Carvin V3 Midi Setup Tutorial
I've been looking at finally making a good go at tube amps, but my very specific list of desired features really limited me in what I wanted to buy.well, I think I've found the answer to my problems; the Carvin V3M Micro head. It's a three channel, 50 watt, master volume, high gain amp with reverb. That literally hits all the points I was looking for in an amp, and Carvin has a package, you get the head, a 212 Carvin speaker cabinet and a Carvin Speaker cable for $900.00.that sounds pretty fantastic to me. That all being said, I'm finding it hard to find much on these amps reliability wise and such, so, if anyone out there has any experience with these amps and can help me out, please let me know. I had the V3 combo when it first came out. Didn't love, just liked it and was real good for gigging and the music I played.
Traded it and $200 for a Gibson SG 61 RI and went back to Marshalls. Anyhow, fast forward to June of this year when I got an itch to try out the V3M and 2x12 cab after reading a couple reviews and listening to some Youtube clips. Figured I'd take advantage of Carvins 10 day (should be 30.hello Carvin?) no questions asked return policy and the price was right.I've never packed up an amp so quickly after playing for 20 - 30 minutes. I normally spend at least a couple weeks with an amp, take it to practice, etc. But this was just not my cup of tea. Cleans were nice, but couldnt get a good distortion sound out of it at all.Worse yet, cost me $120 to send back to Carvin from the East coastSo much for that. I had the V3 combo when it first came out.
Didn't love, just liked it and was real good for gigging and the music I played. Traded it and $200 for a Gibson SG 61 RI and went back to Marshalls.
Anyhow, fast forward to June of this year when I got an itch to try out the V3M and 2x12 cab after reading a couple reviews and listening to some Youtube clips. Figured I'd take advantage of Carvins 10 day (should be 30.hello Carvin?) no questions asked return policy and the price was right.I've never packed up an amp so quickly after playing for 20 - 30 minutes.
I normally spend at least a couple weeks with an amp, take it to practice, etc. But this was just not my cup of tea.
Cleans were nice, but couldnt get a good distortion sound out of it at all.Worse yet, cost me $120 to send back to Carvin from the East coastSo much for that. My issue with the amp is it has too much gain on channel 2. I can deal with it but it's still not quite what I'm looking for in the mid gain area. Always on the verge of too much.
My ex-Classic 30 actually did this a little better. I have another practice this weekend so I'll be giving it another go. Like I said I generally like it but I'm not 100% sold either.
I see guys hating them or loving them. I don't quite fit into either camp. I probably would have sent it back but I wasn't sure I wanted to and waited too long. Right now it's serving it's purpose and doing a good job. I'm not a metal guy so a lot of gain is not a prerequisite for me.
The upside is the versatility and it sits in the mix well. I like the lead boost funtion also. If channel 2 sounded like the Mesa TA 15 top boost mode gained out I would be estatic.
My issue with the amp is it has too much gain on channel 2. I can deal with it but it's still not quite what I'm looking for in the mid gain area. Always on the verge of too much. My ex-Classic 30 actually did this a little better.
Carvin V3 Midi Setup Tutorial For Beginners
I have another practice this weekend so I'll be giving it another go. Like I said I generally like it but I'm not 100% sold either. I see guys hating them or loving them. I don't quite fit into either camp.
I probably would have sent it back but I wasn't sure I wanted to and waited too long. Right now it's serving it's purpose and doing a good job. I'm not a metal guy so a lot of gain is not a prerequisite for me. The upside is the versatility and it sits in the mix well.
I like the lead boost funtion also. If channel 2 sounded like the Mesa TA 15 top boost mode gained out I would be estatic.
Here's my experience in phases:1. Stock: Overall the amp is decent, but I only use the clean tone and it can be a bit sterile, you can really hear that on the demos. I build pedals and so I get much of my gain tones from that. The other channels are a bit too modern gain (of the compressed flavor) for my tastes. It's got a tone of features, but the base tone could be improved.2. With replaced tubes, JJs bought from Eurotubes:I went ahead and swapped out the stock tubes with JJs. A definite improvement.
I've never changed tubes before so I was super tentative and followed Eurotubes and Carvin's instructions to a T.Cleans especially are more distinct and rich. The amp now takes my overdrives and fuzzes better. Overall it's a solid improvement in tone! I read of numerous Carvin dudes changing their tubes on the Carvin forum and I can concur that it makes it a much more pleasing amp. I'm still not the biggest fan of the distortion, but that could be in part because I haven't had the amp at a loud setting. I love my stompboxes and so I get my dirts from then anyhow.3. Next stepI'm going to upgrade the speaker.
Once again I mostly use this as a clean amp. I dig the effects loop and the wattage modes. I sweeter speaker with a little more give will probably get me in the more classic tone that I'm looking for. I'm looking at Warehouse speakers for this: ET 65 or one of their old Reinhardt only models.Hope this helps, feel free to pm. Click to expand.Obviously you own a Boogie. And no I don't eat what birds eat. I guess to you the whole statement is laughble?
Oh just the Boogie part I guess? Did you read the context? I didn't say it was better, I said it was able to hold it's own in the setting we are in. Again that doesn't mean better than the Mesa, means it's at least usuable as a player if not a little better. It's a small room and the Mesa isn't being able to be used at it best either.
A regular venue the Mesa will obviously have much more tonal options and would bloom out much more. The Carvin would have to be mic'd, I'm not an idiot. You might want to read and digest what I said before getting jacked and offended. The two amps are not in the same class and that's not what I was saying.get it? Click to expand.Seriously? Contrary to your belief, Mesa's (while fantastic) are not the end-all, be-all amps and that doesn't mean you know everything there is to know about amps because you may or may not own one.
Carvin V3 Amp
I'm just trying to get some good advice on an amp I'm interested in.the internet has enough 'trolls' as is, so save that B.S. For all those other dumb websites, not for a forum for serious players. As your mom should have taught you, 'if you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything at all,' and leave the gear discussion to people who can give useful responses. Your post has nothing to do with what I asked, and it's taking away from the good responses I am getting. Thanks for being 'that guy.'
My other guitar player left his 2x12 recto cab. I plug in shortly and see what that's like, I the have a 1x12 recto cab and I'm sure there is going to be a difference. As I said my main gripe with mine is the #2 channel.
Sounds pretty much like the number 1 channel(high gain). I need a more mid gained voice. It might be the only thing that might make a replacement necessary. It's still good enough to explore some options. Tweaking has brought some good results. If you like high gain this might be it for you.
As far as the buzziness complaint. Set it up traditionally it's buzzy. Think the controls through a bit an that can be negated. I tend to crank the masters and add pre-amp till I get about what I want then balnce the controls.The amp has a master volume for overall volume.