The Carr Sportsman is a Carr amplifier. Close alternatives include the Fender Vibrolux 6G11 and the Fender Deluxe Reverb. It pairs well with the Tone City Model B Distortion TC-T31 and the Catalinbread Formula 5F6.
Carr Sportsman
Carr · amplifier
The Carr Sportsman is a 19-watt point-to-point hand-wired guitar combo amplifier with a Headroom control that continuously varies the power section response from pristine crystalline clean to edge-of-breakup, a Mid control for tonal versatility well beyond a standard Princeton-style circuit, and a studio-quality onboard reverb. Premier Guitar described its clean tones as genuinely crystalline and full of sparkle with Texas bite and growl as the Headroom control is pushed. At 19 watts with the Headroom high it covers blackface Deluxe Reverb volume and Vibrolux-style clean headroom, with the reverb making it ideal for surf and clean-toned genre work.
- reverb
- sparkle
- mid
- headroom
- treble
- growl
- surf
- clean
Good for
- Live
- Studio
- Worship
Genres the Carr Sportsman is commonly used in
- Jazz
- Country
- Blues
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Indie Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Surf Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
Pedals that stack with the Carr Sportsman
Tone City Model B Distortion TC-T31
Tone City
22% matchRun Tone City Model B Distortion TC-T31 into that high headroom platform and it finally gets some high gain
Catalinbread Formula 5F6
Catalinbread
19% matchThe high headroom tone has headroom to spare — Catalinbread Formula 5F6 gives it saturated to fill it with
Carl Martin PlexiTone
Carl Martin
19% matchInto a high headroom tone, Carl Martin PlexiTone brings the high gain it's missing
BBE Tremor V2
Bbe
15% matchBBE Tremor V2 is voiced for Fender-style amps — Carr Sportsman gives it exactly that
Origin Effects SlideRIG Compact Deluxe
Origin Effects
10% matchInto Carr Sportsman, Origin Effects SlideRIG Compact Deluxe is right at home: it's built around Fender-style amps
Binson Echorec Delay
Binson
6% matchRun Binson Echorec Delay in Carr Sportsman's effects loop, clear of Carr Sportsman's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Electro-Harmonix Memory Boy Analog Delay
Electro-Harmonix
6% matchRun Electro-Harmonix Memory Boy Analog Delay in Carr Sportsman's effects loop, clear of Carr Sportsman's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Electro-Harmonix EH-1335/EH-3075 Hot Tubes
Electro-Harmonix
tonal matchElectro-Harmonix EH-1335/EH-3075 Hot Tubes is voiced for a clean amp's front end — Carr Sportsman gives it exactly that
Alternativessee all similar tone character →
Fender Vibrolux 6G11
amplifier
70% similarity“At 19 watts with the Headroom high it covers blackface Deluxe Reverb volume and Vibrolux-style clean headroom, with the reverb making it ideal for surf and clean-toned genre work.”
Fender Deluxe Reverb
Fender
70% similarity“At 19 watts with Headroom up the amp matches a Deluxe Reverb in useful clean volume.”
Bad Cat Cougar 15
Bad Cat
94% similaritysimilar tone character
Mesa Boogie Lone Star Head
amplifier
94% similaritysimilar tone character
Carr Mercury V
Carr
94% similaritysimilar tone character
Carr Skylark
Carr
94% similaritysimilar tone character
Bad Cat Cub
Bad Cat
94% similaritysimilar tone character
Bad Cat Jet Black
Bad Cat
94% similaritysimilar tone character
1950s Fender Twin
amplifier
94% similaritysimilar tone character
Blackstar Silverline Special 50W
Blackstar
94% similaritysimilar tone character
Bad Cat Hot Cat
Bad Cat
94% similaritysimilar tone character
Carr Skylark Special
Carr
94% similaritysimilar tone character
See all alternatives to the Carr Sportsman (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Carr Sportsman?+
The closest matches in character are the Fender Vibrolux 6G11, the Fender Deluxe Reverb, the Bad Cat Cougar 15.
What pairs well with the Carr Sportsman?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Tone City Model B Distortion TC-T31, Catalinbread Formula 5F6, Carl Martin PlexiTone — Run Tone City Model B Distortion TC-T31 into that high headroom platform and it finally gets some high gain.