Carr Sportsman

[Melodic Dreamer]

just put a deposit on a new Sportsman.
I just wanted to share my excitement.
carry on...

 

[Melodic Dreamer]

Anyone else still feeling the love for the Sportsman?

 

[warren3333]

Yes, a simply superb amp.

It offers a warm, beautiful clean/break up Princeton sound. Gorgeous.

Enjoy and feed back when it arrives

 

[Melodic Dreamer]

Thanks... I played on one out Soundpure back in November. I fail in love with it.

Here is a small clip I took with my phone. Nothing special, just noodling.
I loved the feel and sound.

 

[warren3333]

Nice playing my friend, amd how i hear the Sportsman in my 'head'

The 'headroom' knob interacts to add some lovely break up.

 

[Melodic Dreamer]

Nice playing my friend, amd how i hear the Sportsman in my 'head'

The 'headroom' knob interacts to add some lovely break up.

Thanks!
I didn't get to crank it at the store, but I'm mostly a clean player who uses dirt pedals for drive. I got a Mjm Roctavios, Bone Machine fuzz, Alpha Dog, Simble, and Timmy awaiting her arrival.
I mostly play through a Goodsell S17. I don't have huge gigs, so smallish places and the house are my stages.

 

[joeprs]

You don't need to crank the Sportsman to get a nice overdrive. And, depending on the volume level and amount of overdrive, you can find a place where you can get clean by rolling your volume back, then cranking it back up for some over driven solo tones.

Congrats on your purchase, you won't be disappointed.

 

[Melodic Dreamer]

Yea, using its drive for recording would be ideal.

 

[morgan918]

Sounds very nice! I've been eyeing a Sportsman but not sure it has enough headroom for my band needs. I'd love one for around the house/recording/very small gigs though.

 

[whatdisay]

Just bought a 2011 sportsman and am definitely in honeymoon phase. May try a different speaker to get a little different edge w dirt pedals but the EQ and responsiveness of this amp are incredible. I vowed never to own a master volume amp again. the headroom/volume combo on this amp is nothing like the sterile tones that led me to that vow originally.

 

[MHG]

Just bought a 2011 sportsman and am definitely in honeymoon phase. May try a different speaker to get a little different edge w dirt pedals but the EQ and responsiveness of this amp are incredible. I vowed never to own a master volume amp again. the headroom/volume combo on this amp is nothing like the sterile tones that led me to that vow originally.

Congarts! What type of guitar(s) are you using with it. Are you finding it to be a bit too dark and smooth for your overdrive preferences?

I'm about to pull the trigger on one, but I'm having a hard time getting past the fact that most of the players in the many clips seem to be inspired to play Jazz. There seems to be a certain warmth and thickness to the tone that may not be ideal for more blues and country oriented music. Do you feel there's any truth to that? Are you able to dial out that thick quality I'm hearing in the clips?

 

[whatdisay]

Congarts! What type of guitar(s) are you using with it. Are you finding it to be a bit too dark and smooth for your overdrive preferences?

I'm about to pull the trigger on one, but I'm having a hard time getting past the fact that most of the players in the many clips seem to be inspired to play Jazz. There seems to be a certain warmth and thickness to the tone that may not be ideal for more blues and country oriented music. Do you feel there's any truth to that? Are you able to dial out that thick quality I'm hearing in the clips?

So far I've played my strat, tele, jazzmaster, SG and Collings 360 LT M through. Sounded brilliant with each. I usually use Jupiter ceramics or Celestion Gold speakers so I read up last night about the RWB that's in my Sportsman.

Not having tried the RWB w any other amps I can't speak knowledgably about its features, but there's no way I'd classify this amp as a one or two (jazz/blues) trick pony. That EQ section is crazy versatile.

I have only had 2 short sessions with it and none playing in a band context so it's really early for me to make a decision how it works w all the dirt I'll try in front of it. I just know with a speaker of that wattage I'm not going to get the same response when pushing the amp with dirt that I would with say a 25 watt Jupiter.

I will definitely update once I've done some more experimenting.

As to your specific question about getting away from classic jazz tones: absolutely you can. The interplay be the mids, volume and headroom knobs is silly versatile.