Newest addition, Carr Rambler

cacibi · February 15th, 2006, 11:45 PM

Just picked up one of these yesterday - what an amp. Great reverb - amazing tremolo...seems plenty loud so gigging should not be an issue; and most important - makes the Tele sound great.

johnnykf · February 16th, 2006, 06:29 AM

Checked one out at a local shop, one of the best clean tones ever, sort of like an old blackface, great reverb and trem. I couldn't jack it up to see how it grinds, just wondered how much overdrive you can get without a pedal, using vintage Tele or Strat pickups?
Was thinking about getting one and using an attenuator, wonder how that would work?

cacibi · February 16th, 2006, 07:55 AM

You have to crank it up pretty high to get any sort of breakup using single coils (I'm using SD Broadcasters). I'm used to this with my Fenders anyway and rely on pedals to add grit or overdrive. I wouldn't mind trying an attenuator on it, though. You might want to check out the Carr Mercury - you lose the tremolo - but you gain a built-in attenuator and a boost switch.

johnnykf · February 16th, 2006, 08:00 AM

The Merc looked pretty good to me with the attenuator feature, and reverb but there's none around here to try out. Just wondered how much clean headroom you have, need enough to keep up with a Deluxe Reverb usually on 5 or 6 and a loud drummer, usually smaller places.

cacibi · February 16th, 2006, 08:12 AM

Oh-yeah, it's got plenty of clean headroom. At least as much as a Deluxe.

Crazyquilt · February 16th, 2006, 11:06 AM

The Mercury -- 8w at full bore -- wouldn't be loud enough. The Rambler certainly would be. If you want a thicker tone, you can flip the pentode/triode switch & the amp will drop to 14w, much rounder, but also able to get a very good overdriven tone.

I think the Rambler I had must have been a dud. It just sounded harsh & bright to me, and that's totally different from anyone else's experience. If my amp tech hadn't said the same thing, I'd think I was nuts. (Well, ok, I am nuts anyway, but that's beside the point.) But we both thought my Princeton Reverb -- and the Mercury, for that matter -- killed the Rambler, tone-wise.

But I seem to be the only one, and Carr's are certainly very well-made amps, and Steve Carr stands behind his work 100% -- even if you aren't the original owner.

CancerLeoCam · February 16th, 2006, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crazyquilt

The Mercury -- 8w at full bore -- wouldn't be loud enough. The Rambler certainly would be. If you want a thicker tone, you can flip the pentode/triode switch & the amp will drop to 14w, much rounder, but also able to get a very good overdriven tone.

I think the Rambler I had must have been a dud. It just sounded harsh & bright to me, and that's totally different from anyone else's experience. If my amp tech hadn't said the same thing, I'd think I was nuts. (Well, ok, I am nuts anyway, but that's beside the point.) But we both thought my Princeton Reverb -- and the Mercury, for that matter -- killed the Rambler, tone-wise.

But I seem to be the only one, and Carr's are certainly very well-made amps, and Steve Carr stands behind his work 100% -- even if you aren't the original owner.

How could say the Rambler was a dud? Everyone wants one (so I've heard and read) and they've got a great tone. A PReverb better than a Carr? Hmmmm....maybe try a different speaker I s'pose. Well, you shouldn't have a problem getting your money back on the resale. Apparently they have one of the best value retention of amps on the market . Many people rave about 'em so it should be quite easy to get your cash back.

cacibi · February 16th, 2006, 01:24 PM

I always joke with my buddies that music stores have secret tricks that make everything sound great on the showroom floor - but you can never duplicate that tone when you get the gear home. 2nd day with my Carr and it is just shining. Pure vintage vibe, responds well to my pedals and - even though I usually prefer Alnicos - the stock ceramic sounds great. I love the fact that I can pop in new tubes without rebiasing as well.

My ONLY gripe so far is that for $2k - it should come with a footswitch for the vibrato.

TomK · February 16th, 2006, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cacibi

My ONLY gripe so far is that for $2k - it should come with a footswitch for the vibrato.

...and a roadie.

TwinReverb · February 16th, 2006, 02:03 PM

come with a footswitch for the tremelo/vibrato.....at least here in Holland they do. Maybe ask the shop about it?

cheers
Erik

cacibi · February 16th, 2006, 02:07 PM

Well I'll just have to pay a visit to the shop then...thanks!

dparel · February 16th, 2006, 11:11 PM

I almost bought a used SlantV and had the same exp. of wondering if this one was a dud. Esp. after reading all those rave reviews on it. It was harsh and bright when playing the B and E strings. Ouch. Just light playing was fine but dig in some and it was the most brittle and ice picky sound I'd ever heard. I was able to demo this at a gig and that's where I exp. all of this. Bedroom volumes it was fine. I wanted to like this amp and very dissapointed I didn't. It was exactly what I was looking for. From the reviews: great Fendery cleans with a Marshally overdrive. I may look into the Ramblers some more. I did play one next to another SlantV at a music store and it sounded warmer than the Slant. I just liked the higher wattage of the Slant also. The search goes on.......

skiraly017 · February 17th, 2006, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cacibi

My ONLY gripe so far is that for $2k - it should come with a footswitch for the vibrato.

Mine did. Check with the shop or email Steve Carr, he's a pleasure to deal with.

As for the Rambler, best money I have ever spent. It's made it through the honeymoon period and continues to get better every time I plug in.

cacibi · February 18th, 2006, 02:11 AM

Got to put the amp through its paces at practice tonight.

I still think it's an amazing amp - but I took a moment to think about what some folks mentioned here...about the amp being a bit harsh and bright. To my ears, the amp makes the differences in pickup selection a little more dramatic. My Bridge pickup does sound a touch brighter - but the middle and bridge positions sound much fuller. I think all in all this amp sounds much more 'focused' than my Fenders. That word kept popping into my head and is the best one I can think of to describe the sound of the amp. By comparison my Fenders sound looser and less defined.

The other observation I had is that this is the best sounding Reverb and Tremolo I've ever had in an amp. I love the verb in my Vibroking - especially the added control of the dwell and tone knobs - but this is without a doubt the best one-knob verb I've ever had in an amp.

Also plays well with my OD's (Barber Silver LTD and Digitech Bad Monkey right now).

Very happy with this purchase. This is a great, compact amp.

dparel · February 18th, 2006, 03:28 AM

That's the deal with the SlantV. When I switched to a brighter pickup the tone was terrible. ICE PICK in the ears. DEEP! But a neck pickup was nice. Not what I want for a $2k + amp.

TwinReverb · February 18th, 2006, 06:19 AM

some time to break in. Brand new speakers IMO never sound at their best. And need sometimes extended playing in time. My experience is that they will smooth out in the end.

cheers
Erik

PS
Reading about the Rambler on the Gearpage I found people using Weber speakers such as the 12A150-B (with light dope 50 w), Celestion G12 Century or Cannabis Rex (speaker swaps related to bass end response). I have no experience with these speakers though.

Crazyquilt · February 18th, 2006, 12:45 PM

I meant that my Rambler was a dud...not all of them! And, yes, I did get back what I paid for it. Could I have messed around with tube choices & speaker swaps? Yeah (although I'll note the amp wasn't new; the speaker was broken in.) Should I have? Maybe. Was it all in my head? Always an option. That being said, I couldn't have changed the SS rectifier for a real tube driven one.

However, the end result was this: I sold the Rambler right after I ordered my Swart Atomic Space Tone. I've never missed it. It just wasn't the right amp for me.

When my Swart came in, it was love at first strum. It's a totally different sound than the Rambler, and that is, apparently, what I wanted. Warmer, fatter, richer, with superb drive & trem, and a thick, swampy, sproingy reverb that blooms around the note without overwhelming it.

I'm not cacibi. Nowhere did I say that cacibi shouldn't have bought a Rambler, or that his experience was off base. I was actually quite put out that the Rambler wasn't what I wanted it to be, but it is what it is. As I said, I know many, many people love them, and I have only the deepest respect for Steve Carr.

So, that's how I can say that, perhaps, my Rambler was a "dud".

February 15th, 2006, 11:45 PM	#1 (permalink)
cacibi Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Seattle Posts: 1,747	Newest addition, Carr Rambler Just picked up one of these yesterday - what an amp. Great reverb - amazing tremolo...seems plenty loud so gigging should not be an issue; and most important - makes the Tele sound great. __________________ www.krisgeren.com

February 16th, 2006, 06:29 AM	#2 (permalink)
johnnykf Tele-Meister Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Twin Peaks. NY Age: 53 Posts: 493	Congrats! Checked one out at a local shop, one of the best clean tones ever, sort of like an old blackface, great reverb and trem. I couldn't jack it up to see how it grinds, just wondered how much overdrive you can get without a pedal, using vintage Tele or Strat pickups? Was thinking about getting one and using an attenuator, wonder how that would work?

February 16th, 2006, 07:55 AM	#3 (permalink)
cacibi Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Seattle Posts: 1,747	She's pretty clean..... You have to crank it up pretty high to get any sort of breakup using single coils (I'm using SD Broadcasters). I'm used to this with my Fenders anyway and rely on pedals to add grit or overdrive. I wouldn't mind trying an attenuator on it, though. You might want to check out the Carr Mercury - you lose the tremolo - but you gain a built-in attenuator and a boost switch. __________________ www.krisgeren.com

February 16th, 2006, 08:00 AM	#4 (permalink)
johnnykf Tele-Meister Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Twin Peaks. NY Age: 53 Posts: 493	Mercury The Merc looked pretty good to me with the attenuator feature, and reverb but there's none around here to try out. Just wondered how much clean headroom you have, need enough to keep up with a Deluxe Reverb usually on 5 or 6 and a loud drummer, usually smaller places.

February 16th, 2006, 08:12 AM	#5 (permalink)
cacibi Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Seattle Posts: 1,747	Oh-yeah, it's got plenty of clean headroom. At least as much as a Deluxe. __________________ www.krisgeren.com

February 16th, 2006, 11:06 AM	#6 (permalink)
Crazyquilt Tele-Meister Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 138	The Mercury -- 8w at full bore -- wouldn't be loud enough. The Rambler certainly would be. If you want a thicker tone, you can flip the pentode/triode switch & the amp will drop to 14w, much rounder, but also able to get a very good overdriven tone. I think the Rambler I had must have been a dud. It just sounded harsh & bright to me, and that's totally different from anyone else's experience. If my amp tech hadn't said the same thing, I'd think I was nuts. (Well, ok, I am nuts anyway, but that's beside the point.) But we both thought my Princeton Reverb -- and the Mercury, for that matter -- killed the Rambler, tone-wise. But I seem to be the only one, and Carr's are certainly very well-made amps, and Steve Carr stands behind his work 100% -- even if you aren't the original owner. __________________ "They say you can kill over 200 men & play a mean six string at the same time. That really true?" -- Six String Samurai

February 16th, 2006, 01:24 PM	#8 (permalink)
cacibi Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Seattle Posts: 1,747	I always joke with my buddies that music stores have secret tricks that make everything sound great on the showroom floor - but you can never duplicate that tone when you get the gear home. 2nd day with my Carr and it is just shining. Pure vintage vibe, responds well to my pedals and - even though I usually prefer Alnicos - the stock ceramic sounds great. I love the fact that I can pop in new tubes without rebiasing as well. My ONLY gripe so far is that for $2k - it should come with a footswitch for the vibrato. __________________ www.krisgeren.com

February 16th, 2006, 02:03 PM	#10 (permalink)
TwinReverb Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 477	it does come with a footswitch for the tremelo/vibrato.....at least here in Holland they do. Maybe ask the shop about it? cheers Erik

February 16th, 2006, 02:07 PM	#11 (permalink)
cacibi Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Seattle Posts: 1,747	Well I'll just have to pay a visit to the shop then...thanks! __________________ www.krisgeren.com

February 16th, 2006, 11:11 PM	#12 (permalink)
dparel TDPRI Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 71	Used SlantV I almost bought a used SlantV and had the same exp. of wondering if this one was a dud. Esp. after reading all those rave reviews on it. It was harsh and bright when playing the B and E strings. Ouch. Just light playing was fine but dig in some and it was the most brittle and ice picky sound I'd ever heard. I was able to demo this at a gig and that's where I exp. all of this. Bedroom volumes it was fine. I wanted to like this amp and very dissapointed I didn't. It was exactly what I was looking for. From the reviews: great Fendery cleans with a Marshally overdrive. I may look into the Ramblers some more. I did play one next to another SlantV at a music store and it sounded warmer than the Slant. I just liked the higher wattage of the Slant also. The search goes on.......

February 18th, 2006, 02:11 AM	#14 (permalink)
cacibi Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Seattle Posts: 1,747	1st Practice Got to put the amp through its paces at practice tonight. I still think it's an amazing amp - but I took a moment to think about what some folks mentioned here...about the amp being a bit harsh and bright. To my ears, the amp makes the differences in pickup selection a little more dramatic. My Bridge pickup does sound a touch brighter - but the middle and bridge positions sound much fuller. I think all in all this amp sounds much more 'focused' than my Fenders. That word kept popping into my head and is the best one I can think of to describe the sound of the amp. By comparison my Fenders sound looser and less defined. The other observation I had is that this is the best sounding Reverb and Tremolo I've ever had in an amp. I love the verb in my Vibroking - especially the added control of the dwell and tone knobs - but this is without a doubt the best one-knob verb I've ever had in an amp. Also plays well with my OD's (Barber Silver LTD and Digitech Bad Monkey right now). Very happy with this purchase. This is a great, compact amp. __________________ www.krisgeren.com

February 18th, 2006, 03:28 AM	#15 (permalink)
dparel TDPRI Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 71	Exactly That's the deal with the SlantV. When I switched to a brighter pickup the tone was terrible. ICE PICK in the ears. DEEP! But a neck pickup was nice. Not what I want for a $2k + amp.

February 18th, 2006, 06:19 AM	#16 (permalink)
TwinReverb Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 477	Give the speaker some time to break in. Brand new speakers IMO never sound at their best. And need sometimes extended playing in time. My experience is that they will smooth out in the end. cheers Erik PS Reading about the Rambler on the Gearpage I found people using Weber speakers such as the 12A150-B (with light dope 50 w), Celestion G12 Century or Cannabis Rex (speaker swaps related to bass end response). I have no experience with these speakers though.

February 18th, 2006, 12:45 PM	#17 (permalink)
Crazyquilt Tele-Meister Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 138	I meant that my Rambler was a dud...not all of them! And, yes, I did get back what I paid for it. Could I have messed around with tube choices & speaker swaps? Yeah (although I'll note the amp wasn't new; the speaker was broken in.) Should I have? Maybe. Was it all in my head? Always an option. That being said, I couldn't have changed the SS rectifier for a real tube driven one. However, the end result was this: I sold the Rambler right after I ordered my Swart Atomic Space Tone. I've never missed it. It just wasn't the right amp for me. When my Swart came in, it was love at first strum. It's a totally different sound than the Rambler, and that is, apparently, what I wanted. Warmer, fatter, richer, with superb drive & trem, and a thick, swampy, sproingy reverb that blooms around the note without overwhelming it. I'm not cacibi. Nowhere did I say that cacibi shouldn't have bought a Rambler, or that his experience was off base. I was actually quite put out that the Rambler wasn't what I wanted it to be, but it is what it is. As I said, I know many, many people love them, and I have only the deepest respect for Steve Carr. So, that's how I can say that, perhaps, my Rambler was a "dud". __________________ "They say you can kill over 200 men & play a mean six string at the same time. That really true?" -- Six String Samurai