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An incredible British Voiced Amp with an American Twist, in a Tube-Head Package!
$3,150.00
With the big, powerful amplifiers of the golden age of guitar tone ever harder to use on stage and in the studio, the Carr Bel-Ray reconfigures three legendary ’60s to early ’70s sounds from across the pond into a portable, club-friendly package that dishes out classic British chime, crunch, and kerrang in a format today’s player can actually use.
Fronting a dual-EL84 output stage that generates 16 watts of power, the Bel-Ray sports a front end of two 12AX7s plus a fat British-voiced EF86* pentode tube in a triple-threat preamp that delivers Top Boost chime, Plexi grind, and H-Watt punch at the twist of a switch.
Juicy, tactile dynamics and multi-dimensional playing feel are ensured by tube rectification courtesy of an EZ81—an essential part of the power supplies in the smaller ’60s AC combos and 18-watters alike—and atmospherics are maximized by a tube-driven, bias-modulated tremolo circuit that oozes a warm, lush, swampy throb.
Atop this versatile foundation, the Bel-Ray carries the kind of feature set that has made Carr Amplifiers famous for their ability to deliver vintage-caliber tones to modern playing situations. The Level (aka Volume) control is coupled with a High/Low volume-taper toggle which selects between a direct signal or one with a partial Master Volume inserted after the following EF86 stage. In High, the volume comes on fast and furious, hitting the output stage harder for increased crunch. Set to Low, the volume rolls up gradually and drives the EL84s less aggressively, perfect for at-home nighttime playing and quieter settings.
The Bel-Ray’s decibels are further dialed in with Carr’s acclaimed built-in attenuator: a toggle switch flips between the full 16 watts and anywhere from 0 to 2 watts of power. And behind it all is Carr’s hand-wired, point-to-point circuit construction, acknowledged as among the finest in the business, using military grade power components, signal elements from the golden age of analog amplification, and other high-end parts to optimize clarity, depth, and playing feel.
The Bel-Ray — legendary British tone via top-flight American engineering.
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.
Construction: Hand wired point-to-point in the USA
Components: Custom USA made transformers, Solen Fast Cap electrolytics, Carbon comp resistors, US-made Jupiter signal capacitors, and more
Power: 16 watts Full/2 Watt to whisper
Channels: One - 3 Voices
Tubes: two 12AX7s, one EF86, two EL84s, one EZ81 rectifier
Controls: Level, Top, Mid, Bass, Tremolo Speed and Depth, Attenuator
Switches: High/Low taper, V66/H73/M68 Voicing, 16W/Attenuator, on/off/standby
Features: 3 British Voices, Tube-driven tremolo, built-in attenuator
Cabinets: Hand-crafted In-House from Euro Birch cabinet grade ply, and uniquely styled
Speakers: Fane F25 12"
Weight & Dimensions: Head 19 1/2" (W) x 9 1/2" including feet (H) x 10" (D), 24 lb