Very upset with Carvin

[Bill Dobkins]

I called today about my PA 1200 Pa head. I told the guy what it was doing, of course it was somthing I was doing wrong but everything he suggested I've already tried. I then ask him what it would cost to have them check it out. His reply was, oh we don't service that unit anymore. Its out of date, its over 5 years old and has been replaced with a different unit. I couldn't get anywhere with this guy.
I can't beleave they don't service what they sell.
I use to be a big fan of Carvin equipment.NOT ANYMORE.

[Justin Griffith]

That's too bad. I'm sure you can get an independent tech to repair it.
Sure makes my heart warm to know we have folks like Mike Brown, who are always a phone call away.

Good Luck.

[Jack Stoner]

Carvin is not the only one. Try to get a Taylor guitar fixed by Taylor - you can't they only build new guitars not repair guitars. A friend had a problem with a Taylor (an original that was built in his garage when he first started building guitars) and called the factory and was told "we don't do any repairs". The local music store found a Luthier in either Vermont or New Hampshire (don't remember) that did a lot of Taylor repairs and it was sent there for the repair.

[Michael Brebes]

The Taylor comment got me going and I couldn't resist. I have a Taylor 12 string that had a broken headstock. I called them about replacing the neck, which was going to cost me $800+ for a bolt-on neck. I had to send them the guitar because they won't let just anybody bolt on a neck. I then unbolted the broken neck, figuring I would use it for rework practice, and sent it off to them. Got a call a week later, telling me that they can't put a new neck on the guitar without receiving the old neck and told me it was their right to demand the old neck back before they would charge me another $800 for a new neck! Needless to say, I told them to send the guitar back and i repaired the headstock break and have been playing the guitar for a number of years now without any problems. VERY unimpressed with their snooty attitude.

[Mike Brown]

Thanks for the support and compliment Justin. We're still here in Meridian, Mississippi and under the same ownership as when the company was founded in 1965. We employ 15 technicians that repair incoming Peavey products eight hours a day, Monday through Friday. And occasionally, Hartley will walk through to say 'hello'.

Contact me if you need assistance.

Mike Brown
Peavey USA

[Dennis Wallis]

Bill, I bought one of those several years ago. The FIRST one developed a problem pretty soon after I got it . I believe the digital effects stopped working . It's been so long now that I don't remember . Anyway, they sent me another one and so far it has not given me any trouble. BUT I haven't used it a lot. Just occasionally . I really like the setup on these heads .

[John Gould]

I've had nothing but great experience with both Carvin and Taylor. Carvin techs where nothing but helpful in getting me parts and service information on a discontinued product.

Taylor guitars has a full repair shop at the headquarters in El Cajon California I've been there seen it and have set guitars to them to be repaired. Oh course they would like you to use their Warranty centers instead if there is one closer to you that can handle the repair. There are certain repairs that they are the only ones that can handle the job.

I guess sometimes its who you get one the phone.
I've had that happen with issues on other things like computers and cell phones and satellite TV

[Alvin Blaine]

I called today about my PA 1200 Pa head. I told the guy what it was doing, of course it was somthing I was doing wrong but everything he suggested I've already tried. I then ask him what it would cost to have them check it out. His reply was, oh we don't service that unit anymore. Its out of date, its over 5 years old and has been replaced with a different unit. I couldn't get anywhere with this guy.
I can't beleave they don't service what they sell.
I use to be a big fan of Carvin equipment.NOT ANYMORE.

They do have an exchange program for any electronic item over 5 years old. If you return your PA1200 and buy a RX1200 they give you $395 off the price.
Or you can find a local repair shop download the schematic and order parts from Carvin

[Jerry Hayes]

I've had a different problem with my Carvin 16 channel powered mixer. I year or two ago it started acting up and at some gigs it'd work and then sometimes only one side would work and I'd have to pan everything either to the A or B side. Then at one gig the monitors worked and the mains wouldn't.

I called Carvin who then told me that they had a flat rate of $295 to fix the unit no matter what was wrong with it. I tried to get it fixed locally and the only two half way decent electronics repairmen in this area said they wouldn't touch Carvin products so I shipped it off to Carvin. They only had it for a couple of weeks before it came back to me...

I took it to a few gigs and it worked fine until one gig where I set it up and nothing worked! The LEDs worked when you spoke into the mike but no sound! I called Carvin again and the tech told me to call him back the next day with the whole unit set up and ready to gig with.

I set it up in my garage with two mains and two monitors and called Carvin. Nothing was working then. When I got the tech on the phone he talked me through some settings on different controls and to my surprise, it worked! I did another gig with it and then it stopped working again on the next one. I wish I could just remember what sequence of events (settings) he'd talked me through.

At the moment it's been setting out in my workshop in it's road case for three months and I just don't feel like messing with it anymore.......JH in Va.

[Joseph Barcus]

After I thought I might try the new fender steel king when it came out only to find out later they have no service at all more or less, so I am now back with peavey and will never change ever ever you can not get any better service than peavey gives you

[Bill Dobkins]

Mike, does Peavey have a powered head with the three amp set up like this Carvin ?
BD

[Mike Brown]

Not at this time.

[Herb Steiner]

It's infuriating to get a reply like that from Taylor, but I don't think it's uncommon. I would think the rationale behind the policy is to prevent people from counterfeiting a Taylor by slapping the old, genuine Taylor neck on a non-Taylor body.

It's also wierd you were told there's no repair shop. They MUST have a repair shop to handle warranty work, dealer returns, etc. You probably just got a guy on the phone who was having a bad day and you were the recipient of the same.

[Johnny Thomasson]

It is weird you were told they have no repair shop. They definitely have a full service repair shop. If it were me, I'd think about letting Bob Taylor know how I was treated.

[Danny Hall]

It makes me sad actually. If you've got anything made by Carvin you need to carry a backup. They are NOT repareable. Lot's of OEM marked semiconductors with no cross reference available. Can't get the schemes. In just a normal Church service PA. Controlled environment, no moving around or dropping off the loading dock. No worky after a very short time.

I don't think it's necessarily the workmanship. They look like everyone else inside. I think it's engineering and component selection. Everything is working at max value instead of kicking it up a notch.

My opinion only. I want Carvin to succeed. Dangit! But they are screwing up royally. At this point they have to change their name to get back in the fight. They've blown it for now. Fire the top 10 guys in the company. Move all tech people into top positions except one money type. A controller. Start over. And drop Mr. Vai.

[Bill Dobkins]

I was always impressed with this unit. It was always quiet, powerful and the three amp's was great.
I don't think there is that much wrong with it, but when I get it fixed I will be trading it. I could never trust it again.
A question for Mike Brown. Does Peavey have a powered head with a seperate amp for the monitors and one for the Mains with enough power to run my SP4gs?

[Donald Gabriel]

I am new to the forum..but, read posts from Mike Brown who apparently works for Peavey...quickly, I bought a 6 channel Peavey power head in 1985..was playing every weekend...it quit within three weeks...took it back to a large dealer in the DC area, was repaired under warranty which prob cost Peavey a few bucks...two weeks later it went out during a show...again to the large Peavey dealer...third time I called Peavey myself, sweet southern gal called me back because I was long distance...she put a tech on the phone...I shipped it on Monday morning..had it back Friday evening for my Friday night show...Dealer was upset I went over their head...bottom line, it still works and Peavey is the only amp or power head this kid will ever buy...keep up the Great work....