Carlsbro Amps

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  • DeijavooDeijavoo Frets: 3298
    I had a GLX40 red one. My first real amp and I loved it.

    I'm pretty sure Malcolm Middleton uses one and I do like his live tone. Maybe I should ditch all this valve nonsense. 
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  • 57Deluxe57Deluxe Frets: 7329
    edited July 2015
    @Bygone_Tones - Bill Nelson BeBop Deluxe used and uses Carlsboro. He used Twin Channel Power heads in 70s and states he uses his custom Carlsboro Nelsonica still... some clips and stills...



    http://i60.tinypic.com/25tev7d.jpg

    http://www.billnelson.com/images/villa/diary/2006/billstudio1.jpg
                                    in Bill's Studio
    <Vintage BOSS Upgrades>
    __________________________________
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  • jonnyburgojonnyburgo Frets: 12256
    My old TC 60 combo here, with EL34s, awesome clean channel with a ton of low end

    image

    "OUR TOSSPOT"
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  • BrizeBrize Frets: 5619
    edited July 2015
    I read somewhere that Robbo used a Carlsbro combo when recording the Jailbreak album.
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  • EricTheWearyEricTheWeary Frets: 16253
    Brize said:
    I read somewhere that Robbo used a Carlsbro combo when recording the Jailbreak album.
    It says that on his wiki page. 

    Carlsbro also did quite a lot of pedals that were, I think, rebadged Colorsound in the 70's . Some of those may have well found themselves under the feet of the rich and famous, Brian used a Colorsound wah and there was a Carlsbro version of that. 
    Tipton is a small fishing village in the borough of Sandwell. 
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  • BucketBucket Frets: 7751
    I've tried a TC60 combo and was quite impressed.

    Big fan of Bill Nelson so I'd quite like a spin on one of the big valve heads.
    - "I'm going to write a very stiff letter. A VERY stiff letter. On cardboard."
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  • SkippedSkipped Frets: 2371
    Second hand Carlsbro heads (both guitar and PA) were "everywhere" in the 1970's. Usually the type pictured below with the unusual sloping front, so I am guessing they made a lot of these (possibly late 60s).
    They were cheap (used).
    Hard to say why this was but I tried loads of them and they never screamed "must have" which Marshall, Orange, Sound City, Silverface Fender Twin all did for different reasons.

    image



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  • ESchapESchap Frets: 1428
    Skipped said:
    Second hand Carlsbro heads (both guitar and PA) were "everywhere" in the 1970's. Usually the type pictured below with the unusual sloping front, so I am guessing they made a lot of these (possibly late 60s).
    They were cheap (used).
    Hard to say why this was but I tried loads of them and they never screamed "must have" which Marshall, Orange, Sound City, Silverface Fender Twin all did for different reasons.

    image


    I've got one of the above.  Agree that they are a bit sterile, linking channels helps.  

    Shame is that there is an early 70's JMP 50 in there.  Same transformers and working voltages in the power section, including the PI, pretty much identical to a Marshall, just a tweak to the negative feedback and lower value coupling caps.  

    It's the front end that's the problem with these amps.  The circuit design of V1 is almost HiFi with very little gain to be had which, as they were designed to be a PA, is not surprising. 

    Mine has a turret board, so modding it would be fairly straightforward, in fact most of the components needed are in there, just not in the right order!  ;)

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  • jonnyburgojonnyburgo Frets: 12256
    The vac 15 combo looks great value at £199
    "OUR TOSSPOT"
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  • Bygone_TonesBygone_Tones Frets: 1528
    @57Deluxe - that rig sounds pretty good to my ears. That solid state head looks like a Stingray, they can be bought for a song on ebay thesedays. Came with two little blue foot pedals.

    Love watching those old grey whistle test clips, just to see what gear they are using!
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  • DLMDLM Frets: 2513
    edited July 2015
    When I was in my first gigging band at 17 both the other guitarist and me bought GLX series Carlsbro solid-state amps in red shells. I got the smaller one, the GLX 80 Special Edition:

    http://medias.audiofanzine.com/images/normal/carlsbro-glx80-329597.jpg

    The lead guitarist bought the bigger, 2x12 version, the GLX 150:

    http://medias.audiofanzine.com/images/normal/carlsbro-glx150-special-edition-913129.jpg

    (pics not of our amps, just googled for them)

    I've still got mine. I'm sure it's technically worthless, and have been wondering what on earth to do with it. Just taking up space at my folks' place. Can't even see a charity wanting to take it.
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  • SassafrasSassafras Frets: 30273
    I would very charitably take it off your hands.
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  • DeijavooDeijavoo Frets: 3298
    My one of those red ones got nicked out of my mate's car. I walked past Cash Convertors 3 months later and there it was. Got it back a couple months later too.
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  • phase3phase3 Frets: 41
    The current Carlsbro company is part of studiomaster ...and visa versa.  They have no real connection to the original companies of the same name. The brands were simply "acquired" some years ago, mainly to be used by soundking china.  So the majority of the product is standard soundking stuff....not necessarily a bad thing as probably well over 50% of all current product by other manufactures  also comes from them. Just differently badged....so if you buy the carlsbro/studiomaster badge , you get the same product for less money ... than lots of other brands like peavey etc.
    They no longer support any legacy product ( for obvious reasons).
    The VAC15 is unusual in that it was actually 'voiced' by their UK guys (hence the celestion) and is much more 'british' sounding than anything else in their line up. It's actually a cracking 'little known' amp that is a giant killer.
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  • dogloaddogload Frets: 1495
    Here's mine
    image

    It sounds absolutely brilliant, and the two independent channels lends itself to a massive sound. Lush tremolo and reverb too. Only problem with this amp is that it weighs so much. Almost planetary in it's mass. My back has rejected it, sadly.
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  • mellowsunmellowsun Frets: 2422
    I had a Carlsbro. It was only 20 watts but it had a lovely spring reverb. The clean sound was great. You could get a reasonable overdrive sound out of it too by maxing out the gain, but it didn't take drive/distortion pedals very well.
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  • VaernimaVaernima Frets: 4
    The vac 15 combo looks great value at £199
    I tried the normal VAC15 and it was cool, seemed like it would be a nice little bedroom player based on it's volume etc. But I think the VAC15 Classic - it must be the Greenback that just lights up the sound better - moving more air, better frequency response, etc.
    So I forked out the extra cash. Not a bad looking amp too.....(pic ripped from Premier Guitar website)...

    image
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  • VaernimaVaernima Frets: 4
    I had one of their more recent 60 watt valve amps. It was great. Too loud for use about the house sadly, but a classic nice cleans, nice drive combo.
    I saw there is a 60watt version of VAC, but I thought that would just overpower my little home recording room.
    Plus I have my VAC15C running into a 2 x 12" when I need more sound dispersal. The interesting thing I found with the VAC60 and the 30 was that the external speaker jack doesn't cut off the main speaker....I suppose that could be quite useful if you think it just adds another speaker into the mix.

    Its quirky stuff that makes amps individual I think. 

    Some of those old Carlsbro pics are epic hahaha. I like the old logo on that Stingray. Has a kind of Robocop font hahaahaa
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  • VaernimaVaernima Frets: 4
    DLM said:
    When I was in my first gigging band at 17 both the other guitarist and me bought GLX series Carlsbro solid-state amps in red shells. I got the smaller one, the GLX 80 Special Edition:

    http://medias.audiofanzine.com/images/normal/carlsbro-glx80-329597.jpg

    The lead guitarist bought the bigger, 2x12 version, the GLX 150:

    http://medias.audiofanzine.com/images/normal/carlsbro-glx150-special-edition-913129.jpg

    (pics not of our amps, just googled for them)

    I've still got mine. I'm sure it's technically worthless, and have been wondering what on earth to do with it. Just taking up space at my folks' place. Can't even see a charity wanting to take it.
    There's a thread on Facebook for vintage Carlsbro stuff....could offer it up on there?

    https://www.facebook.com/vintagecarlsbro?ref=settings
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  • DLMDLM Frets: 2513
    Vaernima said:
    There's a thread on Facebook for vintage Carlsbro stuff....could offer it up on there?

    https://www.facebook.com/vintagecarlsbro?ref=settings
    Thanks, I'd be ashamed to describe my GLX as vintage, though. What I see there is more in line with my definition of that much misused word.
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