Crate BV120 head

[Inearthed]

Re: Crate BV120 head

I've never heard a Blue Voodoo that wasn't loose as all hell and ice pick overkill. You're the first person I've ever heard describe the amp as tight and with an overall smooth tone. Blue Voodoo's I've heard in person and jammed on have pretty much been completely unuseable without a noisegate, and I'd like to think that I am really quick with the volume knob (I can play a 5150 without a noisegate no problem). One thing I will admit, Blue Voodoo pulls off the super scooped tone without any problems and the Blue Voodoo also records fairly well. As far as cabs... I've heard it through a G12T-75 loaded Marshall, a V30 loaded Bogner, and a matching Crate cabs.

[mogar]

Re: Crate BV120 head

If you're not after a high gain sound, you might want to look for a vc50. I played the combo in an old band and I thought that it was a great clean/classic rock amp. Very warm sound.

[NickCormier]

Re: Crate BV120 head

even tho everyone says such bad things about them, I still feel they would be good, cause the BV300 I played was amazing, and I played a Marshall JCM 800, an XXX, Randalls, Mesa's, and I found the blue voodoo gave a better tone than all of those without the effects, a blue voodoo just sounds so smooth and tight to me

And if it is really as horrible as everyone says, its easy to switch out the tubes, or make sure I buy a good cab with it.. but for the price, theres not much better

[Bigfknbang]

Re: Crate BV120 head

my blue voodoo makes me nutts! it should sound better than it does. i changed the tubes and used tons of crapp to make it sound better but its still doesnt sound like it should. a while ago i was at a show and some local band was using the exact same amp i have bv120hb with matching bv cab and the tone was fkn great! i asked the dude why his sounds great and mine sounds like ass. he said he had no idea he didnt use a noise gate or any effects just plugged strait into it and it rox. mine is noisy feeds back no matter what i do. and has very little sustain, its like a crappy thud tone. the eq is crapp too the bass just swallowes the mid and treble i cant even turn the bass up past 1'2 way without it being nothing but bass. the middle controls is real honkey and weired and the treble ripps your ears off. the reverb on this thing is real crappy. the clean channel is 10 times louder than the distortion channel cleen on 2 is like distortion on 7. makes me nutts. ive been using my frgn digitech genetix1 processor into my pa for my tone since i cant get the bv to sound even close to decent. i wish it sounded great but it dont!

[NickCormier]

Re: Crate BV120 head

so basically I dunno if you're bashing it or not bigfknbang, as you said another local dude had the same exact amp and it was awesome, but you dont like yours

like the dude above said, maybe its something to do with the settings, or just check the soldiering or whatever.. I don't see how afew of them are dead horrible but some are damn amazing.. im sure theres a way of fixing it, unlike Les Pauls where Gibson knows which ones are crap and which are good.. lol

[jtr]

Re: Crate BV120 head

Why are you even looking at a Crate when your Dad has a Marshall! What kind is it 50 or 100 watt tube or SS. To get a good clean tone all you have to do is back off the volume on your guitar. What do you need a ok amp when you have a great one already.

[zeegler]

Re: Crate BV120 head

Regarding the feedback issue. Mine doesn't feed back at all, unless it is cranked right up, and my little Boss NF1 takes care of that no problem. My buddy's 5150 squeals and moans all the time. It's really, really bad. I don't like to get involved in his shit, but I have bitched at him every rehearsal to do something about it. Maybe it's his settings, or his effects. He actually thinks it sounds good, but to me it sounds like a big slushy mess. I remember trying a BV out at House of Guitars years ago though, and that thing was awful. It squealed like a stuck pig. I just figured it had been abused because it was a floor model. When they first came out, I tried one at Steve's Music in Toronto, and it blew me and my friends away. That's why I wanted one in the first place.

Anyway, I'm still waiting for someone to volunteer somewhere to host soundclips, so you can judge for yourself.

Maybe it's a preference issue, but I really like the Bogner Ecstacy, Mesa Rectos, and Blue Voodoo, but very much dislike the Krank, and my friend's 5150. I also tried out a XXX at one of my local stores. It wasn't bad, but didn't really impress me.

[NickCormier]

Re: Crate BV120 head

I want my own amp so I can gig with it, I don't think my dad would like me gigging with his amp, cause he loves it so much and if it ever got broken or stolen he would be soo pissed.. lol its a SS marshall tho, but he got it from some random dude for like $1200 for the full stack because the guy didn't even play anymore, it was just sitting in his shed! hah but we had the stack for like 15 years, he sold one cab but its still great, just I need one to call "my own"

Someday.. hehe

[guitarsjb]

Re: Crate BV120 head

I'm 100% w/Zeeg on this one. My BV120 kicks ass. It's tight, not fizzy, squeally (is that a word??) or anything else. My first one ended up being a PITA had a lot of problems with it, but since I have bought the new one ($1000.00 head and cab w/Celestions out the door) I'm happy as hell. I've had guys from another local band ask us how we got such a kick ass tone...I just pointed to the BV. The other guitarist in my band uses one too.

[DSS3]

Re: Crate BV120 head

Your buddies 5150 is definately fucked. Have him get it looked at.

[jgcable]

Re: Crate BV120 head

I think it depends on the settings and the player. Because the BV120 is so readily available from the store new or used there are alot of non-pro players using them with the wrong settings coupled with the fact that they might be hacks too. I have heard good ones and not good ones. I have never heard a bad 5150 though.
If it sounds good to you, thats all that matters.