Carol Ann Amps - Thread XVII

[Mikeroesoft]

Yeah, I’m really trying to minimize and just make what I have work. There is no better just different at this level anyway.

I see I’ve been through a lot of amps. What, was your favourite clean/edge of break up amp that was lower wattage (20-40w) I’m kinda looking at getting a combo.

 

[Crash-VR]

I see I’ve been through a lot of amps. What, was your favourite clean/edge of break up amp that was lower wattage (20-40w) I’m kinda looking at getting a combo.

Germino Bass 35 was truly epic at the edge of breakup and worked perfectly with the Iron Man II mini attenuator. I had it in a combo. Never should have sold it. The other was a Divided by 13 EDT 13/29 combo running in the “Class A” 13 watt mode. I plan to get another one of those someday. Another fantastic clean edge amp is the BC Audio amp #7. Right now I’m running a dual amp rig with a Divided by 13 FTR as my clean/edge of breakup amp and the 10th as my gain amp.
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[saltydogg]

Germino Bass 35 was truly epic at the edge of breakup and worked perfectly with the Iron Man II mini attenuator. I had it in a combo. Never should have sold it.

There is/was one in the Emporium recently that gives me anxiety every time I see the thread-title...lol.

 

[DiPa]

I'm kinda stuck between two situations with gear.

On the one hand, I like having a wider selection for my studio use...especially now that I'm in the process of building out a bigger studio space. So I wanted to have a "decent" cross-section of amp styles/flavors available...not to mention other studio gear. Like I can get by with 2-3 mics, but having 2-3 dozen gives you choices and just allows for variety when desired...etc...etc.

On the other hand...I'm also going to have a couple of live rigs put together (as soon as I get the new studio project completed)...and for them, I plan to try an minimize, so I'm not having to carry too much gear.
I wanted a couple of amps that would cover wide, and be good grab-n-go rigs...requiring minimal pedals and peripherals. Of course, until I get to that point...and get back into the live thing...I don't quite know what those rigs will consist of...though I have a couple of amp already in mind.

Space is absolutely the key dimension requirement, ideally infinite space. Without space, one is limited.

 

[pete12string]

There is/was one in the Emporium recently that gives me anxiety every time I see the thread-title...lol.

Me too.

 

[Miroslav L]

Germino Bass 35 was truly epic at the edge of breakup...

Not sure exactly what type of break-up each person looks for...but the Louis Electric Baby Bluesbreaker 112 combo I picked up a couple of months ago has all kinds of break-up flavors. The negative feedback control on the amp does such a wonderful job of letting you dial in the perfect amount of crunch and harmonic content...though I have to say that I instantly became addicted to completely dialing out the negative feedback. The sound is just glorious how it blooms......but you can start to add it back into the circuit, and hit that edge-of-break-up.

The other amp that I just recently picked up, the Longhorn El Vaquero, it too has three crunch options you can control with its foot pedal. It has the preamp boost, a FET boost, and an OD option. You can use one, two or all three, and any combination of two. Each one is hitting a different part of the circuit and signal chain.
There is no Master Volume, but the OD has its own Gain/Volume controls...so between the three footswitch options, plus those two knobs, you can find all kinds of crunch sweet spots.

Space is absolutely the key dimension requirement, ideally infinite space. Without space, one is limited.

If/when I get my new studio space done...I will have 3X my current studio space...so I will be able to line up all my amps along one wall, and still have room for a few more if needed.

 

[tweedphan]

If/when I get my new studio space done...I will have 3X my current studio space...so I will be able to line up all my amps along one wall, and still have room for a few more if needed.

Photos when completed would be good. Then we can all be consumed with envy.

 

[pete12string]

Sold my OD-2r. The OD channel was just not what I usually go for. Sweet tone, just not my style. However, the used 67-18C continued to amaze me. Really a mini plexi. So much so, I bought a second one, brand new, from Humbucker. The new one will stay at home with me and the used one will reside at my friend’s house where we get together to jam. Even though they are not that heavy, my lower back would complain A LOT if I needed to carry one back and forth-and since I sold the OD-2r, well, I deserved to get myself another 67-18C!

 

[saltydogg]

Pete, you dog....lol. ConGRATS! Maybe one day you'll let me feed it a power-chord!

 

[Miroslav L]

I always say...if you really like something...buy two.

 

[DiPa]

I always say...if you really like something...buy two.

I fully endorse this

 

[DiPa]

Pete, you dog....lol. ConGRATS! Maybe one day you'll let me feed it a power-chord!

Too bad he did not bond with his OD2r, but yeah grab those 18W Amps, pretty cool....

 

[saltydogg]

I always say...if you really like something...buy two.

I fully endorse this

I for one, appreciate your policies.

Too bad he did not bond with his OD2r

True, but understandable. I’ve replaced Carol Ann’s with Carol Ann’s before...

Alan builds a fine-fine amp, but each CA has a Carol-Ann flavor mixed-in, not unlike Bogner, Carr, Redplate, Friedman, Marshall, Mesa etc. and if the flavor isn’t working for us, then we must move on. It’s part of the (fun?) journey, imo. It’s a learning experience, as well.

I would have, by now, bought a new 10th Anni or Revo and I’m certain that I would have been happy with either. I also knew they would be in the Marshall *ballpark*, but when Alan suggested a custom-build, I thought Marshall, not Marshall-ballpark, built by him on the OD3 platform. It’s been nearly a year since I ordered it, I’ve been (very) patient and remain optimistic that Alan will eventually begin my build. Hopefully most of this time has been spent on R&D....

 

[DiPa]

I for one, appreciate your policies.



True, but understandable. I’ve replaced Carol Ann’s with Carol Ann’s before...

Alan builds a fine-fine amp, but each CA has a Carol-Ann flavor mixed-in, not unlike Bogner, Carr, Redplate, Friedman, Marshall, Mesa etc. and if the flavor isn’t working for us, then we must move on. It’s part of the (fun?) journey, imo. It’s a learning experience, as well.

I would have, by now, bought a new 10th Anni or Revo and I’m certain that I would have been happy with either. I also knew they would be in the Marshall *ballpark*, but when Alan suggested a custom-build, I thought Marshall, not Marshall-ballpark, built by him on the OD3 platform. It’s been nearly a year since I ordered it, I’ve been (very) patient and remain optimistic that Alan will eventually begin my build. Hopefully most of this time has been spent on R&D....

I agree with you totally regarding the journey of Amps, I live it too, unfortunately (maybe fortunately depending on how you view it), I buy but rarely sell, so am trying to down size some as I am forced from a space constraint.

 

[saltydogg]

I agree with you totally regarding the journey of Amps, I live it too, unfortunately (maybe fortunately depending on how you view it), I buy but rarely sell, so am trying to down size some as I am forced from a space constraint.

I don’t blame ya for not selling, it’s a big PITA, but that’s show business, I guess. I’ve really slowed down (buying/selling) over the past two-years, nothing like the previous 8 years...ha.

You have a fantastic collection Dipa, but I’m small-potatoes by comparison, although if I could, I certainly would! I always enjoy your NAD threads and random posts. Good stuff.

 

[Mikeroesoft]

Sold my OD-2r. The OD channel was just not what I usually go for. Sweet tone, just not my style. However, the used 67-18C continued to amaze me. Really a mini plexi. So much so, I bought a second one, brand new, from Humbucker. The new one will stay at home with me and the used one will reside at my friend’s house where we get together to jam. Even though they are not that heavy, my lower back would complain A LOT if I needed to carry one back and forth-and since I sold the OD-2r, well, I deserved to get myself another 67-18C!

Have you had the chance to record your 18w? I am curious as to how it sounds.

 

[pete12string]

Have you had the chance to record your 18w? I am curious as to how it sounds.

I have not done any recording in a while. My description, though, is that it does the Hendrix “cleans” (with a Strat) up to some nice hard rock (a la ZZ Top) with a Les Paul. This has quickly become one of my favorite amps.

 

[pete12string]

Oh yeah, the Tremolo is superb.

 

[Mikeroesoft]

I have not done any recording in a while. My description, though, is that it does the Hendrix “cleans” (with a Strat) up to some nice hard rock (a la ZZ Top) with a Les Paul. This has quickly become one of my favorite amps.

Sounds like the amp I am looking for. I thought maybe a Germino Bass 35 combo would fit the bill...sheesh, what to do. The CA is 18w EL84 and the Germino is 35w with EL34's. I have a 45w KT66 powered Revo amp from CA already but I really need a lower watt combo at he moment.

 

[pete12string]

Sounds like the amp I am looking for. I thought maybe the Germino Bass 35 would fit the bill...sheesh, what to do.

I can’t say for sure, but I think the Bass 35 will give you cleaner cleans. I have a Classic 45 and a Lead 35. I think the 67-18C sits kind of in between those. The Bass 35 will be a darker amp - in addition to being louder. I use a Fryette PS-2 at home with all of my amps. For the price, the 67-18C is a bargain. You certainly can’t go wrong with either one.