super high-gain head.
> 
> I want those LEDs so bad. I'm kinda pissed how Carvin didn't make them backwards compatible in any way. Now I guess I'll just have to get it custom made. At least then I can use my own LEDs.




You say the XB100IV is along the lines of a Marshall, is there an amp that you could say the V3 is along the lines of?

And that sucks about the LEDs, and how you'll have to go custom.


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## Samer (Feb 8, 2010)

I have tried a couple of V3's; they all had great tone and plenty of gain, they have a Marshall tone to them but with a bit more gain.


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## MaxOfMetal (Feb 8, 2010)

scottro202 said:


> You say the XB100IV is along the lines of a Marshall, is there an amp that you could say the V3 is along the lines of?
> 
> And that sucks about the LEDs, and how you'll have to go custom.



Something along the lines of a pre-amp gain based amp like a Recto, with a lot of crunch on tap such as a Marshall. I can't say exactly where it lies to tell you the truth. It sounded very little like either my Single Rec or my JCM800 on their own, but had aspects that reflected them both. I will say though, that with the stock EL34s it was voiced much more like a Marshall, very bright and crunchy, but I've never been a fan of that, so I switched it to 6L6GC, which were nice, but I REALLY like the 5881s that are in there now. The V3 is a VERY flexible (see tweakable) amp, so it doesn't really have a basis in either of the two "classic" camps. 

I just know for a fact the X100B has a similar circuit to a Marshall along with a similar interface (minus the graphic EQ of course), and it ships with EL34s as well.


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## scottro202 (Feb 8, 2010)

MaxOfMetal said:


> Something along the lines of a pre-amp gain based amp like a Recto, with a lot of crunch on tap such as a Marshall. I can't say exactly where it lies to tell you the truth. It sounded very little like either my Single Rec or my JCM800 on their own, but had aspects that reflected them both. I will say though, that with the stock EL34s it was voiced much more like a Marshall, very bright and crunchy, but I've never been a fan of that, so I switched it to 6L6GC, which were nice, but I REALLY like the 5881s that are in there now. The V3 is a VERY flexible (see tweakable) amp, so it doesn't really have a basis in either of the two "classic" camps.
> 
> I just know for a fact the X100B has a similar circuit to a Marshall along with a similar interface (minus the graphic EQ of course), and it ships with EL34s as well.



So with the V3, the tubes really effect the tone? I mean, do they kinda ultimately effect the tone of the amp?

(Sorry for the hijack OP, hope this is helping you learn about the amp somewhat)


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## MaxOfMetal (Feb 8, 2010)

scottro202 said:


> So with the V3, the tubes really effect the tone? I mean, do they kinda ultimately effect the tone of the amp?



Yes, though realize, that's the case for any tube amp. That's one of the reason people love swapping tubes, because it has an effect on the tone beyond what knob tweaking can do.


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## scottro202 (Feb 8, 2010)

MaxOfMetal said:


> Yes, though realize, that's the case for any tube amp. That's one of the reason people love swapping tubes, because it has an effect on the tone beyond what knob tweaking can do.



Yeah, I've been meaning to experiment with tubes in my amp for a while... But there's sooooo many other things I can spend money on!!!


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## MaxOfMetal (Feb 8, 2010)

scottro202 said:


> Yeah, I've been meaning to experiment with tubes in my amp for a while... But there's sooooo many other things I can spend money on!!!



Yeah, it's one of those things that you can't get a real feel for before running it, not to mention you can't return tubes if you don't like them. A matching quad can get pretty costly. 

Though, once you do find "those tubes" you tend to stick with them for a long time. Not to mention you typically find the ones that you'll NEVER USE AGAIN. 

If you ever do decide to play the tube swapping game, shoot an e-mail to both Doug's Tubes and Eurotubes first. Those guys REALLY know their shit, and they can help to take away a lot of the guess work. Not to mention, if you go Carvin, the guys on the BBS are awfully helpful.


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## kherman (Feb 8, 2010)

MAX,

How do you like the V3 cab?

Say compared to a Mesa, Avatar, Marshall, etc...

And could you get a pic of the cabs insides?


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## MaxOfMetal (Feb 8, 2010)

kherman said:


> MAX,
> 
> How do you like the V3 cab?
> 
> ...



I actually really like the cab, better than my Marshall "1960" Lead cab, and the few Mesa cabs I've tried, though I can chalk that up to me just really not liking V30s. 

It sounds, ways, and overall feels and responds a lot like my Avatar 412 Traditional did with Celection GT12H30s. Though, the Carvin is a slant. 

The G12 Carvin speakers are similar to the V30s but handle more power and have a lot less ice pick like treble. In my opinion they're far better than V30s. Much more warm and balanced. I'm glad I didn't opt for the "upgrade". 

I haven't compared it to too many other cabs, so I can't give too detailed of a comparison. All I know is it's a VERY well made cab that comes sounding great from the factory. 

As for getting a pic of the guts, sorry man, but I'm just too lazy now to maneuver the cab out from my practice "niche". Perhaps when I order my replacement speakers in a few weeks I can do it then.


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## Empryrean (Feb 8, 2010)

MaxOfMetal said:


> The G12 Carvin speakers are similar to the V30s but handle more power and have a lot less _ice pick like treble_.



This has irritated me as well, should I consider new speakers or just a cab altogether if I get the v3?


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## MaxOfMetal (Feb 9, 2010)

Empryrean said:


> This has irritated me as well, should I consider new speakers or just a cab altogether if I get the v3?



Some people LOVE V30's with V3s, which seems to be the consensus on the BBS. 

I wouldn't be too worried about it until you actually have the amp and do a little bit of tweaking. If it turns out you don't like the V30's then there's a simple fix that can really help tame the treble and it's to simply put a disc of cardboard in front of the speaker, attached to the grill. The disc should be about 3/4" bigger around all sides of the dust cap of the speaker (essentially the size of a Compact Disc). It will cause the highs to diffuse and overall be significantly less harsh. It works well by only doing it to the top two speakers. It's cheap (usually free) and crazy easy. 

For the record I thought the V30's weren't too bad as soon as I took out the EL34s. The thing I really didn't like was the JJ Preamp, EL34 Poweramp, and V30 combo. Though, that's just me. 

Also, as a little tip, use the EQX controls relatively sparingly, as a little bit of a turn goes a long way and I've seen plenty of people overuse them when trying out my amp. The individual channel controls are very good at dialing in tones.


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## budda (Feb 9, 2010)

....

1. Peavey makes a high gain 3 channel head in the USA and sticks behind their product (JSX, XXX/3120)
2. If you coudn't get liquid leads out of a Single Rec or JCM800, I don't know what to tell you .

There's also the 10-day return policy if you don't like it.


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## MaxOfMetal (Feb 9, 2010)

budda said:


> ....
> 
> 1. Peavey makes a high gain 3 channel head in the USA and sticks behind their product (JSX, XXX/3120)
> 2. If you coudn't get liquid leads out of a Single Rec or JCM800, I don't know what to tell you .
> ...



A brand new V3 costs $850, though it's often on sale for only $750. A Peavey 3120 will run you $1000 new and a JSX will run you $1400. 

I never said you couldn't get those kinds of tones out of a Single Rec or JCM800, and I did get beautiful tones out of both of those amps, which is kinda why I bought them in the first place. I'd love for you to point out where I said that. I simply said I like the V3 better than them. 

Once again, find me an all tube, USA built, amp over 50 watts, with three fully independent channels that's cheaper to buy new (i.e. with warranty). If you do, I'll buy one for every day of the week for the both of us.


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## budda (Feb 9, 2010)

Does it have to be USA? Does Canada count?

Traynor YCS100H. 

It was implied that the JCM800 and single rec didn't also get liquid leads - unless I read the post at an hour where I misinterpreted lol


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## coldandhomeless (Feb 10, 2010)

i am a new member 5 minutes ago just to tell u guys that this carvin v3 i have is total brutal annialation! just buy the thing and you wont be unsatisfied... i saw how the others had them set and im baffled that anyone says they are buzzy or fizzy... here is how i have mine set, so try this out...

master 9 0clock, boost 12 0clock, bright 3 o clock, mid cut 3 o clock, deep 3 oclock.

clean eqx off, presence and treble 3 o klok, mid and bass 12 0clock, gain and level 12 0clock, charachter in center, loop 2 halfway up with delay and reverb.

rythym eqx on, presence treble and mid 3 0clock, bass 9 0clock, gain 3 oclock, level 9 0clock, charachter thick, loop 1 boss noise supressor only!!! boost with a tubescreamer gain on 0, tone half, level maxxed.

lead eqx on, presence treble and mid 3 0clock, bass 9 0clock, gain 3 0clock, level 8 oclock, charachter intense, loop 1(supressor) and loop 2(delay and reverb) boost with same tubescreamer settings, and this thing cooks!

i have stock tubes, 100w setting, fs44 switch, line6 flextone 2 4x12, crybaby, ts9, boss noise supressor, boss reverb, digitech digidelay, and lots of cables taped together to run both loops from the ground... i will post pictures soon, i just bought a RFX midibuddy pedal but have not hooked it up yet, im about to have 100 combinations with this mofo, so i will do my best to fill u all in on why this is the best bang for the buck tone machine! i will also add videos so u all can see how i get r done! once again i just got on here to tell all of u how awesome this thing is, and it is sheer brutalness. johnny (boogieman) bowman


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## MaxOfMetal (Feb 10, 2010)

budda said:


> Does it have to be USA? Does Canada count?
> 
> Traynor YCS100H.
> 
> It was implied that the JCM800 and single rec didn't also get liquid leads - unless I read the post at an hour where I misinterpreted lol



It's only implied if I implied it. 

What I said, exactly, was:

_"Not to mention I can get a very smooth almost liquidy high-gain lead sound that a lot of other amps simply can't deliver."_

Since when did people start referring to Single Recs as "Other Amps"? I've always called them "Single Recs" for short. I guess it's a regional thing. 

To fully clear things up, I'll explain why I sold the three heads I mentioned.

Mesa Boogie Single Rectifier:
I had owned if for about a year. I really liked both the rhythm and lead settings, and it had a marvelous clean tone. Though, when push came to shove, I really needed three channels in the majority of live situations. I tried it with a boost, and some other pedals, but I didn't like the tap dance. It was also one of the higher budget heads I owned at the time, and when I needed some money, it's head was on the chopping block first. If I was in the position to have a ton of amps again, I'd surely pick one up. I liked it better than some other Mesa models, and it'll probably be my favorite of the current Rectos, though I haven't tried out the new revisions of the Dual or Triple. 

Marshall JCM800:
This was quite the impulse buy, and it really paid off. It was great for recording, but once again, was held back by the limited number of channels. That, and I slowly lost my liking for British EL34 driven tones. At the end of the day, I liked the amp, but didn't love it. I wound up selling it to a band mate.

Peavey 5150 (Script):
To put it simply, atrocious clean channel, at least in my opinion. That, and once again, lack of a third channel caused me to part ways with it.

I don't want to imply those are bad amps, they just didn't work with me. 

Oh yeah, and the YCS100H is still about $1000, if you can find one. For whatever reason most dealers I've found say they are discontinued, or at least not being stocked. Just look here if you don't believe me. 

Any other amps?


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## kherman (Feb 10, 2010)

coldandhomeless said:


> i am a new member 5 minutes ago just to tell u guys that this carvin v3 i have is total brutal annialation! just buy the thing and you wont be unsatisfied... i saw how the others had them set and im baffled that anyone says they are buzzy or fizzy... here is how i have mine set, so try this out...
> 
> master 9 0clock, boost 12 0clock, bright 3 o clock, mid cut 3 o clock, deep 3 oclock.
> 
> ...



Awesome,CAH!
Can't wait to see the vids.


MAX, 
The YCS100h was discontinued.
The new model is the YCS100h-2.

YCS100H-2






YCS100h (original)






What rules the YCS out for me is "no" midi.
Same with the Egnater Tourmaster.
The Kustom Double Cross was my other choice.
But, it's almost twice the cost.

For me, the V3 with my Pod XT is like having the flexability of a rack system.
My V3 has the 3 midi assignable midi channels. 
As well as boost and loops midi assignable.
I use the XT for effects only.
And as a midi controller to switch V3 channels and XT patches.
No pedal dance.

Eventually I may upgrade to the X3 or Boss GT10 to take advantage of the 4 cable method.


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## budda (Feb 10, 2010)

Amen brother to  the pedal dance - I leave my TS on, and my clean channel is no longer as clean as it used to be because I don't want to practice rolling back the volume knob on the sims when I switch pickups and switch to my clean channel - I'll take a barely gritty clean and no tapdancing/dealing with knobs vs the mayhem that the switching would involve.

good ole 3 channels. Before I had the JSX, I was like "What the hell am I going to do with 3 channels?" Now I have 4, and I kind of want 1 more


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## coldandhomeless (Feb 23, 2010)

heres a couple vids of me and the v3... audio does not line up so well, and these are the first videos i ever made, so sorry for the volume...
YouTube - carvin v3 and work clothes








heres another one... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caoChBHSyNY&feature=related


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## lateralus819 (Feb 23, 2010)

If you don't need 3 channels and 2 suffices, DO NOT overlook the Legacy series. Amazing amps and they CAN do metal very well, people need to learn how to EQ and boost. I have clips if your curious


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## coldandhomeless (Mar 21, 2010)

the prettiest amp ever in my opinion


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## Empryrean (Mar 21, 2010)

nice china


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