LIMITED WARRANTY

Your Carvin product is guaranteed against failure for ONE YEAR unless otherwise stated. Vacuum
tubes are guaranteed for 90 days. Carvin will service and supply all parts at no charge to the
customer providing the unit is under warranty. Shipping costs are the responsibility of the cus-
tomer. CARVIN DOES NOT PAY FOR PARTS OR SERVICING OTHER THAN OUR OWN. A
COPY OF THE ORIGINAL INVOICE IS REQUIRED TO VERIFY YOUR WARRANTY. Carvin
assumes no responsibility for horn drivers or speakers damaged by this unit. This warranty does
not cover, and no liability is assumed, for damage due to: natural disasters, accidents, abuse,
loss of parts, lack of reasonable care, incorrect use, or failure to follow instructions. This war-
ranty is in lieu of all other warranties, expressed or implied. No representative or person is autho-
rized to represent or assume for Carvin any liability in connection with the sale or servicing of
Carvin products. CARVIN SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL
DAMAGES.
When RETURNING merchandise to the factory, you must call for a return authorization number.
If your unit is out of warranty, you will be charged the current FLAT RATE for parts and labor to
bring your unit up to factory specifications.
HELP SECTION
1) AMP WILL NOT TURN ON
Check the power to the amp. Check for tripped circuit breakers, unplugged extension cords
or power-strip switches that may be turned off. Check the fuse. If a dark brownish color or
no wire can be seen within the glass tube, then replace. The amp may be perfectly fine but
occasionally a fuse may blow because of high AC voltage surges. After the fuse has been
replaced with the proper Slow Blow value and if the fuse fails again, the amp will require ser-
vicing.
2) NO OUTPUT with POWER light ON
Tubes damaged in shipping will be the primary reason for your amp to not function properly.
Please give us a call to help guide you through this simple repair.
3) KEEP YOUR AMP LOOKING NEW
Use a damp cloth to wipe the controls on the front & rear chassis panels. Wipe the black vinyl
covering with a damp cloth.
CAUTION
RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK
DO NOT OPEN
SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS (EUROPEAN)
The conductors in the AC power cord are colored in accordance with the following code.
GREEN & YELLOWEarth BLUENeutral BROWNLive
U.K. MAIN PLUG WARNING: Amolded main plug that has been cut off from the cord is
unsafe. NEVER UNDER ANYCIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD YOU INSERTADAMAGED
OR CUT MAIN PLUG INTO A POWER SOCKET.
IMPORTANT! FOR YOUR PROTECTION, PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING:
WATER AND MOISTURE: Appliance should not be used near water (near a bathtub, washbowl, kitchen
sink, laundry tub, in a wet basement, or near a swimming pool, etc). Care should be taken so that objects
do not fall and liquids are not spilled into the enclosure through openings.
POWER SOURCES: The appliance should be connected to a power supply only of the type described
in the operating instructions or as marked on the unit.
GROUNDING OR POLARIZATION: Precautions should be taken so that the grounding or polariza-
tion means of an appliance is not defeated.
POWER CORD PROTECTION: Power supply cords should be routed so that they are not likely to be
walked on or pinched by items placed upon or against them, paying particular attention to cords at plugs,
convenience receptacles, and the point where they exit from the appliance.
SERVICING: The user should not attempt to service the unit beyond that described in the operating
instructions. All other servicing should be referred to qualified service personnel.
FUSING: If your unit is equipped with a fuse receptacle, replace only with the same type fuse. Refer
to replacement text on the unit for correct fuse type.
REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL!
THIS UNIT CONTAINS HIGH VOLTAGE INSIDE!
CAUTION
RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK
This symbol is
intended to alert the
user to the presence
of important operat-
ing and maintenance (servicing)
instructions in the literature
accompanying the appliance.
MODEL X-100B AMP SPECIFICATIONS:
RMS Power: 100, 50 or 25 watts, switchable
Output Impedance: 4, 8 or 16ohm, switchable
Input Impedance: 220,000 ohms
Tone Controls: BASS, MID, TREBLE, PRESENCE
Graphic EQ: 5-band, 18dB boost or cut
Channels: 2switchable
Ch 1 Sensitivity: 1mV for clipping
Ch 2 Sensitivity: 16mV for full output
footswitch functions: FS44L: channel, reverb, effect loop and boost/mute
FS22: channel, reverb
Voiced Line Out: 1.5 VAC @ 100 watts RMS
Preamp Tubes: 312AX7s (dual stage)
Power Amp Tubes: 4EL34s (power pentode), switchable to 5881(6L6GC)
USA Model: 120VAC, 300VA
6A , slow blow fuse, 5x20mm
Export Model: 230VAC, 300VA
3A, slow blow fuse, 5x20mm
Cabinet Size: Head: 24.25W x 10.5H x 9.5D
Combo: 26W x 17.5H x 10.25D
Cabinet: Multi-ply hardwwood
Net Weight: 35 lbs (head) , 58 lbs (combo)
Warranty: One Year
Country of Mfg: Made in USA
Options: -CV3200 (head) or CV3212 (combo) cover
-FS44L footswitch - 4 function
-FS22 footswitch - channel and reverb
-GX412T or GX412B (matching 4x12 speaker cabinets)
CARVIN ENGINEERING DATA X-100B TUBE GUITAR AMP OPERATING MANUAL
Congratulations on your purchase of your X-100B series IV tube
amplifier. Carvin has been building tube guitar amplifiers since 1949.
Spend time with your new amp and get to know its many sounds.
Youll discover why many creative guitarists have choosen the X-100B
to achieve their sound.
HISTORY OF THE X-100B
The X-100B holds a place dear in the hearts of guitar amp affectionados. The
X100B series tube amps were a mainstay on many arena stages and MTV videos
throughout the 1980's. Artists such as Frank Zappa, Craig Chaquico with Jefferson
Starship, Warrant, Warren Cuccurullo with Missing Persons, and Steve Vai all
played X100B amps. Frank Zappa raved about the Clean channel on this amp.
Steve Vai recorded a song called "Blue Powder" (available on his first solo release
Flexable) featuring the X100B. As a tribute to the original X100B amps, the new
Series IV is badged with the vintage Carvin logo.
DESIGN OVERVIEW
The circuitry of the X-100B allows several layers of control over the dynam-
ics and tone of the amp from the input jack to the speaker output.
PREAMP
Great sounds start with a great preamp. The glassy clean sounds of the
Rhythm channel sparkle even more in the Bright setting. The Lead channel
Drive control is combined with a Hi Gain switch for highly selective control
over the 12AX7 tube overdrive.
TONE CONTROLS
The BASS, MID, TREBLE, and PRESENCE use active circuits to create a
wide range of cut or boost from each control.
5-BAND MASTER EQ
The X-100B features a five band graphic EQ that is assignable to the Lead
or Rhythm channel. An extreme amount of control is available here, allow-
ing you to define your sound in a way not available on most amps.
SWITCHABLE EFFECT LOOP
The X-100B features a switching effect loop for true bypass of effects.
CUSTOM REVERB
The X-100B reverb is custom designed for a full, natural sound. The long tail
switching system turns off only the send to let the reverb to decay without being
cut off.
POWER AMP CONTROL
The RMS POWER switch not only reduces maximum output, but also lets you
drive the power amp into saturation at lower volumes while using all four tubes.
GIVE YOURSELF A BOOST OR KEEP IT QUIET
The Master volume control can be configured as a variable volume Boost,
available by footswitch. When engaged, it will boost your amps output by
up to 9dB for solos or any time you need to stand out in the mix. The footswitch
will MUTE the amp in Master mode, allowing you to switch guitars quietly.
76-22100A 0308
EL34 POWER TUBES
Your amp is equipped with EL34 power tubes because of their powerful output
and responsive tone. The characteristics of these power tubes respond to
the wide dynamic range of guitar playing. If you play soft the tubes remain
clean and if you increase your attack they respond accordingly.
HIGH IMPEDANCE GUITAR INPUT
Carvin has long known about the effects of miss-loading a guitar pickup, which
can cause high frequency loss. The X-100B guards against this loss with its
high input impedance. We also considered the capacitance of the average
shielded guitar cable which can reduce the high frequency response of your
guitar pickups. Careful component layout and lead placement control oscilla-
tions and noise without extra capacitance in the circuit, allowing shimmering
highs to be reproduced faithfully.
For your records, you may wish to record the following information.
Serial No._____________________ Invoice Date_______________
RECEIVING INSPECTIONread before getting started
INSPECT YOUR AMP FOR DAMAGE which may have occurred during shipping.
If damage is found, please notify the shipping company and CARVIN immediately.
SAVE THE CARTON & ALL PACKING MATERIALS. In the event you have to re-
ship your unit, always use the original carton and packing material. This will provide
the best possible protection during shipment. CARVIN and the shipping company are
not liable for any damage caused by improper packing.
SAVE YOUR INVOICE. It will be required for warranty service if needed in the future.
SHIPMENT SHORTAGE. If you find items missing, they may have been shipped
separately. Please allow several days for the rest of your order to arrive before inquir-
ing.
RECORD THE SERIAL NUMBER on the enclosed warranty card or below on
this manual for your records. Keep your portion of the card and return the portion
with your name and comments to us.
12340 World Trade Drive, San Diego, CA 92128
(800) 854-2235 www.carvin.com
c
12340 World Trade Drive, San Diego, CA 92128
(800) 854-2235 www.carvin.com
c
This symbol is intended to
alert the user to the
presence of uninsulated
dangerous voltage within
the products enclosure that may be of
sufficient magnitude to constitute a
risk of electric shock to persons.
FS-44L FUNCTIONS AND LEDS
FS-22 FUNCTIONS
SWITCH LED ON LED OFF
A. CHANNEL | LEAD | RHYTHM
B. REVERB | REVERB ON | REVERB OFF
C. EFFECTS | LOOP ON | LOOP OFF
D. BOOST mode* | BOOST ON | BOOST OFF
D. MUTE mode* | AMP ON | AMP MUTED
* BOOST or MUTE MODE is changed with the FS BOOST
switch on the front panel of the amp.
SWITCH FUNCTION
SELECT LEAD / RHYTHM
REVERB/EFFECTS REVERB ON / REVERB OFF
X-212B combo (two 12 speakers)
X-100B head
A C D B
GETTING STARTED QUICKLY
If you are like most players, you probably
want to plug in your new amp and get playing
right away. You can read the rest of the
manual later to learn the finer points of oper-
ating your amp. In order to get started you will
need your X-100B amp, a 120 (or 230) AC
grounded power outlet, your instrument, and
a standard guitar cord. If you have the X-100B
head version you will also need a speaker cord
and speaker cabinet.
Plug in your speaker and set the SPEAKER
OHMS switch to match your speaker. If you
have the FS44Lfootswitch, plug it into the rear
5-pin FS44L footswitch jack. Or, if you have
the FS22 footswitch, plug it into the rear 1/4
inch FS22 footswitch jack. Turn all volume
controls off. With the amp turned off, you may
then plug it into the proper AC voltage.
Now, plug in your guitar and turn the POWER
(1 / 0) switch to ON ( 1 ). Wait 60 seconds or
more for the tubes to warm up, then turn the
STANDBY switch to OPERATE. The amp will
be ready to play in a few seconds. Gradually
raise the channel volume and master volume
controls and re-adjust the tone controls to
your liking. Please call if you feel your amp is
malfunctioning. Occasionally tubes are dam-
aged in shipping.
FRONT PANEL
1. POWER SWITCH ( 1 / 0 )
The POWER switch is to be utilized as the master
ON/OFF ( 1 / 0 ) switch. One of the two large RED
LEDs near the LEAD or RHYTHM controls will illu-
minate to indicate the power is ON.
2. STANDBY / OPERATE SWITCH
After turning the POWER switch ON, wait 60 sec-
onds or more for the tubes to warm up - then turn on
the STANDBYswitch to OPERATE. When turning the
amp OFF, first turn the switch to STANDBY, then shut
off the POWER switch. Use the STANDBY switch if
you are taking a break. This turns the high voltage
off, increasing the life of your power tubes while keep-
ing the power and preamp tube filaments on for imme-
diate use.
3. EQ ASSIGNMENT SWITCH (LEAD/RHY)
Use this switch to select which channel (LEAD or
RHYTHM) is shaped by the GRAPHIC EQ.
4. GRAPHIC EQUALIZER
The GRAPHIC EQ is a powerful sound shaping
tool.Each fader controls up to18dB of boost (slide up)
or cut (slide down) for each of the 5 frequency ranges
labeled underneath .
Select the channel to be EQd with the EQ ASSIGN-
MENT switch (#3), LEAD or RHYTHM.
5. REVERB CONTROL
The X-100B has been custom designed with a lush,
natural sounding reverb system. Adjust the amount
of reverb with the REVERB control. Reverb can be
turned off by remote footswitch. Only the send is turned
off to allow the end of the reverb to decay without being
cut off.
6. ACTIVE TONE CONTROLS
To start, set the BASS, MID & TREBLE controls at
their center (5) position. These controls are to be set
according to the type of sound you want. For added
clarity, the PRESENCE controls only the highest guitar
harmonics in the 5kHz-10kHz range. Careful adjust-
ment with the TREBLE control makes this feature even
more useful.
7. FS BOOST SWITCH
This switch changes how the MASTER volume con-
trol works. With this switch OFF, the MASTER control
works normally. In the FS BOOSTposition, the volume
of the amp is set to maximum and the volume of the
amp will be set by the RHYTHM or LEAD controls only.
(see below for more)
8. MASTER VOLUME / BOOST LEVEL
FS BOOST switch OFF (DOWN): Use the MASTER
to change the overall volume level for the amp when
the FS BOOST switch is OFF. The FS44L can mute
the amp output while changing guitars or for quiet pas-
sages in the music when the guitar is not played The
red LED over the MASTER will turn OFF when the amp
is MUTED by the footswitch.
FS BOOST switch ON (UP): The MASTER is
bypassed, and the volume of the amp is controlled only
by the RHYTHM and LEAD settings. The MASTER
control is used to set an overall volume boost of up
to 9dB, activated by the FS44L footswitch. The red
LED over the MASTER will indicate the BOOSTis ON.
Try using the FS BOOST with the RMS POWER fea-
ture! (#18)
9. CHANNEL SWITCH
In the DOWN position, the RHYTHM channel is
selected for open, clean sounds with lots of headroom.
In the UP position, the LEAD channel is selected for
overdriven sounds with tube harmonics and sustain.
The channel can also be changed by footswitch.
Leave the switch in the UP position when using the
footswitch. The LEDs near the LEAD or RHYTHM con-
trols indicate which channel is selected.
10. LEAD VOLUME
When the LEAD channel is active, the volume is
adjusted with the LEAD control.
11. GAIN SWITCH
The GAIN switch changes the gain structure of the
LEAD channel:
OFF (DOWN)- with the DRIVE control, go from a
bluesy breakup to a dynamic crunch overdrive.
GAIN (UP)- increases the amount of drive available,
allowing thick distortion harmonics.
12. DRIVE CONTROL
As the DRIVE is turned up, tube harmonics and sus-
tain are increased. The GAIN switch (#11) also affects
the drive.
For textured harmonics with mild tube overdrive, turn
the DRIVE control below 4. For increased harmon-
ics and more tube saturation, set the control between
4 & 6. For full blown distortion turn on the GAIN switch
and set the DRIVE control between 7 and 10 (your
guitar volume should be turned all the way up).
The amount of overdrive you can get from the amp
is also affected by the pickups in your guitar. Output
levels vary from model to model, and single coil pick-
ups generally have less output than dual coil humbuck-
ers.
Because the X-100B has been Hot Rodded with
so much gain, you may encounter feedback. If feed-
back is a problem, reduce the DRIVE or move the guitar
to the side or away from the speaker(s).
13. RHYTHM VOLUME
When the RHYTHM channel is active, the volume is
adjusted with the RHYTHM control.
14. BRIGHT SWITCH
The BRIGHTswitch adds high end to the preamp, invit-
ing high frequencies to ring out more easily.
15. GUITAR INPUT
Astandard 1/4 input jack feeds the signal from your
guitar to the amp. Use a professional quality guitar
cord no longer than 25 feet. Typical cable capacitance
should be under 50pfthe longer the cord, the greater
the capacitance (you can measure this with a capac-
itance meter). Along cable with high capacitance will
reduce the overall treble response from your pickups.
REAR PANEL
16. SPEAKER OUTPUT JACKS
Two 1/4 SPEAKER JACKS are featured to operate
several speaker systems at the same time. Calculate
the total speaker impedance based on parallel wiring
as the speaker jacks are wired in parallel. Select the
IMPEDANCE SWITCH for the correct impedance.
17. SPEAKER OHMS (IMPEDANCE) SWITCH
The IMPEDANCE SWITCH offers the selection of 4
ohm, 8 ohm or 16 ohm to match your speaker system.
The correct setting for two 16 ohm speakers or cab-
inets would be 8 ohms. The correct setting for two 8
ohm speakers or cabinets would be 4 ohms. Select
the proper impedance. (see IMPEDANCE CHART at
the top of this page)
18. RMS POWER SWITCH
The 3-position RMS POWERswitch reduces the 100watt
output of the amp down to 50 or 25 watts, while still using
all four output tubes. Lower settings will allow the great
sound and feel of the tube power amp being over-
driven, but at lower volume levels. For maximum output
power and headroom set the switch to 100watts. For
early power amp saturation move this switch to
50watts. Setting this switch to 25watts can change the
sound dramatically if desired, by turning up the MASTER
or using the FS BOOST (#7) to produce even more
power amp overdrive!
19. POWER TUBE BIAS SWITCH
If you desire to change from EL34 to 5881(6L6GC)
power tubes, you may do so by selecting the exter-
nal BIAS switch to the 5881/6L6GC position on the
rear panel. Be sure that this switch is set to the proper
position or excessive heat will damage your tubes. The
amp should be re-biased when replacing the output
tubes.
*CAUTION! - The presence of high voltage inside tube
amps can cause death or serious injury!
Tube amp biasing should be performed by a quali-
fied technician. Do not attempt if you are unsure of your
ability to perform this operation safely. To set the bias,
measure the current across the terminals of the
STANDBY switch (set the switch to STANDBY when
the amp is ON). With internal trim control P10, set the
idle current to 100 mA DC for all tube types.
20. LINE OUT
The LINE OUT jack is a fully balanced XLR output
for connecting to power amps or mixers without the
need for a direct box. All power amp dynamics are
captured in this signal, including the RMS POWER set-
ting. The output level is more than adequate to drive
any professional mixer or power amp. Aspeaker load
must be connected at all times while using the amp.
21. EFFECTS LOOP
The EFFECTS LOOP is a standard series loop. This
means it sends all signals through your processor. To
use the EFFECTS LOOP, plug the INPUT of your
effects into the SEND jack and the OUTPUT of your
effects into the RETURN jack. Use shielded cables, not
speaker cables. Adjust the processors MIX setting to
your liking. If your processor has a Direct signal
ON/OFF setting, it is usually better to turn it ON.
22. LOOP LEVEL
The LOOPLEVELswitch allows the X-100B to acco-
modate a variey of devices. If the input of your
processor is being overloaded, use a lower setting.
If you are getting excess noise from your processor,
try the 0 or +4 setting. 0dB is typical for most appli-
cations.
23. FS44L FOOTSWITCH JACK
Use only the Carvin FS44L (recommmended) or
Carvin FS44. Other footswitches will not work.
* DO NOT use MIDI devices in this jack! *
24. FS22 FOOTSWITCH JACK
The switches on the FS22 footswitch control the chan-
nel selection and reverb. Most foot pedals with 2
switches, a stereo cord and plug will work. However,
Carvins FS22 is recommended because no rewiring
will be necessary.
25. AC POWER & FUSE The detachable AC POWER
CORD supplied is designed to operate with one type
of voltage (the European 230V export model uses a
CEE-7 plug cord set). Check the rear power cord label
for the proper voltage. Make sure the cord is securely
inserted into the back of the unit. Plug the cord into
a grounded 3 prong power source. No attempt
should ever be made to defeat or use the amp with-
out the ground connected.
The FUSE is located within the AC power cord recep-
tacle. If the amp does not turn on, unplug the amp
and check the fuse, AC power connection, your
speaker connection and all tubes. Replace the fuse
only with the same size and type.
5x20mm, 6A SLO-BLOW (3A SLOWBLOW for
240VAC)
If no problem is found and the fuse still blows, your
amp may need service.
HELP SECTION
A) FEEDBACK FROM THE LEAD CHANNEL
The X-100B may feedback when the VOLUME, DRIVE,
TREBLE and PRESENCE are turned all the way up. Like other
high-gain tube amps, this is normal. To help control feedback
and noise, reduce the DRIVE control, or move the guitar to
the side or away from the speakers.
B) TUBE REPLACEMENT GUIDE
It is not uncommon for tubes to malfunction during shipping.
If your amp is not working properly, please call or refer to the
following replacement guide.
1) The 12AX7A preamp tubes are the smaller of the two
kinds of tubes, and are located in the following order on
your chassis:V1, V2, V3. To start with, V1 is located clos-
est to the guitar input, near the output transformer.
Replace the tubes if your amp does not work or sounds
muddy or dull. V1 is the input tube and affects both chan-
nels. V2 is the main overdrive tube. Replace V3 if no output
is heard when putting a signal through the effect return.
2) If there is no output after replacing the preamp tubes, or
if the fuse blows, try replacing the EL34 output tubes. The
amp should be rebaised after replacing the output tubes.
3) If the amp stops working and the fuse is blown, turn the
amp off and try replacing the power tubes. One of these
tubes may have a short.
X-100B FRONT & REAR PANEL CONTROLS
1 2
7
3 4
10
24 19 17 18 16
6 5
9
12 13 15
20 21 22 23 25
8
11 14
SPEAKER
COMBINATION
OHMS
RESULT
SWITCH
SETTING
16 ohms & 16ohms 8 8
8 ohms & 8 ohms 4 4
8 ohms & 16 ohms* 5.33 4*
16 ohms & 4 ohms*
(do not use at 100w setting)
3.2
4*
CAUTION !
8 ohms & 4 ohms
(DO NOT USE)
2.66
DO NOT
USE !
4 ohms & 4 ohms
(DO NOT USE)
2
DO NOT
USE !
* Use CAUTION with these combinations.
When using 2 speakers with different imped-
ances, more power will go to the speaker with the
smaller impedance.
Ideal use of the 8&16 ohm combination would
be a 16ohm 2x12cab and an 8ohm 4x12 cab.
If your speaker cabinet has a selector switch
this can help you match the impedance.
SPEAKER OHMS SWITCH
IMPEDANCE CHART