does your foot switch work? because it seems the connection on mine is too small and i have to wiggle it to get it to work. and also, does your amp cuz out at high volumes? i want to know if this is a recurring problem
@desr2395 I've never had those problems on mine. Mine had just been serviced at Carvin when I bought it used so maybe thats why. The only problem I have is the preamp out has a buzz. Carvin told me theres a little cable in there I can re-route it away from the circuit board or something, but I don't use it so never bothered.
@TheUsed707 Did I answer this? It gets pretty loud before it breaks up any. It does start to get bit of a tube compression feel to it as you turn it up on clean, but I've never gotten much breakup. I'm sure it does, but it would be loud- too loud for a bar anyway.
Very nice tones all the way through. I love Fender amps but they aren't the HOLY GRAIL of the market. This thing here is lovely!! What's the going price 4 the Belair?
@Ibantar I forget what I paid for mine used. I think it was $350. You don't see them up for sale used. In fact, I don't think I have ever seen another one but you might find one on eBay.
They arent that much new, you can check them out at the carvin site - carvin (dot) com. I think they are $600-$700, something like that.
I bought a Belair 212 second hand about 3 weeks ago. It has just recently started to get much quieter after around 15mins of playing at low volumes. Is this normal? It gets hot but not burning hot. Is this a tube problem or some thing more complex? Please help me! Thanks
The Classic 50 has a cool Marshall-ish crunch that this one cant do. The clean channel on the Belair is better than the Classic 50- more shimmery and just nice.
@Nordland796 I'm not sure if we're talking the same thing. It's got a clean channel with only one volume, and a lead channel with a master volume.
My Peavey Classic 50 has this, plus an overall volume that controls the volume of both channels. This makes it easier for quick adjustments on stage. I got used to that, but I think most amps dont have that.
Sounds great. Have you had to have it serviced yet? I have their acoustic amp, and it's been tough getting it worked on because Carvin doesn't want to give out the scematics to anyone, which leaves you faced with sending it all the way to California to get it fixed. The shipping is nutty expensive. I like the amp, but if I had it to do over again, I would get something else.
@gmdinformation There was an invoice in the back of the amp when I bought it. The guy I got it from recently had it retubed and a new pot or something. It was really expensive. More than a local shop and add in shipping both ways I can see how that would be a problem. I had a Carvin bass amp that I took to a shop and the guy fixed it. Maybe he didnt need a schematic. Stubbyfex in Denver. Noel is awesome.
@coronet67 Most of what I've seen from Carvin has been high quality at a good price, but knowing what I do now about the problems with getting schematics from them, I could only recommend their stuff to people who live in Southern California. I've heard though that they're getting better about sending out these schematics, at least on older gear. Someone told me that they still won't send them out with their late model amps etc. I guess they're afraid of people stealing their designs. Oh well...
Hopefully I wont have any big problems. I used my bass head for like 15 years and it was 20 years old and I only had one time in the shop. Now days I would fix something like that myself. It was just a bad pot.
@sthugh I was just on the Carvin site and they have a new section where you can download what appears to be schematics for all of their amps. The Belair is on there. On the schematic it's called the "Vintage 50" because that covers the head version as well.
@coronet67 I do hope they're ALL listed now. It used to be that the newer models weren't. Maybe enough guys complained until they finally wised up. Some of their vintage sounding amps (Fender) are really much better than modern Fenders at half the price. The only other amps out there in that price range are the Peavey Classic 30/50 which are also very good, and both companies have managed to avoid that icepick to the brain treble that the late model Fenders have (excluding the Super Champ XD).
Hey, I know you said it can't do Metallica, but I wanted to know if you could get a good chugging sound out of the amp for heavier sounds? I mean, i'm mostly going to use the amp for clean/indie stuff and maybe some overdriven blues rock, but can it do metal? I'm not saying if it wasn't made for it, but if I wanted it, and got a boost pedal or something, could I get a good chugging sound for metal out of it?
@punkmusicmetal With the right pedal yeah. also, you can bypas the preamp and plug a POD or something like that into the effects return. I tried it the other day and got some thick tones like that.
@coronet67 I'm really thinking of getting this amp. If you say it can do what it can do, I think I'm sold. Its like 650 or something on the site for the sale ones... This such a great amp for this kind of price.... It's kind of ridiculous because I knew these amps existed listening to stuff like Jason Becker, Steve Vai, etc, but never relaly looked into it until now...
@punkmusicmetal I would say it you could get a metal sound out of it with using the right pedals, but you wouldnt get good chug out of it as its an open back cabinet
You can use an active volume pedal in the EFX loop to get a master volume. I usually do this with different amps and it works good. I prefer the Visual Sound volume pedal because I can see my settings thanks to the leds. However, I really like your sounds.
@marxho When I made this video, I was used to a Marshall crunch, pedals on a clean amp, etc, but I wasnt really used to the sort of crunch you get from the Belair. I have come to like it though. I still use pedals, but I use the lead channel as another pedal almost. It does sound like an overdrive pedal built in I think.
I own a Bel Air as well, and use a X100B at church twice weekly for the past 2 years. I prefer the Bel Air, it's clean channel is warmer sounding, more wholesome, and it has a really nice treble edge, especially with the presence control on the clean channel. For 50 watts it is louder from 1-10 than the X100B at every equal stage. This amp is usually kept at vol 2 both for practice and small gigs, it that good. It doesn't break up at vol 10. It works well with pedals on either channel. Goldmine!
@judahblive Yeah, it's a keeperIf I only had one amp, this would be it, of what I have anyway. I think I might like a Mesa Lonestar or something, but they are pricey.
I wished they made this in a 75 or 100W. I'm using their XB100 and it's great but recently I've played in a lot of bands that rather I play the cleaner tones with no to little distorion.
The X100B has nice clean tones, but I perfer to use it at 100 watts for best sound quality all around, however I'm not playing it through a very good cabinet. I recently bought a used Carvin Vt50 playing it through a legacy with 2 12in celestons and it sounds incredible!
I watched your peavey Classic 50 demo also. Which amp do you like better? Based on your demos, I thought the Peavey sound had a lot more character, and high mid sheen, especially clean. Same guitar on both? Ive got a Nomad coming, but now wonder if Peavey classic would have been better choice. Thanks
Th Carvin has a better clean. It's got the best clean I've heard on an amp so far. Sort of Fenderish but more open and nice. The Classic 50 nails the classic rock distortion. Thats it's thing and it does it well. Sounds like AC/DC and all that.
I'd say the Belair is a better amp and more versatile, but you will probably want to use pedals. It does take pedals well.
I really like it with pedals, but thats my opinion. My videos with pedals are all using this BelAir on the clean channel.
I dont know if it breaks up on the clean channel. I assume it does, but it would be louder than I've ever used it. It's very loud. It woul dhave to be a very loud gig or something outdoors.
Like 2 or 3 maybe. It's pretty loud. 50 tube watts of clean tone, sort of like a Twin.
I used to play an old 100 watt Marshall JMP and it sort of sucked because for a bar or club I would have to carefully turn it to like 1. A hair too far and it was too loud.
Yeah. I used it for a gig last weekend. I took a delay, compression an overdrive pedals. The clean channel with compression and delay was really sounding good.
Great tone.
venusheavy 2 months ago
about a year and a half i bought the carvin x100b halfstack kinda wish i got this instead though:( oh hell ill just save up and get this one too haha
danidanger1987 5 months ago
great amp. i want one myself.
chumanjames 7 months ago
does your foot switch work? because it seems the connection on mine is too small and i have to wiggle it to get it to work. and also, does your amp cuz out at high volumes? i want to know if this is a recurring problem
desr2395 11 months ago
@desr2395 I've never had those problems on mine. Mine had just been serviced at Carvin when I bought it used so maybe thats why. The only problem I have is the preamp out has a buzz. Carvin told me theres a little cable in there I can re-route it away from the circuit board or something, but I don't use it so never bothered.
coronet67 11 months ago
hey, does the clean channel break up at high volumes?
TheUsed707 11 months ago
@TheUsed707 Did I answer this? It gets pretty loud before it breaks up any. It does start to get bit of a tube compression feel to it as you turn it up on clean, but I've never gotten much breakup. I'm sure it does, but it would be loud- too loud for a bar anyway.
coronet67 8 months ago
@coronet67 I bought one since commentin on the vid :) I like it alot!
TheUsed707 8 months ago
@TheUsed707 Right on
coronet67 8 months ago
wow, sounds great to me, most amps sound crappy! But this maintains its coolness! Very Nice!
trevinor3 1 year ago
holly shit nice distortion
MrArsenioOro 1 year ago
Very nice tones all the way through. I love Fender amps but they aren't the HOLY GRAIL of the market. This thing here is lovely!! What's the going price 4 the Belair?
Ibantar 1 year ago
@Ibantar I forget what I paid for mine used. I think it was $350. You don't see them up for sale used. In fact, I don't think I have ever seen another one but you might find one on eBay.
They arent that much new, you can check them out at the carvin site - carvin (dot) com. I think they are $600-$700, something like that.
coronet67 1 year ago
I bought a Belair 212 second hand about 3 weeks ago. It has just recently started to get much quieter after around 15mins of playing at low volumes. Is this normal? It gets hot but not burning hot. Is this a tube problem or some thing more complex? Please help me! Thanks
ACDCHighVolts 1 year ago
@ACDCHighVolts Hmm. I'm not really an amp tech. It could be a tube going bad I guess.
Sometimes when they go bad they will glow brighter. If one tube is brighter than the other one that can be a sign.
coronet67 1 year ago
@ACDCHighVolts Yup, sounds like you need some new tubes there buddy and spend a few bucks for some good ones, this amp is worth the extra TLC.
greekpapi 9 months ago
@peppedeleo Yes. It's like a Fender Twin with more sparkle.
coronet67 1 year ago
This thing is a tonal beast !! WoW
mlmr11 1 year ago
I have a 1975 Peavey Vintage 100 watt tweed tube amp....its road worn...but it still sounds good.
Nordland796 1 year ago
Beautiful amp.....does it sound similar to the peavey classic?
Nordland796 1 year ago
@Nordland796 Not really.
The Classic 50 has a cool Marshall-ish crunch that this one cant do. The clean channel on the Belair is better than the Classic 50- more shimmery and just nice.
coronet67 1 year ago
Volume n Master volume...like the Peavey classic 50
Nordland796 1 year ago
No master volume...what a stupid thing to leave out on an otherwise beautiful amp.....I supposed its not really a 2 channel amp?
Does it have a tube pre-amp?
Nordland796 1 year ago
@Nordland796 I'm not sure if we're talking the same thing. It's got a clean channel with only one volume, and a lead channel with a master volume.
My Peavey Classic 50 has this, plus an overall volume that controls the volume of both channels. This makes it easier for quick adjustments on stage. I got used to that, but I think most amps dont have that.
coronet67 1 year ago
I am gmdinformation by the way. I was signed in with my music account. Sorry about that.
sthugh 1 year ago
Sounds great. Have you had to have it serviced yet? I have their acoustic amp, and it's been tough getting it worked on because Carvin doesn't want to give out the scematics to anyone, which leaves you faced with sending it all the way to California to get it fixed. The shipping is nutty expensive. I like the amp, but if I had it to do over again, I would get something else.
gmdinformation 1 year ago
@gmdinformation There was an invoice in the back of the amp when I bought it. The guy I got it from recently had it retubed and a new pot or something. It was really expensive. More than a local shop and add in shipping both ways I can see how that would be a problem. I had a Carvin bass amp that I took to a shop and the guy fixed it. Maybe he didnt need a schematic. Stubbyfex in Denver. Noel is awesome.
coronet67 1 year ago
@coronet67 Most of what I've seen from Carvin has been high quality at a good price, but knowing what I do now about the problems with getting schematics from them, I could only recommend their stuff to people who live in Southern California. I've heard though that they're getting better about sending out these schematics, at least on older gear. Someone told me that they still won't send them out with their late model amps etc. I guess they're afraid of people stealing their designs. Oh well...
sthugh 1 year ago
@sthugh Makes sense.
Hopefully I wont have any big problems. I used my bass head for like 15 years and it was 20 years old and I only had one time in the shop. Now days I would fix something like that myself. It was just a bad pot.
coronet67 1 year ago
@sthugh I was just on the Carvin site and they have a new section where you can download what appears to be schematics for all of their amps. The Belair is on there. On the schematic it's called the "Vintage 50" because that covers the head version as well.
coronet67 1 year ago
@coronet67 I do hope they're ALL listed now. It used to be that the newer models weren't. Maybe enough guys complained until they finally wised up. Some of their vintage sounding amps (Fender) are really much better than modern Fenders at half the price. The only other amps out there in that price range are the Peavey Classic 30/50 which are also very good, and both companies have managed to avoid that icepick to the brain treble that the late model Fenders have (excluding the Super Champ XD).
sthugh 1 year ago
Hey, I know you said it can't do Metallica, but I wanted to know if you could get a good chugging sound out of the amp for heavier sounds? I mean, i'm mostly going to use the amp for clean/indie stuff and maybe some overdriven blues rock, but can it do metal? I'm not saying if it wasn't made for it, but if I wanted it, and got a boost pedal or something, could I get a good chugging sound for metal out of it?
punkmusicmetal 1 year ago
@punkmusicmetal With the right pedal yeah. also, you can bypas the preamp and plug a POD or something like that into the effects return. I tried it the other day and got some thick tones like that.
coronet67 1 year ago
@coronet67 I'm really thinking of getting this amp. If you say it can do what it can do, I think I'm sold. Its like 650 or something on the site for the sale ones... This such a great amp for this kind of price.... It's kind of ridiculous because I knew these amps existed listening to stuff like Jason Becker, Steve Vai, etc, but never relaly looked into it until now...
punkmusicmetal 1 year ago
@punkmusicmetal Check out the X100B.
coronet67 1 year ago
@punkmusicmetal I would say it you could get a metal sound out of it with using the right pedals, but you wouldnt get good chug out of it as its an open back cabinet
idol2984 1 year ago
whoa.... All this for under 700 on sale? jeez...
punkmusicmetal 1 year ago
Very nice sounding video. I really like the sound of this amp and its made in the old US of A too.
purplejaybird 1 year ago
You can use an active volume pedal in the EFX loop to get a master volume. I usually do this with different amps and it works good. I prefer the Visual Sound volume pedal because I can see my settings thanks to the leds. However, I really like your sounds.
jp6l6 1 year ago
This is great!! nice tone
jevanski69 1 year ago
Lead channel sounds great!
marxho 1 year ago
@marxho When I made this video, I was used to a Marshall crunch, pedals on a clean amp, etc, but I wasnt really used to the sort of crunch you get from the Belair. I have come to like it though. I still use pedals, but I use the lead channel as another pedal almost. It does sound like an overdrive pedal built in I think.
coronet67 1 year ago
I own a Bel Air as well, and use a X100B at church twice weekly for the past 2 years. I prefer the Bel Air, it's clean channel is warmer sounding, more wholesome, and it has a really nice treble edge, especially with the presence control on the clean channel. For 50 watts it is louder from 1-10 than the X100B at every equal stage. This amp is usually kept at vol 2 both for practice and small gigs, it that good. It doesn't break up at vol 10. It works well with pedals on either channel. Goldmine!
judahblive 1 year ago
@judahblive Yeah, it's a keeperIf I only had one amp, this would be it, of what I have anyway. I think I might like a Mesa Lonestar or something, but they are pricey.
I havent needed to go above 3 or so.
coronet67 1 year ago
what kind of guitar is this? and also, what pickup position?
octoberguitaru2 1 year ago
@octoberguitaru2
I think it's the humbucker in a H/S/S USA Strat from the early 90s
coronet67 1 year ago
@coronet67 that sounds about right
octoberguitaru2 1 year ago
what kind of guitar is this? and also, what pickup position?
octoberguitaru2 1 year ago
what kind of guitar is this? and also, what pickup position?
octoberguitaru2 1 year ago
wow.. sounds quite awesome! why's everybody bitchin on the lead sound? i love it, but maybe thats just me..
nuclearguru69 1 year ago 6
@nuclearguru69 I've got the amp, and I prefer the Soak channel over the Clean channel :p... So it's a matter of taste :-)
Gitarmorten 1 year ago
@Gitarmorten Yeah, It's not bad. I've been using it with the soak set low and it's pretty good. It's not a Marshall, but it;s not supposed to be,
coronet67 1 year ago
Hey, thanks for the demo, and good playing... I am getting one, soon...
Paulskirocks 2 years ago
getting this
nickfromdtown1992 2 years ago
how are these for a The Edge/U2 Ac30 sound?
octoberguitaru2 2 years ago
@octoberguitaru2
I think it would be pretty good. Throw some compressiona and delay on there, it takes pedals well
coronet67 2 years ago
yeah, sweet
octoberguitaru2 2 years ago
iI use it everitime!
Carvine vintage tube combo has fantastic sound!
It works with Russian tubes "Sovtec"!
strut73 2 years ago
Not a bad sounding amp, at a much lower price than a Marshall, or Mesa-Boogie. You need to dial it in, no big deal tho.
4JayeP 2 years ago
I had an JCM900. I would say the clean on the Belair is much better, but you of course dont get that Marshall gain.
The lead channel on the Belair is so-so.
coronet67 2 years ago
I just found one on craigslist for 300. I might be replacing my fender ultimate chorus with it.
SonofaBritishman 2 years ago
keep an eye on Carvin's Ebay store. I just bought a brand new one for $525. It goes for $649 on their store site.
bluzax 2 years ago
I bought one used for around 300 some months back! Near mint, just some rust around the crome buckels.
superstringbender 2 years ago
I WANT THIS AMP!
eatthemoon13 2 years ago
That is a sweet amp. At level 2 and still the high notes are chimey and the bass notes well defined and punchy .
That there is a winner indeed. CHEERS!!
lmm166 2 years ago
I wished they made this in a 75 or 100W. I'm using their XB100 and it's great but recently I've played in a lot of bands that rather I play the cleaner tones with no to little distorion.
superstringbender 2 years ago
How are the cleans on the X100B, especially at 25 & 50 watts?
nothingisgreener 2 years ago
The X100B has nice clean tones, but I perfer to use it at 100 watts for best sound quality all around, however I'm not playing it through a very good cabinet. I recently bought a used Carvin Vt50 playing it through a legacy with 2 12in celestons and it sounds incredible!
superstringbender 2 years ago
wow this is a really nice amp. i have the xv 212 from the 90's which actually sounds a lot like this.
1337pwnGuitarJesus 2 years ago
I think they re-use the same circuits or something. It has an exceptional clean channel.
coronet67 2 years ago
I have the 100w Stagemaster with the black fuzzy covering which came out with this amp. It has served me well over the years, I love my Carvin!
firebird116 2 years ago
Yeah, Carvin makes good stuff. I've had an old bass head of theirs from the 70's since the early 90's and it sounds great.
The Belair with the Bluetube in the effects loop is my fav amp right now.
coronet67 2 years ago
I watched your peavey Classic 50 demo also. Which amp do you like better? Based on your demos, I thought the Peavey sound had a lot more character, and high mid sheen, especially clean. Same guitar on both? Ive got a Nomad coming, but now wonder if Peavey classic would have been better choice. Thanks
sid9170 2 years ago
Th Carvin has a better clean. It's got the best clean I've heard on an amp so far. Sort of Fenderish but more open and nice. The Classic 50 nails the classic rock distortion. Thats it's thing and it does it well. Sounds like AC/DC and all that.
I'd say the Belair is a better amp and more versatile, but you will probably want to use pedals. It does take pedals well.
coronet67 2 years ago
yea these things are loud as hell
bsabbath55 2 years ago
that's a nice sounding amp!
if you turned it up to 10 do you think you could dry your hair with it? ;)
lustreboy 2 years ago
A few questions.
1.Does this clean channel take pedals well? My vibrolux reverb sounds good clean too, but sounds aweful with pedals.
2.Does the clean channel start to break up at a certain volume?
scribbydibbydoo 2 years ago
I really like it with pedals, but thats my opinion. My videos with pedals are all using this BelAir on the clean channel.
I dont know if it breaks up on the clean channel. I assume it does, but it would be louder than I've ever used it. It's very loud. It woul dhave to be a very loud gig or something outdoors.
coronet67 2 years ago
thanks. how far do you usually turn it up?
scribbydibbydoo 2 years ago
Like 2 or 3 maybe. It's pretty loud. 50 tube watts of clean tone, sort of like a Twin.
I used to play an old 100 watt Marshall JMP and it sort of sucked because for a bar or club I would have to carefully turn it to like 1. A hair too far and it was too loud.
coronet67 2 years ago
killer tone dude, I like it!
trevinor3 2 years ago 2
Yeah. I used it for a gig last weekend. I took a delay, compression an overdrive pedals. The clean channel with compression and delay was really sounding good.
coronet67 2 years ago
They use poplar for the cabinet, which is really nice.
TheDistortionist 2 years ago
nice demo, what guitar are you using?
poseidon9447 2 years ago
It's a strat with a humbucker in the bridge and two single coils. I'm using a few positions, bridge, neck, neck/middle etc.
coronet67 2 years ago