Carvin Vintage 16

PraiseCaster · April 30th, 2004, 03:13 AM

I'm thinking about getting a second amp, and the Carvin Vintage 16 really seems to appeal to me: I kinda have a thing for single channel tube, amps. And this one has the added bonus of being able to kick it down to 5 watts triode (versus 16 watts pentode).

I've read the hype about em, but I'd like too hear from you guy's.

Who's tried em? your thoughts: The good, the bad, or the ugly?

What would it be comparable too: a Champ?, Balck Face? Silver Face? Marshall? Vox?

Any reliability issues?

How's the speaker: The good, the bad, or the ugly?

Thanks guy's, your the best!

davetcan · April 30th, 2004, 09:59 AM

Well I love my Legacy and would put it up against anything out there, especially the clean channel, but I've never tried a V16 although the guys on the carvin bbs love them (they would be biased of course). They're a great bunch of guys why don't you ask their opinions http://apps.carvin.com/cgi-bin/ubbcg...?ubb=forum;f=8

Dave

PraiseCaster · April 30th, 2004, 09:30 PM

I guess no one has any experience with the Vintage 16. Bummer. I was hopin to get some other than Carvin approved feedback: like I said, they do hype it a lot, and that alway's makes me a lil worried, that I'm not hearing any good/bad/ugly info from a non-biased, opinion source.

Rob DiStefano · May 1st, 2004, 06:38 AM

It may be slightly biased, but check out the Carvin amp forum and search for Vintage 16. I've had more than a few Carvin tube amps and they were all useful tools.

These dayze, my "big" amp is a slightly modded Peavey Classic 30 and it's my only non-PTP guitar amp. Tone and versatility aside, that's the only issue I've got with modern-day tube amps - the build. Tubes and pots off a PC board, instead of chassis mounted components. YMMV.

BobB · May 1st, 2004, 10:57 AM

at the Carvin Store in Santa Ana.... some time ago.

Thought it would be cool. It was OK, sounded thin and raspy to me.... not much clean available.... it's not well made, but it is inexpensive.

My recommendations for small amp.

1. Fender Blues Jr. 15 watt nice sounding tube amp... cheap used, upgrade the speaker with a Weber Alnico for an inexpensive tone machine.
2. Univalve - Lots of fun... gain channel louder, not much clean volume. Lots of versatility.
3. ZVex Nanoamp.... I think it's called. Heard one, was amazed.... one of my next buys....

The other option is to buy a good attenuator.... I'd recommend Weber Mass. Take your great sounding larger rig, crank it up with the mass for household level tone.

Bob

Rob DiStefano · May 1st, 2004, 11:03 AM

I still think the absolute best value in small tube amps are the old Fenders - Champ, Musicmaster Bass, Princeton.

bluescube · May 1st, 2004, 11:35 AM

Pignose G40V. $220, bassman tube circiuit. there are mods out on the net for it too.

hippietim · May 2nd, 2004, 06:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davetcan

Well I love my Legacy and would put it up against anything out there, especially the clean channel, but I've never tried a V16 although the guys on the carvin bbs love them (they would be biased of course). They're a great bunch of guys why don't you ask their opinions http://apps.carvin.com/cgi-bin/ubbcg...?ubb=forum;f=8

Dave

I'm with you on the Legacy - that is a wonderful amp.

davetcan · May 2nd, 2004, 08:33 AM

Thanks Tim it really is a great amp. I've owned a lot of amps, all the usual suspects, and will probably buy a lot more, but I'll be keeping this one :)

Dave

bluescube · May 2nd, 2004, 08:45 AM

I did play thru the Vintage16 at the South East Carvin Jam. It is a nice amp. Will do blues rock jsut fine. Not a lot of clean headroom (i think it was on the 5 watt mode). Compared to my Roland BluesCube 30 2x10 I had there, I thought my Roland had more thump with the 2 10's and a better overdrive in the clean channel. I really wanted to like the Vintage16 and it is a good amp, but I was expecting it to be better than my solidstate Roland....but it seems Roland has a good tube emulator in my amp as the Roland sounded better to me. We also compared my Roland to a Laney VC30 2x10 tube combo and the Roland and Laney were about the same max volume (both 30 watts). The Roland had more high end bite and a flabbier low end. The Laney had more mids and tighter low end (more voxy). Back to the Carviins. The X100b was impressive in an old school tube amp style, the MTS is a good all around amp that has a more metal distortion than the X100b. There we no Legacy's , Nomads or Bel-airs there to hear :(

April 30th, 2004, 03:13 AM	#1 (permalink)
PraiseCaster Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Whittier, California Posts: 4,428 16 Photos	Carvin Vintage 16 I'm thinking about getting a second amp, and the Carvin Vintage 16 really seems to appeal to me: I kinda have a thing for single channel tube, amps. And this one has the added bonus of being able to kick it down to 5 watts triode (versus 16 watts pentode). I've read the hype about em, but I'd like too hear from you guy's. Who's tried em? your thoughts: The good, the bad, or the ugly? What would it be comparable too: a Champ?, Balck Face? Silver Face? Marshall? Vox? Any reliability issues? How's the speaker: The good, the bad, or the ugly? Thanks guy's, your the best! __________________ Later! PraiseCaster Visit Guitarists Praise and Worship Forum!! Dance Like David, MySpace

April 30th, 2004, 09:59 AM	#2 (permalink)
davetcan Tele-Meister Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: London, Ontario, Canada Posts: 248	Well I love my Legacy and would put it up against anything out there, especially the clean channel, but I've never tried a V16 although the guys on the carvin bbs love them (they would be biased of course). They're a great bunch of guys why don't you ask their opinions http://apps.carvin.com/cgi-bin/ubbcg...?ubb=forum;f=8 Dave __________________ Nice tone but a little more practice would help!

April 30th, 2004, 09:30 PM	#3 (permalink)
PraiseCaster Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Whittier, California Posts: 4,428 16 Photos	hmmm. I guess no one has any experience with the Vintage 16. Bummer. I was hopin to get some other than Carvin approved feedback: like I said, they do hype it a lot, and that alway's makes me a lil worried, that I'm not hearing any good/bad/ugly info from a non-biased, opinion source. __________________ Later! PraiseCaster Visit Guitarists Praise and Worship Forum!! Dance Like David, MySpace

May 1st, 2004, 10:57 AM	#5 (permalink)
BobB TDPRI Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Hudson Valley, NY Posts: 72	I tried one.... at the Carvin Store in Santa Ana.... some time ago. Thought it would be cool. It was OK, sounded thin and raspy to me.... not much clean available.... it's not well made, but it is inexpensive. My recommendations for small amp. 1. Fender Blues Jr. 15 watt nice sounding tube amp... cheap used, upgrade the speaker with a Weber Alnico for an inexpensive tone machine. 2. Univalve - Lots of fun... gain channel louder, not much clean volume. Lots of versatility. 3. ZVex Nanoamp.... I think it's called. Heard one, was amazed.... one of my next buys.... The other option is to buy a good attenuator.... I'd recommend Weber Mass. Take your great sounding larger rig, crank it up with the mass for household level tone. Bob

May 2nd, 2004, 08:33 AM	#9 (permalink)
davetcan Tele-Meister Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: London, Ontario, Canada Posts: 248	Thanks Tim it really is a great amp. I've owned a lot of amps, all the usual suspects, and will probably buy a lot more, but I'll be keeping this one :) Dave __________________ Nice tone but a little more practice would help!

May 1st, 2004, 06:38 AM	#4 (permalink)
Rob DiStefano Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Park Ridge, NJ Age: 63 Posts: 4,915	It may be slightly biased, but check out the Carvin amp forum and search for Vintage 16. I've had more than a few Carvin tube amps and they were all useful tools. These dayze, my "big" amp is a slightly modded Peavey Classic 30 and it's my only non-PTP guitar amp. Tone and versatility aside, that's the only issue I've got with modern-day tube amps - the build. Tubes and pots off a PC board, instead of chassis mounted components. YMMV.

May 1st, 2004, 11:03 AM	#6 (permalink)
Rob DiStefano Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Park Ridge, NJ Age: 63 Posts: 4,915	I still think the absolute best value in small tube amps are the old Fenders - Champ, Musicmaster Bass, Princeton.

May 1st, 2004, 11:35 AM	#7 (permalink)
bluescube Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Greensboro NC Age: 41 Posts: 1,071 6 Photos	Pignose G40V. $220, bassman tube circiuit. there are mods out on the net for it too.

May 2nd, 2004, 08:45 AM	#10 (permalink)
bluescube Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Greensboro NC Age: 41 Posts: 1,071 6 Photos	I did play thru the Vintage16 at the South East Carvin Jam. It is a nice amp. Will do blues rock jsut fine. Not a lot of clean headroom (i think it was on the 5 watt mode). Compared to my Roland BluesCube 30 2x10 I had there, I thought my Roland had more thump with the 2 10's and a better overdrive in the clean channel. I really wanted to like the Vintage16 and it is a good amp, but I was expecting it to be better than my solidstate Roland....but it seems Roland has a good tube emulator in my amp as the Roland sounded better to me. We also compared my Roland to a Laney VC30 2x10 tube combo and the Roland and Laney were about the same max volume (both 30 watts). The Roland had more high end bite and a flabbier low end. The Laney had more mids and tighter low end (more voxy). Back to the Carviins. The X100b was impressive in an old school tube amp style, the MTS is a good all around amp that has a more metal distortion than the X100b. There we no Legacy's , Nomads or Bel-airs there to hear :(