Crate Amps

[Seven]

What do you guys think about crate? im going to tryout their stuff at a GC.. but i wanna know if its even worth my time.. im looking for really good distortion and probably a halfstack will do. thank you

Chris

[Deneb]

Re: Crate Amps

I wouldn't buy any crate.

Marshall 2210.
Mesa (any recto, or (I've never played one) but JG's Mark 3 in the classifieds)
Peavey 5150 (not my flavor)
Peavey 5150 II (not my flavor)
Marshall AVT (I like the shit)
That Fender MH kind of sucks.

I'm impressed by Line 6, the Spider 2 amps are out of this world.

Really good distortion, and a half stack? Maybe a Vetta, or an HD whatever or other, or a spider 2 head into a line 6 cab, should be affordable.

[Seven]

Re: Crate Amps

see im looking for a inexpensive halfstack... and ive tried the spider 2 shit.. its good sounding i guess.. just that the amp has alot of tech problems.. well the one i have dealt with anywayz.. but i think i might just get that... i dunno.. thanks for your reply.

[Deneb]

Re: Crate Amps

Really, have you heard of problems with it? Hmm, I guess I never looked into it (I usually check harmony central).

Well, maybe check out the www.harmonycentral.com website, and see the reviews of different amps. Maybe someone can offer a better suggestion.

As for inexpensive halfstack, how cheap do you want to go? That Mesa head in the classifieds is 700. Pair that up with a 4x12 (hell one of those berhingers would do the trick, they don't sound terrible) and you've got a 1/2 stack for under/ around a grand.

Hell, the Marshall MG100RCD is probably better than most of the lower end crates. I think you can buy one of those stack combos for it, for about 600ish give or take. Or possibly, get one of those used marshall Valvestate heads, and pair it with a nice cab. That way, down the line, if you upgrade heads, you've still got a sweet cab.

[tseegert]

Re: Crate Amps

Stated it here many times, but here it seems much more relevant: I have a 50 Crate Stealth head, (all tube) and a 400 watt 4x12 B52 cabinet. Total paid-$650.00
I LOVE the sound I have. And for the record, the other guitarist in my band sold his Mesa triple rectifier after hearing my tone.

So, bang for the buck, imo you cant go wrong. These heads are on e-bay for 150-200. I think I need to record some clips and post them, seems alot of people need to hear this to believe it [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[zeegler]

Re: Crate Amps

[ QUOTE ]
I wouldn't buy any crate.
.

[/ QUOTE ]

..care to let us know why?

My main amp is a Crate Blue Voodoo, and it seriously kicks ass. There's abunch of people on here who have them, and love them. There's also a bunch of people who say things like "Crate are crap", but have nothing to substantiate their claims, probably have never owned one, and are simply repeating what they have heard someone else say because it's the popular thing to say. Bullshit!! Don't listen to anyone, try one out for yourself.

[zeegler]

Re: Crate Amps

[ QUOTE ]
Or possibly, get one of those used marshall Valvestate heads, and pair it with a nice cab.

[/ QUOTE ]

Okay, this proves you are on crack. The Valvestates are decent, and reliable amps, but not even close to the Crate Blue Voodoo. For a start, they are solid state, and they don't have enough gain.

[siggy14]

Re: Crate Amps

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Or possibly, get one of those used marshall Valvestate heads, and pair it with a nice cab.

[/ QUOTE ]

Okay, this proves you are on crack. The Valvestates are decent, and reliable amps, but not even close to the Crate Blue Voodoo. For a start, they are solid state, and they don't have enough gain.

[/ QUOTE ]

Crates tube amps are good, there solid states are OK and great beginner amps. But if you are gonna go crate get a tube head, either the stealth or the blue vodoo.

[jgcable]

Re: Crate Amps

[ QUOTE ]
Stated it here many times, but here it seems much more relevant: I have a 50 Crate Stealth head, (all tube) and a 400 watt 4x12 B52 cabinet. Total paid-$650.00
I LOVE the sound I have. And for the record, the other guitarist in my band sold his Mesa triple rectifier after hearing my tone.

So, bang for the buck, imo you cant go wrong. These heads are on e-bay for 150-200. I think I need to record some clips and post them, seems alot of people need to hear this to believe it [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

I know that amp tone is subjective but this is the first time I ever heard of a Mesa Boogie Triple Rectifier player selling his amp after hearing a Crate Stealth 50w amp. I am a fan of Crate amps myself but that story is a little hard to swallow bro. BTW... there are many loyal BV60 and BV120 players out there. They are nice amps.. Crates Vintage Club series and Classic series tube combo's are nice too.

[siggy14]

Re: Crate Amps

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Stated it here many times, but here it seems much more relevant: I have a 50 Crate Stealth head, (all tube) and a 400 watt 4x12 B52 cabinet. Total paid-$650.00
I LOVE the sound I have. And for the record, the other guitarist in my band sold his Mesa triple rectifier after hearing my tone.

So, bang for the buck, imo you cant go wrong. These heads are on e-bay for 150-200. I think I need to record some clips and post them, seems alot of people need to hear this to believe it [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

I know that amp tone is subjective but this is the first time I ever heard of a Mesa Boogie Triple Rectifier player selling his amp after hearing a Crate Stealth 50w amp. I am a fan of Crate amps myself but that story is a little hard to swallow bro. BTW... there are many loyal BV60 and BV120 players out there. They are nice amps.. Crates Vintage Club series and Classic series tube combo's are nice too.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree with you there, but then again maybe he was looking for that particular tone, they are more like the marshall sound afterall.

[jgcable]

Re: Crate Amps

You have to do a really shit job of dialing in a Triple Rectifier and an OUTSTANDING job of dialing in a Stealth 50 in order to make the Stealth sound better than the Triple, regardless of what tone you are after.

[zeegler]

Re: Crate Amps

LOL, no doubt. I'm still thinking of getting myself a Single Rec, in the hopes that I can find something I like better than my Crate.

[siggy14]

Re: Crate Amps

[ QUOTE ]
You have to do a really shit job of dialing in a Triple Rectifier and an OUTSTANDING job of dialing in a Stealth 50 in order to make the Stealth sound better than the Triple, regardless of what tone you are after.

[/ QUOTE ]

Could have also been his cab making the recto sound bad.

[Deneb]

Re: Crate Amps

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Or possibly, get one of those used marshall Valvestate heads, and pair it with a nice cab.

[/ QUOTE ]

Okay, this proves you are on crack. The Valvestates are decent, and reliable amps, but not even close to the Crate Blue Voodoo. For a start, they are solid state, and they don't have enough gain.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think you're the one smoking the wacky tabacky friend.
Chuck from death (RIP) had no problem ripping it up with a valvestate. Wayne Static from Static X, had no problem getting a very very very over driven tone from a valvestate (hell I think he moved onto an MG later).

That said,
let's talk about MY experience with crate amps,

My experience WASN'T comparing a BV with a Valvestate. However, your main statement (it's solid state, versus the BV's tubes...) What do you think those crate heads and combos are? Tube heads? Most certainly not.


I've played the crate combos at the local music store. It wasn't hard to dial in a passable tone, not at all. The distortion, IMHO seemed to "Sizzle" rather than distort, or rumble. The tones, weren't very good to me. It seemed the only one (at least myself, and every other person at the music store) could get, was a distorted, scooped, high low end, high high end, Dimebag tone. May he rest in peace, he was a hell of a player, but I never liked his tone.


It just seemed like, unless I was only playing a crap scooped tone, that I couldn't get a good tone out of the said amp. I don't have experience with the BV amp, but as I've said, I've got PLENTY of experience over the years, with their small combos, and a few of their solid state heads.

Are they affordable? Yes. Do they hold up well? Ask the people who have had to return them, like anything there can be problems, and I don't know of a particular problem child model.don
't see many going back to the music store I shop at. Would they be a passable tone in the house, or in a band? More than likely. Is it my cup of tea? Most certainly not.

I could care less about, tubes, or solid state. I practice through a modeler, I record through a modeler, and I play live with a tube head. I'm no amp snob, and if I find an amp, that kicks ass, I'll buy it regardless of it being tube or solid state.

Hell some of the Marshalls, though tube, got their distortion from clipping diodes. Did they sound good? Fuck yeah!

Maybe someone could offer some advice on some of the heads, I've not got to try (carvin MTS, and things of that nature). The only tube crate, I've ever got to have fun with, was a Crate Vintage club, 120 I believe was the model. I ran a digitech RP6 into it, and I got a good grunge tone. I was like 16, and sold it when the tubes went bad.

[bluebullet]

Re: Crate Amps

the whole crate bashing thing got started in the 80's when crate made the deadest sounding, biggest piece of shit amps in the history of man. the newer tube stuff sounds pretty good but once a company gets that reputation it is almost impossible for them to shake it.