Carvin SX amps for steel guitar

KENNY KRUPNICK · Post by **KENNY KRUPNICK** » 8 May 2004 7:56 pm

The gospel group "Greater Faith" was at church tonight for a singing. The steel man was playing A Sho~Bud Super Pro thru a Carvin sx amp,and it sounded GREAT. It's the one with 100 watts,and a single 12" speaker. I've wondered for a long time what steel would sound like thru one of these amps,and now I know. Anyone else played thru one of these amps?

Dustin Rigsby · Post by **Dustin Rigsby** » 9 May 2004 2:25 am

Kenny,
I was there too ! Did that sound great or what ? I was talking to Gary about that. No effects rack to drag around ! I was on carvin.com and they are running a special right now...FREE SHIPPING. Now to see if my sweet wife will come off of the cash....

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D.S. Rigsby
Carter Starter and various six string toys

George Kimery · Post by **George Kimery** » 9 May 2004 4:14 am

Out of curiosity, I just pulled out my Carvin catalog. Their model SX300R is a 3 channel pre-amp. I wonder if anybody has ever tried running 3 channels before. In theory, you could set one channel for bass, one for mids, and one for treble, although this might not work so hot in real life. Also, with the pre-amp, you could use your high wattage amp you already own and a 15" speaker.You would have the advantage of the effects being built in and the 3 channels. But, is the pre-amp "voiced" for steel. At $259.00 it would be tempting to give it a try, if my 85 Evans amp had a power amp in jack. They have a 10 day full refund guarantee if you are not satisfied and the freight would be nil on just a pre-amp.

Gary Preston · Post by **Gary Preston** » 9 May 2004 12:00 pm

I'm with Kenny and Dustin . I also thought that Barry Wheeler sounded great through the Carvin amp .This amp should be advertised as the ''new kid on the block ''for steel guitar . How can i get one of those ? My wife told me if i wanted one to sell one of my Nashvilles !!! She is a great help ! Believe me this is an awsome little amp that has the delay and other effects already built into it . The 12'' speaker sounds great also . It is really light and has a simulated tube sound that is very nice . What else can i sell to buy one of these ? If you get a chance to hear one of these i think you will be amazed . Kenny and i had a chance to sit down and play Barrys Sho-Bud through the ''little giant '' and it was great . Thanks G.P.

KENNY KRUPNICK · Post by **KENNY KRUPNICK** » 9 May 2004 7:01 pm

I'm also curious as to what the Carvin sx amp would sound like if you swapped out the carvin speaker for a 12" Black Widow,JBL E-130,or an Electro Voice EVM12L. Even the Blue Marvel that Peavey uses in the Nashville 112 would be a match too,since it's voiced for steel guitar.
I also wanted to note that Barry gets a great tone out of his Sho~Bud Super Pro. I set down to play it,and I have all my steels about 2" higher than standard,so I had a little bit of difficulty getting my big long legs under there.

I have always loved the Sho~Bud sound. Gary, you better hang on to your Pro II.

I may consider one of those Carvin sx amps.
Since I had back surgery, the lighter the equipment, the better to carry. Guys, let me know your thoughts.

KENNY KRUPNICK · Post by **KENNY KRUPNICK** » 9 May 2004 7:06 pm

Dustin, you should of come up,and talked to me. It would been a pleasure to meet you. Yes ,that little Carvin amp had a good clean,and warm tone. Carvin makes some GOOD equipment. A lot of folks don't know about it, because they do mail orders only. I keep them sending me their catalogs.

George Rozak · Post by **George Rozak** » 9 May 2004 7:42 pm

Here's an old post from Barry going back almost 4 years ago:

click here

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Sho-Bud: Professional & Fingertip

Dustin Rigsby · Post by **Dustin Rigsby** » 10 May 2004 6:20 am

Kenny,
Sorry 'bout that,I had to bail right after the show. I know Carvin makes some good stuff. One of my friends and local Guitar whiz ,Matt Venus ,has played thier stuff for years. Where else you gonna get a custom axe for that price ?

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D.S. Rigsby
Carter Starter and various six string toys

KENNY KRUPNICK · Post by **KENNY KRUPNICK** » 14 May 2004 8:36 pm

Any other thoughts on this amp?

Roger Shackelton · Post by **Roger Shackelton** » 16 May 2004 10:50 pm

The SX-100 was covered in Tan Levant about 2 yrs ago. It looked pretty sharp.

Roger

Rick Johnson · Post by **Rick Johnson** » 17 May 2004 3:23 am

Gary
Go ahead and get the Carvin amp and
you can keep it at my house, I come
up a couple of times a year and you
can play it. Trust me, she will never
know. Are you in?

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Rick Johnson

Kiyoshi Osawa · Post by **Kiyoshi Osawa** » 17 May 2004 6:50 am

just curious if anyone would have any idea if this amp would work for a newman universal setup. It sounds like it's a great buy (and theres a distributor here in mexico!)

But from all the posts, and what it says on the website, it looks like it's kind of comparable to the nash 112, you know, with the 12" speaker. Maybe it won't be able to handle the lower strings?

I don't know... I'll be trying to check it out soon at a store, taking my PSG and everything, so i guess I'll let you know my impressions as well

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Kiyoshi
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KENNY KRUPNICK · Post by **KENNY KRUPNICK** » 17 May 2004 8:12 am

Kiyoshi, swap out the Carvin speaker,and put a Black Widow in,and you'll have in nipped.
This Carvin amp has a good,clean,warm tube tone. I think I'd rather have this one over the Nash112. I still think the Nashville 112 is a great amp, but I think the Carvin with the warm tube tone is a winner.

Kiyoshi Osawa · Post by **Kiyoshi Osawa** » 17 May 2004 11:50 am

is the BW a 15" speaker? you think it'll fit in the sx cab? I'm almost sold completely on this amp... just want to hear it first hand and see how it sounds.

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Kiyoshi
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John Bresler R.I.P. · Post by **John Bresler R.I.P.** » 17 May 2004 2:48 pm

I've had this amp for several years and have an SX-100 with the british speaker in it. I'm not sold on the British speaker tone and have thought seriously about swapping it out for something else. I still use it when I gig out because of the light weight and it does have that warm tube sound.

Kiyoshi Osawa · Post by **Kiyoshi Osawa** » 17 May 2004 2:51 pm

John,

do you play E9th? I still wonder how it will hold up with those lower register notes from a D10 or universal... Lots of post seem to mention this about 12" speakers in general, that they don't seem to quite cut it, and sometimes even distort on very low and loud notes.

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Kiyoshi
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barry wheeler · Post by **barry wheeler** » 17 May 2004 5:52 pm

The Carvin SX100 that I have, does have the British speaker, but now Carvin puts a GT12 speaker in those amps. I'm well satisfied with the high end and low end. It does great even with the low strings on C6. I've never had any problem with distortion. But I'm curious what a 12 inch BW would sound like in it. I would give the stock Carvin speaker a chance before replacing it, you may find the GT12 speaker will do the job just fine. I measured the cabinet, a 15 inch speaker would not fit.

John Bresler R.I.P. · Post by **John Bresler R.I.P.** » 17 May 2004 5:59 pm

Kiyoshi:

I play a Mullen U-12 steel and really the Carvin does a pretty good job with both highs and lows. I do however play mostly E9th.

The new SX-100's come with an external speaker jack so you could add another cabinet. The new ones also do not have the British speaker but come with a Carvin GT12 speaker. I don't know who makes it. It's 100w and only weighs 37 lbs., tho!!!

Maybe the dealer would let you try before you buy??? Good luck.

KENNY KRUPNICK · Post by **KENNY KRUPNICK** » 18 May 2004 8:20 am

Kioyshi, I was refering to the 12" Black Widow to use in a Carvin amp. I believe you would want the 8 ohm in that amp.

Virgil Pittman · Post by **Virgil Pittman** » 18 May 2004 11:14 am

I have a Carvin SX-200 that I got in a trade.It was a head only with no speakers.It sounded pretty good when played through a speaker cabinet so I built a complete cabinet and installed a 15 inch JBL d130.This model has a built in reverb,echo flanger and chorus and has a overdrive side.This amp weighs 42 lbs complete.I use it for the small places I play or practice and I use the echo instead of carrying around the rack with the profex.It won't cut it at the honky tonks I play,I use a Lemay moded Nashville, but works great at a senior citizens dance. Virgil Pittman

Gary Preston · Post by **Gary Preston** » 18 May 2004 3:50 pm

Rick . I was thinking that maybe you would buy one and let me test it for say maybe a year or so !!! If you do have the ''Black Widow '' installed first please . What do you think about that ? Again Barrys sounded great . Maybe i can talk Kenny into that huh ? G.P.

KENNY KRUPNICK · Post by **KENNY KRUPNICK** » 18 May 2004 10:08 pm

Oh yeah,

I'd definatly put a Black Widow 12" in there.

.

KENNY KRUPNICK · Post by **KENNY KRUPNICK** » 24 May 2004 10:23 pm

Pookie Anselmi · Post by **Pookie Anselmi** » 25 May 2004 4:35 am

Hey fellows, Carvin has a 10 day hands on money back guarantee. If you're not satisfied, just send it back. Thats seems like a good deal.

Pookie

KENNY KRUPNICK · Post by **KENNY KRUPNICK** » 3 Jun 2004 8:18 pm

I ordered a Carvin SX100 today, should have it in a week,and a half.

Looking forward to playing it.