Carvin X100B

ashesofphoenix

ashesofphoenix

New member
Has anyone used one or owned one? I just picked one up on CL for $300 a few months ago and I really just want to know more about it. I love the clean tone, but I really suck at dialing in tone because I've never really been taught how to do it. Mine is early 80's with 4 6L6GC power tubes and 3 12AX7's in the Pre-amp. Im running through an Avatar 4x12 with Eminence Legends Speakers if that helps any. Also I dont think this has an effects loop, but it does have a slave and slave out and I have no idea what that means. This is my first Tube Head and I wanna get a nice full sound with it. Help?!?!?! :doh:
 
I had one a long time ago. Mine had a factory modded EQ section. Also had a Dan Torres mod on it.When dialing it in, shut the graphic off and get as close as you can with out it then turn it on and tweak it. The bass mid and treble knobs all do alot so start at 12:00 and make small corrections. I ran mine near flat. Bass at noon , mid at 11:00 and treb at 11:00. salt and pepper everthing else. Then did minor moves on the GEQ. Didnt like the bright on the lead ch. very harsh
 
I had one of the newer re-issues with EL34s in it. Very good, inexpensive tube amp. Having the ability to switch between 25, 50 and 100w is a really cool and useful feature, however, the boost was garbage on it. Like stated above, start out flat, tweak your knob eq section first, then tweak even more with the sliders. You should be able to get some great tones out of that thing. Just take your time with it.
 
I had one. An old one with the tolex before they were carpeted. I wish I still had it. Alas, I had my Carvin x100b before I knew anything about tone and have no guidance for you, the OP on how to dial the thing. Welcome to the wonderful world of 100 watts of tube goodness. Exploring and finding what sounds good to you is part of the fun. :rock:
 
i have an x 60 head. the first thing that you should know about these amps is that their tone controls are active. that means that you start with all the dials set at five and the graphic eq set flat and add or subtract from there. the graphic is selectable. you want to set the graphic eq switch to the lead channel. since the tone controls are active they won't respond the way a typical amp does. a little bit of tweaking goes a long way.. so make small eq adjustments. you will also find that the master volume control doesn't work on the rhythm channel. that is normal. on this amp the master volume is for the lead channel only. the rhythm channel has it's own level control. hope that helps you get started. i've had my x 60 for a few years now. these are some really fun amps to own. i've kept mine because it's really versatile.. takes pedals well.. and is fun to play through.
 
So I just put new 6L6s in the Carvin and Im having a ton of fun tweaking the settings, 2 things: 1) I need 12ax7's who uses/likes what? 2) I've been interested in using an attenuator to help with playing at lower volumes. The X100B doesn't have an effects loop, how would I use one with this and does anyone know of any inexpensive ones that I should look at? someone locally told me to check out the suck knobs on ebay... but i figured you fine people will know better than my idiot friend haha.
 
i have been using a weber minimass with my 1987 x100b.it was 130$ with the cable.i am putting it up for sale pm if interested.
 
I love mine. I have had for 22 years. Mine is the first conversion to EL34 with the Hot Rod mod. It is vinyl and was even built with the 6L6 chassis, they put little EL 34 stickers over the 6L6. This is really a nice amp with so many features for that time. This thing does have a good clean channel, but not as great as my PT100. I feel you got a good deal. I have been looking for an early 80s. I do have a cab from the early 80s, but I need to load it up. I have gone on the Carvin forum, but I find if you do not have a million post or use Carvin exclusively, responses are rare.
 
MARK1970":1gswdvkl said:
I love mine. I have had for 22 years. Mine is the first conversion to EL34 with the Hot Rod mod. It is vinyl and was even built with the 6L6 chassis, they put little EL 34 stickers over the 6L6. This is really a nice amp with so many features for that time. This thing does have a good clean channel, but not as great as my PT100. I feel you got a good deal. I have been looking for an early 80s. I do have a cab from the early 80s, but I need to load it up. I have gone on the Carvin forum, but I find if you do not have a million post or use Carvin exclusively, responses are rare.
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I definately hear ya on that one haha. Mine is the original, pre carpet covered head. Its got a great tone for a lot of different styles, and it takes pedals really well, and reverb is amazing!! What are you looking to put in the cab??? I just bought my Avatar 4X12 (stereo) with the Em. Legends in it and it sounds great. My only concern is trying to find a footswitch!!! The one needed is the FS-35 which has two 1/4inch jacks instead of the XLR that came later. These things are no where!!!
 
I had an 89' fuzzy x-110b 6l6 beautiful cleans I modded the shit out of it I don't remember all the work put into it the EQ is very touchy It will take a while to dial in power scale was never heard of at the time that amp came out and now look where we are I'll be honest never really bonded well with it paid 300 for it it does not bring the brutalz very well on its own everyone says the DS-1 goes well with amp so I bought one and tried it still did not do it for me but each person has a bonding point with amps.
 
gtrplr71":b4p1jp38 said:
I had an 89' fuzzy x-110b 6l6 beautiful cleans I modded the shit out of it I don't remember all the work put into it the EQ is very touchy It will take a while to dial in power scale was never heard of at the time that amp came out and now look where we are I'll be honest never really bonded well with it paid 300 for it it does not bring the brutalz very well on its own everyone says the DS-1 goes well with amp so I bought one and tried it still did not do it for me but each person has a bonding point with amps.
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I use a bunch a pedals with it, havin a hard time dialin in a good tone, but im getting pretty close since i added a GE-7 in my chain and leave it on at all times haha. I love carvin stuff, I just wish I had the cash for a V3, i think it would be more my style, but the Vai song Blue Powder was done on the X100B and the sound is awesome.
 
order a suhr riot sickest pedal made pricey but it is a jaw dropper! carvin is an aquired taste. what style of music do you play?
 
gtrplr71":2jf1ft7h said:
order a suhr riot sickest pedal made pricey but it is a jaw dropper! carvin is an aquired taste. what style of music do you play?
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Mainly heavy stuff, Hard rock to metal. Really diggin the Periphery sound. I use the amp as a clean one channel at the moment get all my distortions out of pedals. I was in a budget of $300 bucks for a new head, I had to get rid of the Marshall MG I had, GASn for tubes. I got this for exactly $300. Love my Avatar cab, but I'd really like either a V3, Mark IV, maybe a Recto, 5150, hell even a XXX. Im just so broke. But I make it work with what I have, maybe one day I'll have cash to toss around and get a Herbert or something :D . The only way Iget close to the tone I want is by using the EQ on the head and a Boss GE-7. No one ever taught me how to do any of this studd some im learning by trial and error and reading this forum about 20x a day lol
 
ashesofphoenix":1xqg24mm said:
MARK1970":1xqg24mm said:
I love mine. I have had for 22 years. Mine is the first conversion to EL34 with the Hot Rod mod. It is vinyl and was even built with the 6L6 chassis, they put little EL 34 stickers over the 6L6. This is really a nice amp with so many features for that time. This thing does have a good clean channel, but not as great as my PT100. I feel you got a good deal. I have been looking for an early 80s. I do have a cab from the early 80s, but I need to load it up. I have gone on the Carvin forum, but I find if you do not have a million post or use Carvin exclusively, responses are rare.
Click to expand...

I definately hear ya on that one haha. Mine is the original, pre carpet covered head. Its got a great tone for a lot of different styles, and it takes pedals really well, and reverb is amazing!! What are you looking to put in the cab??? I just bought my Avatar 4X12 (stereo) with the Em. Legends in it and it sounds great. My only concern is trying to find a footswitch!!! The one needed is the FS-35 which has two 1/4inch jacks instead of the XLR that came later. These things are no where!!!
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Not exactly sure about the speakers. I think I read somewhere they had greenbacks. Carvin change their speakers every couple of years. The speakers in it when I got it were celestions. I cannot recall the model, but I still have them in the garage.
 
MARK1970":23183u9j said:
Not exactly sure about the speakers. I think I read somewhere they had greenbacks. Carvin change their speakers every couple of years. The speakers in it when I got it were celestions. I cannot recall the model, but I still have them in the garage.
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Thats cool that you still have them. Greenbacks have a nice tone, but you can't get away from the V30's. Im happy with the Legends I have now but one day I'd like to get and ENGL Pro Cab with V30's. A friend of mine uses the Carvin Legacy cabs and he couldn't be happier with it. I love my Avatar cause its a 4X12 stereo but a ton lighter than some of the other cabs ive used like 1960A, Mesa Recto, and as my own roadie I appreciate that lol.
 
yeti":2hopze61 said:
http://cincinnati.craigslist.org/msg/2052100640.html

footswitch if you need it
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Thanks for the look out, this pedal is for the reissue with the 4 pin XLR cable, the one I need actually has two 1/4 inch jacks that go into the head and looks pretty ancient lol. Voodooman makes one, looks like this but is $80, a bit too steep for my blood.
 

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