As you might imagine there are some questions that frequently arise. Here are answers to many commonly asked questions and some funny questions I get asked more often than anyone would think. Check out the Information Center for articles on amp designs and technical questions.
Q: I would like to send my amp in. How do you recommend I ship it?
A: You can either send the entire amp or just the chassis. In either case you will want to remove and wrap the tubes in bubble wrap and place them in in smaller box within the main box. The box should be sturdy and have enough room that the amp does not touch the sides. The amp or chassis should be wrapped in bubble wrap or in foam packing. Any remaining space in the box should be filled so the amp cannot move inside the box. Tape the box up with plenty of tape. If you are sending a combo or head where the chassis is on top ship the package with the chassis orientated towards the bottom of the box.
Q: I would like a custom amp build to look exact like X amp down to every measurement so it matches my other gear. Can you do that?
A: Probably not unless it’s a common size and type (i.e many Fender and Marshall types). I can build lots of styles of cabinets but I don’t do one off cabinets and the electronics within should determine the size of the amp. Amp building is a practical thing—-good looks are important and I pay lot of attention to cosmetics but the electronics must be the first concern.
Q: Do you sell kits of your amps?
A: No, I’m sorry but I do not sell kits.
Q: Your Ebay and Reverb listing all state that there is wait time for amp that are not in stock to be built but the listing says you have three of them. Can get one immediately?
A: The listing’s description of the wait times is accurate. One cannot list a Reverb or Ebay item as have zero available hence the confusion. Sorry! Any amp or item that in ready to ship is clearly described as in stock and ready to ship.
Q: I want to bring my amp by for repair and wait in the shop while you repair it. Can you do that?
A: At any given time, I have a number of builds and repairs in the shop. These are done on a first come first serve basis. Any amp brought in must be dropped off. I cannot repair or diagnose an amp while you wait.
Q: I want purchase one of your amps as a chassis only.
A: I do not sell amps as chassis only. I think customers are better served with complete amps.
Q: Can you explain how you pick each part in the amp and why your approach to building amps will produce a superior amp?
A: It is difficult explain my approach point by point in a concise format. It’s a big question. For many years my working life has been about developing amps, learning and experimenting. This is a continuing process. I use the parts I think work well, sound good and I use the best engineering practices I can. In my opinion the vast majority of builders overemphasize "magic" parts and special secrets because this language appeals to some buyers and some builders too. There are parts that sound different than others, but this is due to their construction and materials. Many quality parts are not better or worse but just different sounding. There are some bad parts out there too. The fact is that an amp is piece of engineering so by understanding what you are doing you can make a better amp and get the tone you want from it. The difficulty is that explaining engineering to a customer is not very feasible or marketable.
Q: Can I buy an amp, cab or pedal and return it if don't like it?
A: No. Carl's Custom Amps is not a retail business so we cannot allow players to try out custom made items. We are happy to answer questions and work with you to make sure you get the right gear for you. We've never had a customer request a return because they thought an amp, pedal, or cab sounded bad, though occasionally it just wasn’t the right gear for the player. This why we strongly encourage calling or emailing. We can guide you to get the right amp for you!
Q: How often will you update me on my amp's status?
A: Typically, I will only contact the buyer when the amp ships or if there is a delay beyond the usual build time. I will however respond to occasional update requests. Be aware though that the less time I am answering emails the more time I am either working on or working towards your amp!
Q: I was hoping to have my amp sooner than the typical build time. Can that be done?
A: No. I build amps in the order of the date when the order was made and when parts arrive. There is always a line of amps waiting to be done so to be fair to all my customers I do not move builds up the line. I do often have amps in stock and those ship out the next day.
Q:I have X speaker. Can you sell me a combo amp without a speaker?
A: Complete combos use speakers that are specially selected for the amp, and I want your amp to sound it's best! If the speaker you have is good fit for the amp you can send it in for testing and installation. I am happy to talk over any speaker related concerns you have. Occasionally a player’s style may require a different speaker.
Q: Do you make amps that are EU voltage ready?
A: Any of my amps can be built for EU voltages. Typically, this can cost from $30-50 more. Please feel free to inquire about the pricing for any model.
Q: I want to pay less than the listed price and I'm sure you are charging me too much. What kind of discount can you give me?
A: I do not negotiate prices. The price is what it is. Remember I'm trying to make a living!
Q: Will you do trades?
A: I generally do not do any trades unless you have valuable item that you want to trade in at a fraction of its value :). Seriously though, you will be better off selling gear yourself. You will get a better return.
Q: Why do custom amps cost more than the stock models?
A: A great deal of extra labor, often custom-made parts, research, and tweaking are necessary for custom amps which increases the price and the amount of time to build.
Q: Can you do a different color of tolex/grill cloth on an amp?
A: Yes, I can! I have a wide selection to choose from. Some selections are free, but some add to the cost.
Q: Will you sell your amps without a Logo?
A: No. Many hours go into each amp, and I want other people to recognize my products.
Q: Will you use all NOS parts (other than tubes) in a custom build for me?
A: No, many NOS parts are unreliable and sound no better (often worse because of age) than high quality new parts. I cannot warranty NOS parts, so I do not use them.
Q: Can you provide NOS tubes for my amp?
A: Yes! Typically, I can find NOS/Vintage tubes for my amps. The prices vary quite a bit (temporally) so please ask for quote. While NOS tubes are well tested, I cannot extend a 30-day warranty on the tubes like I do on new production tubes.
Q: Will you picture the build process of my amp and send me photos?
A: No, I am too busy to photograph build the process.
Q: Can you add a fan to my amp?
A: Most of my amps will not need one. If your amp needs one, I am happy to install one.
Q: Can you add an effects loop?
A: Most of my models do not benefit from having an effects loop since they are low gain amps. I can add one in cases where it is beneficial and there is enough room. A loop’s job is to place effects after pre-amp distortion, so you aren't feeding a distorted signal into time-based effects. It's very useful in higher gain amp. A low gain amp that gets its overdrive from the power section will sound just as good with the effects through the front end.
One caveat is that the previous statement applies to serial loops rather than mixing/parallel loops. While the benefit of injecting FX after distortion is still a non-issue in low gain amps a parallel/mixing loop has a benefit in any amp because it allows a dry signal to pass without ever going through the effects keeping a purer dry signal and allow for more subtle use of the FX since it is now side chain like you would have in studio situation. This type of loop would need send and return controls and the addition of a tube so it wouldn’t fit in many traditional amps. That said for players wishing to have that type of loop the loop could be an outboard unit and placed before the amp or into a passive loop like a Duble style amp has. That’s what some external loopers or control units do.
No matter what even the most transparent loop will change the overall sound a little.
Q: My amp is not working---can you tell me how to fix it myself?
A: I would be happy to service/repair your amp if you will send it or bring it in. I do not provide technical support to the DIY amp builders for financial, temporal and liability reasons.
Q: Can you add reverb to my amp?
A: Not usually. Reverb must be integrated into the design of an amp. A good tube reverb usually requires two more tubes, a reverb tank, and transformer. There are other designs too though. In addition, you often have to make changes to the rest of the amp to add it in thus altering the sound. Using a reverb unit like my Classic Tube Reverb or a high-quality reverb pedal is a better way to go with many non-reverb amps.
Q: Will you make a clone of current boutique amp?
A: No. I can build you an amp with similar features in many cases. Most amps are derived from the classics with added features but if you want a specific Carr, Tone King or other amp you should buy one.
Q: Are your Amps replicas?
A: No. They are sound-a-likes and look-a-likes in many cases, but they are not meant to look exactly like the originals on the inside or replicate every screw on the outside. With decades of hindsight and without the economic concerns of a large company I’m able to build amps with better practices than were possible in the 1950’s, 60’s and 70’s. There really is no excuse for a modern amp to be noisy or have reliability problems due to engineering flaws. All those goals can be met, and the amp will have exceptional vintage tone!
It’s very important to keep in mind that vintage amps were not perfect. Many sounded great (some didn’t!) but most all of them had some small engineering problems. Players tend to grade vintage amps on a curve and seem less concerned about their noise and other problems. However newly built clones with those problems do not receive the same leniency. I often have re-issues and other builders’ clones in my shop for noise issues—-that the original amps also had.
Q: My amp isn’t working. How much will it cost to fix?
A: I have to have an amp in hand to know what is wrong with it. Only then will I know how much it will cost to fix it. It’s a lot like fixing a car.
Q: My amp is not working but it’s original. I need it fixed without changing anything! Can you do that?
A: No. If parts are bad or worn the part and amp are no longer original because it does not work as intended. We want to avoid needlessly replacing good parts but replacing worn or bad parts is good practice and necessary to repair an amp.
Q: I’ve noticed that you do not have many amps with reverb. Why?
A: The majority of the vintage amps that we think of as classic tend not to have reverb with the notable exception of Fender’s Blackface and Silverface series amps. Since players are not engineers it is a misconception to think of reverb in an amp as a simple accessory or just the addition of a knob. In truth most reverb circuits (certainly the better tube ones) alter the circuit’s topology when installed in an amp alter the circuit’s topology. This means that in most cases adding a tube-based reverb changes the sound of the amp even when the effect is not in use. This perhaps is less critical in a master volume amp. A spring reverb itself tends to work best when the amp is run cleanly which is why the Blackface and Silverface Fenders are so well suited to it. Once you get those amps turned loud enough to overdrive players tend to dial back the reverb. In other amps that are more overdriven it’s less useful—-with heavy distortion most players only use a little or non at all.
Some players have only owned amps that only sound good with the reverb on, so they look for amps with reverb. So many amp designs are harsh or cold sounding and use reverb to mask that or smooth it out. In my view if your amp doesn’t sound good without the reverb on; it doesn’t sound good!
Reverb is a great effect, but I prefer to use one of my Classic Reverb Units for maximum tube spring tone or a quality pedal on amps without reverb since it will not alter the original sound of the amp. I tend to be old school about guitar technology, but the newer digital reverb pedals are really very good unless you want to get very splashy spring reverb tone. For that style of reverb a reverb unit will exceed any onboard reverb.
Q: Most of your amps with London Power Scaling only are available as heads. Why is that?
A: This is principally for heat management. The combos that do have Power Scaling have to be fan cooled (except for the Tweed Recording Pro and other low powered amps) and often lots of custom chassis’ work is necessary to space things out correctly. Building a head is easier and frankly it is better to build any amp as head for the reasons I outline in my article on heads vs. combos in the information center. However, tradition and the popularity of combo amps often dictates that combos are a necessary evil when building amps. I sell more combos than heads. Many players want a combo for various legitimate reasons and are willing trade off some reliability.
Q: Why don’t you have lots of pictures of the inside of your amps?
A: Thanks for message. There are some pictures of the inside of amps on the website if want to get an idea for how I wire amps but for the most part I do not publish "gut shots" for a few good reasons:
1. Players don't have enough electronics knowledge to know what a good or bad build looks like. They can tell if an amp is sloppily wired and are correct in that the build should be neat. Mine are very neat but they don't look exactly like an old amp inside. A properly built amp will NOT look like a vintage amp inside. It will certainly not look like the kits many people build.
2. Part selection on my amps are made through experience and technical knowledge so they don’t always look exactly like old parts. For example, the best electrolytic caps today are radial caps that stand up rather than lay down like old axial caps. Understandably, players seek advice on parts from the internet, but vast majority of information out there is the opinion of folks that have built just a few amps. There are so many “experts” and sadly most of the information is not well informed. Many times, it seems parts are chosen on the basis of having the same shape or physical size as older parts or marketing from the many retailers that re-package parts with fancy looks but low-quality construction. I take into account information from the manufacturer's spec sheets and real-world testing when selecting parts. As rule of thumb any part that a retailer cannot provide spec sheet should not be purchased.
3. Pretty much every vintage amp is poorly grounded and has layout flaws that contribute to high floor noise and stability issues. In the 50's, 60's and 70's hum and noise was expected in electronics. These were economic choices since the labor to wire amps was relatively expensive and passive components were in their infancy. It takes a lot longer to properly layout and ground an amp. In my view a modern amp should not be noisy but should have all the tone of an old amp. However, people simply look at an old amp’s inside and compare without knowing this. A truly well-made amp will NOT look exactly like an old amp inside. In truth many boutique builders give up tone for looks. Worse yet many simply accept these issues so they can use less time intensive build techniques on cheaper pre-made circuit boards. Some do it to simply be traditional, but this aim does not have the customer’s needs in mind. Many clone builders simply make copies resulting in noisy and sometimes unreliable amps; problems the amps they cloned sometimes had too. Even those that are not too noisy are still missing some potential tone that better grounding and layout would allow for. I often have those amps in my shop for repair and modification. With decades of hindsight, we can build better amps today!
Q: Can an amp without a Chrome control panel be ordered with one?
A: Unfortunately, it cannot be. Chromed chassis must be ordered in large quantities so building a custom amp with a chrome chassis is infeasible. Only certain amps that follow a stock Tweed Fender style will have a chrome control panels.
Q: I read that “brand X”” was the best brand of part on a forum….or that this amp is special or sounds that way because of “x” part”.
A. Amps need to be looked at systemically rather than thinking they hinge on one part or feature. Forums are fun but are often poor sources of technical information. I am constantly fielding questions about information people have read on forums and most is inaccurate, misleading, or incomplete. As rule of thumb most inquiries about amps and amp parts have answers that are some form of it “it depends on the situation” or “it depends on the player”. There are many good sounding high quality parts out there. You should regard any internet source that states amp answers in absolutes (this is best part etc.) and is lacking scientific or technical explanations as deserving some skepticism. My rule of thumb is to regard any non-expansive answer as possibly not being inclusive enough.
Q: I have technical question that is involved and I’m a tech or hobbyist that needs detailed info. Here’s X question?
A: Thanks for the message. My answers on this website are aimed at players rather than providing answers for people working in the field but I’d be happy to give you some titles of some texts. They are an excellent investment and far better the spotty info on the web. Anyone who works on amp really should own some good books on the subject. You simply cannot learn everything off the net. Far too much of the info is misleading or incorrect.
Q. I have a fixed bias amp and want to change the power tubes. Do I need to bias it? Tell me how.
A: Most fixed bias amps require biasing when changing the power tubes. A player can bias their own amp with proper training and study but it not something that can easily learn with simple instructions. There are tutorials on the net, but they do require you spend some time to fully understand the material. With application most players can do it. If you are going to bias your own amp you need to have the right equipment, understand what you are doing, why you are doing it, and how to do it. If you encounter instructions that do not explain these things; look elsewhere. You need to be aware that working on a live amp can have lethal consequences if proper safety is not observed. I do not provide instructions for biasing or tutorials for it. If there is any question of your ability to bias your amp safely take the amp to a professional for the work or instructions on how to bias. Please don’t risk your amp or your tone by installing power tubes in your amp without biasing it.
Q: I have an amp you repaired or modified. Can you provide more info?
A. In most cases I can tell you what have been done (in brief) if you provide enough info to ID it. However, I work on tons of amps so I may not be able to provide extensive details. It’s the job of the owner to keep that info and pass it on if they sell the amp.
Q: Do you sell unloaded combo or ext. cabinets?
A: Sorry, I do not sell unloaded cabinets.
Q: I want to buy one your amps, but I want it to be smaller with all the same features and the same speaker(s).
A: I can’t do that. The size of the amps I build are chosen carefully for the best sound and for a component layout that makes the amp sound as good as possible and prevents issues.
There has often been a push for smaller and lighter tube equipment from players but also from the “big manufacturers” in the industry. Lighter is a good thing and does not sacrifice tone if is done right. The use of toroidal power transformer lightens and improves tube amps. Detuned cabs are more efficient and use less speakers. Neo and Alnico magnet speakers are typically lighter than ceramic speakers and can be used in certain amps. Lighter pine and plywood cabs are better than heavy particle board and MDF cabs. While lighter is better smaller definitely isn’t. Small amps have heat problems, small combos reduce tube life, and cramped chassis cause more parasitic interactions hurting the tone. Basically, compactness causes issues that erode sound quality and reliability. Small speaker cabinets (particularly small closed-back and ported cabs) guarantee a lifeless flat sound. Big companies like to make amps and speaker cabinets as small as possible which reduce shipping and material costs. More often than not the size of cabs and amps was determined by those factors rather than the best sound. This approach appeals to players who have not been educated about the facts. I advise that players avoid overly physically small amps and cabs for the best sound and greater reliability!
Q: I’d like to travel to your shop and play all the amps you have. Can we arrange that?
A: Unfortunately, not. While it a joyful thing to meet customers I rarely have more than a couple in stock amps. I’m working as manufacturer and if customers are here playing amps and requiring my attention (not at all a bad thing), I’m not being able to do my job and make a living.
Q: You repaired my amp a while back and now something new is wrong. I think you should fix it for free.
A: That’s not something I’m going to do. I am only responsible for the work I have done. A repair does not mean your amp is now under permanent warranty or will never have another issue. While we do our best to prevent future issues they will occur on any piece of equipment. I am happy to lend any support I can.
Q: I have an amp that I want modified to sound better. How do I know if I’m going to be able to get sound, I want from it?
A: Some amps can be radically changed like taking a 60’s Marshall and modifying for hard rock however most amps best destiny is to simply enhance what is there. If the amp in question is too far off from being what you want for example if you want an AC-30 to sound like a Twin Reverb you are better off replacing the amp. If you just want your to sound smoother, less muddy, have little more gain etc. that is easy to do and worth doing. It’s important to have realistic goal for any amp modification.
Q: I have one of the amp models that you have mods for. I don’t want to send it in. Can you tell me how to do the mods?
A: No, I do this to a living, so I do not give mod information out. It’s great that you want to learn how to work on your gear but part of that is figuring out what mods work and mod strategies for yourself. That’s part of the fun. If modifying your amp is job rather than an engaging learning activity, I’d suggest you may want to have the work done for you so you can spend your time playing.
Q: I have an old amp cabinet. Can you build a chassis for it?
A: Not usually unless is a very common cabinet (Fender/Marshall). I’ve done many of these types of projects in the past. They often have lots of unforeseen issues that I have to work out with fitting a chassis in. In many cases it takes more time, effort, and money than using a new well-built cabinet. For those reasons I no longer take on those projects because they don’t pay off for either party.
Q: I have a vintage amp that is not working or unreliable that I have taken to several techs who have not been able to resolve the issue. Will you be able to help me?
A: Yes! I often recieve amps that are problematic like that. Many techs are good repair people but at an amp ages it requires an understanding of how parts age and what needs to be replaced in a vintage amp. One must also understand how to make the amp reliable and sound great. A tech also needs enough experience with vintage amps to know what they should sound like. I’ve never seen a well built vintage tube amp that couldn’t be restored to full working order.
Q: You gave me an estimate for restoration on my amp with a range (I respond $200 to $275). I want you to do it for $200. If it gets past that amount I’m not interested.
A: I don’t dictate the point at which the amp is done, the amp does. Issues crop up and some repairs go smoother than others. I could stop when the bench fee reaches the amount you set but the amp may not be functional yet. If you are not willing to fully pay for a repair if it exceeds the lower amount in the estimate range than repair/restoration may not be for you at this time.
Q: I didn’t pay very much for the amp I want repaired. I don’t want to pay very much to fix it either. Can you work on it when you have some off time and charge me less.
A: I cannot do that.
Q: Why are you no longer servicing all PCB boards amps? Can you make an exception for mine?
A: Due to the high demand on my time for amp builds and vintage amp servicing and restoration I don’t have time to service lower end PCB board amps. The work is very time consuming. What might be a two hour job on hand wired amp might take two or three times as long on PCB board amp. Often these types of amps have complex switching systems or solid-state effects, cheap parts, and delicate PCBs making them even harder to repair. Additionally, because they are worth less some people don’t want to fix them or request that I to make the amp limp along rather than fix it properly (which I don’t do).
Q: I’m a technician and have one your amps in for repair. I don’t understand how it works and need you to explain and troubleshoot the problem. Can you do that?
A: I would be happy to give you an overview of the amp, but I will not troubleshoot it for you. All amps and tube amp circuits are fairly simple in nature. My amps are all laid out so you can easily trace issues and see the circuitry. Nothing is very exotic. If you have trouble with understanding the design and troubleshooting, please have the customer send it to me for repair.
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