Members Ironhandjohn Posted March 7, 2009 Members Share Posted March 7, 2009 My '88 Carvin X-100B is my first 'real' amp, and I've owned it now for almost 5 years. After years of playing it thru an old Peavey 412F, I got a killer Redbear cab from Guttermouth a few years ago, and it sounds even better. I truly love this amp.... ...Which makes what I'm considering even more painful.... Our new living conditions make it difficult to play this amp like I used to, to the point that I now go thru weeks, even months, when I don't even flip it to 'standby'. 100 watts is WAAAYYY too much amp for our little house, and I no longer have the basement/amp room/man-cave like at the old Rancho Ironhand. When has a half-stack out-lived its place? I tried a Vox Tonelab a few years ago, and though it sounded nice, I never found a sound I was completely happy with. Besides, I missed moving massive amounts of air and shaking the walls in the way only 4 12" speakers can! IF, and I'm not saying I AM going to sell my amp, I would likely replace it with a smaller tube combo like a Fender DRRI, or something that can do both clean and dirty sounds, and work well with pedals. I don't gig, never have, and frankly, play only to impress my wife and myself, but the X-amp fell into my lap one day at a buddy's music shop. The amp was/is way more than I'll ever use, but sometimes, when the kids are all playing outside, Mrs. Ironhand is at the store or something..... When I let all 100 tube-driven watts run loose(especially now that I have an LP Jr.).. Well, it's FUCKING COOL!!!! I'm just ranting for now, and I'm not even drunk yet.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members knucklefux Posted March 7, 2009 Members Share Posted March 7, 2009 dude, keep your amp. if you can't get good tone at lower volumes with that amp, get an attenuator. alternately, if you just want something you can jam out by yourself with you can get a POD and plug in some headphones. a DRRI combo is not going to be some uber quiet little amp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Slaymoar Posted March 7, 2009 Members Share Posted March 7, 2009 hahaha ... awesome. Seems like you have a great amp on your hands, one that makes you happy. Well, if 100watts is way to much, 20 watts is consequently still too much. So really a tube combo might not really cut it for you unless you can settle for a tube amp with good low volume sounds. If you need nice cleans and nice dirt, a peavey classic 30 could do just fine. You can even pull two of the tubes and run 15 watts. Other than that, I would definitely look into a good modeler, tonelab being a great start. Would you consider looking at a power amp? -D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Slaymoar Posted March 7, 2009 Members Share Posted March 7, 2009 dude, keep your amp. if you can't get good tone at lower volumes with that amp, get an attenuator.alternately, if you just want something you can jam out by yourself with you can get a POD and plug in some headphones. a DRRI combo is not going to be some uber quiet little amp. Also a great suggestion, if you liked the tonelab, the headphones also work there. -D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members olgluefoot Posted March 7, 2009 Members Share Posted March 7, 2009 cant you power that down to 25w? I had a grey carpet one and it has a 100/50/25w switch. Just a thought if youre considering getting a lower wattage combo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ironhandjohn Posted March 7, 2009 Author Members Share Posted March 7, 2009 Maybe I'll give the Tonelab another try.... I didn't like the fact that I had almost TOO many variables, and dialing in a good tone was a bitch sometimes. I usually ran my fuzz and tubescreamer outboard because of the way the Tonelab has so much stuff stacked in the preamp section. Now where's the pitcher of margaritas?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members zoomzilla Posted March 7, 2009 Members Share Posted March 7, 2009 A half stack is NEVER too much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Unstrung Posted March 7, 2009 Members Share Posted March 7, 2009 That rig looks killer! Check out the attenuator option like others are saying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ironhandjohn Posted March 7, 2009 Author Members Share Posted March 7, 2009 [YOUTUBE][/YOUTUBE] What I'm listening to now...^^^^^^^ Yes, I can power it down to 25 watts, but it sounds like ass... At 50 watts the amp starts to bark, and at full power, especially with the little cheap-ass P-90 Jr., it roars!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Slaymoar Posted March 7, 2009 Members Share Posted March 7, 2009 A half stack is NEVER too much. And thats comming from serious cat. Cuz hes {censored}ing serious. lol.. But yeah there is no reason to downsize your speaker cab, unless you lug it around alot. -D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ironhandjohn Posted March 7, 2009 Author Members Share Posted March 7, 2009 And thats comming from serious cat. Cuz hes {censored}ing serious.lol..But yeah there is no reason to downsize your speaker cab, unless you lug it around alot.-D Speaking of cats, the tiger-cub lamp my oldest daughter brought back with her from Louisiana is sitting on top of the amp, and slides around when I play... You can barely see it in the pic. I guess a 100 watt, EL-34-driven half-stack as my first real amp has spoiled me.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MightyThor Posted March 7, 2009 Members Share Posted March 7, 2009 An attenuator will let you run your carvin pretty quiet. Even the 5watt tube amps that are available would be too loud for you without an attenuator. Otherwise I think a modeler sounds like a good fit for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members knucklefux Posted March 7, 2009 Members Share Posted March 7, 2009 Speaking of cats, the tiger-cub lamp my oldest daughter brought back with her from Louisiana is sitting on top of the amp, and slides around when I play... You can barely see it in the pic.I guess a 100 watt, EL-34-driven half-stack as my first real amp has spoiled me.. man, i gotta be honest...based on what you're saying here, you're never going to be happy with a low power amp. you like the way speakers move air to much to be satisfied with anything else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ironhandjohn Posted March 7, 2009 Author Members Share Posted March 7, 2009 I guess............ Anyone else like Camel??? I just found this song last weekend and I can't stop listening to it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Macelind Posted March 7, 2009 Members Share Posted March 7, 2009 DO NOT SELL your amp unless you absolutely HAVE to. You can never regret selling an amp you enjoy if you still have it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JordanQ Posted March 7, 2009 Members Share Posted March 7, 2009 or you could trade teh head for my combo (same amp) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members shane159 Posted March 7, 2009 Members Share Posted March 7, 2009 DO NOT SELL your amp unless you absolutely HAVE to. You can never regret selling an amp you enjoy if you still have it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarbilly74 Posted March 7, 2009 Members Share Posted March 7, 2009 dude, keep your amp. if you can't get good tone at lower volumes with that amp, get an attenuator.alternately, if you just want something you can jam out by yourself with you can get a POD and plug in some headphones. a DRRI combo is not going to be some uber quiet little amp. /thread. Right on the money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bdubbs Posted March 7, 2009 Members Share Posted March 7, 2009 Spend $399 buy the HT-5 Combo. Play that, when no one is around play the half stack. I mostly play the HT-5 and when i'm feeling frisky i turn on the 5150 . I'm going to be playing with other people soon but i've enjoyed this setup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ironhandjohn Posted March 7, 2009 Author Members Share Posted March 7, 2009 At the risk of sounding stupider... What's an HT-5???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TomCTC Posted March 7, 2009 Members Share Posted March 7, 2009 Sell something the first time it crosses your mind to do so. If it's not worth having around, don't keep it around. Plain and simple. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Say Ocean Posted March 7, 2009 Members Share Posted March 7, 2009 4x12 is a helluva drug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members thinkpad20 Posted March 7, 2009 Members Share Posted March 7, 2009 The Blackstar HT-5 is a 5 watt amp head (also in combo form) that sounds damn good at relatively low volumes and can also get pretty loud if you need to (although, forget about headroom). It's also very cheap at $300. Oh and sorry for the left-field comment, but that carvin would look 100x better with some white chickenhead knobs... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ironhandjohn Posted March 7, 2009 Author Members Share Posted March 7, 2009 The Blackstar HT-5 is a 5 watt amp head (also in combo form) that sounds damn good at relatively low volumes and can also get pretty loud if you need to (although, forget about headroom). It's also very cheap at $300. Oh and sorry for the left-field comment, but that carvin would look 100x better with some white chickenhead knobs... Really? Except for dusting off the innards, I've not done a thing to this amp except play it.. Will check out the Blackstar, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members HCSN2008 Posted March 7, 2009 Members Share Posted March 7, 2009 Keep the amp you might have a use for it one day. Like recording. I myself don't play any of stacks currently. I am not in a band and they just sit there. But I have a tube combo amp that I play everyday but I will never sell my halfstacks I know they will come in use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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