Download the thirty-two page 1973 Carvin catalog (presented in two sections):
DOWNLOAD AMPS, SPEAKERS, AND PA: Carvin_1973_part1
DOWNLOAD GUITARS: Carvin_1973_part2
Products covered, with images, specs, and text, include: Carvin Lead amps LM1000, BL1250, FR1200, LP600, SM450 and TM565; Carvin Bass Amps ABM850, BM900, BM355, and FH2500; Super Amps SBL2000, SLM1600, SABM1800, and SBM1900; Combo amps VTR-212, ML212, and MB212; Tube amp head VTR2500 and TV2500; Solid-State heads ST4000, ST2400, B3000, B2000, and B1500; Carvin P2500, P4500, and P5000 PA heads; plus numerous speaker cabinets and components.
Guitars and bases include: Carvin AS50B, CM95, SS75B, SS65B electrics; Carvin SB60, SB40, and AB45 bass guitars; DBS98B and DTS90B doubleneck guitars; PRO-S8 and PRO-D6 steel guitars; plus more.
Above, some of the new offerings for 1973: we see a Folded-Horn bass enclosure (popularized by ACOUSTIC corp in the early 1970s); we see a return to tube amplification in the form of the VTR2500 amp head (seems similar to Ampeg V4 of the era); and we see a larger PA head with 8 inputs and some sort of quasi-notch filtering: power output is 170 watts into 4 ohms. Can anyone hear the singer?
1973 Carvin AS50B. AFAICT, this instrument uses the same body as the earlier OVATION “Tornado” guitar.
The 1973 Ovation SB60. Identical to the cheaper SB40 save for the 1.5lbs heavier maple body. We’re near the start of the unfortunate ‘heavier-is-better’ guitar trend of the 1970s.
Doubleneck guitar/mandolin has been replaced by doubleneck guitar/12-string guitar.
Guild CopyCat tape echo has been replaced by Maestro ‘Sireko.’ Anyone out there have any experience with the merits of one vs the other?
8 replies on “Carvin Guitars, Amplifiers, and PA equipment: 1973 Catalog”
These folded horns were more widely known, as you mention, in connection with Acoustic’s bass amps. A better more modern version is those designed by Bill Fitzmaurice. These are small and light enough to make it unnecessary to have more power for bass than a single pair of KT88s will provide, unless you are using a 5 string with a low B, and even then only for aggressive popping styles.
I recently came across what I am pretty sure is a 1976 Carvin SB61 Bass. I can not seem to be able to find a value on it anywhere or even where one was sold. do you have any suggestions where I could find this info ?
Thanks
Cam
Hello,
I saw your post on the Carvin SB61. I am looking for that exact bass. If you decide to sell it, please let me know? If you do not own it, can you please let me know where I can find it (if you do not want it first)?
Regards.
Michael
I had the folded horn and a Carvin 125 watt bass head. It was a killer rig for 1975. I soon found an SVT head (with an 18″ Cerwin Vega cab) for $350, and used it with the Carvin folded horn cabinet. The cabinet had two 15″ CTS speakers which sounded great. I tried a pair of EV SRO’s (big coffee can magnets) but the CTS speakers sounded better. I also bought a pair of the EV re-entrant horns sold by Carvin for out PA. I used one of them with the folded horn on a couple gigs. I developed my love for horns for bass using that rig.
I still have and use the Carvin B3000 bass amp…never a problem. I bought it with the Carvin folded horn cabinet. I have been looking for that cabinet for over twenty years…just disappeared from the face of the earth. If you know anyone that has one, I’d like to get hooked up with them to get all the dimensions so i can build one. Interestingly, I loaded mine with JBL D-140’s and sonically it was “stand back”. Open E was as pure as you could imagine (but maybe I had enough beers in me to be biased).
Anyway…If you know anyone that has one…
i have FH950 cabinet ibought in 1973 its still in use today one of the best sounding cabinets ive heard never have to mic it through the PA a great cabinet to bad carvin just went out of bussiness love the old catalogs
I obtained a Carvin Super Concert Series Stereo PA stack that appears to have a later carpeted ’80’s version of the Carvin Folded Horn cabinet. They’re labeled Carvin “2000-M Sub Woofer.” They came with the original Carvin “High Energy HE15″ dual 15″ drivers in them. I have swapped them out for some Eminence 15” drivers for now but may re-cone them if I can find suitable replacement kits. I read that these “High Energy” drivers were made in-house and not by Eminence so we shall see. Along with the folded bass horns came two Carvin “1220-M Mid Bin” dual 12″ direct radiating mid horn cabinets equipped with Carvin “High Energy HE12” drivers. These have been changed out with Eminence drivers for now as well. The top end utilizes two large Carvin “540-H Renkus-Heinz” horn cabinets with original Renkus-Heinz SSD-1800-16 compression drivers in them. They have a built in passive crossover in them. These have seen little road use and I bought them from the original owner that only took them out for voluntary outdoor church events, Hallelujah!
I bought a ML-212 solid amp in the early 70’s. His was heavy and loud beyond belief. With a Vox wah, few effect boxes, and a foot volume pedal it was a killer rig. I replaced the original CTS speakers with JBLs and it was heavier and louder and crisper than before. I toured with it in Europe and the Caribbean and it never failed me. Being solid states with hand soldered turret boards it was indestructible. I saw it tumble down loading ramps and get seriously knocked around and it never quit. I have nothing but fond memories of that amp. I played it for 15 years till the pots went bad and the capacitors dried up. You should have heard it through two Fender Dual Showman speaker cabs. Deadly with my 1972 Gibson SG Deluxe.