Carr Skylark - deep dive review

This is my detailed review of the Carr Skylark.

[@Kenrox77]

I just bought a 2024 Skylark. They fixed the control panel text issue that you were talking about, and put the text on the top of the panel! Awesome.

[@milanberic9212]

Good review thank you. Appreciate you taking it through all of the settings and demonstrating single coil and humbuckers. Love it and own one.

[@GuitarStuffChannel]

Thank you!

[@Xorezzz]

Best demo of this amp so far, nice that you actually demoed the purposed settings. Nicely micked also. Also had a Mercury V, (based on skylark but quite different with british favor) and your video gives the amp justice. Maybe Carr could send you some other amps like superbee or telstar so you can demo them 👍. The OD Texas settings sounds nice and lively.

[@GuitarStuffChannel]

Thanks for the positive feedback. My reviews are pretty detailed! If Carr are reading this please feel free to send me any and all of your amps for a review!

[@vltjd]

Best review of this amp. Thorough. Thanks so much.

[@GuitarStuffChannel]

Thanks for the positive comment. Glad you liked it!

[@mcmSEA]

Very good review, thank you! I just got a used one at a good price, and for a living room/ impromptu jam session amp, or a very quiet practice amp it is excellent. I may replace the speaker with a Celestion Creamback for a bit more bass and 3D image though.

[@GuitarStuffChannel]

Glad it was helpful! Rock on!

[@dougbennett7881]

Thanks for the great review. The Carr Super Bee is similar but more Fender sounding IMO. So you can have your choice of two great sounding but differently voiced 'low wattage' Carr amps.

[@GuitarStuffChannel]

Thanks! I would love to try the Super Bee.

[@bigbluesigh]

Well done friend. I especially enjoyed your voice vs the amp in the room for comparison. Cheers!

[@GuitarStuffChannel]

Glad you liked it!

[@gurrgurr1023]

I love my Skylark. I used it in a band setting with a drummer and it works. Great amp

[@GuitarStuffChannel]

Good point. Thanks for the comment!

[@NoCoverCharge]

I have a 68 black line fender super reverb and I also have the superbee .. I love my superbee and my super !!! Been gigging the 10 watt superbee a lot .. but just ordered a carr impala so those days will be over soon cheers!

[@GuitarStuffChannel]

Carr amps are just great.

[@moog2677]

Good review, I think Carr makes some of the best low parred amps on the planet.

[@GuitarStuffChannel]

Agreed! They do.

[@the92project]

man i wish you did a demo of each Carr amp. I own a Telstar and I love it but im not sure im hearing a dramatic difference between that and this Skylark, maybe im crazy

[@GuitarStuffChannel]

I would be happy for Steve Carr to send me over all of his amps and I can demo them all!

[@jameselliano1203]

Own and love except. Boost is not ideal and I get a bit too much treble out of mine. But I use daily.

[@montygibbon1905]

Revisiting this excellent series of amp reviews + checking out current pricing: £189/£225 ~ Harley Benton 15w head/combo £359 ~ Laney CUB-SUPERTOP 15W £1699 ~ Bad Cat Club 20w Combo ££2799 ~ Carr Skylark 12w combo R9 Les Paul £4k+ Tom Anderson guitars £2.5k+

[@bbowjazz]

Can confirm!

[@cameronburke1409]

Honest and genuine demo for home players, thank you. Do you find that the sound a little boxy and thin due to the smaller cabinet, or its it ok for a home playing situation? Trying to decide between the Skylark and the Telstar, thanks again.

[@GuitarStuffChannel]

Thanks. It's not boxy or thin in general. I don't notice the smaller enclosure, however, if I play it back to back with my larger amps at low volume you can tell the difference, but when you turn it up louder it has plenty of fullness.

[@mcmSEA]

@@GuitarStuffChannel to my ears the Carr Super Bee sounds quite a bit more boxy than the Skylark, but I should go and listen again.

[@JHKNVY02]

We have all struggled with that song….lol

[@GuitarStuffChannel]

Which one? I struggle with plenty of them.

[@heathdinsmore1583]

Just seeing this video. Nice review. What are your thoughts on this vs the TK Imperial?

[@GuitarStuffChannel]

Thanks. The Imperial has a much better clean sound in my opinion, but the drive channel is awful (tweed type) so if you are going to play clean only then the Imperial is notably better. Using the attenuator you can drive the Imperial clean channel, but it never gets much beyond a touch of hair. The Skylark does the edge of breakup thing way better and has pretty good drive/lead sounds in general. On other factors, such as build quality there isn't much between them. Steve Carr personally gives great support, with Tone King you are dealing with a big company. The build of the Imperial is definitely neater. There are size differences too. From my point of view I have decided to sell the Skylark and keep the Imperial because I've bought another amp that can do drive sounds.

[@heathdinsmore1583]

What did you get for your drive tones?

[@GuitarStuffChannel]

@@heathdinsmore1583 A Hook Wizard hookamps.co.uk/wizard/ It has a clean channel with blackface and vox settings plus a drive channel that goes from vintage marshall to modern high gain.

[@heathdinsmore1583]

Ha! I just watched again (all the way this time) and HEARD your answer to my original question. Apologies for making you type it also!

[@bbowjazz]

@@GuitarStuffChannel…. In no way disparaging the ToneKing. However, if you want crystalline/dimensional (28W of 6L6 tube power) cleans the Carr Rambler truly excels. The Carr Sportsman at 20W also has excellent cleans. FWIW, I have both the Sportsman and Skylark and can get nice cleans from either.