Steve Carr, founder of Carr Amplifiers

Steve Carr, founder of Carr Amplifiers

For some insight as to how & why Carr Amplifiers are superior, we've certainly come to appreciate that Steve and his crew are indeed guitarists!  Here's a brief introduction from their website:

"Like you, all of us at Carr Amplifiers are guitarists. We share your love of the guitar, and we feel very fortunate to build amplifiers for a living at our shop in Pittsboro, North Carolina. And although we are understandably proud of our unique circuit designs, meticulous point-to-point construction, premium components and hand-crafted cabinets, our success has ultimately been the result of one simple fact; discerning guitarists continue to enthusiastically embrace the tone, reliability and versatile nature of our amplifiers. Perhaps it's because we view guitar amps as being as much an instrument as the guitar itself, and we truly believe that an amplifier should become a personal extension of every player. To that end, we strive to design and build amps with a distinct character and sonic personality, and the flexibility and practical features that will inspire you to create your very own signature sound at volume levels appropriate for home, studio and stage.

We sincerely appreciate your interest in Carr Amplifiers, and as you review the models described here, we invite you to contact us personally to assist you in choosing the best Carr amp for your needs."

With best wishes,
Steve Carr, Founder

Here is a demo of Carr's new amplifier "The Bloke" by Premier Guitar from the 2012 Winter Namm Show.

Carr Rambler 1×12 Display Unit

Carr Rambler 1×12 Display Unit

Long before the birth of Carr Amplifiers, Steve Carr spent years playing, repairing, modifying and intently listening to classic guitar amps. The Rambler was one of his earliest signature designs, and today it is still one of the most popular models. Why? It's no accident that the Carr Rambler 1x12 succeeds in delivering classic American 'deluxe' tone with dramatically expanded clean headroom, solid bass response and the option of 28 watt pentode or 14 watt triode operation.

The Rambler simply reflects Steve's desire to improve and refine the original concept of an appropriately powered 1x12 club amp with reverb and tremolo. Rambler owners describe their amps as being warm, full and round, with a surprisingly high threshold of clean tone, (which also makes the Rambler uniquely suited to virtually any overdrive pedal ever built). The Rambler is considered by many to be the quintessential club amp, voiced to meet the needs of virtually any player, and all types of music.

We asked Steve to build us a custom display model which would illustrate the hand craftsmanship built into his cabinetry & Class A point to point wiring.  We are proud to have this working "nude" display model featured in our collection for each visitor to admire.  One such recent Carr fan exclaimed, "This is aircraft quality workmanship you don't find from most amp builders".

(Note: This amp is not for sale, though we always have a fully dressed Rambler in stock for your immediate needs)

Read More »