chunktone
Active member
Seems to have some cool features, and seems like a great value. Anyone tried one?
Audioholic
New member
I owned a Carvin V3 and accompanying G12t-75 half stack.
Here is my experience based off of this setup. I think the V3's strength is higher gain stuff. I think it does a decent heavy distortion and lead, though I think kind of confused on what it is trying to be like. I really did NOT like this amp with light to mid gain, sounded harsh and chords did not form well sonically. Overall kind of a fizzy amp, specially with presence up anywhere past 2. The clean channel sounded kinda wierd to me, had this odd mid honk to it or something.
So I no longer own this amp. Though I sold it to a friend, who plays a carvin guitar, and with his pickups, the amp sounded much better then with my guitar. He got some better tones out of it, and was completly happy with the amp.
So, my main complaint was that the mid gain really wasn't pleasant, at least with my setup, harsh, fizzy, brittle. I don't think the cab helped in any sort of way in regards to pleasing tone. I am sure with a different cab at the time, I would of thought a little better of the amp.
Nice features in it though.
Here is my experience based off of this setup. I think the V3's strength is higher gain stuff. I think it does a decent heavy distortion and lead, though I think kind of confused on what it is trying to be like. I really did NOT like this amp with light to mid gain, sounded harsh and chords did not form well sonically. Overall kind of a fizzy amp, specially with presence up anywhere past 2. The clean channel sounded kinda wierd to me, had this odd mid honk to it or something.
So I no longer own this amp. Though I sold it to a friend, who plays a carvin guitar, and with his pickups, the amp sounded much better then with my guitar. He got some better tones out of it, and was completly happy with the amp.
So, my main complaint was that the mid gain really wasn't pleasant, at least with my setup, harsh, fizzy, brittle. I don't think the cab helped in any sort of way in regards to pleasing tone. I am sure with a different cab at the time, I would of thought a little better of the amp.
Nice features in it though.
roodboy
Well-known member
I had one for a year with the matching G12T75 cab. A ton of features but I fought the fizz and midgain tones as mentioned by the review above. However, just as I got rid of it I got a V-30 cab and it was big improvement. I might not have got rid of it if I had that cab all along. Wait a minute who am I kidding I would have got rid of it anyway because I'm a gearho.
BGG
Member
My mate has one and gigs with it, personally I don't like it, very harsh, bright and shrill 
sounds even worse next to the other guitarists DSL 
sounds even worse next to the other guitarists DSL
A
Anonymous
Guest
I had one for a minute...that is all 
Audioholic
New member
roodboy":184jh7rx said:I had one for a year with the matching G12T75 cab. A ton of features but I fought the fizz and midgain tones as mentioned by the review above. However, just as I got rid of it I got a V-30 cab and it was big improvement. I might not have got rid of it if I had that cab all along. Wait a minute who am I kidding I would have got rid of it anyway because I'm a gearho.
Yip, sounded better with V30's, and I also had a 2x12 with a mix of V30 and G12H30, sounded better through that, but still, nothing I regret selling in the least bit.
It took an all out tube replacement to get it more usable from the getco, and even still, harsh. Whatever you do, don't ask for opinions on the carvin forum, there you will most likely be told its the best amp ever... ha.
232cap
Well-known member
As Tonmaz would say poo poo.
70strathead
New member
yeah,...yuck!
tonmazz
New member
I had one until one channel blew out and I returned it. It sounded good if you like heavy modern metal. Lots of bottom but it doesn't compare to a good hot rodded Marshall. Someone referred to it as the poor man's Mesa and I think that was a good description looking back. 232cap is correct, overall Poopoo just on the reliability factor. Broke in two days for me.