Carstens Grace BC signature amp

[spguitar0]

This thing is rippin.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhHj...ture=emb_title

[spguitar0]

Sold out super fast at $3600 shipped.

[paranoid]

i've got one (red), it's un fucking real. #9 of 50.. did you get your hands on one? definitely using it with my band fred cracklin

[paranoid]

and i think it sold out because he was already selling them before this promo was released.

[slunken]

his lead playing has always been so sloppy and undisciplined

[spguitar0]

Nevermind Brian said they're not sold out yet.

[spguitar0]

Originally Posted by paranoid

i've got one (red), it's un fucking real. #9 of 50.. did you get your hands on one? definitely using it with my band fred cracklin

I really want one. Dunno if I can swing it though.

[houseofglass11]

You seriously dropped $3500 on one paranoid?

Honestly it’s sounds very good. But the gain sounds similar to the Orange TH30 I had (upgraded to the TH100), it can pretty much do that type of Sabbathy sound all day long.

[paranoid]

Originally Posted by houseofglass11

You seriously dropped $3500 on one paranoid?

Honestly it’s sounds very good. But the gain sounds similar to the Orange TH30 I had (upgraded to the TH100), it can pretty much do that type of Sabbathy sound all day long.

Yup.

[paranoid]

I’ve been following the dude for a while. Big time amp guy in Chicago, used to work for Schroeder amps, who custom builds amps for nels Cline, Wilco. He started Carstens. I had my eye on a Schroeder for years but those go for 5k, and when I heard he was working with corgan on a new high gain amp, and only 50 of em, I said fuck it and went for it. Once in a lifetime.

And I’ve played plenty of amps, including the orange you mentioned and a few others.. sovtek mig 100, Marshall jcm 800 and 2000, etc etc. no match for this. This amp makes it easier to play guitar, and with the amount of noise and shredding I do in my own band I want that.

I’ve also got a handful of custom guitars that I’ve spent 2500 on so dropping lots of money on gear is not something new to me.

[houseofglass11]

Damn that’s a big chunk of change. So, did you do Affirm or are you just ballin’?

[paranoid]

Originally Posted by houseofglass11

Damn that’s a big chunk of change. So, did you do Affirm or are you just ballin’?

I had a butt load of pedals that I’ve collected over 20 years that have sat unused, so I sold the ones I don’t use, plus and amp and was able to get the money together for this.

Also that $600 extra a week for lost work hours from covid was helpful lol.

[houseofglass11]

Ha nice. Yeah I usually do the same, I’ll end up collecting a ton of pedals over a few years and then sell them off to fund a big purchase. Most expensive amp I’ve owned is the Diezel VH4. But sadly I just couldn’t vibe with it. It was very stiff and hi-if sounding and I couldn’t get the kind of treble and presence I wanted from the gain channel, kind of dark sounding ultimately.

[paranoid]

Originally Posted by houseofglass11

Ha nice. Yeah I usually do the same, I’ll end up collecting a ton of pedals over a few years and then sell them off to fund a big purchase. Most expensive amp I’ve owned is the Diezel VH4. But sadly I just couldn’t vibe with it. It was very stiff and hi-if sounding and I couldn’t get the kind of treble and presence I wanted from the gain channel, kind of dark sounding ultimately.

Those amps look crazy.. but I have such a hard time getting a good sound out of anything with a shit ton of knobs. How much did that cost?

The one thing I might regret, I had an eventide harmonized, exact one used on Siamese dream that was literally given to me.. sold that for 2k to buy this. But I never used the stupid thing.

[Funbags]

I don't know if it's the Reverend, but I can't stand that "mid-gain, half-cocked wah tone through a Marshall" thing he's into. It sounds like a blues tone mixed with a saturated mid-frequency peak.

[paranoid]

Originally Posted by Funbags

I don't know if it's the Reverend, but I can't stand that "mid-gain, half-cocked wah tone through a Marshall" thing he's into. It sounds like a blues tone mixed with a saturated mid-frequency peak.

That’s the whole tony iommi thing. I love it. Plays like butter. Cuts through in a heavy mix too.

[Funbags]

It's like an ice pick when Billy plays chords. Unpleasant.

[AveryLoren]

Originally Posted by Funbags

I don't know if it's the Reverend, but I can't stand that "mid-gain, half-cocked wah tone through a Marshall" thing he's into. It sounds like a blues tone mixed with a saturated mid-frequency peak.

Billy was my guitar idol for so many years but I just hate everything about his choices these days. A Reverend guitar into a Line 6 HX Stomp into an amp like this is just horrific. I think Old Bill is deaf and compensates with the mid-wah like tones.

This amp sounds like complete horse apples to me. I can't comprehend the asking price either. It sounds like a $40 fuzz box through a garage sale amp.

[AveryLoren]

Originally Posted by paranoid

That’s the whole tony iommi thing. I love it. Plays like butter. Cuts through in a heavy mix too.

I own the Tony Iommi TI100 Head and the Sabbra Cadabra Pedal. Neither sound anything remotely like this Grace amp. Iommi's tone is like a warm buzz-saw sound to my ears.

[AveryLoren]

Also, what the hell is up with his shitty playing in these gear advertisements?

[paranoid]

Originally Posted by AveryLoren

Billy was my guitar idol for so many years but I just hate everything about his choices these days. A Reverend guitar into a Line 6 HX Stomp into an amp like this is just horrific. I think Old Bill is deaf and compensates with the mid-wah like tones.

This amp sounds like complete horse apples to me. I can't comprehend the asking price either. It sounds like a $40 fuzz box through a garage sale amp.

Funny he’s not using the helix in this Carstens video.

Play one in person I guarantee you’ll change your mind.

[TheAlter]

Originally Posted by Funbags

I don't know if it's the Reverend, but I can't stand that "mid-gain, half-cocked wah tone through a Marshall" thing he's into. It sounds like a blues tone mixed with a saturated mid-frequency peak.

Spot on, terrible tone. Guitar probably does so little to him these days he's just turned to his childhood heroes out of boredom.

Originally Posted by AveryLoren

Billy was my guitar idol for so many years but I just hate everything about his choices these days. A Reverend guitar into a Line 6 HX Stomp into an amp like this is just horrific. I think Old Bill is deaf and compensates with the mid-wah like tones.

This amp sounds like complete horse apples to me. I can't comprehend the asking price either. It sounds like a $40 fuzz box through a garage sale amp.

Originally Posted by AveryLoren

I own the Tony Iommi TI100 Head and the Sabbra Cadabra Pedal. Neither sound anything remotely like this Grace amp. Iommi's tone is like a warm buzz-saw sound to my ears.

In that youtube interview for the Op Amp Big Muff years ago he plays like 30 seconds and seems almost impaired. I assume he no longer gives a fuck about guitar playing unless money is involved.

[TheAlter]

Originally Posted by paranoid

Funny he’s not using the helix in this Carstens video.

Play one in person I guarantee you’ll change your mind.

I think the use of Helix was part of his sponsorship/collab with Yamaha, which owns Line6.

Aesthetically is probably one of the most beatiful amps ever made, no kidding. His signature pickups probably ruin the overall sound. Gosh, i've used a strat with Lace Sensor into a Marshall JCM800 for years and THAT was an amazing BC sound. Crazy how things change.

[paranoid]

Originally Posted by TheAlter

I think the use of Helix was part of his sponsorship/collab with Yamaha, which owns Line6.

Aesthetically is probably one of the most beatiful amps ever made, no kidding. His signature pickups probably ruin the overall sound. Gosh, i've used a strat with Lace Sensor into a Marshall JCM800 for years and THAT was an amazing BC sound. Crazy how things change.

yeah i don't know. i like the guitar, but some of my other guitars do sound better with this amp.. it plays great with a strat. sounds very machina like with an SG (lucky 13, HMM). with a good treble boost pedal into this amp you get that mellon collie tone.

all subjective though. ultimately I'm not playing pumpkins covers shows with thus amp, i wanted a good high quality high gain amp, and this is doing the job for me. very easy to not sound like billy with this amp.. it is versatile. with that said, i am a fan of his guitar tone across all eras.

[Ram27]

Originally Posted by AveryLoren

Also, what the hell is up with his shitty playing in these gear advertisements?

i bet the answer is definitely ""pumpkin humour""

[TheAlter]

Originally Posted by AveryLoren

Also, what the hell is up with his shitty playing in these gear advertisements?

Best comment under that video

“Billy: it’s impossible to have 15 pedals in a live setup.
Kevin Shields: hold my beer.”

Ahahah

[smashingjj]

Youtube comments. I live for them.

[TheAlter]

Originally Posted by smashingjj

Youtube comments. I live for them.

There’s some first choice material in them lol

[houseofglass11]

I thought his tones were better with the Lace Sensor's. I had the BC Dimarzio set in one of my strats and they were very bassy and dark in all positions. The bridge position had so much bass it was almost like a neck pickup. I haven't really been a huge fan of his tones on any of the 2007-present stuff. Zeitgeist was decent in that regard, and also MtaE with that raw Laney Supergroup tone. I really don't like his live tones with the modular stuff. I had the Randall RM100 and all kinds of various modules, they're decent, but they just don't compare to a real high gain head.

[paranoid]

Originally Posted by houseofglass11

I thought his tones were better with the Lace Sensor's. I had the BC Dimarzio set in one of my strats and they were very bassy and dark in all positions. The bridge position had so much bass it was almost like a neck pickup. I haven't really been a huge fan of his tones on any of the 2007-present stuff. Zeitgeist was decent in that regard, and also MtaE with that raw Laney Supergroup tone. I really don't like his live tones with the modular stuff. I had the Randall RM100 and all kinds of various modules, they're decent, but they just don't compare to a real high gain head.

what kind of start were you using those with? a lot of it has to do with body, weight, etc as well. i have one of those dimarzio's in a hand made jazz master body w/ strat neck, very light guitar, and it's very bright.