Carvin V3...I want it

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Well, it looks to me as if the DR has some competition. I was fully set on getting a DR, when I got the money....but now that the V3 is out....I'm sold. Its got pretty much the same features as the DR, if not more...and its half the price for a half stack. I priced mine out, and it came to $1576.44 including covers, MTS Slant Cab, footswitches and casters. The DR half stack would be about over $2700. PLUS, I get 10 days to try it out. I'm not putting down the DR or Mesa in general....I'm just saying...the DR has some fierce competition :twisted: :D :wink: http://www.carvin.com/products/group.php?CID=V3A P.S. - I'm not getting the V3 cab....I'm gonna get the MTS slant cab, same speakers, same specs, better looks, less money. :D
 
It seems TONE doesn't fit into your thinking!

Just remember, when you decide that the Carvin ain't the amp for you, you will next to nothing for resale value. Then you'll recall how much money you saved!

If you buy a USED Mesa, you'll get what you paid for it down the road...
 
Well, like I said....I get 10 days to FIND the tone I want....and GET it into my thinking. And I'll decide whether this is the amp for me...WELL within 10 days.
And most used Mesas are STILL a crap load of money....and they wiegh a lot more than my already destroyed back can handle. :x
 
both half stacks will weigh about the same...

I truley don't care what you buy, but I find it intriguing that you post this on a Mesa board :?:

Go to the Carvin board, and they'll talk you right into it!

Did I mention resale value? :lol:
 
Hahahahahahaha. Its not like the board IS limited to ONLY Mesa amps. Besides, its not like I totally put Mesa down or didnt even mention it. I'm simply saying that the MESA Dual Rectifier has some competition against the CARVIN V3. How is that..."intriguing?" And I dont need the Carvin board to talk me into it, just like I dont need some of you guys to talk me into a Mesa. I planned on buying this amp before anyone even got it.
 
Carvin actually makes some pretty darn good stuff at very reasonable prices. Definitely worth considering for those that don't have the need/desire/ability to shell out big bucks for the more coveted "premium" brand names. Sure, their forum is biased just like any other brand-specific forum, but they do have some very knowledgeable, experienced, and credible members.

As noted previously, this is specifically the place to post about non-Mesa amps, so it's certainly appropriate.

I've been curious about the V3 as well. I haven't seen any reviews yet on Harmony Central or other non-Carvin sites, so if you get one, please post your impressions here.
 
The carvin stuff is actually well made, and tonally they have their own thing going, but if I ever buy it, it will be used. I see neck thru 6 string basses in mint condition for $400 and the guitars for even less. Stuff is absolutely worthless on the used market for some reason. I bet a V3 could be had in a year for $500. Used DR's go for about $200 less than new depending on condition.
 
I hear/read plenty of Carvin bashing around the net, and wondered for a long time about the quality of their gear. I've picked up a few pieces over the years, all of which is still in use. The thing that finally convinced me to give it a try:

I've hardly ever seen used carvin gear for sale in a music store. That says to me, that people that buy it must really love it, -OR- they just flat out toss it in a dumpster.

Anyway, I'm not a high-gain guy as a rule, and Vai doesn't move me the way BB does, but that Legacy intrigues me for some reason. Anybody played one?
 
Actually the legacy is the furthest thing away from an all out high gain amp. It's got a decent sound kind of reminicent to a Bogner Shiva except definently not as organic or sonically beatifull as a shiva. It is round but unfortunately kind of uninspireing.
 
Which is exactly the way I feel about Vai.

Is it salvageable with a tube upgrade, or is it a lost cause? If I stumble across a decent used model, should I pass, or give it a go?

I guess that'll highly depend on my own pockets at that moment.

Thanks for the opinion, pep.
 
I have 3 Carvin guitars and one on order. Excellent gear. Absolutely top notch. I had 2 V3 heads and sent them both back. To me, it sounded sterile and WAY fizzy. I was really dissappointed in it. My JSX destroyed that amp so I kept the JSX and dumped the V3. Since then, I took the money I spent on the V3 and scored a sealed Stiletto Trident for the same price. Haven't looked back since. The stiletto is such a smooth, warm amp. Two things the V3 lacks IMO.
 
I've got four Carvin guitars, three amps, efx processor, PA speakers, etc., and I can say without any hesitation is, IT"S ALL JUNK! The only reason I've still got this crap is no one will buy it, at any price. I'm stuck with a bunch of crap that's only good as boat anchors and door stops.
 
t0aj15 said:
I've got four Carvin guitars, three amps, efx processor, PA speakers, etc., and I can say without any hesitation is, IT"S ALL JUNK! The only reason I've still got this crap is no one will buy it, at any price. I'm stuck with a bunch of crap that's only good as boat anchors and door stops.
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You are joking, aren't you? Did you determine this after the first or fourth guitar? :) I don't have anything against them but the fact that their stuff has "CARVIN" in big letters across it. Yea, I'm a victim of media hype. If there were many big artists swinging carvin's around their necks and touting them, we probably wouldn't even have this discussion. I personally don't own a carvin guitar but I have a friend who does and it is made of some quality stuff (more than I can say for alot of other companies who rely on "perceived mojo" to sell their equipment. Did they really make better sounding guitars in the 50's and 60's? does it play better if it looks beat up?). I do have a tone navigator. May sell it on ebay. Have a 4x12 Leagacy cabinet that is built like a tank and sounds great! I don't care what my cab's got written on it, but my guitars headstock is another story. My test of musical equipment should really be: does it sound great to me and is it's value to me worth the price they're asking, but alas, my mind is clouded by media hype. I'm in love right now with my Mesa LSS, and the V3 doesn't look like my cup of tea. Based on my experince with the Tone Navigator, I really don't want to venture in the Carvin world of amps and don't need to. Just my 2 cents worth. :D
 
I owned a Carvin X60 combo amp years ago and it was top notch, very well built and sounded great, never should have sold it. If the new ones are built like that one was, then they are fine? On the other hand I owned a new DC150 guitar in about 2003 and I thought it was stiff and lifeless and the neck was way to thin for me. I think the double graphite rods they put in the neck may have something to do with that but not sure. Jack.
 
t0aj15, your rant really doesn't reflect well on you, to paraphrase....

My wife is a complete freakazoid *****! I've only re-married her four times though so I'm figuring it out.

Seriously, I just don't get how you hate their stuff and yet own that much of it? Did they hold you hostage?

I really like a couple of their guitars (the CT and the DC) but am mixed on their amps. To me, they are first and foremost a guitar company and they just don't so anything else as well. If they offered a better pickup selection on their guitars I think they'd have a lot of brands beat hands down.

I do own a Legacy, its a two trick pony (great cleans and great leads) the build quality is typical of middle to mid-lower end amps, so its no Mesa but to be fair it was a lot cheaper. I got it used for a song and am happy keeping it around for different flavors on recordings I do from time to time.
As my #1 amp? Not likely, but if it was I'd want two of them so if it farted out I'd have a spare.

-P
 
I guess I should say something here.

I have tried the Carvin stuff and do not care for the amps. The guitars can be nice but definitely lack in the electronics. Living in San Diego, with Carvin less than a mile from my dad's house would make things really convenient if I reeally dug their gear. I don't though they won't stop sending me their catalogs and advertising.

Basson is a few minutes from my door in Carlsbad. They too are sending me a bunch of stuff like offers and pricing lists. I want to go check out their cabinets. I have been hearing some good stuff on them. I might try out their stuff. I have yet to play their cabinets though as they are not in local shops. It would be nice to have them in my arsenal because they are local (the same thought I had about Carvin until I played their gear).

On that note, I feel that the Legacy is a so-so amp played by a phenomenal player. Of course it won't have incredible tone by itself. Vai uses effects and really only needed an amp that would be able to get the basic tone he needed. In fact I think it was more Carvin's wanting his endorsement more than him wanting theirs.

The JSX on the other hand is a tone machine with buckets of gain. I think Joe's amp purely outclasses Vai's. I am not a Peavey fan though I had a couple years ago and they do give bang for the buck. I was considering the JSX as a viable choice over the DR but I got the Mark IV instead. I still want a Recto but might still consider the JSX instead.
 
I listened to the clips and can't imagine buying the Carvin amp....very pedestrian sounding. If cost is a concern, buy a B-52 AT100...head or combo. The combo is on sale at GC for about $700.
BTW - features are not why I bought a Mesa, it's the tone. But tone is subjective and if you like the Carvin who am I to dissuade you!!

AsIAm666 said:
Well, it looks to me as if the DR has some competition. I was fully set on getting a DR, when I got the money....but now that the V3 is out....I'm sold. Its got pretty much the same features as the DR, if not more...and its half the price for a half stack. I priced mine out, and it came to $1576.44 including covers, MTS Slant Cab, footswitches and casters. The DR half stack would be about over $2700. PLUS, I get 10 days to try it out. I'm not putting down the DR or Mesa in general....I'm just saying...the DR has some fierce competition :twisted: :D :wink: http://www.carvin.com/products/group.php?CID=V3A P.S. - I'm not getting the V3 cab....I'm gonna get the MTS slant cab, same speakers, same specs, better looks, less money. :D
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