Located in Las Cruces, NM USA
Mission
My goal to produce great amps. For me building amp is not just about making money--it's my art. I put many hours into each amp and each amp receives my full attention. I only build amps I would be proud to play gigs or record with. I build amps that play like extensions of the instrument...that give the play great touch sensitivity and stellar tone.
My policy is to deal with my customers honestly and fairly. I strive to work with players to make sure they get the right amp for their playing style and try be as informative as possible.
Payment
Currently I accept Paypal as my preferred form of payment. Paypal accounts are free and will allow you to use credit cards or withdraw money from a bank account. You can go here for more information: www.paypal.com. My Paypal address is carlscustomamps@gmail.com
I will also accept money orders or personal checks but I request that they be sent with some form of delivery conformation for safety. Personal checks must clear before I begin the building process.
Remaining Payment for amps with a 50% deposit or amp repairs are due within 30 days of completion.
Residents of New Mexico must pay NM GRT tax for purchases.
Shipping
I ship my amps via FedEx Ground and all amps require a signature. All amps are insured and tracking information will be forwarded. Shipping quotes on pricing lists are for the Continental US only please contact me for a shipping quote if you are outside of that area. Larger and heavier amps are shipped with drop indicators to insure safe arrival. Occasionally certain rural areas or urban centers will have higher shipping charges so a shipping cost adjustment will be necessary.
Smaller items like pedals will be shipped via USPS.
Important note to International customers:
We charge for the price of shipping plus a handling fee for the boxes, tape, etc. We do not collect any fee for the VAT tax, duty, brokerage fee, etc. Please be advised that you may be responsible for these charges once the package arrives in your country. Please take it under advisement that you should investigate this if you have any concerns with added expenses to this order or any other order you place from U.S. companies.
Some shipments may require customs or the carrier to contact the recipient for custom clearance. Failure to answer phone calls or emails from customs or the carrier may result in the amp or item being returned to us. If this happens the customer will be responsible for shipping charges for a second time, any re-packing costs, and inspection of the item.
We receive many requests to declare lower values for the products we ship in order to reduce import duties and taxes. Due to our legal responsibilities and the possibility of your shipment being held for further evaluation, we must declare actual value for all shipments. Please do not request a lowered value.
Packing and Repacking for Mods and Repairs
When sending an amp or amp chassis for repair please pack carefully. We are happy to provide guidance help you pack your amp safely. If an amp arrives and is packed in manner that cannot be shipped back in the same packing (does not meet insurance requirements for FedEx) we will re-pack the amp properly for returning to you. We will charge you the cost of the packing materials and labor.
Deposits:
Deposits for 50% of the total can be made to begin custom amp builds. The balance is due within 30 days of completion. Deposits made on amp and cab builds are not refundable. No exceptions will be made.
Cancelation Policy:
All sales are final. Cancelation and full refund on amp orders is not possible under any circumstances. Please be certain of your purchase beforehand. NO exceptions will be made.
Build Time and Servicing Time Policy:
All amps, repairs, and mods are done on a first come first serve basis (on separate queues for each). We give every amp our full attention and do not rush. We believe quality over speed. Please do not try to pressure us into putting yourself ahead of other customers. We will not grant such requests because we want to fair to all our customers.
Constant emails and phones call will only slow the process.
Customizations:
Often customers will request customizations like different tolex and grill cloth. Occasionally, people will ask for different knobs, subtracting or adding a feature, using certain tube brand or any number of other different requests. Requests that can be filled without undo suffering will be. Any all customizations add a minimum $50 fee. Many of the parts I use are purchased in bulk, and circuit boards are pre-built and designed so it takes time and extra effort and money to fill such requests. Thanks for your understanding.
Returns:
All sales are final. Due to the custom nature of our business amps and items cannot be returned. All items and amps are fully tested, packed well, and fully insured when shipped. The only exception is if an amp is severely damaged or lost during shipping.
Tiny cosmetic imperfections as not considered damage or grounds for a return. A determination on whether a return is allowed based on cosmetic flaw is completely up to Carl's Custom Amps discretion. Sometime a minor scratch or blemish can occur during the building process--- this is normal and particularly true of chrome chassis. It won’t be a month before your amp has your own marks from use anyway. Lacquered finishes are hand applied so some variation in color and looks is normal and not considered a flaw.
A note on user error: on rare occasion we have had issues with user error with Reverb Units, tube pre-amps, and FX loops. They are the most misunderstood items for customers because many do not have previous experience with them. Reverb Units and Tube Pre-amps are not solid-state or digital pedals and take more care to use. A proper FX loop with level controls take more experimentation to setup but works and sounds much better than the usual low grade FX loops found in many amps. We are happy to fully instruct the customer about how use these items but will not accept returns based on customers not being willing to use them as instructed or adapting the setup they use to them.
Shipping Damage Policy:
Shipping damage is rare. Carl's Custom Amps does not accept returns on amps for any reason including shipping damage. We will instead repair or replace your amp. All amps are fully tested prior to shipping, packed well and are fully insured through FedEx. Shipping damage or any issue must be reported within 14 days and all original packaging must be retained for insurance purposes. Sending unit back must also occur within 14 days of the reported damage/issue unless other arrangements are made. We will request photos of the damage and packaging for insurance purposes.
We will provide a shipping label, the amp will be repaired, sent back to you free of charge, and we will make a claim with FedEx to cover the expenses. The customer must provide photos of the damage.
It is the buyer’s responsibility to properly repack the amp. If it is not packed properly and damaged further in return shipping the repair and freight fees will be the buyer’s responsibility.
If the packing is not retained or the buyer refuses to send photographs of the damage and packaging then the repair and shipping costs will be the customer’s responsibility since a claim can no longer be filed. If an issue or damage is reported outside of that period the repair will fall under a warranty repair. If the user attempts to repair the amp will then the amp be considered damaged by the customer. Please allow us to take care of you if you receive a damaged amp.
This only applies to domestic shipments. In the case of international shipments, the buyer is responsible for any claims process with a carrier and the have the amp repaired locally. We will work with you get the amp working and get your repair paid for by the carrier.
Warranty Information
All complete amps come with a 2 year warranty against defects in workmanship. Tubes, speakers, reverb tanks are warrantied for 30 days. The owner is responsible for paying shipping costs for warranty repair work. We recommend only sending the chassis and tubes for repair work. Under NO circumstances will we pay shipping for a warranty repair; please do not ask. The warranty does not cover wear, misuse, abuse, user error, water damage, modifications (including use of tube types not specified for the amp or installing without biasing), rattling caused by loosened hardware, or acts of God. Work done on amps by the owner or other companies (other than tube biasing) that cause damage are not covered by the warranty and will void your warranty. Tube failures and accompanying damage is not covered. Carl’s Custom Amps is the ultimate determiner of whether an amp qualifies for a warranty repair. Non-warranty repairs will be done at a reduced bench fee. Any amp sent in for warranty repair that is working properly, and the issue turns out to be user error will be accessed a standard diagnostic fee. Warranties are non-transferable and apply only to the original purchaser.
Carl’s Custom Amps is not responsible for damage to an amp by a carrier when being sent in for warranty work. Any damage will be repaired at standard bench fees and fees will be charged for proper packing for the return shipment. Please pack carefully.
Please be courteous when sending an amp in for warranty work. I go to great lengths to help my customers but refuse to be subjected to abusive behavior or unreasonable requests. I encourage others to do the same. Let’s foster a culture of respect and professionalism. An amp that is not working is just that---it's in my best interest for your amp to work too. It's not personal; it's electronics.
Warning and User Agreement
Tube amps contain high voltages even after being unplugged. Do not open the amp and never touch the inside. Refer servicing to a qualified tech. Do not use in wet conditions. Always store the amp in a temperature controlled dry environment. Hot tubes can cause severe burns. Never handle hot tubes.
By purchasing an amp you are assuming all liability for loss, injury or death stemming from its use.
Bench Time Rates
The bench time rate is $75 per hour with a half hour minimum charge. I take detailed time logs when I’m working on amp so I can charge fairly and accurately.
Status Policy
Due to the high number of amps and orders we normally only contact a buyer at the sale when the amp is shipped or if delays past the expected ship date occur. I will answer emails requesting status updates but be aware that status does not usually change on day-to-day basis. Amps are built in the order in which orders are made and parts are received. Please be courteous and respectful of my time. Daily status updates will not be possible.
Order Changes:
Sometimes a customer will change their mind on a feature or ask for additional features after ordering. In many cases these changes may not be possible since parts have been ordered. In some cases, changes can be made. I am happy answer inquiries about order changes but reserve the option of not making changes. Changes will delay the shipment of your amplifier.
Parts and Parts Substitutions:
Carl's Custom Amp reserves to right to substitute a part with a part of equivalent quality. We always use high quality parts. For example, a Heyboer USA transformer may be substituted for a Classic Tone USA or a Malory 150 cap for an Orange Drop cap. Far too many builders, websites and magazines overemphasize “magic parts”. There is no such thing. There are high quality parts and low-quality parts and different brands do sound different if they have different constructions. Often the difference between two parts is subjective. It’s the job of an amp maker to select quality parts and tweak the circuit as necessary for the best sound. They rely on their experience and design abilities rather than hoping a particular part will elevate their work.